As a musician at its most entry title I have always been accustomed to dealing with salesman trying to have me walk out or pay for more then you came in for. Usually a review would wait until one receives the work one paid for. But right now I’d like to write my appreciation for the common courtesy and attention I received at this shop. So many music shops big or custom have people working for them that forget to remember what it’s like to be on the other side of the counter. This place. From first contact online to in person communication was as comfortable as inviting a couple friends to your garage for a jam session. They didn’t care if you knew music theory or you had just bought your first guitar. They welcomed you with a smile and welcomed you to the club. They didn’t try to show off. They didn’t try to challenge you with there knowledge. They were just cool… whether your guitar is a custom shop. Not top shelf. A copy from China. All they see is that there objective is too set up you guit box to the full potential as it was built. What more can you ask for. … again I haven’t picked up my box yet. But I thought I’d share this for anybody who might be intimidated to bring in a guitar that didn’t cost thousands. Maybe you spent a couple hundred and you know it doesn’t feel right. Don’t quit playing. Having a guitar set up by a pro might be the difference for buying it at a great price. Especially if your friends guitar sounds so good and yours doesn’t :)I’ll let you all know if there professionalism yielded results. -Phil

Really knowledgeable and thorough. They do great work and are willing to talk you through it. If you need a tube amp repaired, they partner with Jeff Snider who is also fantastic!

These guys are the absolute best. Its the only place Ill let touch my guitars 🎸fair and honest with superior craftsmanship. Thanks again guys.

Love these guys with all my heart, but they had my bass a month and kept MISDIAGNOSING the issue!! Yikes!! Had to contact bass techs online and in other parts of San Diego to find address a simple microphonic pickup issue. Love the positive spirit these guys have, but a little too hackey in their work. 🤷‍♂️

This place has great service, friendly, but professional employees, and amazing support. The prices for repairing are good and not too expensive from other repair shops.

I purchased this used acoustic guitar from them and its awesome! They also set up a Strat for me and did a great job.

Great ! Deep experience and knowledge. Very professional. Fred took care of my precious SG like he owned it. True experts - nice guys.

I met Fred in the 80s. I knew this guy was the embodiment of impeccabllty from day one And you diseased mutants would do yourselves right to trust you life and guitar to Fred and his associates. Period.

Fred is absolutely the best. My guitars are so dialed in. Hes the best!!

The Repair Zone did a tremendous job with regard to my guitar, which lay unused due to 3+years me battling some intense illnesses.They quoted me a very reasonable price and Im impressed as they care about each customer. The quality applied to my been instrument was amazing. These master craftsman are knowledgable and they brought my guitar back from a very questionable condition.

If your professional or accomplished guitar player theres no better place to have your instrument repaired. Or if youre just learning a quality instrument is always the best way to start. Okay

Did great work on the floating bridge on my strat.I appreciate the attention to detail. Will be back when I need another tune up.

Outstanding customer service. Very cool people. Great place to bring your string instruments.

These guys are AWESOME. I received excellent service - they did an amazing job cleaning and tuning my husbands guitars. Nick is super friendly, knowledgeable and professional. I would recommend this place to everyone.

Amazing craftsmanship - Great guys - I tried fixing on my self (see picture) and totally messed up the guitar. I took it to Fred at The Repair Zone and he took the time to make it look amazing see other picture. I also brought in all my electric guitars to get them playing really nice and easy and the prices are very reasonable. Thanks again guys. See you soon.

Last year I lost my mom. We found her classical guitar and it was all jacked, warped and what not. Ive been coming to the repair Zone since they were part of Guitar Trader in SD a long time ago. My moms guitar came back to me pristine and beautiful. This meant a lot to me and my family. Thank you guys! Some services mean more to others. This meant a lot to us.

These guys did an amazing job on smoothing out my guitar neck. They smoothed out the sharp frets and now it feels incredible. Highly recommend them and will come back for any guitar repairs I need

These guys are great! Theyve been servicing my basses for so long Ive forgotten when I first found them. But I wont take my instruments to anyone else.

