Repair Department Update

As many of you are aware, our repair department has gone through a lot of transitions over the past year or two.  We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we have contended with frustrating fits and starts, fluctuating lead times, and all the associated confusion.  While we are still seeking additional experienced staff in the repair department, the fact remains that we presently do not have adequate staff or space to accommodate the persistent demand for our services. Even so, it is our aim to provide repair services to the best of our ability, even if it must be on the verylimited basis that our current staff can handle.  

Meanwhile, we have come to recognize that some of our past and present issues stem from the fact that we’ve never had a firm system in place for administering repairs. So, with the hopes of being able to consistently offer setup and basic repair service once again, we are moving to an appointment only in-person evaluation model beginning June 1st, 2025.  Any repair requests can be submitted to the sales department by phone or through our repair department contact form on our website:
 https://www.maplestreetguitars.com/repairs/contact-our-repair-department/.  These requests will be entered as work orders in our system, and we will notify you once your work order comes up in the queue.  

Unfortunately, due to space and time constraints, we are no longer able to accommodate walk-in repair evaluations or random drop offs.  NOTE: We will still accept Action Warranty work (i.e., guitars purchased from us that are still within a year of the purchase date) and “while you wait” work (e.g., restrings and quick fixes) on a walk-in basis, but we still encourage you to call in advance!  It is our hope that this approach will reduce stress and allow us to operate more efficiently, while also accommodating our customers in an equitable fashion.  On a final note, our repair shop hours will now be Tuesday - Saturday 11AM - 6PM. 

John - I have two picks this month. My friend Mark Miller has a great new album out called “This Bridge”. Mark is a lifelong Georgian with a rich family history that he brings to life in his wonderfully crafted songs. My friends, Robin Dean Salmon and Afton Seekins Salmon (Surrender Hill) have some of the most well-written songs in the Americana vein with impeccable production. Check out the brilliant “River of Tears”.

We Are Animals, We Can Adapt

Understandably, one of the most common concerns we encounter when counseling customers on their guitar purchases is the shape and size of a guitar’s neck. In many instances, guitar nut widths have become fairly standardized–for example, most steel string acoustic guitars have nut widths measuring 1 11/16” or 1 ¾,” most electric guitars are 1 ⅝” or 1 11/16”, most 12-string acoustic guitars are 1 ⅞”, and most nylon string classical guitars are approximately 2” or 52mm.  However, despite these fairly established standards, nut widths can still vary.  Moreover, there is much more variation when it comes to the contour or shape of a neck. Obviously, this variation reflects a builder or manufacturer’s sense of what a neck should be; and, along that line, something as vague as “feel” falls squarely into the realm of the subjective.  Yet, I have found that many folks will pick up a guitar for less than a minute and determine that the neck is either way too big or too small for their comfort level. Even those who take the time to play a guitar for an extended period will occasionally reject it based on neck shape. I find this a bit distressing because in many instances they love everything else about the guitar! 

The human body is an amazing machine. It can heal its own wounds, adapt to extreme temperatures and go days without sustenance. Throughout human history we have survived by adapting to our environs. Humans have thrived in diverse environments and have overcome challenges mostly as we possess a remarkable suite of biological and cultural adaptations including: having opposable thumbs, large brains, the ability to make and use tools and a capacity for critical thinking. It makes me wonder why the shape of a guitar neck has to be the main deciding factor in choosing an instrument. I personally have several guitars with all kinds of neck shapes, nut widths and scale lengths and string spacing. I don’t really think too much about it, I just pick them up and play them. I have played them all to the point that my hands have adapted to all of their specs. It only takes a minute to readjust to the differences.

Another common statement I hear is, “I have small hands, so I need a smaller neck or nut width.”  I always refer to the many diminutive children (girls and boys) who have no problem handling a variety of neck widths and scale lengths. Sierra Hull, the small but mighty mandolin virtuoso can flat get it on a full size dreadnought guitar with a 1 3/4” nut. Our very own matriarch, Claire Petsch, who stands 5’4” and also has smaller hands played a long scale (664mm) Ramirez with a wider than average nut width (54mm) for many years before transitioning to a Kohno that better fit her frame.  In either case, these women were resolved to make music despite whatever initial playability challenges were presented by the instrument.

With all this in mind, we have observed that one of the most important mitigating factors is string spacing, in that folks often notice and object to a change in string spacing/displacement more than they do an actuarial change in the nut width. Yet, many times a nut can be recut to reduce or expand the space between the strings to better suit the player’s needs, and thus the actual width of the neck becomes less of a problem. I have seen this first hand in the repair department. Someone will bring in a guitar that they struggle with and Jake or George will recommend this procedure and it completely changes how the person feels about the instrument. Problem solved.  

I will admit that there are those of us who have legitimate physical limitations and no matter how they try, certain neck shapes, scale lengths, etc. cannot be overcome. Then the neck does and should become a deciding factor. I only bring this issue up to keep folks from passing on an amazing instrument simply because it initially doesn’t feel right. If you love the sound and look of a particular guitar, don’t let your initial judgement of the neck sway your opinion. Give yourself a chance to grow with the guitar. We are animals, we can adapt.
John/LIndsay 2025