4/21/21 - 5 Stars John is very passionate about his work. I couldn't be happier with his attitude, quality of work and attention to detail. He cares about the way your guitar sounds, and how you feel about the way it sounds as well. He took my already amazing PRS McCarty 594 and turned it into an absolute beast. I will be back! Shawn H, Yelp Review
6/30/20 I just picked up my Luna acoustic/electric DCE 12 string guitar that John set up for me, and I couldn't be more pleased! I've known John for years and his work is beyond reproach! He has also worked on my Guild D-25 acoustic that I've had for almost 50 years! His experience both as a guitar tech AND great musician is why I would trust no one else with my guitars! Thanks John! Jay O, Yelp Review
12/2/19 - 5 Stars I took my 2 Gibson Les Pauls to John for a tune up and restring. The results were wonderful, as he took the time to check everything and set them up to feel and play amazingly! I felt good about working with John because besides being a talented craftsman, he also plays a mean guitar! Shane E, Yelp Review
11/7/19 - 5 Stars Great guy! I've used Eric's for years and was happy with his work but I think his quality has slipped lately....I started using John and am blown away at his professionalism! If you like driving to a nice Burbank neighborhood, dealing with a nice guy and easy parking ... call John Steven P, Yelp Review
8/20/19 - 5 Stars Excellent work! Great price! Delivered early! What more can I say. If you need anything from a setup to a restoration, John is your man. D Ray T, Yelp Review
5/29/19 - 5 Stars John is an amazing craftsman and takes pride in his workmanship! He loves music, plays classical guitar and is an inspiration for music enthusiasts! I needed to have some strings repaired on the spot! I called him, he made time to repair the strings immediately & professionally! I am beyond delighted with his skills, great sense of humor, joy for life & desire to thrill his customers! He takes pride in doing a fantastic job &!ensuring his clients are thrilled!!! My uncle can now play his guitar again & this is a wonderful birthday gift to bring back to him so he can play his heart Out! Thank you John for being awesome! I'll be back & will definitely refer clients to you! Rock on Cathy B, Yelp Review
5/6/19 - 5 Stars John is a master of stringed instruments repair! I had a unique experience: I'm a woodworker and decided to tackle making my own Les Paul type electric guitar from a Canadian kit Company. Spent 5 months (spare time) shaping the the neck, finishing all of the wood, staining, and putting a high gloss finish. I bought all quality components to replace the sub par electronic and hardware that came with the kit. Now for the final assembly and wiring up my guitar. With no clue how to do this part. I was thankfully steered towards John. I didn't want to turn this important part of the build, of my baby, over to someone else. So I asked John if I could be present while he worked and explained what he was doing. Not like I envisioned doing this again, but for my own knowledge. He agreed and quoted a reasonable rate. We spent all day, and I was truly amazed watching a master at work. He was so exacting, knowledgeable, and a true craftsman. He also was great natured and personable. I had a great time and have a wonderful instrument to show and play. I was also impressed by his later diligence in searching out an elusive electrical hum, and fixing it the following week for no additional fee. He kept telling me that he wanted me to be happy, and if I had any problem to bring it back. He is a man of his word, and a good person. I had a wonderful learning and fun experience. The real votes of approval come from the guitar players that have since tried my guitar out, and raved about the sound, action, and playability of my axe. Thank you John for your generosity and sharing your passion with me. You are definitely my go to guy for repair, setup, and if I ever get the urge to tackle another make a guitar project! I doubt that any other repair guys would have ever entertained my strange request. Andy S, Yelp Review
3/5/19 - 5 Stars John totally re-built the neck and bridge of my 70s "eBay vintage parts guitar". and it's now it's my favorite and the best playing guitar in my collection of many guitars. .... Thanks again John! ...DJ Danny J, Yelp Review
