Simain Ridge Guitar Repair ------ Simian Ridge Guitars

All during the '70's, Jack MacKenzie worked as a guitar repairman, both on his own and for McCabes Guitar Shop. There wasn't a lot available in terms of appreticeships so skills were gained through association with other local luthiers like Lawrence Brown and Koichilo Oshio, and through extensive experimentation on an inexhaustable supply of guitars that flowed through McCabes Guitar Shop. The raw truth is plenty of guitars were ruined in the process, mostly inexpensive imports. The experience gathered and the techniques developed still stand as solid background for Simian Ridge Guitar Repair, now downunder in New Zealand. Since the late '90's Jack MacKenzie has been doing an increasing repair and restoration work on select musical instruments for musicians in New Zealand and Australia. Most jobs have been 'routine' action adjustments and fret work, but some have been an exercise in innovation rescuing worthwhile instruments from the 'scrap heap'. Now on a full time basis, Simian Ridge is aiming to produce a line of flat-top steel string guitars with backs and sides, necks and fingerboards made from New Zealand woods like Maire and Kauri. The acoustic properties, beauty and  and durability of these woods is not to be underestimated. As an exercise, some of the repair projects undertaken in the past decade have been photographed. The links below will take you to photo essays depicting the projects and techniques applied, along with a discussion of the job and anything unique to the project.

Classical Top and Bridge Repair Old Kay Bass Replacement Neck Block 1970 Martin D41 Rstoration Givens A4 Fret Job Gibson J200 Headstock Repair 1968 Guild D55 Cutaway Old Gibson SG Fingerboard Rerstoration Telecaaster Fret Work Martin G16GTE Soundboard Patching Old Kaycraft Mandolin Restoration Simon and Patrick Neck Reset Ovation Soundboard Repair Early Yamaha FG 180 Restoration