My name is Jon Free, guitar builder and repairman for Black Guitars by day, guitar-abuser with Gin Palace by night...I have been producing the Black Rose series of Rebuilt 1950s Archtops since 2004; each guitar has been made using salvagable parts from abused or 'written off' vintage handbuilt Archtops, which I have then structurally re-engineered and electrified to sonically rival or even surpass classic Vintage Gretsch designs. Prices start from £750! Further details and photos of these guitars can be found at Black Guitars' Black Rose Custom Archtop Guitars page. The guitars are also available to try out in person at Macari's 92-94 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H
I did my first refret some 25 years ago (at the tender age of 13!), upon a '59 Futurama (the George Harrison model) now owned by Tom Cullinan, who still pulls it out for occasional Quickspace gigs.
In 2005 I established the Vintage Guitar Sales and Repairs business Black Guitars with Kev Morpurgo. In 2006 I set-up and managed the first year of the Guitar Repairs Workshop at Rose-Morris in Denmark Street, London WC1. I am now also acting as technical consultant for Longfellow Aluminium Guitars
If you have an ailing guitar, bass or other stringed instrument which needs repairing or restoring, I have a Workshop in Stoke Newington, North London, so please email or message me here for quality work at mates rates! Basic Set-Up £25+, Hand Carved Bone/Metal/Plastic Nut £15-£30, Fret Levelling/Dressing from £35, Re-frets approx £140+. Pickups Installed from £20 each.
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