Guitar One vs. Guitar Hospital vs. Guitar Salon

[malmsteen]

Hi there. I had the neck of my godin multiac nylon resetted by Arie. Maayos ang pagkagawa. If you have invested much on your guitars or instruments, kay Arie mo nyo na pagawa
 

[shodawmoon]

Hello friends. Ive a GH client for 10 years already and I can say Arie is very frank when it comes to his job's worth. Sasabihin nya agad kung hindi sulit ang gastos to save you money and his time and effort for practicality. Yes ive had my share of delays and some considerable inconsistencies in his work but for me it does not exactly affect his quality and credibility as a Luthier and an artist. If a job is delayed, we have to wait because he personally works on the instrument and does not do things "half-baked". usually it happens usually on most neck or paint jobs if his humidity gauge is too high for him to continue his work. Give him your suggestions and he will give his. I like how he shares his insights because its simple realistic and again practical. he will not push you to anythin else and will focus on the main concern. and he really lives up to his preferred field which is REPAIR and RESTORATION. He is historically knowlegeable and inclined with vintage instruments and knows how to handle such delicate cases.

Recently ive been fortunate to meet and visit Guitar One's Jon dela Cruz and Micsis' Mike Sison and I cannot say anything but good things about them. Jon is very friendly and has this uncanny ability to listen and build ones dream into reality. His wealth of tonewoods and remarkable artistry is incomparable. Ive visited Micsis at the end of his working day because I live near the fairview area and he lives in the far south. Yet, He still accomodated me with much enthusiasm and professionalism. Although his team has already gone for the day he was still able to do the best he can with my guitar. Like Arie, he is honest with his work and indeed the price is right. His personal custom telecaster personifies what great things he can build.

    Lets put it this way brothers, We are in this big university and these Luthiers happen to be professors teaching the same subjects. Each has a different approach to his subject, it is up to us how will we absorb and respond.

YEAP.

[sin.tun.ado]

this is a bit off-topic but let me say it anyway.  no offense to those who feel that everything beyond restringing and tuning must be done by a luthier.  anyone who is serious about guitar playing should also be serious about the maintenance and setup of his guitar.  stated differently, every guitar player should maintain and setup his own guitar and, maybe, dress frets or refret when needed. 

it's like driving a car.  beyond knowing how to drive, one must also know how to and actually do basic checkup and maintenance work like: inflating, changing and rotating tires; checking and maintaining proper level of radiator coolant, brake fluid, and clutch fluid; replace windshield wipers, spark plugs, busted lights, worn brake pads, and dirty air filter.  in fact, the law requires that you check these basic things before driving a car.  otherwise you will be held liable for negligence if any of these things fail and  causes damage to third parties. 

basic guitar maintenance and setup is a dirty job and it takes time.  it doesn't require a lot of talent but it requires some amount of patience and perseverance.  there's is also great satisfaction learning and doing things yourself and you will learn to appreciate your guitar more as a musical instrument, by how it plays and sounds and not so much by how it looks and feels. 

here's an old related topic that may be interesting:
http://talk.philmusic.com/index.php?topic=181594.0

i have nothing against luthiers.  i have never been to one so i don't know about their work.  i do everything myself.  a friend of mine has a huge collection of tutorial books and videos.  i learned by reading a lot of books and by watching all those old tutorial tapes (guitar hospital series by dan erlewine, mark arnquist, harvey citron, etc.) and the new tutorial dvds which anybody can get from amazon.  the specs of a standard setup (distances of all parts relative to the other parts) are in the books and it varies slightly depending on the author.  but it's important to know what makes a good setup and how to get it.  only then can you make adjustments according to your own preferences.  i like the old books and videos better where they used common and simple tools effectively and efficiently.   there is also a lot of information in the world wide web (with emphasis on the “world wide”) which you can study before you actually try doing things yourself.  the bottom line is you will know if you want to learn and you will learn if you are not lazy.  you learn by reading and observing and you gain experience by doing it.  you only have to overcome your fear of doing the first step and the next steps.

a guitarist should go to a luthier only for major jobs that require extensive work and special tools (read: expensive tools) like repair of a broken truss rod, broken peg head or twisted neck.

