Steel City Guitar Works LLC provides guitar and stringed musical instrument repair, maintenance, and restoration services performed with precision and passion.
“I seek to delight my clients by helping them get the most out of their instruments. I am committed to providing world class service and quick turnaround times.” -Luthier/owner Chad Gerbe
With almost 20 years experience maintaining and repairing tens of thousands of instruments across the country for some of the biggest names in the music industry, luthier Chad Gerbe is thrilled to return to his home state to offer his expert services to Pittsburgh, Western PA, and beyond with
STEEL CITY GUITAR WORKS LLC
SCGW is happy to offer repair services backed by the shop’s Plek Station!
The PLEK Station is a computer controlled device designed to perform extremely accurate fret leveling and crowning, fingerboard preparation for new frets, nut and saddle work, as well as a variety of other functions to help make our guitar repairs as high quality as possible. This upgrade to the shop will help me serve my clients with more efficiency, repeatability, and a higher level of service.
Learn more about Plek technology by following this link: http://www.plek.com
Schedule an evaluation to see if your guitar would benefit from the Plek Station’s services! I am so thankful to all of the clients who have helped to make this possible.
-Chad Gerbe, Steel City Guitar Works LLC
"Chad has done amazing work, restoring old guitars that I've brought in, making them sound and play like they are supposed to. Always appreciate his attention to detail and love for instruments!"
I cannot recommend Chad Gerbe highly enough.”
"Chad has done all kinds of work on my guitars, from installing pickups to setup and restoration work. When he’s done with them, they always sound sweeter and play easier.”
SCGW is proud to be a factory-authorized warranty service center for the following brands
Member of the Guild of American Luthiers
Mission Statement
“I know how frustrating it can be to be limited in my playing by a poorly maintained instrument. I’ve seen too many young players get discouraged and ultimately give up playing because they were suffering through high action, sharp frets, excessive buzz, and noisy electronics. My mission is to provide highly personalized instrument repair and maintenance services for every type and style of musician to help them achieve their creative and performance goals, from reknowned players at the height of their craft to beginners first getting to know their instrument.”
-Chad Gerbe, luthier/owner, Steel City Guitar Works LLC
I hope you’ll join me tomorrow, Saturday Nov 15 at @cobblehauscoraopolis from 4-6pm for the bluegrass jam I will be hosting! Bring an instrument to pick a little, or just yourself to sip a little, and tap your foot a little!
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Also, huge shoutout to @acousticmusicworks for hooking me up with my new Northfield mandolin. I’ve been having a blast breaking it in, even if this fresh wood is still getting used to being a mandolin! Hit them up for your next instrument!
This one was a great instrument to come across my bench, a Stelling F style mandolin from 1997! Geoff Stelling was renowned for making high quality banjos starting in the 1970s until his retirement in 2022. This is the only Stelling mandolin I have ever seen and it really is a very nice instrument. The top had sunk over time a bit and the original bridge was overextending its threaded bushings to push the saddle up high enough to have the action be playable, so my friend Erik at @cumberlandacoustic made a really nice, extra tall replacement bridge+saddle that I got the bottom of to fit really nice and tight to the carved top of the mandolin. Now it’s playing just swell! Thanks for your help on this project, @engebretson_gtrs!
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#pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghmusicscene #bluegrass #bluegrassmusic #mandolin #smallbusiness #luthier #guitartech
I’m about to install the frets above the tongue extension on this Guild F50R. The old frets were worn down so deeply after decades of playing that there was no way to achieve a level playing surface by leveling and crowning the existing frets, thus, all new frets are going into this board to achieve the best playability possible. I had the opportunity to plane the face of the board true using the Plek station prior to the installation of these new frets. The red fret buck by @stewmac_guitar helps to support the area under the tongue extension when tapping in these new frets with a hammer so that the frets get seated nice and clean while avoiding accidentally cracking the thin spruce top on either side of the fretboard.
