Iâve been building guitars since 2003 and repairing them professionally since I opened Marfione Guitars in 2012. Building and repairing are different disciplinesâmany luthiers donât take on repairs, and many excellent repair techs never build. Iâve always done both, and that experience informs every decision I make at the bench.
I work on classical, flamenco, crossover, nylon-string, and steel-string acoustics. Whatever the instrument, my goal is the same: to make the repair disappear into the guitar so that what you notice isnât the workâitâs how much better the guitar plays and sounds.
Customers often tell me they appreciate that I listen first. One review mentioned my âextensive knowledge, attention to detail, and desire to provide the best service and outcomes,â but what matters most to me is simple: you trust me with an instrument that matters to you, and I take that trust seriously.
When you bring a guitar in, we start with a simple conversation and a
hands-on evaluation. You tell me what youâre hearing and feeling; Iâll
explain what I seeâstructurally and in terms of playabilityâin plain,
straightforward language.
From there, Iâll outline practical options and realistic costs. Some
repairs are must-do items; others are optional refinements. You decide
how far to go. Thereâs no pressure and no work is done without your
approval.
Once the work is completed, I test-play the guitar myself and make any
final adjustments. When you pick it up, weâll go over what was done and
how the instrument responds compared to when it came in.
If something doesnât feel quite right after youâve had time to live
with it, I want to hear from you. My goal is that you leave with more
confidence in your instrumentâand in the person working on it.
Not every guitar should be repaired, and not every repair is worth the
investment. Weâll talk openly about what the guitar is, what it means to
you, and what the work will realistically cost. Some instruments are
worth fixing because of their market value; others because of their
sentimental value. Both are validâas long as you have the information
to decide.
A client who has trusted me with his Collings D2HA, Martin D-18, and OM-21
over the years said I was the most âknowledgeable, competent, and honest
luthierâ heâd worked with in 50 years of playing. What mattered most to
him was that I communicated every step of the way and never did anything
without his approval. Thatâs the standard I try to uphold with everyone.
Sometimes the right call is a structurally sound, less-than-perfect
cosmetic fix that respects your budget. Other timesâespecially with
guitars that carry a lot of personal historyâyou may choose to invest
more than the instrument is technically âworth.â My job is not to push
you either way, but to give you clear options so you can make an
informed decision youâre comfortable with.
Some repairs are about saving a guitarâtop and side cracks, loose braces,
lifting bridges, and seam separations. Others are about making a guitar
you already love feel better in your hands through fretwork, nut and
saddle work, and careful attention to action, relief, and neck geometry.
A Taylor owner who brought me a cracked top said the repair was âbarely
noticeableâ and that it was clear the work was done by a real luthier.
Another client with a badly cracked side told me his guitar came back
âmasterfully repaired,â with the action restored to where it belongedâso
it played like the day it first drew him in.
Small details can also transform an instrument. One Gretsch 5422TG owner
came in frustrated by tuning issues and odd harmonics. After installing a
roller bridge, upgrading the Bigsby, fitting Waverly tuners, and dialing
in the geometry, he told me it felt more like a White Falcon than the
mid-level guitar heâd started with.
Whether itâs structural work or fine-tuning playability, the aim is the
same: a guitar that feels solid, inspires confidence, and lets you play
without fighting the instrument.