Got a starter kit from amazon, brought it in just to take a look at her. Dude found an issue fixed it up right quick. Had some amp questions and he didnt know but directed me to someone who did, got the info I needed...rig is fixed up, now I just gotta learn how to play electric. Good dudes, kool shop.

I doubt theres anything I could say about Repair Zone that hasnt already been said by their legions of happy customers, but Ill add my two cents anyway. Fred and his crew are the best place in San Diego to take your string instruments. I take all my new guitars to them for setups so that the tone is excellent and the guitars are easy to play. Sometimes Ill bring in a guitar just for advice on issues Im concerned about and they are always very generous with their time and helpful with their advice.

I like these guys. They know what theyre doing, and are willing to share their knowledge and explain to me how things work and interact, and what is possible in setting my guitar up the way I prefer.

Fred knows guitars. If its broke, he can fix it.

My guitars love you. You make them sing & feel good!When my guitars feel good, then I feel good. Over the past two years Fred & Nick have done their incredible magic touch on the eight guitars I own. Their attention to every detail is so appreciated.If you love your guitar, when they get a little tired & ill, let Nick & Fred lay their hands on them for some needed TLC. You guys are THE BEST!

They always do a great job at a reasonable price. They are slow, but very competent. I highly recommend them

Had my amp repaired by them a few weeks ago, I received excellent service from Jeff. He corrected many issues with my amp,replaced a busted cap and some resistors, fixed the value of a improperly installed cap, changed the tubes out, did some other light modifications to improve the high-end response of the circuit. Hes a great tech; he took the time and care to make sure the repairs were done properly, stayed in contact with me to troubleshoot my problems and was fair with me in terms of pricing. If you want a repair done right, I recommend this place.

Impeccable. Period.

Timeless craftsmanship coupled with treating each customer and guitar as their own family heirloom. This place is amazing and a true gem for repairing stringed instruments!

The staff was really friendly and eager to help. Great customer service!

Had some pickups swapped out and I knew from my first visit/consult that these guys would handle the job with the care and attention that my guitar needs. The installation was perfect, and I noticed that they fixed a couple other minor issues while they were at it! Fred, Jeff, and Nick will set your guitar up like you would yourself... if you had the time, tools, space, knowledge, experience...

Ive known Fred (the owner) since the mid 80s.He is without doubt the BEST guitar man there is!!!He ALWAYS goes beyond expectations and gives you the highest quality work anywhere.His craftsmanship is impeccable, and if something isnt right, or seems that it wouldnt be in your best interest, or just wouldnt work out with the repair work your looking, for hell let you know.The prices are competitive and very fair.The Repair Zone is an HONEST, old school, true-blue business.You WONT regret bringing your most valuable guitar here, kuz hell do the job right, EVERY time.

This is the best shop for guitar repair / setups / anything you need for your guitar in San Diego period. This is the kind of shop that has an owner that is involved and extremely experienced and the employees are of the same caliber. I’ve been a musician for 18 years and this is one of the best experiences I have ever had with my guitars. I dropped off three guitars that where all out of whack. Les Paul. Strat. Sorrento. And they delivered to the highest degree. I’ve read some of the other reviews on this shop about rude staff and high prices. First of all the staff was more then accommodating warm and just all around guitar people. I Had very pleasant conversations with all of their staff. And as far as the prices, personally it’s not out of the ordinary for such high quality work. I chuck you the bad reviews to inexperienced players asking for things that just aren’t realistic. In conclusion all my guitars are playing better then ever and The Repair Zone will be getting all of my business as long as I am gigging in San Diego. Thank you much guys.-Steven

Knowledgeable, friendly, fair prices. Good guys doing good work. Ive taken one amp, an electric guitar, and just yesterday an electric bass which they fixed on the spot. The amp was an old tube model; they sent out to an expert for me. I will continue to use them for my repair needs.

I have brought all of my treasured guitars to Fred and Nick. They are top notch!! and awesome guys. Dont hesitate..just do it!

