CRANKY'S
Tube amp and Guitar Repair since 1980
Late Hours!

TUBE AMPLIFIER SERVICE:
In addition to amp repair work, I have the highest quality, most reliable tubes and will take care of your amp's maintenance needs. I do custom modifications and can assist you in dialing in the sound you're looking for. Amp maintenance for Marshall, Fender, Mesa Boogie, Vox, Crate, Peavey, Hiwatt, Traynor, Oahu and all the newcomers too. TUBE HI-FI SERVICE : Experience with McIntosh, HH Scott, EH Scott, Fisher and more.

STRING INSTRUMENT SERVICE:
Guitar repair, basses, banjo, cello, mandolin, violin, viola, anything with strings but piano! My fret mills and re-frets are the worlds best! I do set-up, pickup replacement, broken headstocks, body cracks, bridge, saddle and nut replacement. Soundboard straightening. Minor finish work. Custom wiring. Floyd Rose replacement parts and upgrades. Body routing. SEE PRICE LIST: proudly I published the guitar repair price list back in 1997. Competitors base their pricing on mine.

MENTOR PROGRAM:
I have been teaching guitar and tube amp repair in the shop since 1997. The mentorship program is the first of its kind and remains unique. I provide CERTIFICATION for acquired skills, hands-on training and total immersion learning. TUBE AMP mentorship teaches what cannot be found at technical institutes. INQUIRIES...

EXPERIENCE:
I have owned and operated the repair shop since 1980. Established the repair department at Parker Guitars, responsible for the set-up and final inspection of every instrument. Experience hand crafting acoustic and electric guitars and basses from scratch. Consider my knowledge of vacuum tubes, pickups and guitar wiring and to be at the top in the field. Over the years I have provided Factory Authorized Warranty repairs in my shop for Fender, Gibson, Marshall, Taylor, Guild, Gretch, Ovation, Orange, Epiphone, Zon and others. I have been behind the scenes providing repair services to music retailers of all sizes in the area for many years; Guitar Center, Mars, and lots of small shops. I have been training technicians who work for same companies too.

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION: HEADQUARTERS
60 SECONDS FROM 95 AND 495 at
375 West St, Mansfield MA 02048
Cranky's is located next to, NOT IN, the plaza with Shaw's, Home Depot and Staples, at the intersection of Rt.140 and West St. If you are using a GPS to get here it may get you lost. If so set it to 390 West St and then once you arrive drive directly across West street to 375. You are looking for the only house you can see from Rt 140. It's right on the corner.
Telephone toll free 1-800-FIX-ME-UP. Don't call just come, unless you coming some distance. I am here, this is my day job.

I HAVE TRAINED REPAIR PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. CALL IF YOU NEED A REFERRAL.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE GUITARREPAIR.COM REPAIR SKILLS GROUP LET ME KNOW. Currently organizing an international network of repair persons.
I AM INTERESTED IN ALL QUALITY REPAIR PERSONS 1-800-349-6387 email

HOURS: Walk in - drop off hours are Monday through Friday 12-8, Saturday and Sunday CLOSED.

[Services] Explains a bit of what I do along with some prices.

[Youtube] Here is a playlist showcasing some of what I can do..

[How much do I charge?] Most of offerings are priced here - visit our rate page, it contains FREE information you really ought to know.

[Can you service my amp?] Yes. But...

[Online Consignment Shop] Come in and see whats new this week. Best rate and best gear.

[Public Transportation and Directions] How to get here.

[About Tubes] Great FREE info. Practical, written for everyone.

[12AX7A] This is the website to buy the best tubes from.

[Harp amp] Harp players have a specialist too. ALT="Repaired by Cranky's when the Custom Shop could not!"

[Links] This is a lot of stuff. Shop Amazon here, check out the guitar and amp books! Band links. Website links.

[Mentor] Learn how to do these trades.

[Mentor Cost] If money was never a concern, the mentorship program would be free!

[Donate!] I know the info here is priceless, and there is no other place on my website for you to spend money!

ABOUT THE SHOP:

I have the best deal on speakers because i sell them at cost plus $20 plus shipping! I move a lot of Jensen, Sica, and also stock some Celestion, Eminance and have Peavey recone kits. I have some experiece with these speakers and can help you pick out great sounding reliable speakers that fit your tastes and budget.

