Rickenbacker luthier in Bay Area?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon May 15, 2006 11:58 am

Aye, that it does, that it does...

dougp · Post by **dougp** » Wed May 17, 2006 2:08 pm

I'd second the recommendation for Gary Brawer (or is it Brauer?). He did fine work on my '68 4001. Not cheap, not quick, but high quality.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Wed May 17, 2006 6:35 pm

Doug, from what I remember it is Brawer. But it has been a few years. I also remember that Real Guitars was a pretty cool shop off of S. Van Ness. I played a Hofner for the first time there.

beatcomber · Post by **beatcomber** » Thu May 18, 2006 7:20 am

Brawer is located on Lafayette Place, off Mission St (down the block from S. Van Ness), in the back of Real Guitars.

The problem I have with his shop is more often than not it's not Gary who's doing the work, but one of his employees. Because of his reputation (he is Satriani's personal tech), he can charge high prices and his shop's turn-time is so-so. He does have a Plek though.

For the last couple of years I lived in SF I gave Geoff Luttrell at SF Guitarworks all my business, and he always did superb work, at reasonable prices. It was rare that a job wasn't completed within a week. Geoff's a really nice guy to boot.

http://www.sfguitarworks.com/

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Fri May 19, 2006 11:06 am

Glenn, Good to know. I have been away from San Francisco for 12 years now, although I still own a home there. I do visit regularly. I'll have to check Geoff out.

johnashfield · Post by **johnashfield** » Fri May 19, 2006 6:32 pm

I second Glenn's recomendation of Geoff Luttrell.

Great work, good prices, quick turnaround.

www.sfguitarworks.com

johnashfield · Post by **johnashfield** » Sat May 20, 2006 12:30 pm

I must also recommend Paul Wilczynski, here on the forum. His e-mail is on the forum here and you can contact him that way.

He has done work on my 4003, major work on my 360/12, and hopefully in the future my 360, and 4001c64s.

Amazing work of all sorts, but also the kind of work that most luthiers will not, and in the case of rickenbacker's cannot do. Of course he is also capable of doing standard Rick tune ups, but as most people on the forum here, and on the rickenbacker site, can attest to, he can make any rick seem like new again.