Where can I buy a genuine factory neck, bridge, pickguard etc? Because of fraud many factories require authorized service centers to purchase and install certain parts.
This policy of part sales usually pertains to parts like these..
Custom inlayed/engraved acoustic pickguards (like Gibson's Dove or Hummingbird pickguard)
Certain acoustic bridges (like Gibson's moustache bridge)
Probably all glued on necks
Fancy inlayed fingerboards, peghead veneers etc.
All peghead decals and many other items.
For this reason you will not find those kinds of parts sold or stocked by stores. These kinds of parts can only be ordered after the service center physically evaluates the instrument or it is sent directly to the factory. Parts available from factories are normally limited to current production models only.
Parts that are available for retail sale by factories can be purchased thru their retail dealers. Contact your local dealer to inquire about special ordering parts.
Vintage, Used and Hard To Find Parts and Instruments
II do not sell used/vintage parts or instruments, I will however offer you some suggestions.
Finding that illusive part necessary to complete certain vintage or older instruments can be a very time consuming search and rescue mission, and frankly, I am in the same boat as you. I do not have an inventory of vintage parts. I
Obviously the internet is a great resource for locating shops selling vintage instruments and parts. If you're searching for a hard to find item that is difficult to describe I would highly recommend providing a digital photo if possible when emailing vintage guitar shops. You can use the Google Search Engine below to search the internet.
Perform a search with
GBase® Gear Mall. This site is an inventory database for a large group of dealers offering instruments and parts.
Search the Ebay® auction site. This is actually a very good resource for parts and instruments. I highly recommend signing up and starting a watch page which will notify you when items you are searching for are listed. Unless you're glued to your computer you may never know when an item you've been hunting for has come and gone. Enter the instrument or part in the search box below and see if it's currently up for auction.
Does it have to be original? If not, consider using a replica when available. Links to new parts can be found
here.
Buy a copy of
Vintage Guitar® Magazine
Contained within you will find an enormous list of vintage dealers, some with websites, some without. Now the hard part, pour over those pages and make countless long distance phone calls to see if anyone has the part you are looking for. Not to appealing I know, but for those of you that are looking for that truly hard to find item or instrument then you may have to exhaust all resources.
Questions About Fret Not Guitar Repair
Fret Not is owned and operated by yours truly...Marguerite Pastella. I am an individual luthier. You can read more about me
here.
Shipping Instruments For Repair
If you are interested in shipping an instrument for repair you will need to contact me prior to shipping. At times I do not allow any shipped in repairs due to my schedule.
Estimates
I do not give estimates for repairing damaged instruments unless I can personally inspect them. I do not write insurance estimates for instruments I am not repairing.
Warranty Repairs
I have developed relationships with several instrument manufacturers and have been asked to provide warranty services on their behalf. I routinely perform warranty service for
C.F. Martin & Co.,
Fender,
Guild, and
Taylor. I also deal with numerous other manufactures.
It should be noted however that not all manufacturers have authorized service centers and some require instruments to be shipped back to the factory if one hopes to acquire service free of charge for warranty issues.
