These are arranged in no particular order at all. Listing here is not an indication of the quality of the work of the people or an endorsement of their skills. It is put here as a service to them and to you. Wherever possible, I have indicated what kind of repair they specialize in and any kind of repair they do not handle. This page is in response to those who ask "Is there anyone in my area who can repair my instrument."


Ome Banjos
5680 Valmont Road
Boulder, CO 80301
Tel: 303-449-0041
Fax: 303-449-1809
Very nice, high quality banjos made in the mountains of Colorado.
e-mail Info@omebanjos.com
Web Site http://www.omebanjos.com


Butch's Guitar & Repair
570 Higuera St., STE 160
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805)782-9419
Everything from building to setups. Also works on orchestral instruments.
e-mail boswellbutch@mac.com
Web Site http://web.mac.com/boswellbutch


Gary Price,PhD.
Jones, Oklahoma
Manufactures excellent banjo tailpieces, mandolins, banjos. Also does some repair. Check with him for details.
e-mail info@fiberglasscase.com
Web Site http://www.fiberglasscase.com


Jim Penson
PensonStringWerks
1408 Nelson Terrace
Arlington TX. 76011
817-975-8393
New banjos from scratch, hybrid banjos from parts a specialty. All repairs, upgrades, necks, custom jobs, rims done in house. Repair and restoration, mandolins, banjos, guitars and fiddles. Also retail sales on new and used instruments and parts for luthiers. Saga, Rover, Blueridge, Cremona dealer.
e-mail jim@pensonstringwerks.com See www.pensonstringwerks.com for more information.


Luke Mercier
Maker of violins and old time banjos
Springbrook, ON, Canada, K0K 3C0
(613)-395-2841
Luke is a multi-talented luthier, who has worked on some serious instruments!
www.lukemercier.com is his web site.
e-mail banjos@lukemercier.com.


O'Brien Instruments
Nutting Road
Jaffery, NH
(603) 532-4398
Jack O'Brien is a certified Martin guitar repair person and has been building quality instruments for decades.. He builds top of the line mandolins used by amateurs and professionals alike. He loves what he does and is well known in the world of musicians as a quality person who does quality work. He also does some banjo repair and setup.


Neil Kenny
Vintage Banjos
Concord, New Hampshire
Sells and repairs mostly tenor banjos but also deals in plectrum and 5 string banjos and mandolins.
e-mail neil.kenny@verizon.net Web Site http://www.vintagebanjos.com


Chris Via
Old time banjos -- open backs and minstrel style
Located in Giles Co., Virginia
e-mail adivia@wvva.net
Web site http://www.gilesmountainstringband.com


Chuck Lee
Ovilla, Texas
Lee Banjos
These are really pretty. The ones I have seen pictures of are open back instruments.
e-mail Chuck@LeeBanjos.com
Web Site http://www.LeeBanjos.com


Randy Broyles
Mid-America Instrument Repair
New Albany, Indiana
I can vouch for Randy's work personally. He built the neck for my 1925 Granada DeLuxe Conversion banjo. For pictures, go to www.banjowizard.com/granadadl.htm.
e-mail ALETHEAD74@cs.com
Web Site http://www.mair.bizland.com


Tom Nechville
Nechville Musical Products
9700 Humboldt Ave South
Bloomington MN 55420 952-888-9710
Creator of the famed Nechville banjos, revolutionary instruments that are quite nice. Tom does exceptionally good work. His banjos, although quite a departure from the normal instrument, are excellent. He invented the "Heli-mount" system.
Web site http://www.nechville.com/


Cork Wirick -- Woodsong Banjos
Bedford PA
Mr. Wirick makes an excellent banjo for a reasonable price -- these are individually made, high quality instruments, built in the same fashion as a Mastertone. He only makes a few banjos each year.
No e-mail, but you can call him at 814-623-5440
Web site http://www.woodsongbanjos.com.


