Between Red Rocks stages and the venues lining Colfax Avenue, Denver keeps around ten repair benches working, including Colfax Guitar Shop, which has sat in the Bluebird District for nearly 30 years. Flipside Music runs flat-rate 'The Works' setups at $79 acoustic and $99 electric, while the Denver Folklore Center has served acoustic players since 1962 with setups around $120.
Denver guitar shops that do setups
Every listing below was checked against the shop's own website or a current public source. Call ahead for exact pricing and turnaround.
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Spampinato Guitars
Southeast Denver · 7700 E Iliff Ave, Suite A · Denver, CO 80231Southeast Denver shop where luthier Mason Shelmire continues the business founded by Matt Spampinato, who passed away in June 2024; the shop recently partnered with Denver Guitar Exchange to expand its instrument inventory.
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Colfax Guitar Shop
Bluebird District · 3220 E Colfax Ave · Denver, CO 80206Operating in Denver's Bluebird District for nearly 30 years; current owner Dave Dougherty took over in 2009 after running a shop in Philadelphia, and the team handles everything from minor setups to full neck resets and refinishing.
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Hackl Guitars
Five Points · 3139 Milwaukee St · Denver, CO 80205Appointment-only shop run by luthier Justin Hackl, who builds custom guitars in addition to repairs, with limited posted hours Tuesday through Saturday.
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Denver Folklore Center
Platt Park · 1893 S Pearl St · Denver, CO 80210Serving Denver's acoustic and folk-instrument community since 1962; the repair shop is led by luthier John Rumley, with a stated focus on diagnosing humidity-related damage common to Colorado's dry climate before recommending costly repairs.
Setup $120 -
Mighty Fine Guitar Services
5235 E 38th Ave · Denver, CO 80207One-luthier, appointment-only shop run by Al Scholl, specializing in fret dressing, leveling and full refrets alongside setups and pickup/electronics upgrades.
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Tenorio Werx
525 E Ohio Ave · Denver, CO 80209Founded in January 1999 by Mark Tenorio, a Roberto Venn School of Lutherie graduate who has repaired more than 40,000 guitars since starting professionally in 1987; an authorized factory service center for Fender, Guild, Gretsch, Jackson and other major brands.
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Victor Guitar
1457 S Broadway · Denver, CO 80210Repairs guitars, violins and 'most anything with strings,' and hosts the Colorado School of Lutherie's guitar-building classes; also known for its signature banjola instrument, which has its own dedicated site (banjolas.com).
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Flipside Music
2231 S Platte River Dr · Denver, CO 80223Repair department inside the Flipside Music guitar store, run by tech Sam, offering flat-rate 'The Works' setups (acoustic $79 / electric $99) that bundle fret leveling, restringing, intonation and an electronics check.
Setup $79-$99 -
PLM Guitar Setup & Repair
3441 N Columbine St · Denver, CO 80205Appointment-only, owner-operated shop open Friday through Monday that services guitars alongside ukulele, banjo and mandolin, and also buys/sells used instruments and offers private lessons.
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Guitar Center Denver
1585 S Colorado Blvd · Denver, CO 80222(Chain: Guitar Center) The national chain's Denver repair counter offers a standardized 'Signature Setup' (22-point truss rod, nut, saddle, action and intonation adjustment) and a Platinum tier that adds deep cleaning and polishing.
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What a guitar setup costs in Denver
US benchmarks, checked July 2026. A fret level and crown adds $85-$150, a restring alone runs about $25.
| Provider | Standard setup | Turnaround | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent local shop | $45-$90 | 2-3 days typical | Often the best value. Prices vary by shop and city. |
| Guitar Center | $60-$75 | Up to 1 week | Signature Setup with restring. Platinum tier runs $150+. |
| Sweetwater | $99 | Ship-in service | Plek Pro setup from $200. Parts and strings extra. |
| DIY with proper tools | One-time tool cost | About an evening | Tools pay for themselves after 1-2 setups and last for decades. |
Or set it up yourself in an evening
A pro setup in Denver costs $45-$99 and most players need two per year. With precision tools you do the same three adjustments (neck relief, action, intonation) on your own bench, whenever your guitar needs it. FRTLZR precision tools pay for themselves after the first setup.
FRTLZR® Checkcard String Action GaugeMeasure and dial in your string action
Precision Feeler Gauges SetCheck neck relief at the truss rod stage
FRTLZR® Radius GaugeMatch saddle heights to your fretboard radius
FRTLZR® Fret Polishing Kit PREMIUMBring dull frets back to a mirror shine
Guitar setup in Denver: common questions
How much does a guitar setup cost in Denver?
Flipside Music publishes flat-rate 'The Works' setups at $79 for acoustic and $99 for electric, bundling fret leveling, restringing, and intonation, and the Denver Folklore Center lists setups around $120. National benchmarks run about $60 to $75 at Guitar Center and $99 at Sweetwater, a fret level and crown adds roughly $85 to $150, and a restring alone is about $25.
Which Denver shop is best for fretwork or a refret?
Mighty Fine Guitar Services is a dedicated fretwork bench, specializing in fret dressing, leveling, and full refrets. Tenorio Werx, an authorized factory center whose founder has repaired more than 40,000 guitars since 1987, also handles refrets. Colfax Guitar Shop takes on the heaviest jobs, including full neck resets and refinishing.
How often should I get my guitar set up?
Once or twice a year suits most players, plus any time you switch string gauge or tuning. Colorado's dry, high-altitude air pulls moisture from wood, so seasonal checks matter, especially for acoustics. The Denver Folklore Center specifically focuses on diagnosing humidity-related damage common to the state's dry climate before recommending repairs.
What is included in a professional guitar setup?
A professional setup adjusts truss-rod relief, string action, nut slot height, and intonation, and includes fresh strings and a check of the electronics. Flipside Music's flat-rate 'The Works' bundles fret leveling, restringing, intonation, and an electronics check. Guitar Center Denver bills its Signature Setup as a 22-point truss rod, nut, saddle, action, and intonation service.
Can I do a guitar setup myself instead?
Yes. Action, neck relief, and intonation are measurable and repeatable, so a careful home setup is realistic with a string action gauge, feeler gauges for truss-rod relief, and a radius gauge to match the fretboard curve. In Denver's dry climate, watch for sharp fret ends as the neck shrinks; that fretwork is better left to a shop like Mighty Fine.
