My '95 S540LTD is a wreck. Anyone know a GREAT NYC/LI luthier?

[markyperfection]

So here's the sad/stupid story, with the tedious bits removed for your reading ease.

In 1995 I bought a brand spanking new S540LTD which was my main squeeze for quite some time. In the '03 blackouts (right as the lights went out) she had a bad accident, where the neck broke behind the nut. I brought it to a tech at the store I once worked at, and after a year and a half he gave me the guitar back with a mountain of glue under the now almost non-existent 1st and 2nd frets. He said "I just couldn't get the board to lay flat, but it should work." It didn't. She's been sitting useless for a few years now.

I need a really brilliant luthier/tech to pull the board, fix the sloppily-repaired break properly, put the whole shebang back together and re-fret. I'd also like to try stainless frets on this one, so anybody who's willing to install them would be perfect.

I live in New York on Long Island; the North Shore. Any ideas? I know Flip Scipio is opening up shop in Brooklyn soon, so I might end up taking him there but if you guys know anybody else I'd love to hear your suggestions.

[Revaku]

hmm, wouldnt it be just as easy and poss, cheaper to get a new neck?
rob

[metalgod72]

heartfielder might know a guy...check with him

[jim777]

Norio Imai is the best luthier in NYC. He is pricey though, and doesn't do stainless frets as he's kind of old school. He's the only one I let touch my guitars.

[markyperfection]

Originally Posted by Revaku

hmm, wouldnt it be just as easy and poss, cheaper to get a new neck?
rob

Yeah, it probably would but it can be pretty difficult to find a replacement neck for this particular guitar. I've been actively hunting for one for years and have yet to find a suitable replacement. Plus, this guitar has a lot of sentimental value for me and I'd prefer to keep it as original as I can.

Originally Posted by jim777

Norio Imai is the best luthier in NYC. He is pricey though, and doesn't do stainless frets as he's kind of old school. He's the only one I let touch my guitars.

Awesome, I'll check him out. Thanks!

[cjwallaceii]

Send your Guitar to Ed Roman, He will need it to fit your neck. Also he has your neck! It will be an ibanez too. www.*******.com I wish you luck. HE is the best. This is fool proof, you are already not using it. Now you will be able to.

[markyperfection]

Originally Posted by cjwallaceii

Send your Guitar to Ed Roman, He will need it to fit your neck. Also he has your neck! It will be an ibanez too. www.*******.com I wish you luck. HE is the best. This is fool proof, you are already not using it. Now you will be able to.

I'd prefer to not have any dealings with Ed on reputation alone. Some people have great things to say, some don't; I prefer to deal with people who are universally liked. That combined with the fact that he's not in New York City or Long Island make this a definite no-no.

Thanks though, I appreciate your suggestion and your enthusiasm.

[LonePhantom]

Originally Posted by cjwallaceii

Send your Guitar to Ed Roman, He will need it to fit your neck. Also he has your neck! It will be an ibanez too. www.*******.com I wish you luck. HE is the best. This is fool proof, you are already not using it. Now you will be able to.

I cannot believe that people are still recommending him! He is pretty much universally known to be a fraud, copycat and all round scumbag.

[shreddersymphony]

Ed Roman once quoted me $650 for a custom neck. Regular maple, blank ebony board. I laughed in his face and hung up on him. Got it done by another guy - a triple-color stained flame maple neck, cocobolo fretboard with abalone purfling, custom inlay at the 12th fret and custom headstock inlay (all in abalone). Grand total for the neck was under $600. Ed Roman = ripoff.