Awesome instrument repair shop! Really high quality work and service. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Theyve repaired my Gibson SG, my G&L ASAT bass, and my Squire 5-string precision bass. They do really nice setups. Theyre slightly pricey but nothing too crazy. Price is well worth it. Highly recommend.

The guys here are awesome. Straight shooters great prices

The best people, the best service and Fred is the guitar God and best for all of your needs.

Great repair shop.

Fred and his team do excellent work! Everything from set ups, repairs, and even helping construct guitars from parts. Best in San Diego. I only go here now.

Im very pleased and satisfied with guys from The Repair Zone. I had my Strat there for fret replacement and setup and cant be more happy with the results. Thank you !

Honestly, these guys made my guitar, which i had lost hope on, sound amazing, and they also helped me pick out an amp that Im really impressed with all in one fell swoop. I went in there to buy strings and left with a new amp and my guitar playing and sounding better than ever. Cant recommend these guys enough. Bring your instruments here. You are in very good hands. Plus, theyll talk your ear off about music. Thanks boys! Thanks Fred!

Outstanding workmanship on the restoration and re-fret on my 79 Martin, it looks, plays, and most of all, sounds great, completely original. Thank you guys so much...

The service here is outstanding! The guys running this shop are very friendly and they do excellent work. I took my stratocaster to them for a setup this summer and I was very impressed with their work on the nut. Ive called a few times with repair or maintenance questions and theyve always been really helpful and pleasant.

Love this place. Fred and the whole staff are just great people to talk shop with. They truly love instruments and provide awesome work. Fred is the first person I bring any new guitar to ensure quality. Your guitar is in great hands.

They listen, give you their input before you hand them your guitar. These guys know what their talking about. Their work is hands down amazing. Brought in my acoustic guitar for some upgrades, new bridge, saddle, pins....they did a new set up. My guitar sounds PHENOMENAL! This is the second guitar Ive had them setup and customize. I dont take my guitars to anyone else (period). 👍👍

Great prices and service. Never had a bad experience. Great gear in stock as well that you cant find at big box stores.

I do music for a living and my guitars are my main instruments. I have been going to Fred and the guys for so many years. Fred is honest and I trust him with all my guitar kids. He knows everything there is to know about the instrument and can make your axe sound and play the way it should. Take any guitar you have to Fred and he will set it up like butter! I am proud to have been endorsed by his Naked guitar line! The best you will find anywhere!!!

Never took a guitar in to Repair Zone that didn’t come out playing like butter. Great tech work on guitars.

Great great great.Fred reamed out some tuner holes to a larger size and dressed my new neck.He priced in @ a very acceptable rate, was super accommodating and enthusiastic about his work, and did a fantastic job.The crowning s look perfectly uniform.AffordableFriendlyImmensely SkilledWhy go anywhere else?

Love Repair Zone. I have been coming here for years. Quality work with great pricing and fast turnaround, especially if you compare them to some other places. Super friendly and helpful staff. I highly recommend them.

I was visiting San Diego for business and had plans to attend a meetup / open mic when I discovered a problem with one of my tuners. Fred and the others were very helpful especially considering I strolled in 15 minutes before closing.While the team wasnt able to help me repair my tuner given my short timeline Fred was patient, informative, and damned pleasant to talk to. We compared notes on lutherie, music, the different kinds of tuner options I could go with, some ideas to hack it to work for the open mic, etc. Really top-notch team over there. Id trust them with my prized instrument - if only I had had the time.

This place is great. Ive got my mahogany Martin in there now for the repair of a huge split that happened during a bike accident. I have the utmost confidence that shes going to be returned in great condition. Its their second time fixing her. I bought a small scale classical guitar in right handed version, and these folks converted it to a lefty with perfect intonation. They finish when they say theyre going to, as well, which is rare in the guitar shop world.

Great luthier. Very impressed.

I have gone to these guys for years! I have done music for a living for 40 years and Fred has been doing work on my guitars since I started. Always a fair price and the advice he will give you on everything guitar related is priceless. Highly recommend them!