1/6/19 - 5 Stars John is very kind and helpful. He made my Tele smoother than ever and he did it for an affordable price too. Also, his dog is such a good boy. I came to bring my guitar in and stayed for the dog. Lol But seriously, John is really good at what he does. In my honest opinion, he is the best in town. 10/10 Dale D., Yelp Review
12/20/18 John took my $300 made in China guitar, fixed it up, and made it play like a dream! It's now comparable to my $1000 guitar in terms of playability. This guy really loves what he does and it shows in his work. Thank you John! Kevin O., Yelp Review
12/5/18 Have you ever had that weird experience where a huge smile spontaneously takes over your face as you play a formerly ailing instrument for the first time again? That's the power John gave back to my resonator guitar after he was done with it. And he provides such knowledgeable, honest, helpful and responsive service. John's care and expertise for his craft is obvious - sound doesn't lie. Highly recommend his services. Violet D., Yelp Review
11/22/2018 Called John and he was super helpful and more than willing to work with me. I love the fact that he treats every guitar he comes upon with respect. I have a fender squire strat with lace sensor pickup's. He did a great job cleaning 8 years worth of grime and getting back my guitar back into brand new condition! Justice S., Yelp Review
8/22/2018 John is the best! I brought him a vintage guitar that had obviously been sitting in an attic for about 40 years. John brought it back to life and it plays like a dream now Razz, Yelp Review
7/14/18 - 5 Stars Best Tech in the Valley. Will make sure he gets the job done perfect. Went above and beyond for my project bass and guitar. William H., Yelp Review
6/22/18 - 5 Stars This man is not only one of the sweetest people I've ever met but also an artist at his craft. I took in my archtop that needed electronic repair and when I picked it up the thing played beautifully, sounded amazing and looked brand new. I highly, highly recommend him to all guitarists who need repair on their instrument. Jon O., Yelp Review
6/20/18 - 5 Stars John is terrific. Top notch work at a reasonable price. Plus, the work was done when he said it would be done. He also found some issues I didn't know about and took care of those. Hope I don't have to go back to him (but I know I will). Thanks, John. Steve C., Yelp Review
2/27/18 - 5 Stars Wow. I am so impressed with John's work and his work ethic. He really cares and loves what he does and cares about his customers. Super genuine. I just brought in my Esp Ltd mh-1000 deluxe with active emg pickups to have him install passive Seymour Duncan humbuckers. He even split the bridge coil to give me a really neat Stratocaster like sound. I could not be happier with him and the work he has done on my guitar. He's made it twice the guitar. Wish Y'all could have seen the smile on my face haha! If you need work done on an Instrument, John will take care of you at a very fair price and will offer the highest quality workmanship. I will be taking all of my future projects to him. If you need someone to work on a stringed instrument for you, Look no further ! Timothy R., Yelp Review
2/19/18 - 5 Stars Based on the reviews I'd read, I contacted John about an Epiphone Les Paul "Special I" I'd recently bought -- it's a really cheap guitar, just over $100, and I knew it wasn't going to sound great off the rack. I wanted to upgrade the pickups and the bridge. John advised me to leave the stock bridge in place and let him groove it to improve its performance. He also worked with me on choosing the right pickups for this guitar. I ended up getting a set of Seymour Duncan SH1-'59 blues pickups, and brought it all to John. He did a fantastic job, even improved this cheap guitar's setup for me (at no extra charge). This thing sounds fantastic now! John is really professional, easy to work with and highly recommended. Josh K., Yelp Review
9/21/17 – 5 Stars I had bought a new acoustic guitar and desperately needed a setup. Based on John's great yelp reviews, I called and asked if I could bring it in. John is super friendly and knowledgeable. He took a look at my guitar, then told me what he thought he could do to really take it to another level... and that's exactly what he did. Got it back a few days later and it looked and sounded 10x better than when I brought it in... and she played like a dream. When I brought it to my next lesson, my teacher couldn't even believe it was the same instrument. I really can't recommend John enough and will certainly go to him again in the future for any of my guitar needs. Highly recommended. Steve E., Yelp Review
