Repair Shop at Fat Cat Custom Guitars & Repair
Whether you need a simple restring, setup, other basic guitar maintenance, or more complex service such as a nut replacement, headstock repair, or guitar fretwork, including our famous stainless-steel frets, we can fix almost any acoustic guitar, electric guitar, or bass guitar.
If your banjo, mandolin, bajo quinto, bajo sexto, or other fretted instrument needs strings or repair, we can probably help there too.
Our guitar repair service is trusted by hobbyists, students, area pros, and national touring artists.
Rates for our most popular jobs are below.
If you need a custom quote, contact us. | Click here to schedule a dropoff.
String Change
Does not include strings. We have a wide variety of strings available for purchase, or bring your own brand-new set.
| Standard string change | $30 |
| 12-string, nylon, Floyd Rose, other special string change | $40 |
Setups
Setup includes truss rod adjustment, saddle height adjustment, nut slot filing and lubrication if necessary, fret polishing, neck oiling if applicable, electronics and hardware testing and cleaning, action set at the desired height, body cleaning. Does not include strings.
| Standard setup | $85 |
| Setup for Floyd Rose, Evertune, 12-string, special | $100 |
Frets
| Fret end dressing | $40 |
Fret level and refret always includes setup. Does not include strings.
| Fret level, crown, and polish with setup, standard | $250 |
| Fret level, crown, and polish with setup, special | $265 |
| Complete refret, standard wire, no binding | $400 |
| Complete refret, standard wire, with binding | $475 |
| Complete refret, stainless steel, no binding | $450 |
| Complete refret, stainless steel, with binding | $525 |
Electronics
| Acoustic pickup install | Starts at $60 |
| Electric pickup install | $45 |
| + Each additional electric pickup | $20 |
| Rewiring and/or troubleshooting | Varies |
| Routing for battery, killswitch, pickup(s) | Starts at $60 |
| Shielding | Starts at $40 |
| Volume, tone, switch install | Starts at $40 |
| Input jack repair or replacement Does not include replacement parts | $25 |
Headstock
| Break repair | Varies |
| Tuner installation with drilling for 6-string | $50 |
| Tuner installation without drilling for 6-string | $30 |
Neck
| Truss rod adjustment | $30 |
| Joint inspection, adjustment, shim | $45 |
Nut
| Handmade bleached or unbleached polished bone nut, with installation | $100 |
| Premade replacement nut installation Does not include replacement nut | $50 |
| Difficult nut removal | $25 |
Bridge
| Acoustic bridge reset | Starts at $200 |
| Install Bridge Doctor Does not include Bridge Doctor, strings, or string change | $60 |
| Set bridge intonation or saddle height | $40 |
Body
| Acoustic guitar crack repair | Varies |
| Finish touchup We do not currently offer full guitar refinishing | Varies |
Other
| RUSH FEE! Based on availability; please inquire | 30% of job total |
| Very dirty guitar | $25 |
Questions? Contact us!
Scott Bond: Guitar Technician, Fat Cat Custom Guitars & Repair
Our busy guitar repair shop in Elgin, Illinois is headed by Scott Bond, an expert guitar tech and builder with over twenty years of experience and reputation.