Fred, Jeff, and Nick are great guys and do excellent work. Wouldnt take my instruments anywhere else. Usually a decent selection of instruments for sale too.

You guys go above and beyond every time. You treat my guitars like they are your very own and thats pretty special. We are so lucky to have The Repair Zone here in San Diego! Keep up the great work.

Brought multiple guitars here and the work performed was at best average. They seemed unclear with some of the instructions I gave them, didnt or were unable to fix a chip how we had discussed prior to work being started. These guys have long turn arounds on work and it seems like they can only provide basic services and arent willing or able to provide or even really discuss custom work options. Ive found all my communications with these guys to be short and borderline rude, with them always displaying a chaotic work environment. Still looking for a quality and professional guitar service provider in San DiegoI only posted this review to help people like myself that value quality above all else for instruments. Price is not a factor in this review. Im positive that all of these reviews are either friends or amateur guitar players that have not been to many repair shops. I would not trust a high value instrument with this shop

The staff is SO friendly, and eager to help! Fred’s kindness, knowledge and expertise is unparalleled. He exceeds our expectations every single time we take a guitar in for some TLC. Thank you Repair Zone for being the best and only choice in San Diego!

This shop is by far the best in San Diego. Great service and exceptional work.

The best music repair shop, give it up to the guys here! They are so helpful and make sure you are taken care of. Thanks for the quick fix!

I cannot say enough great things and Fred and his crew. They did a great setup for me and had it done that same day. The guitar plays itself at this point! Highly recommended for any guitar need you may have!

Only place to have my acoustic guitar modified. Fred and all the guys are great. Solid work at very reasonable prices. Thanks.

You have a customer for life in me - just the way you handled my question on the phone, and referring me to your amp tech. The best example of customer service I have experienced in any type of music related shop, and most any customer experience for that matter. You have my business, and will be my number one referral for all of my musician friends. Thank you Nick and Jeff.

Repair Zone is great! Excellent work for a fair price. I came to Fred in 2001 and have never left. Individual care and he really listens to your needs from the perspective of a guitar player. Thanks, Repair Zone!

I received very helpful, friendly and professional service from this place.

Excellent repair shop for the guitars you care about.

Fred and Buck take great care of their customers and the instruments. My bass always comes back glowing and perfect to play. They are knowledgable, skilled at their craft, and wonderfully friendly. Hands down the best in the business!

The go-to shop for repair and setups with a great staff that has been more than accommodating. Whether you want a regular or a specific setup, these are the guys that will make it right.

Popped in for a quick truss adjustment on my new Takamine and they could not have been more helpful. This places rocks!

Words simply wont do justice to the way Fred and his crew work. I dont know if there could ever be a happier costumer than me.My guitar was assembled in record time and the result was way beyond any expectation. My project tele feels and plays way better than all the Fender Custom Shop Ive played and Ive never had a better experience dealing with someone than with Fred.I wouldnt take my guitars anywhere else!

Ive been taking my guitars to Fred and his terrific staff for more than a decade. When I have taken them elsewhere, I havent been as satisfied. I highly recommend The Repair Zone!

The Repair Zone has worked on several of my instruments. Each time I receive one back, after about two weeks, they are in excellent condition and play-ability. I recommend the Repair Zone without hesitation.

Superb work. I recently brought a Yamaha SLG 200S that was in pretty poor playing condition to The Repair Zone. An eBay purchase that I had played for a couple of months and knew it needed a setup badly. Nick with the Repair Zone did a complete setup and the guitar plays incredibly well. Nick also did an incredible job on a Larrivee L-05. The The Repair Zone has never disappointed me due to their workmanship and attention to detail.

All of the best musicians in my circle go to The Repair Zone to get their guitars setup. Anytime I need my guitar repaired, or looked at I go to the Repair Zone, unless they refer me to someone else. As a guitarist for 20+ years, and a musician for over 30 years, this is the 1 place in San Diego that I trust with my guitars.

