Musical Instrument Repair: S$25 Guitar Strings at Heirlooms

Serangoon Gardens is better known for its food centre and leafy streets of landed homes than for guitars, which makes Heirlooms Music a pleasant surprise. The shop sits on a quiet road off the Gardens, with free parking right outside, and works mostly by appointment. It sells boutique, vintage and new acoustic and electric guitars, Hawaiian ukuleles and studio gear. It also runs a workshop that handles everything from a simple string change to the swollen tops and high action that Singapore's humidity inflicts on acoustic instruments.

Heirlooms describes its team as custodians of hundreds of rare instruments of all kinds for its museum collection, and that collector's eye shapes how it approaches repairs. Every job starts with a free, no-obligation inspection appointment, where staff give an honest diagnosis and an estimate before any work begins. The shop says it prides itself on an intimate knowledge of guitars, and the stock on the walls shows it, with vintage pieces hanging next to new boutique builds.

The online store is busy too. New Kamaka ukuleles were being listed in late September 2026, and the site footer carries a 2026 copyright, so this is a shop that is very much trading. Because so much of its business is by appointment, a visit tends to feel unhurried, with time to talk through what is wrong with your instrument and to try a few guitars while you are there.

Heirlooms publishes clear prices for its routine work. A string change is S$25 for an acoustic guitar, S$30 for a classical guitar, S$25 for an electric without a tremolo and S$35 for an electric with a tremolo or floating bridge. Each string change includes oiling and general cleaning.

Basic setups are just as clear. Lowering the action on an acoustic through a truss rod adjustment costs S$35, or S$55 if the saddle also needs to come down. An electric guitar setup is S$55 without a tremolo and S$75 with one. For instruments that look tired, a Level 1 grooming service covers fretboard and body oiling with a general clean for S$35, and adding the shop's special polish, wax and sealant treatment brings it to S$65. A Tonerite treatment, which vibrates the instrument to help it sound more open, is S$35.

Bigger jobs, including refinishing, cosmetic touch-ups, electronic repairs to electric guitars and amps, tuner repairs and replacements, and upgrades or modifications, are not priced online. They need a proper inspection first, which is what the free consultation is for.

Electric players should mention any crackling pots, a loose output jack or a pickup that has gone quiet, since electronic repairs for guitars and amps are part of the shop's work. If you are thinking about new tuners or a modification, bring the parts you have in mind or ask the staff what they would recommend for your guitar. Because the shop also sells instruments, the inspection doubles as a chance to hear an honest view on whether a repair is worth doing on a budget guitar, or whether the money would be better spent on something new.

The service that sets Heirlooms apart is its range of dehumidifying sessions. An acoustic guitar kept in a humid flat can absorb so much moisture that the top bellies, the action creeps up and the instrument becomes hard to play. Heirlooms offers three levels of treatment. Level 1 is a slow-dry intervention for S$55, Level 2 is a more intensive treatment for S$85, and both take five to seven days. Level 3 combines intensive drying with non-invasive compression to bring a swollen belly back down, for S$150.

If your guitar has started to feel stiff or the strings sit noticeably higher than they used to, mention it at the inspection. Staff can tell you whether a drying session and a setup will be enough, or whether the guitar needs more structural attention. It is also a good moment to ask about storage, since the right case and humidity control at home will make any repair last longer.

The shop is open primarily by appointment, so contact it before you set out. Message or call to describe the instrument and the problem, and book a time. Mondays are by appointment only, while the regular hours run from Tuesday to Saturday. If you are bringing several instruments or a heavy amp, the shop asks you to let it know in advance so staff can help you unload.

Parking directly in front of the shop is free, subject to availability, which makes this one of the easier places in Singapore to drop off a guitar case and an amp. By public transport, the nearest MRT stations listed by the shop are Kovan on the North East Line and Serangoon on the North East and Circle Lines, and buses 73, 136, 315 and 317 stop nearby.

Serangoon Gardens rewards a slow wander. The roundabout at the heart of the estate is ringed with bakeries, cafés and neighbourhood restaurants, and Serangoon Garden Market & Food Centre is a dependable stop for a plate of noodles or a fresh juice while your guitar is being looked over.

If you are visiting in the evening, Chomp Chomp Food Centre is the local legend, famous for satay, carrot cake and barbecued stingray cooked over charcoal. It gets busy after dark, so go early if you want a table close to the stalls.

Heirlooms Music, at 9 Lichfield Road, Singapore 556829, is open by appointment on Mondays and from 11am to 6.30pm Tuesday to Saturday. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Email dino@heirlooms.sg.

All prices above come from the shop's services page and are in Singapore dollars. Strings for acoustic and electric guitars are sold in store, so you can pick a set during your appointment. Inspections and consultations are free, and any work not on the list is quoted after the instrument has been examined.