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@getplekd @guildguitars #pittsburgh #pittsburghsmallbusiness #bellevuepa #guitar #guitartech #guitarrepair #smallbusiness #luthier #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghmusician #pittsburghmusicscene
The world reknowned luthier Ken Parker taught an eye opening clinic at the Northwoods Seminar that I attended in 2014 hosted at the luthiery school I had graduated from 2 years prior. It was my first time meeting some of the top talent in my industry, and needless to say, I was pretty star struck and a bit nervous. Ken was so kind, open, and warm to me, and was incredibly encouraging as well. He made me feel like I could earn a place for myself in this industry if I stuck it out for the long term. He even took several hours out of his time that he could have spent with his friends and equals within the industry to teach me how to play straight pool.
He was an inspiration to me and so many others for his innovations, techniques, and contributions to the field of guitar design and construction, but personally, he inspired me to stick it out in this industry so that one day I can have the opportunity to be as encouraging to young technicians just entering the field as he was to me. Rest in peace, Ken Parker.
The old replacement nut on this PRS wasn’t flush to the sides of the nut slot and had a string spacing that was tighter than it needed to be relative to the width of the first fret. My client opted to have me make him a new bone nut to address these issues. I don’t always polish nuts and saddles up to a high gloss like this, but sometimes the overall aesthetic of the guitar calls for it. A well crafted, properly adjusted nut is a critical component of any setup.
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#pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghlivemusic #pittsburghmusicscene #guitarrepair #guitartech #fretwork #smallbusiness #pittsburghsmallbusiness
Come on out to Cobblehaus At The Falls Taproom to do some bluegrass picking! We’ll be here till 5. Go past the food truck and the fire pit down the gravel path, the pavilion will be a very short walk down and on your left hand side. Come play, or just listen!
I’ll be hosting the last bluegrass jam of the year at @cobblehaus_atthefalls in Mercer County this Saturday from 1-5pm. I’ll have my mandolin and my dog Livia hanging out with us. Hope you can make it, whether you bring an instrument to jam or just to enjoy the music, some beer, and the scenery! This is a family friendly event so feel free to bring your children to come check it out.
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#pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghmusicscene #pittsburghmusician #mercercounty #brewery #bluegrass
All wrapped up on this replacement bridge for the Martin 0-15 that I made. The saddle slot was routed using the shop’s Plek Station (learn more about it at @getplekd) and I sought to match the traditional specs of the original style Martin straight bridge as close as possible. All strung up, setup, and ready for pickup!
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#pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghmusicscene #pittsburghsmallbusiness #guitarrepair #guitartech #vintageguitar #luthier
A quality fret dress (making sure the tops of the frets are leveled, crowned, and polished to ensure even tonality and eliminating dead spots across the fretboard) is preceded with important prep work. I always make sure to inspect and tap-test each fret to make sure they are seated properly in their slots as well as glued in place. I love using the Fractal Fret Press designed by @jedwardsguitars loaded into an arbor press to help seat each fret in place as I glue them down in their slots if the fret is loose at all. I don’t need to fuss with different radius cauls using this ingenious tool, and always get even pressure distribution across the top of the fret.
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#pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghlivemusic #pittsburghmusicscene #guitarrepair #guitartech #fretwork #smallbusiness #pittsburghsmallbusiness
I’m getting the hide glue mixed up right now to get this replacement Brazilian rosewood bridge glued down onto this @martinguitar 0-15 from 1958. The old bridge had been awkwardly shaved down and the saddle slot had broken, been repaired, and broke again. I will be routing the saddle slot using the Plek once the bridge is glued on and then will make the saddle and dial in the setup + fit the bridge pins. I got the Brazilian rosewood for this bridge from @stewmac_guitar and made it from scratch for this guitar.
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@getplekd #vintageguitar #vintagemartin #martinguitars #pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghmusicscene #westernpa #luthier #guitar #guitartech #guitarrepair
Smooth, freshly leveled, crowned and polished frets will not only help eliminate buzz and dead notes, it will also elongate the life of the strings since they will come into contact with a less abrasive surface as the player frets the notes. Additionally, the guitar’s capacity to allow the musician to play more in tune increases as the strings contact point is more defined at the top of the frets crown.
