Rooted in the city's grunge legacy, Seattle's repair scene runs from Pioneer Square to the Eastside. Emerald City Guitars has kept a vintage shop and luthier bench there since 1996, while across Lake Washington in Bellevue, custom builder Mike Lull offers PLEK computerized fret leveling. Nine shops in all, several staffed by luthiers trained at recognized schools, cover everything from basic setups to structural restoration.
Seattle 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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Emerald City Guitars
Pioneer Square · 83 S Washington St · Seattle, WA 98104Family owned since 1996 in Seattle's Historic Pioneer Square, Emerald City Guitars runs a repair shop staffed by luthier Tyler Geske, a Roberto Venn School of Luthiery graduate, alongside guitar techs Liz Keller and Karl Van Der Velden, who studied under luthier Charles Fox.
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Todd Guitars & Repair
West Seattle · 5024 35th Ave SW · Seattle, WA 98126Run by owner Todd out of West Seattle, Todd Guitars & Repair has operated for 12 years covering acoustic, electric, and electronics repair, and guarantees adjustments while customers wait until they are satisfied.
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Andrews Guitars
West Seattle · 4527 49th Ave SW · Seattle, WA 98116Operating from a home workshop west of the Alaska Junction, luthier Aaron Andrews brings 30 years of experience to repair and restoration of electric and acoustic guitars, basses, mandolins, ukuleles, banjos, and resonators, including vintage Martins and National resonators other shops have turned away.
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Drew's Guitar Shop
West Seattle · 9422 35th Ave SW · Seattle, WA 98126Owner Drew, a Roberto Venn School of Luthiery graduate with about 10 years of experience, works on all fretted instruments in West Seattle, handling everything from basic setups to major structural repairs.
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Ballard Guitar Dock
Ballard · 708 NW 58th St · Seattle, WA 98107Ballard Guitar Dock is independently operated by Daniel Greenblatt, who spent nearly a decade as a touring guitar technician for acts including Silversun Pickups, Minus the Bear, and Phoebe Bridgers before opening the shop, which also services tube amps and pedalboards.
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Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar
Fremont · 117 N 36th St · Seattle, WA 98103Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar in Fremont pairs a vintage and used-guitar showroom with a full-service repair department, and also runs a buy, sell, consign, and trade program for gear.
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Guitar Center (Roosevelt)
Roosevelt · 6308 Roosevelt Way NE · Seattle, WA 98115The repair counter at this Roosevelt neighborhood Guitar Center location offers tiered setup packages, restrings, detailing, and pickup or electronics modifications as part of the national chain's standard repair program.
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Silesia Guitars
517 NE 165th St · Shoreline, WA 98155Silesia Guitars is located in Shoreline, roughly 15 minutes north of downtown Seattle, and is run by luthier Dagna, handling everything from professional setups and restrings to cracked-top repairs and custom inlay work.
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Mike Lull Custom Guitars
12031 Northup Way Ste. 206 · Bellevue, WA 98005Mike Lull Custom Guitars is based in Bellevue, a Seattle suburb across Lake Washington, combining custom instrument building with a repair shop that offers PLEK computerized fret leveling, vintage restorations, and Floyd Rose tremolo installation, and serves as an authorized Taylor warranty repair center.
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What a guitar setup costs in Seattle
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 Seattle 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 Seattle: common questions
How much does a guitar setup cost in Seattle?
Most Seattle shops quote setups by estimate rather than publishing flat rates, so it is worth calling for a price. As benchmarks, Guitar Center runs about $60-$75 and Sweetwater $99 for a standard setup. A fret level and crown typically adds $85-$150, and a restring on its own is around $25. Use those figures as a frame when comparing local quotes.
Which Seattle shop is best for fretwork or a refret?
For precision fretwork, Mike Lull Custom Guitars in Bellevue offers PLEK computerized fret leveling and full refrets. Emerald City Guitars and Ballard Guitar Dock both handle refrets and fret dressing within the city. For vintage and complex restoration, Aaron Andrews brings 30 years of experience to work other shops have turned away, including vintage Martins and National resonators.
How long does a guitar setup take in Seattle?
Timelines depend on the shop's queue. Todd Guitars & Repair in West Seattle adjusts guitars while customers wait until they are satisfied, while most independent luthiers schedule work over days to a couple of weeks depending on backlog. The hands-on setup itself is usually a few hours, so the main variable is how far out a shop is booked.
Do I need an appointment for a guitar setup?
Some Seattle shops work by appointment, especially the home-workshop and one-person operations like Andrews Guitars and Silesia Guitars in Shoreline. The Guitar Center in the Roosevelt neighborhood takes walk-ins at its repair counter. For any smaller independent shop, calling first to confirm drop-off times is the safest approach.
Can I do a guitar setup myself instead?
Basic setups are within reach for a careful owner. The essential tools are a string action gauge, feeler gauges, and a radius gauge, since neck relief, action, and intonation are all measurable and repeatable specs. You can adjust the truss rod and saddle height at home, but fret leveling and nut slotting need more skill and specialized tools, which is where a shop like Emerald City or Mike Lull earns its fee.