I am taking in guitar repairs whenever possible! Currently accepting fret work, pickup replacements, set-ups, electrical repairs and mods, no major finish work. For amp work, I want to work on your Fender tube amps, and will retube anything. If you are having reliability problems with your older Marshall, JCM 800, I do some &qu"road ready&qu" mods. If you have a working amp of any kind I want to modify it!
Guitar work must wait in the same line as amp work. Premium expedited service is always available.

NEW: The decision has been made, there is no competition for the quality products, knowledge, and customer service at KGC. Killer Guitar Components is a family business making the very highest quality sustain blocks and tremolo arms possible. The other guys suck. Happy to be representing them here. Check them out, then make your purchase here for a discount! I recommend the mega-mass block for incredible tone and sustain level, and for arm fitment and durability. Options available.

NEW: Incredible effort has been put into the 12AX7A.COM venture and I want you all to check it out, please. Those of you who have come in and listened to the sample preamp tubes in your amp know what a powerful and rewarding service I provide. Now you can see how to personalize your sound at home without a technician. This new web site shows you how. There is a lot of FREE information there.
Thank you for your tremendous response! Tube tasting - listening - service.

NEW: We welcome TV Jones to the pickup lineup! TV Jones is the real deal for Filtertron', Magnetron', Hi-Lo Tron, Powertron reproduction pickups. Mr Jones has the honor of being Brian Setzers' guitar tech, and Brian scrutinizes the authenticity of these pickup designs! If you want that Gretsch sound in a guitar you already own then I can help. There are many mounting solutions available. Be sure to check out his website, and then place your order here and get a discount!

This web site is in its 21st year. Poke around, have fun and get inspired. Hit all the links.

The local service area is from Boston to Providence to Worcester to Taunton and all points in between. The shop is centrally located in Mansfield, Massachusetts . I do accept amps and guitars via shipment for repairs and maintenance. I have customers in several countries, and 37 years of experience. My customers are willing to drive unbelievable distances to get this level of service. Some of my loyal customers drive from as far away as Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Worcester loves metal, metal loves distortion, distortion is spoken here!

ON THE ROAD EMERGENCIES CAN ALSO BE HANDLED. Great Woods Xfinity Center is minutes away. Road Call fee is $200 minimum. See the new updated map.

I have the expertise to keep your gear working, and out of the shop! I cannot warranty my work when using someone elses tubes. Everything I need is right here so just bring the amplifier.

"I've seen these guys a bunch of times and they've never sounded this good, I don't know what you did." - fan at Boston's Rock and Roll Rumble. Billy and I went to their rehearsal space and went through every piece of gear. They needed tube amp maintenance, tubes and guitar setups. The next night they placed in the finals with a great sounding, high energy performance. Go figure!

I am able to take on almost any guitar or amp emergency on the road. I can effect repairs at your home, dorm room, hotel, rehearsal space, gig, studio, on your plane, shuttle, lander, wherever! While most repairs can be performed out in the field MOOOO, the more extensive repairs are brought to the shop, and that's fun. Lots of folks (virtually 14.28 zillion) prefer to come to the shop. I have been servicing all the major musical instrument retailers in the area, but I want you to come too!

Directions are available, as well as a downloadable maps.

One of the great things about having a web page is that we get a chance to tell our customers the scope of what we do. When we are face to face, there isn't always time to get beyond the task at hand and talk about important but less pressing needs. We are so much more than a place to get guitars and amps fixed. Here at our web page you can explore the comprehensive services available, at your leisure. Please call and ask questions, you will get answers even if I am pressed for time.

One of the best ways to find out what we basically do is to go to the rates page. There you will find a long list of common repairs and custom work, along with pricing and informative comments. Its worth a look.

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Afraid to upgrade?

Do you want to know how to make a sensible choice in a pickup? I know the secret to choosing a pickup and that you will be happy with. I can backup what I have to say with Seymour Duncan pickups! If you want to know more about pickups, and expand your listening capabilities, all we ask in return is that you buy your pickups here. Our prices are right where they should be! 25% off list price for almost everything from parts to pickups including Bartolini, DiMarzio, EMG, Fender, TV Jones and others as well as standard Seymour Duncan pickups. While Duncan and DiMarzio both offer 21 day exchanges, your best course of action is invest in yourself; take the time to learn from me. Then you can make your own pickup choices and get it right the first time. Gibson pickups are available as well. I stock some Seymour Duncan Custom Shop pickups too, like the P-90 STAPLE pickup and the BFG-1400 Telecaster Lead pickup (hum-cancelling, 30K!)
Call toll free right now and ask me how to choose a pickup! 1-800-FIX-ME-UP

How about custom wiring for your guitar? You can hear most mods at the shop on one of our several demonstration guitars before you decide. We make it fun with choices you never knew you had. Like push-pull switches that are part of the control (pot), or push-push pots for fast and easy tap on / tap off action, or a Fender custom shop 4 position switch for your Tele to add a new powerful solo voice? The list is huge, so ask questions. Personalize a knife switch do to anything you can think of? What about my Jimmy Page tribute guitar wiring?

