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For Farhad Soheili, guitars weren’t just instruments; they were puzzles waiting to be solved, even from a young age. Back in 1994, in the sprawling city of Los Angeles, his mother gifted him a Fender Stratocaster copy. As a 14-year-old, most would be thrilled. But Soheili, with a discerning ear and an unyielding standard, knew it wasn’t the real deal. “It was still a really nice guitar, but it was like a $100 version of a really nice, more expensive guitar,” Soheili explains from his Greenpoint, Brooklyn studio, FS Lutherie. Wearing a Sub Pop baseball cap, he recounts his teenage reaction: “I don’t know why, but I just knew it was unacceptable.” In a moment of teenage rebellion or perhaps nascent genius, he destroyed it.
His mother’s reaction was predictable, but from the ashes of that broken Stratocaster copy, a unique journey began. They sought out a repairman. “He was in shock over what I’d done to the guitar,” Soheili remembers. But the repair wasn’t the end; it was just the beginning of a cycle: destroy, repair, destroy, repair. Young Soheili’s desires were lofty, bordering on the absurd for a teenager: “I wanted like a $30,000 guitar when I was 14, which is totally ridiculous.”
His mother, understandably, reached her limit. “So eventually it came to the point where my mom, she just dropped me off there,” he says, referring to the repair shop. Instead of just getting his guitar fixed, he began absorbing everything around him. “I just felt like I was spying on them,” Soheili recalls, his curiosity piqued by the craft. This accidental apprenticeship proved transformative. “By the time I was 16, I was doing all of my setups and most of my own guitar work. And by the time I was 18, I was doing fret work, and more complicated things, making string nuts from scratch.”
As he speaks, Soheili holds a vintage red electric guitar, the afternoon light illuminating his workshop. It’s hard not to marvel at the patience, albeit perhaps exasperated, of his mother. “She was pissed, but, in the end, I think it worked out,” he laughs, a testament to how a youthful obsession transformed into a thriving career.
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New York City’s Undisputed Guitar Repair Expert
Soheili himself might shy away from the title, but by all accounts, he is the reigning authority when it comes to guitar repairs in New York City. The sheer volume of his weekly workload—averaging 30, and often exceeding 40 repairs—speaks volumes. His expertise spans an incredible range, from simple setups to complex restorations. “There is no job that I am not prepared to do,” he states confidently. His client list is a testament to his reputation, including Brooklyn and Manhattan guitar stores, recording studios, and even musicians he himself idolizes. “Some of my favorite musicians started calling me,” he mentions, a hint of pride in his voice.
What makes Soheili’s story even more remarkable is that he is entirely self-taught. He has mastered techniques that many luthiers find daunting, including neck resets and lacquer-color-matching – a skill he spent four years perfecting. All this intricate work happens within his unassuming third-story studio workshop on Lorimer Street in Greenpoint, a haven for musicians seeking expert care for their beloved instruments.
From Aspiring Guitarist to Master Luthier
While his current path might seem like destiny, Soheili reveals that becoming a guitar repair expert wasn’t his initial plan. When he arrived in New York City in 2007, his sights were set on a career as a professional guitarist. He immersed himself in studio work and supplemented his income by teaching guitar lessons. And indeed, he is a highly skilled guitarist. However, by his late twenties, the dream had lost its luster. He played in bands, but the band dynamic never quite clicked. Yet, throughout this period, he consistently found himself in the role of the band’s guitar tech, fixing everyone’s instruments. Then, a realization dawned: “I’m already doing this anyway, so why don’t I try to make a career out of it?”
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Starting was a slow and steady process. Soheili hustled, networked, and ensured every client received the meticulous guitar care they desired. To build his clientele, he initially offered his services at very competitive rates. Gradually, word began to spread: Soheili? He’s the guy who can truly fix a guitar. “The longer you do it, the more of a reputation you get, the more you can charge, and the more people respect your work, and bring stuff to you,” Soheili explains. “Word of mouth goes a long way in this; that’s how you get your business a lot of the time.” This organic growth, fueled by satisfied customers and exceptional craftsmanship, became the cornerstone of FS Lutherie’s success.