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When paired with a setup that addresses the string’s contact points at the nut and saddle along with making sure the truss rod is adjusted properly for the guitarist’s playing style, good fretwork can make the difference between a forgettable guitar and one that doesn’t want to be put down.
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#pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghmusicians #pittsburghsmallbusiness #pittsburghpa #pennsylvania #guitar #guitarist #acousticguitars #guitartech #guitarrepair
I got an initial quality scan of the fretwork on this old @gibsonguitar L-00 before setting the parameters of the final fret dress I’m looking for, then I went ahead and let the Plek do its thing on these frets. This machines cutterhead is accurate within .0002” which leaves as good a level playing surface on the frets as I could have hoped to ever achieve during my many years of doing fret work by hand. Knowing what goes into a good fret job definitely gives me the confidence to run this machine so I can give my clients the best playing guitars I possibly can. In the last picture, shop foreman Livia is ensuring things run smoothly around here.
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#guitar #guitartech #guitarrepair #luthier #pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghmusicscene #pennsylvania #pittsburghsmallbusiness #music #technology @getplekd
Glued a loose bridge down on this old Martin. Hot hide glue is the way to go with bridge reglues, it dries hard and resists creep in the joint over time. Lots of glues have their place in my shop, but if it’s good enough for 4,000 year old Egyptian artifacts, it’s good enough for me.
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#guitartech #pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghlivemusic #guitarrepair #guitar
Now booking appointments!
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Learn more about @getplekd as well as the rest of Steel City Guitar Works LLC’s services by heading to the website. Link in the bio!
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#pittsburgh #pittsburghmusic #pittsburghlivemusic #pittsburghpa #steelcity #steelcitymusic #smallbusiness #plek #guitarrepair #luthier #pittsburghguitarist #music
NOW BOOKING APPOINTMENTS!
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Contact me directly via the email or phone number listed on my website, or DM me here to bring your instrument into the shop for an evaluation. I’m looking forward to serving you!
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#pittsburgh #pittsburghsmallbusiness #westernpennsylvania #steelcity @bellevueforward #pittsburghmusic #bellevuepa
The Great 2025 Luthier Hang Tour! (Part 5)
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@danerlewine I was reading Dan Erlewine’s articles in Guitar Player Magazine as I was just beginning to learn how to play the guitar, getting the gumption to tinker with and modify my own instruments based on the encouragement I got from reading Dan’s words. Our whole industry owes a huge debt of gratitude to this guy, my personal guitar hero, and as life and luck would have it, my friend. Thanks for letting Livia and I stop by, and for taking me out to lunch Dan!
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@_zeppelinfan_ Blake Burkholder is running his own shop in Hurricane, WV now after years of apprenticing with Dan Erlewine in Athens, OH. I stopped by his gig in Charleston WV and was really impressed by his chops! Great to see you dude.
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@clayball_mcgraw Clayton and I worked together in Nashville at Glaser Instruments, and he just happened to be in Pittsburgh the morning I arrived in Pennsylvania at the tail end of a 5 1/2 week, nearly 10k mile road trip. I am so glad he hit me up for coffee, it was wonderful to see you my friend!
The Great 2025 Luthier Hang Tour! (Part 4)
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@sam_guidry was the head teacher at Galloup when I attended in 2012 and is, in my humble opinion, unmatched in his raw skill, craftsmanship, and design sensibilities for the fabulous acoustic guitars he builds. I will always be grateful to him for setting the bar so high during the formative days of my education. So good to see you, my old friend! I was also very glad @frettiemercury came to hang out and catch up, too!!
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@northcoastguitars it was great to finally meet Russel Olmstead and see his shop in Grand Rapids, MI, as well as catch up with my old friend and teacher Zach Balwinski. They are doing cool stuff at that shop!
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@haterhoff_luthiery gave me the royal tour of @elderlyinstruments as we reminisced about our days at the Galloup School together. It was awesome to see Steve Olson, too!
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@david.collins.annarbor getting to spend time with Dave Collins and his legendary dog Kibbeh was fantastic. I love his approach to the craft, his mindset, and the thoughtfulness he goes about his work with. Thanks for having me over!