8/4/17 – 5 Stars I'm new to Burbank and needed to find a good luthier to adjust the action on a custom ukulele. I saw John's good reviews and took my instrument to him. I am so impressed with his knowledge and skills. The action adjustment wasn't a big job, but getting the height "just right" takes real care and awareness. John did a marvelous job, lowering just enough to five me better finger / kinesthetic ease without losing the excellent intonation of the instrument. I am so pleased with his work. He is friendly and enthusiastic and easy work with. If you are looking for a uke repair/tune up guy, John is a great choice. Highly recommended. Craig T., Yelp Review
7/21/17 - 5 Stars John is simply amazing! His craftsmanship is impeccable and he always delivers on time while maintaining the utmost responsible business practices all around. Not to mention he's an extremely nice guy without an ego!!! Michael R, Yelp Review
5/30/17 - 5 Stars John is nice and flexible. Was able to accommodate my turn around request. Bass plays amazing. I will be back! Susie K., Yelp Review
5/20/17 - 5 Stars After hours of research, I decided to give John a try with 3 of my bass guitars that needed some TLC. Boy was I in for a treat! John puts me at ease with his wealth of information and expertise right away and my basses are thumpin' & sustainin' like no other! Hallelujah! He also does fabrication and customization so he hooked up one of my basses so it sounds like a thousand dollar bass when it costed me a fraction of that. I have finally found my regular guitar tech for life. THANKS JOHN! Glad you have venmo...makes things easier. Happy C., Yelp Review
5/11/17 - 5 Stars I have a new Gibson SG standard that would go horribly out of tune after 1 song. I took it to John for repair. He expertly reworked the nut & saddles, and did a full setup on the guitar. It now plays beautifully, and sounds better than ever. John is a great guy, and the only person that I will trust to work on my guitars. Bill T., Yelp Review
3/1/17 - 5 Stars I have trusted John with multiple instruments of mine for a while now and I can say with 100% certainty that he is the best man for the job. In addition to being a highly experienced expert, the great thing about working with John is he is excited to share his wealth of knowledge with you. He knows the full history of these instruments and has given me a lot of great info over the years. He makes my instruments play and sound better than when they were new, and that's why I keep coming back to John. Jace M, Yelp Review
2/16/17 - 5 Stars Took 4 guitars to John to set up and re string. He got everything done very quick and did a great job. Would definitely recommend to a friend. Shane R., Yelp Review
2/4/17 - 5 Stars I brought in my MIM Fender Telecaster in pieces to get some new electronics installed that I was struggling installing myself. Initially, I was concerned going in that I had destroyed the electronics when I was working on them. John got my guitar running in two days. He actually diagnosed one of the pickups I had brought in and found it to be faulty. He cleaned up the wires on it and returned it to me, and the shop I purchased it from gave me an exchange. Fortunately I had extra pickups so he just installed one of the extras instead. Now my guitar sounds I N C R E D I B L E, and I no longer have any of the issues I was having pre-op. This man is the real deal, and I highly recommend him to anyone looking for an excellent tech. Henry K., Yelp Review
1/23/17 - 5 Stars I went back for minor adjustment on my ukulele pick-up couple of months ago. John was nice enough to check the battery and charged me minimal since he worked on this uke before. If you want an honest and reliable person to work on your musical instruments I personally recommend John. I don't have many Yelp reviews but when I find good businesses such as John, I make my reviews because I rely a lot on Yelp reviews on many purchases and repairs/services. Hopefully this will help other people the way I found John for my musical instrument repair. Will definitely come back to him for my guitars and ukes services. Romeo S, Yelp Review
