Guitar Repair & Setup — St. Albans, VT

Looking for a luthier near St. Albans? I'm Dan at Lakeside Guitar in Colchester — about 35 minutes south on I-89. Worth the drive, especially if you call ahead.

St. Albans is the hub of Franklin County, and Franklin County has a lot of guitar players. The rail town character, the agricultural roots, the proximity to Quebec — it breeds an independent streak that shows up in the music too. I see Franklin County players regularly and I appreciate the work they bring in.

Planning Your Visit

Coming from a distance? Call ahead and I'll block enough bench time to handle your job the same day — so you're not making two trips to Colchester. Jobs requiring glue, clamps, or multi-day dry time will need to be dropped and picked up later, but we can plan that out in advance. Give me a call at 802-249-4983 and we'll figure out the best approach.

Services

Setups · Fret Work · Electronics · Repairs · Restoration — and everything in between. Whether it's a quick Restring+ ($50, while you wait), a full Signature Setup ($100–150), electronics work ($150–300), fret leveling ($150–200), or a full refret ($400–600), I quote honestly and track my time so you see exactly where your money went.

I'm a certified warranty technician for Martin and Taylor — which means I can handle warranty claims, order OEM parts, and access factory support directly. If you bought your guitar new and something's wrong, bring it to me before you ship it anywhere.

I work on acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars — and also mandolins, banjos, ukuleles, and most fretted stringed instruments. Brands include Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Fender, PRS, Gretsch, Ibanez, Epiphone, Yamaha, Takamine, and many more, including rare and vintage makes most shops have never seen.

Why Lakeside Guitar

Precision. Guitar repair isn't art — it's math, physics, and materials science. Action is a measurement. Relief is geometry. I use both sides of my brain to find the sweet spot in every instrument.

Passion. I've been playing for over 35 years. I love guitars — all of them, regardless of brand or condition. When you bring me your instrument, I treat it like it matters. Because to you, it does.

Integrity. I'm a straight shooter. If I make a mistake, I'll tell you. If your job is going to run over estimate by more than 15%, I'll call before I proceed. No surprises.

Turnaround:

• While you wait — quick jobs up to ~30 minutes (Restring+, output jack, minor adjustments)
• 2–3 weeks — single-visit jobs on the fast track
• 30–60 days — multi-step projects, handled in order of arrival

What Customers Are Saying

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I had given up on a guitar and Dan brought it back to life. He is a master!"

— Gary DuCharme

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Great experience! Dan is knowledgeable, helpful and friendly!"

— Tanya LaChapelle

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "So glad I found Dan to fix and setup my guitars. There's nothing like playing a well-setup guitar."

— Bob Blaise

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Dan did an amazing job transferring pickups in both of my Les Pauls, and completely rewired one of them."

— Nate Perrotte

50+ five-star reviews on Google →

Book or Get an Estimate

Ready to get your guitar playing its best? Schedule online or call/text 802-249-4983. Estimates are always free — I just need to see the instrument in person.

Location: Colchester, Vermont (Malletts Bay) · ~35 minutes from St. Albans · By appointment only

Also serving: Swanton · Georgia · Fairfax · Milton