Guitar Case Repair?

  • Guitar Case Repair?

    Posted by Bryan Parris Parris Guitars on September 15, 2025 at 12:50 am

    Does anyone offer repair of guitar cases? I’ve done a few and it’s kinda fun (traditional wooden cases only). With the prices of guitar cases going up, I’m wondering if there might be a market. They are less of a throw-away item at $200 per case. I’ve had three people ask in the past few weeks: Broken latch, missing handle, loose lining. We replaced the handle with one of the buckle-on handles.

    If so, Any training available that you know of?

    Karl Borum – Borum Acoustics replied 4 months, 2 weeks ago 5 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • Corey Williams Noank Guitar Repair

    Member
    September 15, 2025 at 8:12 am

    I have done a little, but really rudimentary stuff. I worked for an amp builder and used to help tolex amps and I think that is hands on and applicable to repairing loose tolex on old cases. Most other stuff like latches, handles has been improvised.

  • Tony Lewis Skypilot Guitar Repair

    Member
    September 15, 2025 at 1:16 pm

    Interesting! A few people have been asking……..The problem for me is room! Already swamped with cases from repair work. But there’s an old KMart building for rent……. There’s probably a market out there for repairing cases in it’s own rite. Stewmac can get into case resto hardware. At any rate, a beautiful ’57 LG-2 came into the shop and the customer wants me to fix the case……..

  • Unless it’s a quick and easy thing with little improvisation I will. Like a handle replacement that’s cut and dry.

    We tried repairing them at Taylor, got all the fancy tools like a deep throat rivet thing. It turned out to be more trouble than it’s worth. Most of the time you have to peel back all the lining to get to the rivets then you have to stick it back on somehow with spray adhesive or whatever. It’s messy and stinky. It never seems to go back together that well. This was when the Black cases were made in China and the hinges and latches just kept getting cheaper and cheaper. In the end we abandoned the idea.

    As far as tolex repairs, I wouldn’t know where to start…amp guys know about that stuff right?

  • Bryan Parris Parris Guitars

    Member
    September 16, 2025 at 4:37 pm

    Thanks y’all. You talked me out of it! 😂

  • Karl Borum – Borum Acoustics

    Member
    October 31, 2025 at 2:19 pm

    If I could find a source for the clam shell hinges (the offset ones on the plywood acoustic cases), I would do case repair in a heart-beat. I’ve probably spent 100s of hours searching and inquiring. Anyone have a source for the OFFSET hinges? I’ve exhausted every avenue (except that I won’t buy from the Chinese Broker sites like ALIBABA or TEMU). I expect replies that direct me to google luggage repair…. that’s been a dead end for several years.

    There must be a source, they sell many thousands of cases with the offset hinges…..

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