Precision fretwork defines the repair landscape here. SF Guitarworks has run PLEK CNC machines since 2001, and Gary Brawer installed one of the first PLEK units in the country while servicing touring musicians for decades. Published setup pricing is easy to find too: San Francisco Guitar Tech quotes $70-$120 and Golden Gate Guitar Services charges $110. Eight shops cover the city and its southern edge.
San Francisco 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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SF Guitarworks
Potrero Hill · 323 Potrero Ave · San Francisco, CA 94103Founded in 2001, this shop uses PLEK CNC technology for fretwork alongside standard setups and refrets, and also teaches guitar repair and building classes. Open by appointment on Wednesdays and Saturdays; a second location operates in Petaluma.
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San Francisco Guitar Tech
Twin Peaks / West Portal · 1017 Portola Dr · San Francisco, CA 94127Jeremy Borkat runs this appointment-only repair operation out of a garage near Twin Peaks and West Portal, with most guitars started the same day they are dropped off. Standard setups run $70-$120 depending on scope and whether you supply your own strings.
Setup $70-$120 -
Guitar Center San Francisco
Van Ness / Cathedral Hill · 1645 Van Ness Ave · San Francisco, CA 94109This is a Guitar Center chain store, not an independent shop. It offers tiered Signature and Platinum guitar setup packages plus walk-in restrings, and no appointment is required.
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Balboa Guitars
Outer Richmond · 3942 Balboa St · San Francisco, CA 94121Run by luthier and instructor Mark Newstetter in the Outer Richmond, this shop pairs acoustic and electric guitar repair with guitar lessons built around his own Fretography method. Pricing is quoted per estimate rather than published.
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Gary Brawer Guitar Repair
SOMA · 15 Lafayette St · San Francisco, CA 94103Operating out of the Real Guitars storefront on Lafayette Street in SOMA, this shop was among the first in the US to install a PLEK fret-leveling machine and has serviced touring musicians for decades.
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Golden Gate Guitar Services
Mission District · 3150 18th St · San Francisco, CA 94110Jeremy Korkki works solo out of a secure garage in the Mission with private parking, by appointment only. A standard setup is $110 including strings or parking, and a full fret level, crown, and polish with setup runs $200.
Setup $110 (fret level/crown/polish with setup: $200) -
Real Guitars
SOMA · 15 Lafayette St · San Francisco, CA 94103Open since 1986, this is San Francisco's oldest guitar store and deals primarily in used and vintage gear, while also offering setups, refrets, and pickup installs at its SOMA storefront.
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Bronstein Music
South San Francisco (not SF proper) · 305 3rd Ln · South San Francisco, CA 94080Located a few miles south of the city line in South San Francisco, not within SF proper. Family-run since 1946, it offers guitar setups and fretwork alongside band-instrument and electronics repair with free estimates.
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What a guitar setup costs in San Francisco
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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco: common questions
How much does a guitar setup cost in San Francisco?
San Francisco Guitar Tech lists standard setups at $70-$120 depending on scope, and Golden Gate Guitar Services charges $110 including strings, with a full fret level, crown, and polish plus setup at $200. By comparison, Guitar Center runs about $60-$75 and Sweetwater $99. A standalone fret level and crown generally adds $85-$150, and a restring by itself is around $25.
Which San Francisco shop is best for fretwork or a refret?
The city is well served for fretwork. SF Guitarworks and Gary Brawer both list refrets and use PLEK computerized fret-leveling machines, with Brawer running one of the earliest units installed in the US. For a documented flat rate on fret leveling, Golden Gate Guitar Services does a fret level, crown, and polish with a setup for $200.
How long does a guitar setup take in San Francisco?
Turnaround is quick at some shops. San Francisco Guitar Tech starts most guitars the same day they are dropped off, thanks to its one-person, appointment-based workflow. Golden Gate Guitar Services also works solo by appointment. Larger or busier shops schedule work into a queue, so the setup itself takes a few hours but may sit for days depending on backlog.
Do I need an appointment for a guitar setup?
It varies widely. SF Guitarworks takes appointments on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and both San Francisco Guitar Tech and Golden Gate Guitar Services are appointment-only, one-person operations. The Guitar Center on Van Ness requires no appointment for its setup packages or walk-in restrings. For the independents, book ahead.
Can I do a guitar setup myself instead?
A basic setup is a realistic home project. The core tools are a string action gauge, feeler gauges, and a radius gauge, because neck relief, action, and intonation are measurable, repeatable specifications you can check and reset. Truss rod and saddle adjustments are reversible with care. Fretwork, though, is where PLEK-equipped shops like SF Guitarworks or Gary Brawer have a clear edge.
