New guitar repair shop...

[BrunoBass]

...just opened in Banbury. Pretty handy for me as I live there. I look forward to giving them a try.
https://robertsinstrumentrepairs.com/

[markstuk]

Looks like one of the guys who worked for One Man Band before they went purely keyboards..

[FinnDave]

Not too from for me, either. I'll take a look next time I'm in the far north (of the county).

[knirirr]

@BrunoBass, @FinnDave, did either of you try this place out? I'd be interested to know what you think, if so.

[FinnDave]

6 minutes ago, knirirr said:

@BrunoBass, @FinnDave, did either of you try this place out? I'd be interested to know what you think, if so.

No, not had a chance yet (just realised I said I'd look in two years ago!!) Not often in Banbury during the day, occasionally there for gigs but everything shut by then. I've also got a good place closer to home, on my side of Oxford.

[knirirr]

2 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

No, not had a chance yet (just realised I said I'd look in two years ago!!) Not often in Banbury during the day, occasionally there for gigs but everything shut by then. I've also got a good place closer to home, on my side of Oxford.

Thanks for replying.

May I ask where you normally go? I'm trying to find someone I can get to and who also has been recommended.

Funnily enough I walk past that keyboard shop in Banbury a couple of weeks ago yet at the time I had no idea there were guitar repair services available in the vicinity.

[FinnDave]

I can recommend Dave Smart on Cumnor Hill, he's got a website, but I can PM you his contact details if you prefer. Which part of Oxford are you in? I live near Witney.

[knirirr]

36 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I can recommend Dave Smart on Cumnor Hill, he's got a website, but I can PM you his contact details if you prefer. Which part of Oxford are you in? I live near Witney.

Is this the chap?

https://www.smartguitars.co.uk/

I work in the centre of Oxford so he shouldn't be too difficult to get to for me, although I'm commuting from the Chipping Norton direction.

[BrunoBass]

16 minutes ago, knirirr said:

Is this the chap?

https://www.smartguitars.co.uk/

I work in the centre of Oxford so he shouldn't be too difficult to get to for me, although I'm commuting from the Chipping Norton direction.

Hi @knirirr I’ve not had a need to use them yet so I can’t say. If you’re in Chippy it might be worth looking at AB Guitars too, who are in Stratford.

http://www.abguitartech.co.uk/

 

Edited July 11, 2018 by BrunoBass

[FinnDave]

57 minutes ago, knirirr said:

Is this the chap?

https://www.smartguitars.co.uk/

I work in the centre of Oxford so he shouldn't be too difficult to get to for me, although I'm commuting from the Chipping Norton direction.

Yep, that's him, great bloke and really knows what he's doing. If you get in touch with him, give him my regards (Dave from Standlake), most of my basses have benefitted from his touch, those that haven't will do so soon!

[songofthewind]

There’s RP Guitars in Aston. He put a new nut on a Tele for me. I hear he does stuff for Gary Kemp, so his other work must be ok. I have his number if anybody wants.

There used to be a guy in Leamington Spa, but I can’t find his contact details.

[FinnDave]

4 minutes ago, songofthewind said:

There’s RP Guitars in Aston. He put a new nut on a Tele for me. I hear he does stuff for Gary Kemp, so his other work must be ok. I have his number if anybody wants.

There used to be a guy in Leamington Spa, but I can’t find his contact details.

Is that the Aston near Bampton? If so, I went there a few years ago with a friend (now sadly deceased) who took his PRS guitar there. To say we were unimpressed would be an understatement, took us several hours to make his guitar playable when we got it back and the mere mention of 'Aston' would have us in fits of laughter for several years afterwards!

[songofthewind]

Yes, it is near Bampton! Lucky I didn’t get him to do more stuff. Although he did come recommended, and did play th3 guitar he had set up for a friend. It was fine. Maybe he’s gotten better over the years..

[fleabag]

Bob of RP does not live in Aston anymore. He moved to Abingdon a few years ago.  His mum died and he got her house, so sold his Aston gaff.

Dave Smart is the guy to go to. He's very busy though, which is a good sign

[MoonBassAlpha]

Did Dave Smart used to be at the Guitar Gallery in Summertown? I think I had his card once, years ago.

[FinnDave]

8 hours ago, MoonBassAlpha said:

Did Dave Smart used to be at the Guitar Gallery in Summertown? I think I had his card once, years ago.

I'm pretty sure he did, I believe he also set up the Oxford branch of PMT. He's a very skilled and knowledgeable chap, and very easy to get along with too.

Wish that guitar gallery had been there when I was living in Summertown, long long ago!

[BrunoBass]

Slightly off topic, but fellow Oxonians @MoonBassAlpha @FinnDave et al; to settle an argument a) do you remember ABC Music on St Clements, and b) did the whole ABC chain become PMT (and subsequently relocate the Oxford shop to the Cowley Road)? I say yes, my bandmate says no. I think I’m right, but I have been wrong on occasion 😉

[FinnDave]

I grew up in Oxford in the 60s but moved away in the early 70s, before music had taken hold of me, and have been back here for only the last 5 years, so there's a bit of a gap in my local knowledge!

[knirirr]

1 hour ago, BrunoBass said:

Slightly off topic, but fellow Oxonians @MoonBassAlpha @FinnDave et al; to settle an argument a) do you remember ABC Music on St Clements, and b) did the whole ABC chain become PMT (and subsequently relocate the Oxford shop to the Cowley Road)? I say yes, my bandmate says no. I think I’m right, but I have been wrong on occasion 😉

In another thread I was asking about what to do with a Trace Elliot BLX-130 that's on a shelf in my garage. Underneath it I found a copy of the warranty form which I had filled in stating I bought it at ABC Music, Oxford, in August 1994. So, the shop was definitely around then. I don't really have any clear recollections of it though.

[BrunoBass]

I bought my first bass amp there in 1991, I think it was there until the late 90s?