When you need fret work done, Freds your man!

The Repair Zone has worked on a number of my guitars, the crowning achievement being a 1963 Gibson Tal Farlow. These guys are amazing and made my vintage beauty pristine again. I cant thank them enough and would trust them with any and all work my six-stringed babies may need.

Have been bringing my instruments to Fred and the repair zone for several years now and 10 instruments later and they always do a fantastic job. Love going there.

My go-to repair shop for 20 years. Fred takes time to talk with customers even though he should be at his bench. Reasonable prices & turnaround time.

These guys did an outstanding job installing a new nut on and setting up my guitar. Definitely recommend.

Great guys!! They take time with you and really know their business. Highly recommend them!!!

I bought an electric guitar second hand out of somebodys garage. It played ok but just wouldnt stay in tune.I took it to The Repair Zone and 2 weeks later, it played like it was brand new again.Quality work at an affordable price. Cant beat it.Thanks guys.

RZ rocks🤘🏽🎶 from basic setups to major work, THIS is the place for any and all repairs! They’ve also got an eclectic array of used and vintage gear.(Specifics below and ladies please see note at the end)Nick did fantastic work on a Taylor acoustic and re-setup my hollowbody Gretsch with Flatwounds, which I love! He’s also a wicked player & tech but definitely seek Nick out on all things jazz guitar —he’s your guy for sure.Fred the owner took care of some serious guitar cracks and did a full fret dressing on my tenor guitar which has played sharp since i got it. Most importantly, he took care of my favorite acoustic dread which i’ve been nervous letting go of for ANY reason, but it had a badly bowed top on the lower bout and the bridge was pulling up so bad you could fit a credit card in the gap :( It had become unplayable until Fred was done with it. Now it plays smoothly & sounds fantastic plus the Bridge Doctor he installed gave me a forever-fix. Any other place woulda gouged me on cost for all these repairs (especially this last one) but the end result was reasonable and what i’d expect to pay elsewhere. And really, if any place could get away with overcharging, it’s RZ cause they do absolutely PHENOMENAL work.P.S. a note for the ladies who hate dealing with sleazy guys at bigbox corporate shops: you you wont get any BS here. From the phone call preceding my first visit to the moment i walked in, the guys here are solid; you’ll be met with respect and they wont make you feel like you’re any less of a musician (something i sadly seem to re-experience anytime i wind up at a GC, irrespective of where it’s located).Needless to say, I’m only going to Repair Zone from now on—My instruments have never played and sounded so good!!🎶

I brought my guitar there for a setup and couldnt be happier...quick, reasonable. I will remain a customer for life. And I am not a friend/relative writing this as Nicholas LA ArtsGuy implies. You sound like a real jerk and someone that complains about everything. Youre review is so off the mark and does not reflect a single other review that REALLY tells me something more about you than the Repair Zone. They dont need a-holes like you anyway. =)

Ive come here 3 times for guitar tech work and each time Ive been really impressed

Great, friendly, knowledgeable staff

Fast and reliable work. My guitar was returned spotless.

Awesome service. They know their stuff and will definitely take care of you. Highly recommend.

Can’t cut a nut properly to save their life, blames every problem that they can’t fix on the guitar brand itself (Gibson custom shop), and cut my saddles so deep that I had to replace all of them because my strings kept touching the saddle screws. (On top of that, the string spacing was way off on the low E string.) Then, of course, they recommend expensive customizations with aftermarket parts to fix said “issues”.On top of that, they claimed that I was being too particular about what I wanted my guitar to do (which was to simply be properly intonated, radiused, and set up), I was a “nightmare customer,” and that they felt bad for the next tech that would have to deal with me.Getting to that next tech...The next shop that I took the guitar to fixed all of the things that I brought to their attention, but on top of that, without me even saying anything about it, they also noticed that my G string nut slot wasn’t cut deep enough, which could cause intonation issues on the first handful of frets. When I told Fred at Repair Zone a month before that my g string was sharp for the first few frets, he said, “well, that’s just a Gibson thing! What can ya do?”Seriously? You’re claiming that all Gibsons are routinely sharp for the first handful of frets on the G string, and it’s not that you just didn’t set this guitar up properly? Give me a break.Fred is a lying bozo.

