AN INFORMED APPROACH Throughout my career I've worked on thousands of guitars and other instruments (approx. 6,500 as of 2020.) My history as a repair luthier has significantly informed my approach to design and building. The way a guitar plays and feels, along with longevity and stability are some aspects of my target as a … [Read more...] about Strategy & Philosophy
Shop Blog
Humidity & The New Monsoon
[This article is about weather patterns and climate in the Flagstaff region of northern Arizona. It was written in 2021, and a lot of the information is still relevant to understanding the humidity patterns in this area.] Can you over-humidify an acoustic guitar? I observe patterns with our workflow and the repair demand related to the weather … [Read more...] about Humidity & The New Monsoon
Latest Repairs & Info
Check out some recent repairs from the Solstice shop. Click the arrows inside the pic to scroll that post. In need of repair work? Click here to book your appointment! Get VIP Updates * indicates required First Name Email Address * Interests Custom Sound repair services Solstice Guitars View previous campaigns. … [Read more...] about Latest Repairs & Info
Philosophy in Depth
Down the rabbit hole... First off, this might get a little weird. If you like exploring the nature of reality, please come along. The discussion below is not really about guitars. What does the Solstice mean? I am inspired by the remote beauty of northern Arizona and the turning of our seasons here. The biannual Solstice event is foundational … [Read more...] about Philosophy in Depth
Climate & Instrument Wellness
In this Article... Humidity Myths & Rumors Temperature Welcome to Flagstaff, AZ. Big skies, beautiful mountains, full seasonal changes, and a pretty harsh climate for string instruments! Our humidity can get down to single digits, and the wide fluctuations can severely irritate guitars and other things made of wood. Average … [Read more...] about Climate & Instrument Wellness
Why I Charge $600 Minimum for Re-Fret Jobs
No matter what kind of car you drive, sometimes it needs new brakes and tires. And sometimes with guitars, taking out and replacing each and every fret is the only way to correct certain problems like long-term fret wear and fingerboard irregularities. Most players have heard of this job: the infamous Re-Fret. It's a labor intensive process. And … [Read more...] about Why I Charge $600 Minimum for Re-Fret Jobs
RESPONSE & TRANSITION
WE HAVE MOVED FROM OUR LOCATION ON BEAVER STREET. DETAILS BELOW. This post provides info about what Custom Sound has done in response to the covid pandemic. We now operate by appointment only! My new office location is only a few blocks from the old store. • NEW PROTOCOLS & BUSINESS CONDUCT- If you can't make it up the stairs, just let me … [Read more...] about RESPONSE & TRANSITION
Humidity Discussion
What happens when a guitar gets dried out? Here's one example. Aside from cracks like the one shown here, the critical geometry is affected. This makes any setup adjustments difficult. There are many different pieces of wood glued together inside a guitar, braces and parts with grain lines pointing in all different directions. When these … [Read more...] about Humidity Discussion