[firemodel55]

this is a bit off-topic but let me say it anyway.  no offense to those who feel that everything beyond restringing and tuning must be done by a luthier.  anyone who is serious about guitar playing should also be serious about the maintenance and setup of his guitar.  stated differently, every guitar player should maintain and setup his own guitar and, maybe, dress frets or refret when needed. 

it's like driving a car.  beyond knowing how to drive, one must also know how to and actually do basic checkup and maintenance work like: inflating, changing and rotating tires; checking and maintaining proper level of radiator coolant, brake fluid, and clutch fluid; replace windshield wipers, spark plugs, busted lights, worn brake pads, and dirty air filter.  in fact, the law requires that you check these basic things before driving a car.  otherwise you will be held liable for negligence if any of these things fail and  causes damage to third parties. 

basic guitar maintenance and setup is a dirty job and it takes time.  it doesn't require a lot of talent but it requires some amount of patience and perseverance.  there's is also great satisfaction learning and doing things yourself and you will learn to appreciate your guitar more as a musical instrument, by how it plays and sounds and not so much by how it looks and feels. 

here's an old related topic that may be interesting:
http://talk.philmusic.com/index.php?topic=181594.0

i have nothing against luthiers.  i have never been to one so i don't know about their work.  i do everything myself.  a friend of mine has a huge collection of tutorial books and videos.  i learned by reading a lot of books and by watching all those old tutorial tapes (guitar hospital series by dan erlewine, mark arnquist, harvey citron, etc.) and the new tutorial dvds which anybody can get from amazon.  the specs of a standard setup (distances of all parts relative to the other parts) are in the books and it varies slightly depending on the author.  but it's important to know what makes a good setup and how to get it.  only then can you make adjustments according to your own preferences.  i like the old books and videos better where they used common and simple tools effectively and efficiently.   there is also a lot of information in the world wide web (with emphasis on the “world wide”) which you can study before you actually try doing things yourself.  the bottom line is you will know if you want to learn and you will learn if you are not lazy.  you learn by reading and observing and you gain experience by doing it.  you only have to overcome your fear of doing the first step and the next steps.

a guitarist should go to a luthier only for major jobs that require extensive work and special tools (read: expensive tools) like repair of a broken truss rod, broken peg head or twisted neck.

Though like you, I have access to books and all that material for set up and I do my own basic as previously stated, if I were to follow logic, I would rather have my intial set up done by Arie and never have to set up the guitar at all forever even after I change strings.  By the way, I use one set of strings for ALL my guitars.  Pyramids 10s.  Whats my point?  If you believe you can set up things yourself, why set up at all?  Just get yourself an expensive USA made or European made luthier guitar.  That being said, ALL my guitars never see Arie for set up beyond the initial set up.   They are that good -- my guitars require little or NO maintenance at all.

[malmsteen]

Can anybody here post the contact no of micsis..'
thanks

[rayq78]

Guitar Hospital - Walang duda.

I attempted sa Guitar Salon for a re-fret. Nag taka lang ako kung bakit hiwalay ang price ng setup and re-fret. Panu mo malalaman kung tama ang re-fret mo kung hindi mo i-sesetup? That make me felt skeptic. Compare kay Sir Arie when we negotiated, price is straight away. Constructive criticism lang po.

Three re-fret jobs done by Sir Arie BTW. Excellent!

[badongrodrigs]

Guitar Hospital, hands-down. Arie offered me that they could refret and setup to within 2 days at the very least. You needn't worry about your guitar when you bring it to him.

Bring it to someone who you can trust, whether it's Arie or Micsis or Elegee or whoever else.

[rickbig41]

san po kaya malapit magpakabit ng floydrose dito sa QC? yung mura po...salamat mga sirs...