12/21/2016 - 5 Stars Had my 1959 Martin D18E fixed up. Deep cleaning, a hidden bride pickup installed, got the original electronics and pickups working, and bridge repaired. This guy is AMAZING and knows his stuff. Very knowledgeable and has a passion for guitars. Cannot recommend him enough. Some may be skeptical of a business out of a residence, but it's much better than a shop. Very personal service, instruction, free info, and amazing customer service. Great communication during work being done as well. Trust this guy with your baby! Joseph D, Yelp Review
12/9/2016 – 5 Stars John at John's Guitar Rescue and Repair hot rodded my beat up gigging guitar for the gig last weekend, and it sings! Plays and sounds great! Chris Sauve, Facebook Review
11/23/2016 - 5 Stars Fixed my bass guitar in a timely manner and at a good rate. Thank you David P, Yelp Review
10/28/2016 - 5 Stars If you have a guitar.... Go To John! My Taylor DN3 had a buzz in the high register which another luthier "tried" to repair. After the other luthier said "that's as good as I can get it" and charged me $85 - handing me my guitar back with no improvement; I took the guitar to John. My guitar now plays like Taylor designed it to - No More Buzz, just clear crisp voice. Action is wonderful! John also set up my Ovation Elite LX and, again, action is fantastic and the tone is brilliant. No matter what your guitar playing status, take your guitar to John. His prices are more than fair, his skill is excellent, his work is top of the line, and he is a great guy to work with and talk to. Peter E., Yelp Review
10/17/2016 - 5 Stars John did a great job turning a pile of nice parts into a sweet playing Telecaster! He's also a really great guy, no attitude... just friendly service. John listened to what I was trying to accomplish and nailed it. I'll be making sure he works on all my guitars in the future. Brian R., Yelp Review
10/11/2016 - 5 Stars I highly recommend John repairing and setting up your guitars, even if you don't live in southern CA. I sent my '93 Ibanez from Chicago for some repairs and set up. The guitar is truly better now than it was brand new. I'm amazed every time I pick it up. Further, his personal touch included calling me to find out what I was looking for in a set up and giving me just that. I've known John for over 30 years. His skills as a musician always amazed me. I can tell that he applied the same rigor and discipline he did to master playing the guitar to mastering his luthier skills. Thanks for the great customer service and excellent work John F, Yelp Review
10/11/2016 - 5 Stars Get your guitar repaired and set up by John. I couldn't be more satisfied with the work he did on my '93 Ibanez. He brought it back beyond brand new. The set up is incredible. I can't offer a higher recommendation, if it means shipping your guitar from somewhere else in the country, like I did. John Folkers, Facebook Review
8/18/2016 - 5 Stars If I could give more than 5 stars I would. John did an incredible job; really went above and beyond. I gave him a hand painted body that needed it's protective coat, and a box full of parts. In return he gave me a stunning guitar that looks and sings beautifully. If you need any sort of guitar work done, John is your man. Thanks again, you have my business and recommendation for life! Nick M, Yelp Review
7/13/2016 - 5 Stars It was great working with John - he's very friendly, thorough, kind and knowledgeable about guitar/bass/etc! The bridge off my Takamine was coming off as I was told it was originally glued to the finish. John was able to scrap it off, glue the bridge to the wood itself and get everything looking and playing awesome! I've only had it for few days, but definitely will be playing more and going back to John for any further maintenance. Hopefully it'll last me a lot longer though, since that drive out is kind of far. :) Hyung L., Yelp Review
7/11/2016 - 5 Stars John does amazing work at a fair price. I have had him do repairs, setup, and customization on several guitars including n Epiphone Rivoli headstock repair and having a neck reshaped on a an old Penco LP copy I bought in 1975. The guitar has become one in my favorites (once again). He is currently rebuilding a 1932 Slingerland guitar for me. An early dry fit test showed off John's attention to detail and desire to make every guitar just right for the client. Great work. Andy B., Yelp Review