I make a lot of custom footpedal solutions for people. I am passionate about making no compromises on the component quality. I make the best A/B switches out there, for starters. They are tough enough to be used in-reverse so you can A/B two tube heads through a single speaker cab! That aspect of my business is quite involved and so the offerings will be posted one day real soon on ampmodsinabox.com. There has been a foreign invasion of noisey switching power supplies that are unusable for audio applications like powering a pedal or pedalboard. I really feel bad that as pedals are having their heyday that you can't get a decent power supply. My advice for the meantime is "use batteries".

Come and try out a demo guitar on a MY 1975 modified Bassman? Vibrolux or a Princeton Reverb? Seymour Duncan convertible amp?

There is no crowd of noisemakers here. You can play guitars, amps, tubes, pedals and pedal mods, in an environment you can hear yourself.

Is your amp not exactly what you want it to be?

My personal one-off amp mods earn high praise, and add value to the amp. One mod that all you touring bands need to know about is the "Road-Ready" mod for most Marshalls'. You can tell me what could be better about your amps sound, and I can work miracles on it! Why settle for an off-the-shelve sound? Your first step will be to come in and test drive some tubes! It's fun. "I had no idea pre-amp tubes made such a huge difference" - your mouth in the future. "WOW!"

Get what you want. "YES" ANSWERS ARE AVAILABLE HERE. Cranky's is unique because my can do attitude matches my abilities. Everyone gets star treatment. NEVER name dropping.

We are a Fender parts and accessories dealer in addition to being a factory authorized service center, so keep us in mind when you need original Fender parts - no hassles. Discover cool stuff like Fender vintage noiseless pickups.

I must have had the largest string selection in Massachusetts. Why? I need them in the course of performing repairs, and offering the strings people like to play is important. When you asked for it, I stocked it. Ask me for box pricing on your favorite strings and save big bucks. Don't ask - oh well, we really are a repair shop after all. I won't pressure you into anything, just provide you with choices. Update: I am gettting rid of all those crappy strings you all asked me get, and getting down to just the strings I would recommend! I will still save you $$ on special order box quantities for whatever strings you want.

HOW LONG?

If you are having a guitar setup, or an amp bias checked and adjusted, then the answer is usually one week. Most retube jobs also get done in one week.

Update: I am taking new jobs one again! Please remember that emergency service is not possible untill I get caught more caught up. Feel free to call and see if I can take the work you have.
The shop is doing well, but there no time for phone calls, and "updates". Currently, I am taking set-ups on a limited basis, custom wiring for guitars and amps, retubing (almost all amps - call). As always no sold-state amp repairs. The maintenance type of work is about 1 week and repair work is somewhere around 6 months.

For repair work our turn time is normally measured in weeks, and varies. That's no fish story! Other shops run in months, although they may tell you otherwise. Get references if you haven't been referred. To be fair, shops with long repair cycles may be well worth the wait! Don't go back to a repair shop that lies.

I usually offer emergency service for ultra fast turn around times. This premium service is available in the shop as well as out in the field. Normal priority in-shop repairs get completed in industry standard time frames, and I get it done right. Premium service is billed accordingly. VIP membership is available for those always in a rush.

Check out our FREE super-informative page that has remained the definitive work on the subject: About Tubes! The reader response has been incredible!

Give a call 1-800-FIX-ME-UP. If you get the machine then slow down, speak your name and number, and repeat it. I will return your call as soon I can. I take up to 60 calls a day, so keep that message brief! If I am with a customer I may not be able to answer the phone, so leave a name and number...

Email is NOT the best way to get me, but click on the shiny logo if you really feel lucky...All email is answered eventually.

The Guitar and Amp Technician MENTORSHIP PROGRAM is for individuals and companies seeking training and certifications. I have an extremely high success rate for my protégé's and protégée's. I teach motivation, ethics, business skills, and craftsmanship as well as guitar and tube amplifier repairs. Find out about this great opportunity now.
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