FAQs & Policies

Thank you for choosing SF Guitarworks and Sonoma County Guitarworks for your musical instrument repair needs. Your continued support has been instrumental (pun intended) in our success, and we truly appreciate your patronage.

To enhance communication and provide a smoother service experience, we have compiled FAQs to address common questions. Please take a moment to review this information before reaching out to us, as the answer may be readily available below.

• • I want to bring in my instrument, what do I need to do?
    • • Make an appointment! We currently evaluate instruments for work by appointment only. You can make an appointment here. During your appointment, we do a visual inspection of your instrument & have a detailed discussion with you about your goals for the instrument. We allow 15 minutes per guitar but often takes less.
    • • If there’s no appointment slots available, check back periodically. Existing appointments are asked to confirm 5 days prior to their appointment so appointment slots open up frequently.
    • • Bring all specialized accessories required for your instrument to make sound to the appointment— ie. chargers, adapters, any cables for midi systems.

• • What instruments do you work on?
    • • We repair all non-orchestral stringed instruments including but not limited to acoustic, classical and electric guitars, electric basses, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, dobros, ouds, dulcimers. We do not work on amps, pedals, keyboards, mics or stereo equipment.

• • Can I ship my guitar for repair?
    • • Absolutely! The shipping address is Sonoma County Guitarworks, 3091 Eastman Lane, Petaluma, CA 94952. Please contact us via email at info at sfguitarworks dot com with the type of guitar you have and the issue you are having with the instrument or the scope of work you are requesting before shipping your guitar to us. Including a return shipping label will save you time and money.

• • How much will the service cost?
    • • Visit our pricing page for cost of common repairs. For services not listed, a complimentary evaluation will be conducted during your appointment. Only approximate estimates can be provided via phone or email even with photos.

• • Is there a minimum bench fee?
    • • Yes, we have a minimum charge of 1/2 hour of $85. That said, a few standard services like restrings start at $35.

• • Do you offer rush/expedited service or work completed by a guaranteed delivery date?
    • • Depending on our repair queue, we are happy to offer rush/expedited service of a 3-day turnaround for an additional fee. Rush service is only available for select jobs and is an additional 50% labor charge.

• • Do I need to bring in the parts and strings needed to complete the service?
    • • No. We highly recommend allowing us to handle the ordering of any required parts. This enables us to guarantee that the selected parts align perfectly with the specifications of your job.
    • • In instances where you opt to independently order your parts, we can only offer advice or support by scheduling a consultation.  See next bullet point.
    • • If you prefer strings other than D’addario brand strings, please bring them in.

• • I want to brainstorm a project or I’m seeking information and/or advice on a specific parts or instrument topic. Can you assist me?
    • • Yes, we offer consultations. If you need more time than a normal 15 minute appointment to discuss repairs, modifications, dream builds, etc. please email to info at sfguitarworks dot com with the subject line “consultation”, and we’ll be happy to set you up with an appointment. Consultation fee is $75 for 30 minutes.

• • What if I don’t have a case?
    • • Instruments left without a case are done so at the owner’s risk.  SF Guitarworks / Sonoma County Guitarworks will not be held responsible for damages or missing parts (such as straps) incurred due to not having a protective case.

• • When will my guitar be ready?
    • • Turnaround times for common services such as setups, fret levels, pickup installs are typically one to two weeks. More complex jobs are quoted upon evaluation.

• • Can you service my guitar while I wait?
    • • Regrettably, on-the-spot servicing is not available.

• • How will I know my guitar is ready to be picked up?
    • • You will receive an email and a phone call letting you know your job is complete. Please make an appointment to pickup your instrument here. Payment is taken at the time of pickup. We take all major credit cards, good checks and cash.
    • • At time of pickup, customer MUST inspect instrument and agrees that all work completed is satisfactory and that instrument is in the same condition as it was upon arrival at the shop.  Repairs may be visible. We have a 30-day money back guarantee, provided we have the opportunity to correct any issues you find with the instrument. We have a 90-day adjustment policy. Customer understands that adjustments made outside the shop will void the free adjustment policy. Any work done by other shops will void our adjustment and money back guarantee policies.

• • What is your warranty policy?
    • • SF Guitarworks & Sonoma County Guitarworks are committed to providing the highest quality service. If you are not satisfied with the work completed by the shop, return your instrument to us within 30 days from the date of pick up for adjustments or rework. We have a 30-day money back guarantee, provided we have the opportunity to correct any issues you find with the instrument. We have a 90-day adjustment policy. The adjustment and money back guarantee policies are void if any adjustments or modifications have been made to the instrument after leaving the shop or if the strings have be replaced with a different gauge of string.

• • How often should I have my instrument serviced?
    • • Service frequency is subjective. Seek intervention if your instrument’s performance falls short of expectations.

• • What are your shop hours?
    • • The San Francisco location is by appointment. Please check here for appointment availability. We are located at 323 Potrero Avenue between 16th and 17th
    • • The Petaluma location is open Wednesday through Saturday 10am – 6pm. This location is at 3091 Eastman Lane, Petaluma, CA.

• • No Cell Phone Use
    • • Out of courtesy, we ask that you handle phone calls before entering / after leaving the shop.  If you absolutely need to answer a call, please do so outside of the shop.  Please understand we cannot wait idle while someone is on a call, so we will return to the bench to resume working. 

• • How long do I have to pickup my instrument?
    • • SF Guitarworks / Sonoma County Guitarworks is a small & busy shop! You will be called the moment your instrument is completed and ready for pick up. We ask that you please pick up completed repairs in a timely manner, ideally within 10 days.
    • • Instruments left for 30 days after completion will incur an $80 storage fee, with an additional $20 per week thereafter. 
    • • Instruments left for more than 90 days will be addressed following California personal property law. 
    • • If you have circumstances that prevent you from picking your instrument(s) up, please communicate with us so we are aware of the situation.

• • What if I leave my guitar but decide to cancel the repair?
    • • If you decide to cancel or decline a repair please plan to pick up your guitar within 10 days. We don’t have the space to store instruments once work has been cancelled.

         

        A $40 cancellation fee applies to cover the time spent diagnosing, estimating, and preparing your instrument for service.

        If your guitar isn’t picked up within the 10-day window, storage fees will apply (unless other arrangements have been made with SF Guitarworks / Sonoma County Guitarworks).

We employ continuous camera surveillance for security.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We look forward to serving your musical instrument needs.