[TKTS]

san po kaya malapit magpakabit ng floydrose dito sa QC? yung mura po...salamat mga sirs...

Kay Arie Hipolito, Guitar Hospital : http://www.guitarhospital.net/contact.htm

Guitar Hospital - Walang duda.

I attempted sa Guitar Salon for a re-fret. Nag taka lang ako kung bakit hiwalay ang price ng setup and re-fret. Panu mo malalaman kung tama ang re-fret mo kung hindi mo i-sesetup? That make me felt skeptic. Compare kay Sir Arie when we negotiated, price is straight away. Constructive criticism lang po.

Three re-fret jobs done by Sir Arie BTW. Excellent!

Guitar Hospital, hands-down. Arie offered me that they could refret and setup to within 2 days at the very least. You needn't worry about your guitar when you bring it to him.

Bring it to someone who you can trust, whether it's Arie or Micsis or Elegee or whoever else.

+1000

[boo0523]

lahat ng gitara ko kay Jon ko dinadala.. guitar one. wala akong naging problem. and he's very friendly, pinupuri pa ibang guitar shops. at ayon din naman sa kanya, magagaling naman na halos lahat. ikaw na lang mag decide kung san mo gusto.....

[burns red]

pa pm naman po ng price ng setup sa guitar hospital nagbago isip ko sa salon sana ee 

[joel_marcelo]

pa pm naman po ng price ng setup sa guitar hospital nagbago isip ko sa salon sana ee 

http://www.guitarhospital.net/contact.htm
Tumawag ka kay Arie Bossing para malaman mo.

[chuck_liddell]

this question still hindi pa din nasasagot hanggang ngayon and itatan0ng k0 uli baka may naka experience na.

1. saan sa tatl0ng nabanggit nag luthier ang maganda magparepaint ng b0dy?

2. saan sa tatl0ng nabanggit nag luthier ang maganda magpareplace ng b0ard (fretb0ard), at magpalagay ng inlays?

sana may makasag0t na!

[franzdean]

this question still hindi pa din nasasagot hanggang ngayon and itatan0ng k0 uli baka may naka experience na.

1. saan sa tatl0ng nabanggit nag luthier ang maganda magparepaint ng b0dy?

2. saan sa tatl0ng nabanggit nag luthier ang maganda magpareplace ng b0ard (fretb0ard), at magpalagay ng inlays?

sana may makasag0t na!

Basta eto sakin:

major major guitar works/repairs = arie.

refinishes, not so major problems = micsis.

basics/set ups = kahit sino malapit listed dito sa GC (minsan ako na lang talaga nag babasic set up. marunong naman ako. nakakatamad lang talaga minsan)


Arie pa rin ako kasi you can never go wrong with him, expensive pero sapat ang binayad... Pero anjan naman sila sir Mike which can get into my standards (Repaints/set ups pa lang so far w/ sir mike) plus makaka mura ako sakanya.

kaya yan nalang fnfollow kong guide. Kung sabihin natin yung pinaka mamahal mong acoustic nadagdagan ng butas? major repair un. Id go to arie, Alam ko mapapamahal ako, pero okay lang kasi subok na yan e

[McLOVIN]

Arie pa rin ako kasi you can never go wrong with him

mizmo to sir

[r_chino18]

Basta eto sakin:
major major guitar works/repairs = arie.
refinishes, not so major problems = micsis.
basics/set ups = kahit sino malapit listed dito sa GC (minsan ako na lang talaga nag babasic set up. marunong naman ako. nakakatamad lang talaga minsan)
Arie pa rin ako kasi you can never go wrong with him, expensive pero sapat ang binayad... Pero anjan naman sila sir Mike which can get into my standards (Repaints/set ups pa lang so far w/ sir mike) plus makaka mura ako sakanya.
kaya yan nalang fnfollow kong guide. Kung sabihin natin yung pinaka mamahal mong acoustic nadagdagan ng butas? major repair un. Id go to arie, Alam ko mapapamahal ako, pero okay lang kasi subok na yan e

Just curious bro.. Anong guitar ang napa repair mo kay sir arie? May before and after shots ba? 

