Guitar players across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens have wide access to setup work, from budget benches to authorized warranty centers. This directory covers 13 shops, including Brooklyn Lutherie in Gowanus for fretwork and Brothers Guitar Shop, a Martin warranty service center on the Upper East Side. Published setup prices run from $45 at Lizzy Guitars in Astoria up to $200.
New York 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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Urban Canyon Guitar Repair
Chelsea/Midtown, Manhattan · 251 West 30th Street, 7th Floor · New York, NY 10001Guitar setup and repair shop operating inside NYC Guitar School in Midtown Manhattan, with typical turnaround of about a week or less for setups and repairs.
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Brothers Guitar Shop
Upper East Side, Manhattan · 316 East 84th Street · New York, NY 10028Upper East Side vintage and new guitar shop, started in 2017 by brothers Frank and Shawn Gorelik, that is an authorized C.F. Martin warranty service center.
Setup $145-$200 -
TR Crandall Guitars
Lower East Side, Manhattan · 156 Ludlow Street, 5th Floor · New York, NY 10002Lower East Side vintage and used guitar shop owned by Alex Whitman and Tom Crandall, offering in-house repair and setup services alongside its guitar sales floor.
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Brooklyn Fine Guitars
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn · 264 Hoyt Street · Brooklyn, NY 11217Boerum Hill guitar shop offering no-appointment-needed setup and restring service usually finished in 30-45 minutes, plus fret leveling, electronics troubleshooting, and crack repair.
Setup $120-$145 -
Brooklyn Lutherie
Gowanus, Brooklyn · 232 3rd Street, Suite E003 · Brooklyn, NY 11215Women-owned repair shop founded in 2013 by Mamie Minch and Chloe Swantner, located inside the historic Old American Can Factory in Gowanus; all repairs carry a 90-day warranty and visits are by appointment only.
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Retrofret Vintage Guitars
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn · 87 Luquer Street · Brooklyn, NY 11231Vintage guitar dealer and restoration workshop near Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, known for museum-quality repair and restoration work on vintage instruments; repairs are by appointment only.
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Precision Guitar Repair
Williamsburg, Brooklyn · 50 South 1st Street · Brooklyn, NY 11249Guitar repair bench operating out of Main Drag Music in Williamsburg, offering a base setup rate of $125 plus rush-service options for faster turnaround.
Setup $125 -
FS Guitar Repair (FS Lutherie)
Greenpoint, Brooklyn · 138 Bayard Street, 2nd Floor · Brooklyn, NY 11222Greenpoint, Brooklyn guitar repair shop operating since 2011 that offers a 60-day free adjustment warranty on setups and repairs, and also builds custom instruments under its FSC Instruments brand.
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Bushwick Guitar Repair
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn · 37 Herkimer Street · Brooklyn, NY 11216Bedford-Stuyvesant guitar and bass repair shop specializing in fret work, electronics, and structural repairs such as cracks, loose braces, and bridge reglues; open by appointment Tuesday through Saturday.
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Guitar Repair NYC
Gravesend, Brooklyn · 1890 East 5th Street · Brooklyn, NY 11223Brooklyn-based guitar setup and repair service offering free pickup/drop-off within Brooklyn and a one-year guarantee on all setups and repairs.
Setup $55-$65 -
Mobile Guitars
Bayside/Flushing, Queens · 199-02 32nd Avenue, Suite 4 · Flushing, NY 11358Queens-based guitar and bass repair shop offering in-shop drop-off service in Bayside/Flushing as well as on-site mobile repair visits to homes, offices, and studios across the NYC area.
Setup $70-$140 -
Lizzy Guitars
Astoria, Queens · 27-08 23rd Avenue, 2nd Floor · Astoria, NY 11105Astoria, Queens guitar repair shop offering complete setups for $45 (customer supplies strings), plus crack repair, electronics work, and custom bone nut/saddle work.
Setup $45 (strings not included) -
Bondi Guitars
Jackson Heights, Queens · 34-32 76th Street · Jackson Heights, NY 11372Jackson Heights, Queens guitar repair and setup shop known for quick turnaround and personalized service, also offering guitar lessons.
Know a great New York shop we missed, or spotted an outdated detail? Tell us and we will fix it.
What a guitar setup costs in New York
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 New York 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 New York: common questions
How much does a guitar setup cost in New York?
Published rates vary widely by borough. Lizzy Guitars in Astoria charges $45 with the customer supplying strings, Guitar Repair NYC lists $55 to $65, and Mobile Guitars runs $70 to $140. In Brooklyn, Precision Guitar Repair charges a base $125 and Brooklyn Fine Guitars $120 to $145, while Brothers Guitar Shop on the Upper East Side lists $145 to $200. For comparison, Guitar Center runs $60 to $75, Sweetwater about $99, a fret level and crown adds $85 to $150, and a restring alone is about $25.
Which New York shop is best for fretwork or a refret?
Brooklyn Lutherie in Gowanus is a women-owned shop that specializes in fretwork and refrets, with all repairs backed by a 90-day warranty. Guitar Repair NYC and Brooklyn Fine Guitars also handle fret leveling, and Retrofret in Carroll Gardens is known for museum-quality vintage restoration where original frets matter. A full refret is a multi-day job, so plan to leave the instrument.
How long does a guitar setup take in New York?
It depends on the shop and its queue. Brooklyn Fine Guitars advertises walk-in setups finished in about 30 to 45 minutes, while Urban Canyon Guitar Repair quotes roughly a week or less. A standard bench turnaround across most independent shops is two to three days, and added work like fretwork or electronics extends that.
Do I need an appointment for a guitar setup in New York?
It varies. Brooklyn Fine Guitars takes walk-ins with no appointment needed, and Guitar Repair NYC offers free pickup and drop-off within Brooklyn. Others, including Brooklyn Lutherie, Retrofret, and Bushwick Guitar Repair, are appointment-only, so call ahead before bringing an instrument in.
What is included in a professional guitar setup?
A standard setup covers a truss rod adjustment to set neck relief, action height at the nut and saddle or bridge, intonation at the bridge, and usually a fresh set of strings and a fretboard cleaning. Shops like Guitar Repair NYC document the work as a multi-point inspection. The goal is consistent, repeatable playability across the neck.
