What

SETUP

An expert's setup is your ticket to guitar heaven. It turns pitiful instruments into potent prize winners. Any guitar, even straight from the shop, needs one. No kidding. Regardless of whether it cost €200 or €4,000.
Having doubts? Just read those customer comments.

More than twenty-five years after the beginning, a Marcus setup is held in high esteem by Belgian guitar and bass players. It brings out the best in any instrument.
  • Cleaning and oiling the fretboard, adjusting neck bow
  • Polishing the frets
  • Adjusting height and intonation of the bridge saddle(s)
  • Depth, width and inclination of the nut slots
  • Pickup height
All these ingredients together, perfectly balanced, not only result in optimal playability but also in longer sustain, ballsier sound, and immaculate tuning.

Read all about it in my book Understanding Guitars.

REPAIR

Marcus Guitars & Basses offers repairs of various kinds and varying degrees of difficulty.

Tackling failing electronics is a common question, as is leveling or replacing frets or gluing a broken neck joint. Many other defects can also be repaired perfectly.

PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

 From a simple screw or button to common replacement bridges or tuners: there is a good chance that I have what you're looking for or can get it quickly.

However, these days, it's better to order other stuff yourself (this includes pickups). With the rise of internet giants, I can no longer match prices, supply, and speed.

Of course, I will gladly advise you, and you can leave the installation to me—with or without a setup.

BUILDING & CUSTOMIZING

Customers sometimes have weird wishes. I used to get a lot of those. Made tiny traveler sound like big basses. Pimped koras. Been there. Done that. Over the years, many remarkable alterations have been performed in my humble workshop.

Creating an instrument from nothing—that too was special. Befriending your client while you walk together on the path from tree to dream guitar (see photo section), and the workshop gets covered in a carpet of shavings.

Unfortunately, such assignments are extremely time-consuming. They increasingly jeopardized my "ordinary" work. So, these days, my workshop remains free of wood dust. That's also much better for my health.

FINISHING

Because of environmental restrictions, Marcus Guitars & Basses is no longer able to do any finishing work. I have two alternatives for you—but feel free to go elsewhere:

  • The Dutch company Autoschade Bosselaar is highly experienced in spraying musical instruments. The Bosselaar Brothers are guitar players themselves, so they know what they’re doing. You can find them near Middelburg (NL).

  • In Sint-Niklaas (BE), you may want to give Garage Meul a go.

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