[franzdean]

Just curious bro.. Anong guitar ang napa repair mo kay sir arie? May before and after shots ba? 

Wala akong before and after shots. Ang pinagawa ko kay Arie is yung Yamaha acoustic guitar fx 310a (which I already sold). Ang pinagawa ko is refret/linis fret and ung mga bumps ng edges, tinanong ko kung panong gagawin nun. Sabi lang 'ireretouch' nya daw. hehe. I have no idea how it was done, pero parang naging bago sya.

[jirehsanvictores]

Arie Hipolito FTW! 

[jon jon]

pede po ba malaman contact number ng guitar one. and yun address siya din ba sir jon elegee? thanks.

[jamesplaysguitar]

Medyo offtopic. To those who have done repainting jobs for their guitars with Micsis? How much did it cost you? Salamat! 

[Al Nico Five]

Arie Hipolito FTW! 

amen!

[techbp]

Medyo offtopic. To those who have done repainting jobs for their guitars with Micsis? How much did it cost you? Salamat! 

Post your query here bro:

   
MIKE SISON a.k.a micsis the Luthier
http://talk.philmusic.com/index.php?topic=218138.0

[jon jon]

pede po ba malaman yun contact number ng gh, g1, and sir micsis? thanks

[rrralf]

I know this is kinda late, but it's just now that I've thought of sharing my experience with Guitar Hospital AND Guitar One.

I first when to GH, and it was my first time having my Godin set-up since I purchased it a few years ago.  Nagkaron na kasi ng matinding fret buzz and naging sampayan na sa taas ng action. My impression is that Arie is a good guy, very knowledgeable, and apparently, very skilled (according to the accounts of everyone else). I consulted him about my guitar, he explained A LOT to me (much of it was unnecessary, though), and I ended up having a re-fret done. Well, my guitar DID need one badly. I left my guitar, and came back in three days to pick it up, and I was satisfied. I went home, played on it, and three days later, the neck seemed to have moved, and balik na naman si awful fret buzz and high action. I went back to Arie a couple of days later to have it fixed again. When he was going down to meet me downstairs, I heard him talk to a guy (na mukhang trabahador - I'm not judging, but you'll get it when I'm done explaining), who seemed to be someone who he was employing.

Medyo tumaas kilay ko, kasi I heard Arie say, "Ah, eto ba yung gitara na may ukab yung fret...?". I thought, diba siya yung gumagawa ng mga guitar jobs? So, why did he talk as if he wasn't the one who worked on it? I didn't want to jump to conclusions right away, so I just gave him the benefit of the doubt. Anyway, so I left my guitar to have it setup again.

A couple days later, I came back to pick it up. Hindi naman ako siningil ulit. I was in a hurry so I didn't get a chance to check it there. Later that night, at my place, I tested my guitar. I was shocked. Kasi ang pinaayos ko kay Arie, three things: re-fret, lowering ng action (shredder ako), and fret buzz. When I returned my guitar to him nung nagka buzz ulit, what he did to my guitar the second time around was very disappointing. Para matanggal yung fret buzz, all he did was increase the action of my neck, at ginawa nya ulit sampayan. Shinortcut nya, para lang matanggal yung buzz. Ergo, I was very disappointed.

I came to the conclusion na pinagawa nya lang yung gitara ko sa tauhan nya na muka lang trabahador and hindi mukang sanay sa pag setup ng gitara. I COULD BE WRONG, but that was the only logical conclusion, kasi it wouldn't make sense na sobrang poor yung quality ng work, given na siya ang tinaguriang best na pinoy luthier.