Mike Ramsey
Appomattox VA
Mike has the well-deserved reputation of being one of the great makers of contemporary old-time banjos. To see why, check out his web site at http://www.ramseybanjos.com.
e-mail BanjoRamse@aol.com.
Phone 804-248-9234


John Le Voi Guitars
John LeVoi, proprietor
Alford,Lincs. UK
If you have ever seen a picture of Django Rinehardt playing a guitar, chances are it was one of those neat "D" hole Selmer instruments. Those are no longer made, but John LeVoi makes guitars that are beautiful reissues of them.
email john@levoi.freeserve.co.uk
Web Site http://www.levoi.freeserve.co.uk


John Harrison Violins
John Harrison, proprietor
Redding CA
Award winning violin maker John Harrison builds truly beautiful instruments. Visit his web site if only to look at the beautiful violins and violas.
Phone (530) 243-4400
e-mail harrison@c-zone.net
Web Site http://www.harrisonviolins.com


Fret Not Guitar Repair
Marguerite Pastella
Newport News, Virginia
Phone 757-874-0086
Repair on all acoustical instruments--authorized service for Martin, Gibson, Guild, Taylor, Fender and others. Please visit web site before you phone. Appointment required before dropping in.
email fixit@fretnot.ws
Web Site www.fretnotguitarrepair.com


Jim Yarboro
102 Forest Oaks Dr.
Gun Barrel City, Texas 75147
phone 903-887-2926
Repair on all stringed Instruments , custom pearl inlays , banjo necks , fret work.
Buy Sell and Trade Pre-war Gibson banjos.
Restore and reneck any old tenor banjo to 5 string
e-mail jimyarboro@ultravision.net



Glenn Nelson
MockingBird Music Company
Berlin, MA.
Builds acoustic and electric banjos, archtop and flat top guitars, and archtop Mandolins. Repairs Banjos, acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, all violin family instruments, tube amps. Complete vintage restorations and refinishing.
Custom inlay work and custom banjo bridges.
web site http://www.mockingbirdmusic.com
e mail MbirdMusic@aol.com
or Banjoglen@aol.com


Jim Stull
JLS Banjos
San Antonio, TX
210-495-4445
Source of the famous JLS tone rings. Also does restoration on all types and most makes of banjos.
Does especially nice work restoring B & D intruments.
Jim is also doing a lot of work on 5-string banjos right now.
e mail jlstull@satx.rr.com


John Hickman- -Double Stop Fiddle Shop
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Works on various acoustical instruments. Does refretting and banjo setup among other things.
405-282-6646
Web site http://www.doublestop.com
e-mail fiddleshop@doublestop.com


Wyatt Fawley
The Banjo Loft
Greensboro Pennsylvania
Wyatt builds excellent reproduction Vega necks.
Web Site http://www.hhs.net/wfawley/
e-mail wfawley@hhs.net


Don Rusnak AKA BanjoDaddy
www.BanjoBanjo.com
e-mail banjodaddy@hotmail.com
Banjo making, acoustic instrument repairs and 5-string banjo LESSONS since 1969.
Musical Instruments bought, sold and Traded Performances, workshops and banjo history show-and -tell available.
Need a bluegrass or oldtime band? Call me at: 703-303- 0539
Arlington VA BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.


First Quality Musical Supplies
Louisville Kentucky
suppliers of parts, roughed out necks, and now complete necks, finished, ready to go. They have two luthiers on staff who can handle all sorts of special work. They are also an authorized warranty repair center for several different brands of instruments. Their work is really fine. I recently had them make a neck for a conversion instrument for me. I could not be happier.
Web Site http://www.fqms.com/
e mail info@fqms.com


Janet Davis Music
Bella Vista Arkansas
Janet is a supplier of parts, necks, etc. She has a staff of luthiers who do various kinds of work for her. She has provided me with a really nice neck and a really nice resonator.
Web Site http://www.janetdavismusic.com
e mail jdmc@janetdavismusic.com


Pete Roehling
Redlands, CA.
Works on all guitars, banjos, and mandolins. Also autoharp, dulcimer (both), and cetera.
Does not do violin family work, amp repairs, or complete refinishing.
e-mail peter_roehling@eee.org
(909)794-6125 Days.
No web site
Click here to see some pictures of Pete's work.


