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November 2021 by Joshua P.
Such a cool place. The owner is a real craftsman, making guitars as a passion. He was very helpful to me, because my 12 year old son needed a new string on his guitar, and the owner helped on the spot. My son is on the spectrum and loves loves loves music. The owner was patient with him and sold us a backpack guitar for a very low price. My son loves that guitar and uses it all the time.
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October 2021 by Andre Estournes
This place is like an oasis in the desert. I spent one week learning guitar repair from Al and his patience, calm demeanor, and extensive knowledge delivered an incredible learning experience. Drop-in and returning clients equally treated with respect and welcomeness, his passion and skill is undeniable. If you have a guitar/bass that needs some work or if you have any desire to take an in-depth look into the guitar world, Al is the guide you want. Offering full-guitar builds or repair classes, the learning environment he creates with you allows you to absorb as much as possible at the pace you require. Definitely worth stopping in and introducing yourself if you're in the area, or just diving in to learn. Wonderful experience.
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September 2021 by Kevin Cabusora
The highest compliment I can pay Al is that he is a geek about his craft. It’s infectious when you meet him.I took in a Martin D-28 to get a basic set-up and intonation job. Al thoroughly inspected my guitar for blemishes, and then enthusiastically noted the quirks and features of the guitar for about fifteen minutes.Which brings me to the next compliment - he gives you his proper attention when it comes to your instrument.He gave an accurate estimate of how long the job would take, and stood firm it would not be a quick task because it took patience to do right by me and my instrument.The results were phenomenal! The intonation is without flaw, and the setup has made it sound proper.He even took the time to leave a voicemail, yearning to know if I enjoyed the guitar!I absolutely did, Al.
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September 2021 by Bedy Molina (Ray)
Al is an absolute professional and is extremely knowledgeable at his craft. I built a steel-string acoustic guitar under his guidance and I couldn’t have been more satisfied with the final product!
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August 2021 by Ray Molina (Cassette)
Al is an absolute professional and is extremely knowledgeable at his craft. I built a steel-string acoustic guitar under his guidance and I couldn’t have been more satisfied with the final product!
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July 2020 by Eric Doral
Al is amazing. His care and precision to his craft is unparalleled. Al at Arc Guitar is the only one I trust with my collection. Amazing service and Amazing work. I would highly recommend Arc guitar for any and all of your Guitar needs.
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February 2020 by Anthony L.
The owner is a really nice guy with a lot of knowledge of guitars. I took lessons from him when I first moved to winters and learned a lot. I will def be back if I ever need anything guitar related and love knowing I have this right at my fingertips. See what I did there? =)
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January 2020 by David S.
My acoustic guitar had developed 3 different problems, which had impaired its sound and playability over the past year or two. Al quickly and correctly identified and resolved each one for me. (And charged me very fairly.) The guitar has come alive now. It's a pleasure to play it again. Al is a great guy, very strong in his technical knowledge, and he follows through. What he does at ARC Guitar is very cool. I recommend him very highly.
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September 2019 by li s.
I have been having my electric guitars Set up here for 2 years and get an outstanding setup every time. I have Been to all the guitar shops in San Francisco and this by far the best. A lot of guitar shops are very technical But don't have the same feel as Arc. I had a setup by AL my acoustic and Was just amazed how well it plays. AL At Arc is the Michaelangelo of Acoustic guitars. Do yourself a favor And get your guitar setup here. It's 10 minutes north of Vacaville. Joe Hembree
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June 2019 by Matt S.
Fellow guitarists - do you need a proper set-up done on your beloved instrument? Fret work? Crack repair? Or in my case, a strap button professionally installed? Visit my friend Al Calderone, owner of ARC Guitar in beautiful Winters, CA. He also teaches guitar building classes. He's a kind man who does great work.
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June 2019 by John J.
My wife and I travel the country in a motor home. Call us full time travelers. It has been a lifelong dream of ours to do this. While in Arizona over the winter, in that super-dry climate, my guitar developed a crack in the back side of the guitar. Now, I have been playing music almost my entire life. This particular guitar was hand built for me by Rich Worthington of St Louis, Mo. Of all my instruments, it is my pride and joy. Until I visited Al Calderone at ARC Guitar, no one has else has touched this instrument. It is my most valuable possession. It is part of me so to speak. I do not plan to be back in St Louis until November at the earliest. I had a feeling that I might find someone in California to help fix the new crack. I knew there were a lot of luthiers there. A friend of mine in Vacaville told me to stop in at ARC Guitars...check them out. I stopped in and met Al and showed him my guitar. As Al thoughtfully looked over my guitar he showed me several areas that needed improvement and work in addition to the new crack. Several old cracks were showing signs of spreading again. The frets were becoming worn, though I had them replaced two years ago. Divots in the Brazilian rosewood fret board were developing from decades of professional playing and practicing. Admittedly, I am too close to my guitar to notice changes to its structure over years of playing. Remember, no one has ever worked on this guitar other than the builder. But something was reassuring about Al. He was confident in his analysis and confident in his ability to fix the issues. I left my guitar with Al and he began to go to work on it, sending me pictures of his work over email as he went . He must have been aware of my reticence to let anyone work on my guitar other than Rich Worthington, the builder. Sure enough, three days later it was as if magic had been worked on the guitar. The cracks are fixed. I have new frets which Al tells me may last a long, long time. The action is much better. The neck is smoother allowing me to move up and down the neck with greater ease and speed. The divots from my fingers are gone and the intonation is better than it has been in decades. I am inspired from Al's superior work on my guitar. It's as if the guitar is almost better than ever. Seriously, This gentleman, Al Calderone, is as fine a repair man as there is. He is totally attuned to the structural nature of the instrument, and how it all works together to make music. He will let the hidden music in your music come alive. That's what he did for me. I am grateful for his excellent work. Bring your instrument to AL and feel confident it is in the best hands possible. John Jump
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May 2019 by Jimmy M.
Very very over priced the staff does not know what they are doing I could go to a music section in a Walmart and get better knowledge of music A skill level of Maybe 1 out of 10 also I noticed about a 500 percent profit margin In their store the owner is extremely rude and acts like he does not care about his customers or about music I would never ever recommend this shop to anyone get a book yourself you could probably do a better job learning how to play the guitar at Walmart
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March 2019 by Chris Anderson
Al worked on a couple of my guitars and I was very happy with how great they turned out. Great guy.
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January 2019 by Everett Harlow
Al is a talented & experience Luthier, and a fantastic instructor!
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January 2019 by Julie Faiola Soto
Patient teacher with clear instructions and ability to put the new untrained student at ease. Beautiful surroundings in Winters in a great old building. Most enjoyable session. Please call Al Calderone and set up your lessons you will love it.
