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Ken Nash | 860-447-1851 | 91 Walker Hill Rd. | Groton, CT 06340 | Please call first before dropping by. General hours: M-F 10-6 | Directions | ken@theguitarmechanic.com

$60 Set-ups! Fretwork
Repair Restoration
Martin Gibson Guild

Electric Pickups & Electronics
Acoustic Pickups & Electronics
Nut & Saddle Installs
Banjo Mandolin Ukulele
Strat Upgrades
Tele Upgrades
Les Paul PRS
SG Upgrades

Epiphone Schecter
Import Upgrades

Gretsch Upgrades
Bass Upgrades
Guitars for sale
Custom Guitars

Bio Artists Shop Tour

Ken Nash
Owner/Luthier

My journey into guitar repair and restoration began when I was hired as a tuner/adjuster at the Guild Guitar factory in Westerly, RI.. I started setting up guitars and basses in the final assembly department and eventually learned most of the tasks in the department; fretwork, set-ups, building and installing harnesses, assembling solid body guitars, buffing finishes, nut cutting and replacement, and more. (My background in Industrial Electronics from Norwich Tech has always helped me to troubleshoot, repair, and rewire guitars.) I also learned my first repair techniques fixing any finish dings, flaws, and dents and had to make them look brand new, otherwise the guitar couldn't go out! There were no "seconds" going out of the factory. It set a very high standard that has stayed with me to this day. I worked my way into the repair shop and ran it for a couple of years, not only being responsible for 200 - 300 guitars but also overseeing three other luthiers and doing customer service. We did everything in that shop from new tops and refinishing to necksets and touch=ups. During my time there we worked on Richie Havens D40, Kim Thayil's S100, Slashes J30, and set-up and electrified all the Guilds for Alice In Chains unplugged. So many artists stopped by the factory while on tour. Brian May, Phil Collen, and Vivian Campbell to name a few.
I also started a modern quality control program at the old factory. Let's say I was very busy.

Six months before Fender took the factory over I left to set up a repair shop at Rons Guitars. It was a great experience dealing with customers face to face, and also working on a wide variety of guitars beside the Guilds that I knew so well. Eventually becoming a Martin, Taylor, Gibson, and Fender warranty service center. After five years with Ron I moved on to open my own shop in New London.

In 2004 I moved my new shop into The Mercer Building on Meridian St. in New London. Owned by The Garde; many local artists frequented the shop as well as musicians traveling through, either playing at the casinos, the Garde or at local clubs downtown. I had Brad Gillis of Night Ranger spend the afternoon in the shop and worked on his Gibson maple cutaway. It needed a new saddle and had tuning issues, a sticky nut. He was great, really nice and had tons of energy.

In January '15 I purchased a 2 story building at 91 Walker Hill Rd in Groton. I had been searching for a live/work building for years and luckly found this gem of a place in the town I grew up in. Built of concrete and steel it's the perfect place to run my shop. 1/4 mile from Rte. 95 with a large parking lot. Quick and convenient.

Call or text before dropping by. Estimates and quotes are always free. Or just drop by to say Hi and check out the Mustang and Spitfire in the garage!

Thank you,
Ken Nash

3 a.m. written and performed on a Guild F512

A virtual walk through the old shop lobby.

Artists that visited the shop:
Jim Oblon
Steve Broderick
John Fries
Bill Bridges
Brad Gillis
Jim Carpenter
James Harris
Chris Leigh
DanWatson
The Reducers
Bill Light
Jay Dempsey
Eric Ducoff