George Wunderlich
The Wunder Banjo Co.
P.O. Box 233 Myersville Md. 21773-0233
1-800-891-6541
repair, reconstruction and reproduction of early 19th century banjos using original technology- also a data base, open to all, for researching banjos of the 1800-1870 time period
Web Site http://www.wunderbanjo.com
e-mail wunbanjo@erols.com


Dave Teal
Stringed Instrument Repair
North Canton, Ohio
banjo setup & repair, acoustic & electric guitar setup & repair, violin setup & repair, amplifier repair
Does not build guitars, banjos, new necks or things of that nature.
Web Site http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/DaveTeal/rb250inf.htm
e-mail teald@diebold.com


Spruce Tree Music
851 E. Johnson St.
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 255-2254
All types of acoustic instruments and repair
Web Site www.sprucetreemusic.com


Richelieu Banjos
900 Market St.
Oregon, WI 53575
(608) 835-5500
Banjo only. The "Gibson" of the tenor banjo world
Web Site http://www.banjos.com


Paul Cleven
4842 Irish Lane
Madison, WI 53711
(608) 835-5747
Banjo only
e-mail pdcleven@facstaff.wisc.edu


Paul Hostetter
Santa Cruz, California
Works on banjo, guitar, mandolin, violin family plus a lot of ethnic instruments. 65% of what he does is violin family.
Does not work on electric guitars, etc.
(but will do amplification and consultation on acoustic instruments)
e-mail music@lutherie.net
Web Site http://www.lutherie.net


Richie Dotson
Acoustic Box Instrument Repair
94 Robinson Drive
Newport News, VA 23601
Specializing in Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar and general Acoustic instrument repair, Custom inlay, Replacement Necks and Whole Banjos. Also excellent banjo bridges.
Also teaches banjo
E-mail: BanjoCraftsman@AOL.com
Web Site: http://www.BanjoResource.com/


David N. Fox
Hog Fiddles & Such
2994 Rte 12
Hubbardsville, NY 13355
specialties: handmade Appalachian Dulcimers and Banjos
Will do smaller repairs on most instruments including wind instruments. Contact him for more details on the work needed.
e-mail sugarfox@dreamscape.com
or hogfiddles@hotmail.com


George Chapman
Holliston, Massachusetts 01746
Works on any specialty you may have--banjo, guitar, mandolin, violin family Acoustic fretted instrument repairs. Does detailed restoration and fine inlay work.
Does not work on cheap imports.
e-mail george.chapman@pollak.com


Bernie Caouette
Caouette Banjos
54 Birch Drive
Petersham, MA 01366
Experienced woodworker, has been building banjos for just a few years.
978-724-3250
email: autumnblue@juno.com
website: www.geocities.com/caouettebanjos


Cliff Fitch
Fitch Banjos
Azle, Texas
817-714-1115
e-mail fitchbanjos@att.net
Website: fitchbanjos.com/
Located in the Dallas-Ft.Worth TX metroplex. Specializes in banjo repair, setup, upgrades, and restoration. Banjo can also be shipped to me for repairs or restoration. Reasonable prices and fast turnaround. All work is guaranteed.


Leo Posch
The Versatile Workbench
5981 Wellman Road
McLouth, KS 66054
Telephone 913 796 6400
Does general luthiery and repair on acoustical instruments including banjos. To see what he does, you need to visit his web site.
e-mail leoposch@myvine.com Website: www.leoposch.com


Frank Neat
84 Womack St.
Russell Springs KY 42642
(270) 866-4515
Frank is a legend among banjo makers and repairmen. He makes some of the finest necks in the business. He also builds the Stanleytone and Chief banjos. He is a really nice fellow who understands the banjo.