Absolutely the best in town. I wouldnt trust my gear with anyone else.

I took my sons guitar to get repaired and they were fantastic. They fixed it right away and were very friendly.

Great! Very professional and thorough!

Great service and great guys.

Fast and friendly service from Nick. Needed a strap peg added to an acoustic guitar and he had us in an out in about 10 mins. They even had a strap on hand in their limited retail selection.

Takes a few weeks to tune up the guitar, but the quality is always great

They quoted me $60 for a tune up on my old beater guitar. All I wanted was strings and to lower my action, shave the saddle a little, maximum 25 minutes worth of work.. When the guy there told me he had to measure it like he was going to change my nut or that maybe my intonation was off or the harmonics, I knew that it was just a bunch of BS. Rip-Off Zone! Total elitist guitar place..... And for the record you have to question all these reviews below that have 5 stars...I mean what .....no ones has any intermediate judgments? Ive been playing guitar for 50 years.. all these reviews below are their friends nonsense.

In a previous life I was a touring and recording guitar player. I worked for Gibson and Carvin as a marketing exec so I have been around the industry all my life. These folks are really good from understanding your concerns, the all important work and also customer service. You wont find a better stringed instrument repair shop in San Diego county period. I took two guitars in to check out their services. Great set ups and they play like butter now. My strat whammys in tune without anything on the nut. Sweet. I just took in a Tele that needs a set up. Ill be back thats for sure.

They did a great job in repairing my Martin and setting it up!

Love this place, Fred and his guys are the best........ go and see them they can answer any question you have.

Did a great job on my Maton securing my Tommy Emmanuel signature when all other luthiers said it really cant be done.

The Repair Zone. More like the Miracle Zone. Fred Marotta, Jeff, Buck, and Nick. Man..what a team of hot-rod experts! Fred Marotta, the humble king of this empire, is truly the guitar guru-man of southern California. I have been doing business with these guys for 30 years. They can fix anything. They can build anything. I am telling you...these guys are a team of artists. And, they are also the nicest people in the world. As a pro guitar player, I can only say that they are world-class. I am playing a magical strat they just built. Its one of the finest strats I have ever played, and I have owned about 50-60 guitars in my days. Simply the absolutely best guitar shop in southern California. Nick, newest on the team, is The Man, also. He is handling the front so the other guys can focus more on their specialty work. You can trust him. Nick is the best. Jeff and Buck are longtime specialists...the quiet masters in the back. Guitar repair and building does not get any better in southern CA.

I have tried repair zone twice now. While they are super friendly people, I get the impression that they are just overwhelmed with work to the point where the quality of work suffers. I recently took in my Gibson explorer to get a set up, fret dress and new pickups put in. It took just under a month to get my guitar back and when I got it back the action was a little higher than Id asked for and Im noticing that the intonation is a bit off and my guitar will not stay in tune. These are things that should not happen a week or 2 after picking up my guitar. I always hear great things about this place but I have yet to experience the high quality of work I am always hearing. ****UPDATE- the owner reached out to me and promised to make amends in regards to fixing my guitar up to my standards. I thought that was pretty cool and Im hoping theyll do an awesome job so that I can give them a 5 star reviewFINAL UPDATE- I am going to up my rating from 1 star to 4 stars. Fred went out if his way to take my guitar back in and fix the issues I had initially. Its not the best set up Ive ever had but it is good. The intonation is fixed and the action is much better. The customer service fred displayed was very very good. And the turn around time this time around was very fast.05/27/2017- this time around, Im 110% satisfied with fred and his team. I had taken my esp ltd iron cross guitar to a place where I also take vocal lessons and they destroyed my guitar. In a panic, I brought it to fred and he fixed it up beyond my expectations! They have really pulled through for me and now have a customer for life. Thanks fred