Policies and Pricing for Custom Work at Buzzard's Bass Guitar Shop

Custom ordered basses are taken care of on a first-come first-serve basis, which means precedence will be by number. Full attention is paid towards your bass, but, should your bass be waiting on parts delivery, naturally the next in order receives the attention, and so on. But I do not wait to order your parts. They are either in stock or ordered asap. All orders for parts plus shipping charges must be paid in advance, no exceptions. I will not assemble parts on any bass that have not been paid for.

Estimates & Written Agreements

I'm in the process of writing standard pricing for certain jobs performed. Please bear with me as this is not as simple as some may think. Not everyone gets the same parts or service levels as the next guy, but I'm hoping to answer your questions so you can do your own estimates, which will save time for both of us. In the meantime, contact me with your questions for estimating your project.

All estimates take time and, while I do these for free, it helps that you do preliminary research on your own through this site for parts and at TalkBass.com for questions such as, "I play rock and jazz, what pickup do you recommend that would be good for my one bass to be able to play both styles of music?" First, you can see what I can get for parts but I don't have a lot of time to converse with you about subjective topics that are best answered by the many opinions offered in the forums. However, I will give you my experience about which product might be compatible with another, such as buying a bridge that happens to be the same as another name-brand bridge but for less money.

Naturally, we will eventually come to a point where we agree on the project parameters and pricing. This will most likely be through email correspondence until I build individual order forms. All email is saved by me from the first to the last. Once we come to an agreement, and you've paid for your bass and parts, this is the point where you'll have about one hour before I order your bass and/or parts. Once this is done, if you cancel, you will receive your money back, but it will be minus shipping and my hourly rate for the time we have spent which is not less than a $50 fee. I don't charge this fee if the project goes well.

If you cancel the project after work has been performed you will be responsible for an hourly rate and this fee may just eat up the entire cost you've paid for the bass and/or parts. Now, I realize emergencies happen, and I also realize I can resell the bass even when work has been performed, but not all work done is resellable and you will still be charged a fee for cancellation of the project. I am not an unsympathetic person but I will charge you up to, but not exceeding, the total cost of the bass and/or parts. I'll work with you if you need a budget.

Buy any bass guitar or bass package deal and, instead of shipping it to your house, ship it to me and I'll perform any or all upgrades and setup procedures you choose as mentioned below. The only shipping costs after you ship to my shop would be the cost involved with any parts you order, which I combine as if I'm sending those parts to you. If you bought those parts from their many places online you'd be paying many shipping charges. I pay to ship your bass to you.

Common Service Routines - While most of these services have been performed locally, I accept mail orders as many have no option or technician available in their area. Most of this work may also be part of a larger job listed and gets less expensive once combined. For example: a Fretjob requires restringing so naturally I'd be performing a Setup which is included in the pricing. So anything listed below is mostly as if it were being done as a singular item.

• Restringing & Retuning (aka Setup)

Full Setup - Cost of strings plus one hour labor ($50/hour). A complete Setup includes installation of strings, adjustments of neck relief, tuning, string height, intonation, and pickup height for maximum output. Also included is cleaning, sealing, polishing, buffing, and tuner lubrication without disassembly - (also see Tuning Machines and Bridge work).

Truss-Rod Adjustment involves loosening of strings to access adjustment nut(s), retuning/resetting of all other adjustments: string height, intonation, pickups: $35.00

Readjusting Action & Intonation without resetting of neck relief is usually requested by local guys and gals as part of maintenance. It's a simple 15 minute job: $25.00

• Fretboard - Fingerboard

Full Fret Job - Parts plus $200 labor. Includes removal and replacement (R&R) of all frets, leveling and/or re-radiusing the fretboard, leveling and crowning of the frets plus polishing, new nut R&R, sealing, polishing, and buffing of the entire neck. This can be performed off the body. If performed with the body, as in reinstallation, add $50 and includes a complete Setup.

Partial Fret Job - Possibly replacing a few frets, then leveling and crowning of the frets plus polishing, new nut R&R, sealing, polishing, and buffing of the entire neck. This can be performed off the body and is a $100 labor charge. If performed with the body, as in reinstallation, add $50 and includes a complete Setup.

Fretless Conversion - Defret and reline or without lines. Relining is with choice of wood. Without lines is usually done with the same wood (sawdust filled) as the board, compacted and leveled. Then it's sealed or clear-coated and a new nut installed: $150
If epoxy-coated it takes an additional 4 to 5 days and involves multi-leveling: add $60

Nut Work/Replacement - When changing guage (diameters) of strings this involves enlarging (widening only) of the string slots and possibly drilling of the bridge hole(s).

Deglossing Neck - This takes about 15 minutes with a soft abrasive Scotchbrite pad: $20
I do not charge for this when performed with other neck services. My pet monkey does it.

Position Markers - Drilling for new or replacing old face dot markers and/or side dots requires releveling of the board face or side or just the areas between the frets. Then it gets resealed, polished, and buffed. I charge $100 for face dot markers and side dots.

Inlays - Block inlay markers on the face of the fretboard: $100 - For fancy inlays that may require removal of the frets, contact me as there are too many options to list here.

• Tuning Machines

Tuner Maintenance - Sometimes you may notice excessive sideways movement of the keys, This is adjustable with partial disassembly of the tuner and the steel shim rebent or replaced. It's a simple process that takes only about 10 minutes per key: $8.50 each.

Tuner Replacement - With same tuners and same holes it's parts plus $20 labor.
Tuner replacement requiring hole filling, drilling, sand & seal: parts plus $120 labor.

New Tuner Installation - On a new neck: tuner squaring & drilling: parts plus $60 labor.

• Bridge & Saddle Work

Remove & Replace into existing holes: parts plus $10 labor

Remove & Replace - relocate into new holes: parts plus $20 labor

Rework Saddles - replacement and/or filing: parts plus $35 labor

• Structural Repairs

Busted Neck - Must see IF it's repairable. If so: $75 -|- If not: $25 for the attempt

• Truss-Rod Repair or Replace

Truss-Rod Repair - Sometimes a nut is crossed-threaded or the rod is stripped and can be salvaged provided you have the right tool. Stew-Mac sells a Truss Rod Rescue Kit that comes in handy if you can afford their initial $230 price tag. If not, I charge $60 labor.

Truss-Rod Replace - There are two methods used. One is to cut a section out of the fretboard and push the rod out, replace the rod, fix the fretboard: parts plus $100 labor.
The second method: removal of f-board, replace rod, reinstall f-board: parts plus $200 labor. It's at this point one considers replacement of the neck unless it's one-of-a-kind.

• Electronics

Pickup R&R - Remove and replace: parts (if any) plus $50 labor

Pot/Jack R&R - Remove and replace with new: parts plus $50 labor