Frank Powell
112 Springhill Dr.
Berea KY 40403
(859) 985-9074
Frank does not work on banjos, but does fine work on guitars. I have seen a repair he did on a guitar that had a hole in the top. It looked perfect.


Kenneth Kirk
Kirk's Musical Instruments
408 Winchester Rd.
Huntsville AL 35811
(205) 852-8323
Builds, refinishes, restores and repairs guitars, banjos, mandolins, etc. Makes really nice necks.

Scott Zimmerman
Stringed Instrument Technologies
Desert Rose Musical Instruments
Hirata-Nishi 1-2-16 1F
Matsumoto, Nagano
Japan 390-0016
Scott is a truly experienced luthier who makes some incredible instruments and really nifty bridges. His skills cover the gamut of the art of luthiery. He has worked for some of the largest manufacturers and has consulted with many of the biggest names in the business.
Tel. 81-090-9358-2965 Fax 81-263-25-8216 e-mail:reiko-n@mqc.biglobe.ne.jp
For more information click here.

Ron Saul
RLS Engineering
870 Capitolio Way, Unit 6
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
(805)549-8530
e-mail: banjo@excelonline.com
Ron Saul will do anything from refrets & refinishes to building an entire banjo from scratch. He used to work for National Resophonic. His work is very highly rated by his clients.

Mel and Cynthia Maxwell-owners
Lifestyle Music
1111 A Circuit Drive
Roseville, CA 95678
916-786-3661
Lifestyle Music is a recently formed business which has been known for over 20 years as Lifestyle Guitars. Mel has many years experience in all aspects of stringed instrument repairs, having both worked and hobbied as a lutheir. He prefers to do acoustic and electric guitar repairs, some restorations and is very creative about building customized electronics for the music gear associated with recording, performance, and private enjoyment. He has some experience in banjo repair.

Sam Alfano -- Master Engraver
36180 Henry Gaines Road
Pearl River, LA 70452
The title says it all. Sam is a master engraver, an artist in the field. I'm not an engraver, but I know something about it. There was a family of engravers in Houston for decades, the Mayeurs, who did incredible hand work. They are gone now. I figured I would never be able to find anyone who could engrave a banjo properly until I found Sam's web site. He is uniquely qualified to do what he does because he has one qualification that, to me, is more important than any other, except his skill. That is his love for the banjo. You owe it to yourself to visit his web site and see the beautiful work he does.
e-mail sam@MasterEngraver.com. Web Site http://www.masterengraver.com.


This is not a luthier's site, per se, but there is a wealth of special material here. Sometimes you need special inlays, purfling and other fancy stuff to build your own banjos or other musical instruments. Anita Marquetry, located in the UK, makes "bespoke" or custom inlays for all sorts of projects. Matt Sanders of Anita Marquetry is a banjo player, so he understands our unique needs. Check them out. You will be glad you did. There are other nifty things there, too.


This is not a luthiery link, per se, but you might be able to find some nifty goodies here. It's a link for woodworkers. Go to www.woodworkweb.com to look for interesting woodworking supplies, etc.

Mugwumps has a whole page of luthiers listed, under "Directory of Instrument Shops."

Phil Mann's banjo information site has a list of individual banjo makers at his Individual Banjo Makers List.

Go back to Banjo Setup
Go back to My Music


Contact Bill Palmer

If you are a luthier who specializes in banjo work, or who is experienced in banjo work, and you wish to be added to this page, or if the information I have about you is out of date, please e-mail me by going to the contact page. If you are just getting started and have no experience, please do not waste your time. As of now, I am no longer listing any luthiers who do not have actual banjo repair experience. Banjo repair people are much scarcer than mandolin repair people and guitar repair people.

If you are on a web site that has a lot of pop-ups, I will not list you under any circumstances.

©2006 Bill Palmer. All rights reserved. For permission to republish contact Bill Palmer. The opinions expressed on this page are strictly Bill Palmer's. Mastertone, Stelling and the other brand and model names are the property of the manufacturers and other people who own them.