Kelly Custom Instruments and Repair

GUITAR PEOPLE:

Making a trip north (to NJ) for the holidays. I’ll be in my hatch back and driving back straight though, not stopping, who has guitars they want fixed?

Figure I’ll ship them back apon completion.

Also going to be putting a bunch of guitars up on reverb so if anyone would like them delivered that can be arranged as well.

List o guitars
1942 Gibson L-30
1977 Alverez 12 string d model
1984 Gibson explorer with the Union Jack 🇬🇧 painted on it at Gibson
Early 70s harmony acoustic that is a really nice player
Kci mosaic guitar
Kci om size demo model i made a wile back
Kci electric from a wile back

All guitars have fresh fret jobs and set ups among being fully restored or newly made.

Message me for more

Thanks everyone!
Ian

Photo by Louis Schroder

Wiring up a harness for an Arnold Hoyer guitar, super cool guitar, 335 style but make in Germany, I really like Hoyer guitars. Giving it all the upgraded: Dunlop sealed super potenchiometors (they have a super smooth turn!), orange drop caps to build tone circuits as well as treble bleed on the volumes, the new and improved switch craft jack design, and a new switch. I am keeping it super clean as this has to all go back in through a 335 style f hole. I am really enjoying working with this braid shielded wire, takes some time to pull it out of a stretched hole but it’s worth it for a few reasons, the shield insures every wire is shielded (shielding is not something that is easily done in an arch top guitar) and it makes for a simple wiring layout, no clutter. I insulate the wire from the Jack to the switch so it can not touch a positive tab on a potenchiometor and ground out the harness. The cardboard is a nice spacer, these wires have a shape to them, if i solder them in wile the parts are in a guide it makes install much easier and there are no twists put into the wires.

Looking for people to share a work shop with in Atlanta. I have all the machines needed to make guitars and 13 years experience building a repairing guitars. Could be shared with anyone in the musical repair or hand made world. Open to ideas! Could also be any fine woodworker! I have a wide belt thickness sander through a cyclone dust collector.

Looking for people to share a work shop with in Atlanta. I have all the machines needed to make guitars and 13 years experience building a repairing guitars. Could be shared with anyone in the musical repair / hand made world. Open to ideas! Could also be any fine woodworker! I have a wide belt thickness sander through a cyclone dust collector.

Because I am new to Atlanta and Covid-19 has affected the music community in a powerful and crippling way I am looking for ways to give back to musicians and the music community. Here is the idea:
Let me repair your guitar so that you have a working instrument to help you make money when the live music scene opens back up. But, many of you don’t have a ton of extra money laying around for repairs.
This is where I come in. I will repair your guitar and you will pay me what you can.
However, I must meet you in person so that I know whose guitar it is that I am working on. Once your repairs are completed, there will be a “hat” on the porch, and you will donate what you can.
1. Always Text First (973-818-1381) for my address and just to make sure I am going to be home.
2. You Must bring Your own strings.

Obviously, I rent my home and have bills to pay, but not having a working instrument to enjoy because you cannot afford the repairs should not happen. I would like to think that by extending goodwill towards others will come full circle for me.
I cannot say that I will be able to afford to do this forever, as much as I would like to, but I would like to give this a try for two weeks at least to see what happens.
And because I am working out of my home, there are limits to what I can do for you. No finishing work, no overnight stays. Let’s focus on getting your guitar to a playable level. Accepting guitars and basses for now.
Beyond that, I want to help everyone! Let’s have some fun!

A workbench is a reflection of self; past, present, and future.

Here’s a 2000 Charles Fox in for a little more neck angle and a new set of frets.

Also trying new mats to put guitars on, ten years of carpet scraps No more!

A new repair idea in the works here, more to come, stay tuned!

This is a 1969 Gibson J-50, to date, this is some of the best repair work I have ever done. A particularly hard repair had to happen here, the top was sooooo caved in! a bridge plate replacement witch eventually led me to lift the x brace and re-dome the top. All through the sound hole. I then replaced it with a b.r.w. bridge plate. The guitar was then refretted and had its saddle filled and recut, Gibson has it in such the wrong spot. In this photo you see the original bridge plate. I got it off the inside in one peace but had to brake it inhalf to get it out the sound hole.

What a sound what a playing experience what a job!

PRICED to GO!

1942 Gibson L-30 for sale, One of the craziest restoration / relic I’ve ever done! Move quick, this won’t be here long!

https://reverb.com/item/7343069-gibson-l-30-1942

I call this idea the monolute.