7/11/2016 - 5 Stars John really cares and treats your instrument like it's his own most prized possession. His prices are also very reasonable. It's an absolute pleasure to interact with him. I learn something new every time! Shakeh H, Yelp Review
5/27/2016 - 5 Stars John got my Fender Strat set up just right and knows his stuff. Super friendly and fair price to say the least. I would, no I WILL take another guitar to John! Dave B., Yelp Review
2/28/2016 - 5 Stars I like to bang together my own guitars from used parts, sometimes even scrap wood I spot on the roadside. John always makes them work. He's a master luthier and great person. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anybody from B.B. King down to . . . well, ME. Marlin G., Yelp Review
1/12/2016 - 5 Stars EXCELLENT! John took my Martin 12 String Guitar and did small Truss Rod Adjustment after using his Magical Powers of Ancient Guitar Knowledge. I could not be Happier, 2 other Guitar Luthier Techs Before John tried their best, But made it worse. If your Lucky enough to take or rather get your Guitar to John's Rescue shop In Burbank You can Relax knowing John will get You back to Happiness with your Guitar. Eric Soovajian, Life Safety Systems, Google Review
12/5/2015 - 5 Stars John installed a LR Baggs Five.0 under saddle pick up on my ukulele and did a wonderful job. He is very accommodating and a pleasure to deal with. I will recommend him to my family and friends for their guitar and uke repairs and installations. I am very pleased with the job he did on my ukelele. Priced charged was reasonable and he replies to my inquiries promptly. Romeo S., Yep Review
9/23/2015 - 5 Stars John is such a great guy and does beautiful work. My bass never sounded so good. He's got a home business and he deserves to go all the way with it. Sam A., Yelp Review
9/22/2015 - 5 Stars Took my guitar to him after I mucked it up doing a DIY repair. John did a setup and fixed what I messed up, replacing my pots and the guitar plays better than it probably ever has. Super nice guy, great repair and much cheaper than I figured I would end up paying. I will def skip the home repair next time and just take it right over. Highly recommended. Ryan C., Yelp Review
9/17/2015 - 5 Stars I'd bought an Ovation acoustic several years ago and never had it set up and consequently never played it much. Last week I broke a nylon string on a different guitar and while I was searching for where I could buy a replacement string here in Burbank, I happened on John's web page. I was intrigued, forgot about the nylon string and thought instead about having the Ovation set up (finally). I called up John, had a quick chat, and brought the Ovation over. John struck me immediately as a knowledgeable and truly nice guy. I had no qualms about having John do the set up and when I returned to pick up the Ovation the next week, it was perfectly set up. Not only did John do a great job on the Ovation, the bill was totally reasonable and John spent a good hour with me talking about guitars and music before I left. I felt badly for having taken up so much of his time, but I appreciated that he took so much time to answer so many questions. Great customer service is a sign of quality work, and the results exceeded expectations. I highly, wholly and unreservedly recommend John's Guitar Rescue & Repair to any and all stringed instrument players. I can't wait to bring the electric axe in and get started on some sweet mods. Thanks John! Mitch F., Yelp Review
8/18/2015 - 5 Stars I can't say enough positive things about John. I dropped off my Tele (needing work on the wiring and output jack) on a Wednesday, and he had it ready to go that Saturday. Very friendly service, and he clearly has passion for what he does. I will not hesitate to take my guitars to him in the future! Jeff P, Yelp Review
8/18/2015 - 5 Stars John is the best out there. If you want your guitar setup, rescued, or repaired by a pro, there is no one better. And he is also one of the nicest people I have ever met. Good vibes all around! Chris Jaiden, Facebook Review
6/11/2015 - 5 Stars I'm happy to find a guitar repair shop that does good work and doesn't try to over charge for a small fix. John was very nice and helped repair my bass guitar super quick. I would definitely recommend getting repairs done here! Craig P, Yelp Review
