About
Selborne Guitars is a guitar maintenance and repair service helping guitar players of all experience levels to maintain and improve their instruments.
We are genuinely committed to helping you get the most out of your acoustic, electric or bass guitar. No job is too small for us to take on. From replacing a single string to upgrading hardware, fixing tuning issues and servicing electrics, we help you take your guitar playing to the next level at a price that won’t break the bank.
By offering free, friendly advice and competitively priced services, renovating unwanted or damaged instruments for charity, and promoting the local acts that we work with, Selborne Guitars is committed to enhancing knowledge about guitars, improving accessibility to guitar tech services, and supporting local communities.
We serve the areas of Selborne, Alton, Bordon, Four Marks, Greatham, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, West Meon and beyond, and would love to hear from you if your guitar is not playing its best, needs a make-over or is just in need of a little TLC.
Meet the owner
My name is Dario and I’m the creator of Selborne Guitars.
Since I was 15 years old, I have been playing guitars, playing in bands with friends and – most importantly – always learning more about this amazing instrument. I took my first steps in guitar playing by jamming along to songs played on The Evening Session on Radio 1 (remember that?) at the height of the Britpop era. My first guitar was a black Epiphone ‘Les Paul’ copy, played through a very small amp in an even smaller bedroom.
Since then, I’ve owned a few (well, more than a few!) other guitars, my first bass, and dabbled with a couple of other instruments too. I’ve gained experience recording music, at home and in the studio, playing live music (which I still do) and better understanding how guitars work, what can impair their functioning or playability and the toll that rehearsal and gigging can take on a guitar.
For many years I have been maintaining my own guitars, and those of friends and bandmates. But it was the experience of completing two luthiery courses (and then building a number of guitars) that really inspired me to turn that interest into Selborne Guitars. Luthiery (guitar building) and guitar tech services are different skill sets, but there is also a lot of overlap between them. My understanding of how to construct a guitar and of how design choices impact performance gives me a unique perspective on guitar maintenance and repair. This – and an abundance of caution and attention to detail – is what I bring to each instrument I work on.
My love of the instrument means that I treat each guitar as if it were my own.
My motivation comes from working with guitars in any capacity which I find inherently rewarding; from the satisfaction of returning your guitar in a better and more playable state than when you gave it to me; and from learning more about guitars each day.
Playing guitar can be so rewarding but all too often the experience is marred by a poorly functioning or poorly set up instrument. Sometimes you don’t realise there is an obstacle to your playing until it is removed. I enjoy identifying and removing those obstacles, and giving you that experience of picking up your guitar and feeling like it’s a brand new instrument.
I think we can all agree that guitars are without a doubt the COOLEST instrument in the world. Let’s work together to keep them at their best!
Our Values
Quality
If we can’t do a job to the highest standard, we won’t take it on
Trust
We will treat your guitar as if it were our own, and price our work transparently
Community
We believe in making guitar tech services attractive and accessible to players of all situations and experience levels
Selborne Guitars gave my Telecaster a major overhaul. Installed new Bare Knuckle pickups, new tuners and new pickguard. Fret dress, full service and setup. The standard of the work was first class – I would have no hesitation in using them again. Not only was the technical and aesthetic work great (they also aged some of the hardware as well as rewired all the electrics) but kept me informed of progress throughout, both by phone and with photos. Great job!
Dave, Selborne
Dario literally breathed new life into my old guitar and made it look and feel better than when I originally bought it. Fantastic service and continued aftercare at a great price from someone incredibly approachable, knowledgeable and passionate about guitars!
Alice, Sandhurst
Mine was anything but an easy setup. I brought Dario a guitar with a tuner not working (and the shaft on the replacement too long and needing to be adapted) and a tuner screw which had broken off in the headstock and needed to be removed with a specialist drill bit. The 4-way switch also only worked in two positions. Dario identified a wiring and grounding issue. He fitted a new nut and did some fretwork. Now the guitar plays like one three times its price. Having found previous techs to be slap-dash, in comparison Dario consulted me during the whole process. He was meticulous to say the least and treats the guitar as if he were going to play it himself. I’ve absolute confidence in him.
Nick, Fareham
Just had my dad’s guitar cleaned by Dario, great service and a friendly service, I would highly recommend him.
Andy, Whitehill
Thank you for the wonderful setup on my guitar, I have sat down for a few minutes to play and you have made all the difference.
Mike, Lindford
Thanks to Dario at Selborne Guitars for working some magic on my old Ibanez SA260 that had some electrical gremlins and just wouldn’t stay in tune if you breathed on it let alone used the whammy bar. It now stays in tune, all the pickups work and is setup beautifully
Chris
Fantastic service and attention to detail from Dario, who repaired and improved various elements of my son’s guitar – with real care and consideration. My boy is absolutely over the moon and described Dario as “really clever, and such a nice guy” – both of which I’d wholeheartedly agree with!
Sam, Petersfield