The Uncommon Skills of a Guitar Tech
What sets a master luthier like Soheili apart? Is it an unattainable skill level, or something more? Asking experts in any field about their unique abilities often yields similar answers, revolving around dedication, passion, and relentless practice. Soheili’s perspective is no different.
“It’s not rare, it’s just very tedious work, and you kind of have to have the personality for it. It’s not something everyone can do. But I don’t think everyone can be a banker either, you know?” he says with a chuckle. He also points out the practical limitations of many guitar shops. Most don’t dedicate the space or resources to specialized guitar repair that he does. Soheili has meticulously built his workshop and amassed a comprehensive collection of tools over years. This focused investment in guitar repair is a key differentiator.
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Handling upwards of 40 guitars weekly, often working 12-hour days, is undeniably demanding. Soheili now employs a team of two apprentices and one part-time employee to manage the workload. This close-knit team environment allows for immediate learning and quality control. “If they make a mistake, I can catch it while it happens,” Soheili explains. However, he emphasizes a gradual training process. “I don’t give them guitars until they’ve been training a while—it’s not so much mistakes as I’ll just say, there’s a faster way [to do] what you’re trying to do.” He reiterates that guitar repair requires a specific temperament. “Apprentices don’t always work out, but others kind of shine.” His part-time employee is a shining example, a former apprentice who has honed his skills under Soheili’s guidance.
FS Lutherie’s expertise extends to all stringed instruments—violins, mandolins, banjos—but guitars, both acoustic and electric, remain Soheili’s primary passion. Much of the work is routine, essential maintenance like setups, which he likens to “getting your car tuned up,” and electronic repairs. These common repairs are the bread and butter of the business, providing a steady stream of work. But then there are the challenging, time-intensive jobs like neck resets, which many repair shops avoid. Soheili, however, tackles them head-on.
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There are limits, however. Soheili is cautious about work that could diminish the value of vintage guitars. Refinishing a rare, old instrument, for example, can negatively impact its worth. In such cases, he will often advise clients against certain repairs. Ultimately, though, the decision rests with the owner. “If it’s worth it to the customer, that’s really what it is.”
Pointing to a vintage guitar with exquisite mother-of-pearl inlays on the neck, Soheili illustrates his problem-solving approach. When asked about repairing a missing inlay, his response is immediate: “Absolutely. We would carve the shape out of a big piece of pearl with a Dremel tool. We’d get the exact size and we would take that one out with a little chisel—heat it up, take it out—take the new one, make it flush.” He describes the process with confident precision.
He also highlights the studio’s recent acquisition: a CnC machine, a computerized router that precisely cuts shapes. This high-tech addition streamlines certain tasks and saves valuable time. “You know, though, that’s a super luxury item; I just bought that after 15 years of doing this. You know… so, yeah.” It’s a symbol of his long-term investment and commitment to his craft.
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Custom Guitars on the Horizon
The presence of a CnC machine hints at more than just efficient repairs. “We’re on the cusp of making custom guitars. Like, starting a line of custom guitars. That’s part of the reason I bought the (CnC), to speed up that whole process.” Soheili is expanding beyond repairs and venturing into guitar manufacturing.
While the custom guitar line is yet to be named, the designs are already taking shape. “They’re kind of modern versions of vintage guitars, kind of the way I’ve always thought they should feel and play.” This echoes the same discerning vision he had as a 14-year-old, imagining his ideal $30,000 guitar. Now, he possesses the tools and expertise to bring that vision to life. However, the years of dedication have taken a physical toll. “I’ve always told people that I have the body of a 65-year-old,” he jokes, referencing the long hours spent hunched over instruments.
Finding Balance and Passion
“I used to only take Sundays off. Now I’m treating myself with two days.” As FS Lutherie flourishes, Soheili is learning to prioritize work-life balance. He makes a conscious effort to leave the studio daily for an hour-long walk and now enjoys two days off a week. The exception? Guitar repair seminars he hosts in his studio on Saturdays. But, he notes, these are brief, lasting only about an hour. For Farhad Soheili, the Guitar Repair King of NYC, it’s all in a day’s work, or rather, a walk in the park.
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All Photos by Jane Bruce
