Mandolin set-up in Philly

[plunkett5]

I want to get a set-up on a '28 A-Jr and get a Red Henry Bridge fitted to my Romanian Octave Mandolin. Who would you recomend in the Greater Philadelphia area? Thanks in advance. -Mike

[JEStanek]

Buck's County Folk Music here. (http://www.bucksmusic.com/index.htm)Or you could call these guys Vintage Instruments in Philly (http://www.vintage-instruments.com/)if you want something more downtown. Fred Oster with Philadelphia Vintage Instruments, if they can't do a set up will likely know someone nearby that is very good. I saw a Bucks Co. Folk Music sticker in an old Gibson F4 that had been worked on.

Jamie

[Grace]

Also look up Ron Ruggiero. I believe Fred, from Vintage, sends stuff out to him if he's too busy to do it himself. G

[Rondo]

I have had very good experience with Jeff at Stringed Instrument Repair - located near York PA. A little way from Phila but he does excellent work and has worked on many mandos

http://www.stringedinstrumentrepairs.com/index.html

[jim simpson]

A friend had considered all of the above mentioned options in the Philly area and decided to take his to Mandolin Bros. It meant 2 trips since his mando needed a little more than just a setup. He was really happy with his decision. They did a great job plus he got a chance to pick on some jems while he was there.

[Lee]

The few times I inquired after Ron he was incredibly backed up. Also, I heard most of his work is electric so I wonder about his acoustic and mando experience, tho I have barely any info other than heresay to go on. My new nut from Bucks Co Folk was OK, not great, just OK. Another name whom I've spoken to but never used is Jack Romano in Conshohoken. I'm sure Medley Music/Acoustic Roots in Villnova has a house luthier but I've heard nothing about their work.
Another option would be a drive to Bluett in York, PA. I've become fastidiously picky about perfect set-up and would love to find an extremely capable mando guy in the greater Philly region.

[jim simpson]

Lee is right about Ron being backed up. That was one of the reasons my friend went to Staten Island. Ron did some work on a guitar for me a few years back and I was pretty satisfied with it. I forgot to mention Tracy Rice. He works out of Clemmers Music in Harleysville. He did a refret for me quite a while back. When he saw that my mandolin had been previously refretted by the late John Zeidler, he said could do the job but that he could not get the end of the frets like John did. John's fret work was like everything else he touched. The details and degree of refinement was unbelievable. Tracy also gives lessons on mandolin and guitar. He played mandolin in Sunnyside for quite a number of years.

[PlayerOf8]

Fred is the only guy in Philly that I would trust.

George

[otterly2k]

FWIW- another instrument repair guy in philly is Tim at Superior Guitarworks in Manayunk. I had one really horrendous experience with him involving poor service, long delays, poor communication, etc. I would not recommend him.
I went to him b/c he was the other Martin authorized repair place in the area (after Ruggiero, who was terribly backlogged). I notice Tim no longer claims Martin authorization on his website.

I think Fred's a good bet for what you're looking for. The guy handles vintage Gibsons ALL the time.

There IS one other guy, Bob Zatzman, in Chestnut Hill who is a bit of a wingnut, but knows what he's doing, has been doing instrument repair for decades, and is generous with his time and rates. He is famous for his belief that ANY instrument is worth saving/repairing, so he's definitely good for repairing stuff that the other guys might say is "not worth it".

If it was me... I would not hesitate to bring the OM bridge job to Zatzman. I'd personally probably feel comfortable bringing him the Gibson also, as I have known the guy for a while (I apprenticed in his store for a while learning repair basics). Any doubts? Take the Gibson to Fred.

KE

[otterly2k]

I have a second thought...actually two of them...

1- I might be able to help you with that OM bridge, depending on what the job involves. I'd certainly be willing to look at it and let you know if it is something I know how to do.

2- a good luthier could obviously make a living here in Philly!! The few good ones we have are always backlogged, which tells me there's more than enough business to go around!

[KevinM]

There is a guy named C. Eric Shulte in Frazer who was a Martin repair guy for many years, and I heard the Weest chester rea shops sent him all their guitars. I think he's in the white pages. I had him do a string height reduction and installation of an ancient ivory saddle on my D-18V and he did a wonderful job - very inexpensive as well. Don't know if he does mandolins. I drove my Flatiron Festival down to a guy in the Estern Shore of Maryland recommended by Gibson when I needed an intial setup after Guitar Center had messed it up. I met Fred in Philly at the David Long Mike Compton workshop and I'd certainly go try him.

[plunkett5]

Many thanks for the great advise. I'll take the Gibson to Fred Oster, which will give me another excuse to check out his amazing mandolins and guitars. I'm tempted to try and fit the OM bridge myself, but I'll probably chicken out with that. Again, thanks to all for the leads.- Mike