After that, I just went to Jon de la Cruz sa Guitar one (E.rodriguez, QC). Nagulat si Jon sa fret job na ginawa ni Arie (or ng trabahador nya), kasi sobrang sablay daw, and he explained to me why. Yung pag shape sa frets, yung pag level, yung angle ng neck, yung level ng bridge pins, etc. Everything was wrong. Anyway, he fixed my guitar right in front me, right then and there.  Everything was brilliantly done in a little over an HOUR, and months later my Godin is still playing like it was new, even better. Hanggang ngayon, my Godin is still playing like a dream. Jon dela Cruz is brilliant.

I'm not bashing Arie, because I still believe that he is a very good luthier. However, I am presenting my experience objectively, as it actually happened, and it is up for you to form your own conclusions.

[candyapplered]

I know this is kinda late, but it's just now that I've thought of sharing my experience with Guitar Hospital AND Guitar One.

I first when to GH, and it was my first time having my Godin set-up since I purchased it a few years ago.  Nagkaron na kasi ng matinding fret buzz and naging sampayan na sa taas ng action. My impression is that Arie is a good guy, very knowledgeable, and apparently, very skilled (according to the accounts of everyone else). I consulted him about my guitar, he explained A LOT to me (much of it was unnecessary, though), and I ended up having a re-fret done. Well, my guitar DID need one badly. I left my guitar, and came back in three days to pick it up, and I was satisfied. I went home, played on it, and three days later, the neck seemed to have moved, and balik na naman si awful fret buzz and high action. I went back to Arie a couple of days later to have it fixed again. When he was going down to meet me downstairs, I heard him talk to a guy (na mukhang trabahador - I'm not judging, but you'll get it when I'm done explaining), who seemed to be someone who he was employing.

Medyo tumaas kilay ko, kasi I heard Arie say, "Ah, eto ba yung gitara na may ukab yung fret...?". I thought, diba siya yung gumagawa ng mga guitar jobs? So, why did he talk as if he wasn't the one who worked on it? I didn't want to jump to conclusions right away, so I just gave him the benefit of the doubt. Anyway, so I left my guitar to have it setup again.

A couple days later, I came back to pick it up. Hindi naman ako siningil ulit. I was in a hurry so I didn't get a chance to check it there. Later that night, at my place, I tested my guitar. I was shocked. Kasi ang pinaayos ko kay Arie, three things: re-fret, lowering ng action (shredder ako), and fret buzz. When I returned my guitar to him nung nagka buzz ulit, what he did to my guitar the second time around was very disappointing. Para matanggal yung fret buzz, all he did was increase the action of my neck, at ginawa nya ulit sampayan. Shinortcut nya, para lang matanggal yung buzz. Ergo, I was very disappointed.

I came to the conclusion na pinagawa nya lang yung gitara ko sa tauhan nya na muka lang trabahador and hindi mukang sanay sa pag setup ng gitara. I COULD BE WRONG, but that was the only logical conclusion, kasi it wouldn't make sense na sobrang poor yung quality ng work, given na siya ang tinaguriang best na pinoy luthier.

After that, I just went to Jon de la Cruz sa Guitar one (E.rodriguez, QC). Nagulat si Jon sa fret job na ginawa ni Arie (or ng trabahador nya), kasi sobrang sablay daw, and he explained to me why. Yung pag shape sa frets, yung pag level, yung angle ng neck, yung level ng bridge pins, etc. Everything was wrong. Anyway, he fixed my guitar right in front me, right then and there.  Everything was brilliantly done in a little over an HOUR, and months later my Godin is still playing like it was new, even better. Hanggang ngayon, my Godin is still playing like a dream. Jon dela Cruz is brilliant.

I'm not bashing Arie, because I still believe that he is a very good luthier. However, I am presenting my experience objectively, as it actually happened, and it is up for you to form your own conclusions.

I highlighted some parts of your story just for clarification: was this godin an acoustic guitar? and how well were you satisfied the first time you got the guitar back from arie? I'm also curious as to how a guitar with too high an action would have fret buzz, at what parts of the neck were the buzzes located?