5/30/2015 - 5 Stars I'm extremely grateful to have discovered John. His work is superb, and he is one of the nicest and most accommodating individuals one could hope to meet. He did a great job eliminating the buzzing and intonation problems on my son's electric guitar, and at a very reasonable price. I'll definitely be bringing more of my guitars to him in the future. Robert C., Yelp Review
4/28/2015 - 5 Stars John is talented and a pleasure to work with. He did a wonderful job on my Gibson J-45, added a strap button and completed it with a great set up. Quick turnaround, I'll be taking over my Cordoba in the next few weeks, great find. Alexander Z., Yelp Review
3/30/2015 - 5 Stars It’ not easy to come across someone who does an excellent job at setting up guitars, but it's even harder to find someone who is as passionate about his job as John is. John will fix any guitar problems at reasonable prices I've known him for a couple of years now and I keep coming back to him for set ups and fixes. James H., Yelp Review
3/26/2015 - 5 Stars
I was recommended to come to John by Peter's Remedy band members, Jim and Ben Peters, who take guitar repair and servicing very seriously! They recommended only John, who was the Head Guitar Tech at Guitar Center Hollywood at the time. John did two major repair jobs on my rebuilt 1980 Samick, a replica of the Gibson GC 335. He repaired two major cracks on both sides of the neck when others told me to junk it or quoted me a price that made me consider junking it. John not only quoted me a price from back in the 60's, but he took great care of it and concern as if it was an original Gibson!! Quality technician and a great guy!!! You won't find a better luthier in the L.A. area. John C., Yelp Review
2/18/2015 - 5 Stars Great service, great price! I would highly recommend John's Guitar Rescue and Repair! Abby Belle, Facebook Review
2/2/2015 - 5 Stars John's guitar is awesome. He has worked on several guitars of mine, from an old beater acoustic, to setting up my les Paul, and rebuilding my old 73 strat. Everything he has worked on has come out better than I could imagine. Honest, reliable, and reasonable, what more could you ask for. 5 stars, for you John, thanks for the great work. Robert N., Yelp Review
1/22/2015 - 5 Stars John Armentrout knows his stuff! John has expertly set up my son's electric guitar, restored a Huapanguera (a Mexican folk instrument from the eastern seaboard of Mexico), a vintage Ukulele, and set up and put strings on my husband’s banjo. He is a true professional at reasonable prices, and one of the nicest people you could ever want to work with. Thanks, John! Diana W., Yelp Review
12/24/2014 - 5 Stars Always does a great job. Very reliable and affordable! Great guy! Charley Hinchcliffe, Facebook Review
12/23/2014 - 5 Stars He setup and repaired my $75 bass and made it sound like a million bucks! He does great work, is fast and has fair prices! Jesi Di Palo, Facebook Review
12/13/2014 - 5 Stars John has helped set up and customize my guitars for a few years. He does lovely work and is genuinely interested in making things right. Dee Nichols, Facebook Review
9/9/2014 - 5 Stars John has built 2 Custom guitars for us, one Strat, and one Grestch as well as restored 2 1960 Japanese guitars and one Vintage Acoustic and he has saved the finish on a Les Paul that had stickers on the back. As well as set up all of our guitars. Without question a great Luthier and super friendly staff/family. If your instrument has strings, you should visit John every 6 months. Joseph G., Yelp Review
6/22/2014 - 5 Stars One of the best guitar repair man that I know even though he never told me that he was going to be leaving Guitar Center I trust him with my life I trust him with my instruments but he's a real good man George Gko Layton, Facebook Review
6/30/2014 - 5 Stars Always taken the best care of my guitar and basses. John is not only an excellent luthier/fine craftsman he is a killer musician and teacher so he can relate to all your needs. Setup has always been fast and delivered when promised. Do your axe a favor and let John sweeten it up for ya... Mark Wright, Facebook Review
9/9/2014 - 5 Stars John has set-up and repaired several guitars for me--acoustic and electric. His work is expert and reasonably price. I have recommended John to friends and they have all been impressed with professional and friendly service. Bob C., Yelp Review