The Great 2025 Luthier Hang Tour! (Part 3)
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@j.rieck_music this was the first time Josh Rieck and I met after interacting via a few luthier Facebook groups, and after listening to his interview with @bashkin_guitars on his podcast, I knew I had to check out his operation in Sioux Falls, SD. Josh is incredibly skilled and has built an incredible business managing retail, repair, and custom build operations, but I was struck by his kindness the most. Thanks for taking the time to show me around, Josh!
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@tlguitars Todd Lunneborg and I first met at the Northwoods Seminar is 2014, he graciously allowed me to visit his home and (incredible) shop in Stillwater, MN. He’s building very nice Olson style guitars and is serving the Twin Cities music scene with his years of repair experience. Great to see you, dude!
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@carl_meine_luthier I’ve admire Carl Meine from afar for years for his impeccable vintage restoration work and his incredible capacities for stellar finish work. Little did I know, he’s also a super nice guy and very generous with his time, giving me the full tour of @davesguitarshop in LaCrosse, WI. Thanks for the great hang, Carl, and for the great tips on my trip through the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
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@bezardguitars Will Bezard and I first met when I was working for Joe and he was working for the legendary Rick Turner. Now he’s teaching fresh crops of students at the Galloup School and building heavy metal machines of the highest caliber. Great to see you, my friend!
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@bryangalloup Thank you, Bryan, for supporting me in the guitar industry and for providing me with the school where I received a great education preparing me for the last 13 years of my very fulfilling career. @galloup_school
The Great 2025 Luthier Hang Tour! (Part 2)
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@wsvguitars Walker VanWingerden and I attended the Galloup School together back in 2012 and have kept in touch ever since. The opportunity to see one of my oldest friends in the industry was such a delight, I am very proud of him, his growth, and what he’s done professionally. So glad to finally see you after almost 13 years since we graduated, dude!
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@r_guitars Steve Rozitis gave me a tour of his guitar empire. He’s managing a team of repair and retail pros, as well as building guitars in Calgary, Alberta. The only Canadian shop on my tour, I really admire Steve for his business acumen, his ambition, and his raw skill as a craftsman and manager. Thanks for taking the time to hang, Steve!
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@ericdawcustomguitars I was so glad to finally meet Eric Daw, host of the @fretfilespodcast and builder of Pin Up Custom guitars at his shop in Idaho Falls. Eric is incredibly sweet, along with being incredibly generous with his knowledge via his podcast that I’ve been tuning in to since the very beginning. Thanks for letting me stop by, Eric!
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@acousticmusicrepair Aaron Jones hung out with me in the very cool store that he’s doing excellent repair work at in Salt Lake City, Utah. After spending so much time hanging on the @theloothgroup Loothalong together, it was great to finally meet him and see his shop. Thanks so much, man!
The Great 2025 Luthier Hang Tour! (Part 1)
Across my long road trip moving from California to Pennsylvania I stopped by the shops of many of my friends and colleagues in the guitar repair industry. Meeting some of these people for the first time, building relationships with previous acquaintances, and going deep with old friends was certainly one of the best parts of this trip.
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@gryphonstrings the only thing that could have made this visit better would have been if Frank Ford rose from his restful passing so I could shake his hand and thank him for everything he’s contributed to the guitar repair industry. Brian Michael and his team have picked up the torch and were kind enough to show me around and spend time talking shop.
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@stahmanguitars Nate Wood graciously put me up for the night, showed me around his shop, brought me to a fantastic neighborhood cafe, and talked with me into the night about life, love, guitars, and more. I am very grateful for our friendship!
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@timfrickguitars is one of my very favorite people in the world, let alone one of the best guitar builders out there. Seeing him in his shop was a delight! Thank you, Tim and Angela, for letting me crash for a night!
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@youngesteban came out for dinner and drinks with Tim and I in Portland. We met at one of Dan Erlewine’s clinics before the pandemic and I am very thankful to have caught up with him, he’s over at @bridgecityguitar doing great work.