Panzer Guitars

I don't write a lot of reviews, but Ed is fantastic. First, and most importantly, he knows his stuff. The fact that he attended Galloup's guitar school is a huge deal - their students always produce excellent work and Ed is no exception. I brought in a vintage (and pretty obscure) guitar and before doing any work on it, he reached out to the manufacturer for specs to try to assess the appropriate next step. I really appreciate his thoroughness. Secondly, he is a great communicator that excels at conveying the matter at hand. Finally, he is friendly and a joy to talk to. Can't recommend Panzer guitars enough!

Ed did a great job with my bass setup and fret filing - highly recommend! The instrument plays like a dream, his communication is great and the prices are reasonable. If you’re looking for some instrument help - he’s the right guy.

Panzer built me a custom "Strat-parts-caster." Absolutely amazing. Better than any Fend*r I've ever played. Dude is awesome. I've worked with many luthiers over the years.....but Ed is the best. The cut of his Jib is incomparable. Update: Dude is the best. Class act!

July 24, 2021 UPDATE: Ed built me a Panzer Telecaster! It is the easiest Tele I have ever played and has excellent clarity thanks to the Fralin Blues Special pickups. Pictures do not do the beauty of this guitar justice. See my complete review on Help with a Y (Panzer Handcrafted guitars and repairs, LLC). ORIGINAL REVIEW: I took my used Charvel Pro Mod DK24 to Ed for a set-up after reading his reviews. His work made my Charvel one of the best playing guitars that I have ever touched. I liked it so well that I brought Ed an American Fender Strat for similar treatment. Later, when I decided that I wanted a different sound from my Charvel, Ed walked me through all options from shaping my sound through technique and amp/pedals, to small tweaks and even major component changes. He discussed the value proposition of altering my guitar vs. keeping it original and purchasing a different guitar. In the end, I chose to alter my Charvel. I don't want to give away the trade secrets of what all changes Ed made, but I can honestly say that I will NEVER sell or trade this guitar. Ed is a fantastic luthier and frankly, a fantastic person. He really wants you to achieve your guitar playing goals, and he can help on several fronts. His handcrafted guitars are works of art that have to be played to fully appreciate his skill. His repair work is great with reasonable pricing and timing. He can even help you become your best guitar playing self. I know because I started taking guitar lessons from him after seeing the quality of his work and how he plays. Do yourself a favor and call Ed if you are looking to fix a guitar, to buy a guitar or to be a better guitarist.

I know this is a long review, but I think it’s deserving and worth the read. I would honestly recommend Ed at Panzer custom guitars to anyone who needs any work done on an acoustic or electric guitar. Since I met Ed, not too long ago, I have been extremely impressed with the work he’s done on two of my guitars, and his professionalism. I found a 30 yr. old GLP Standard on eBay that was listed in “mint” condition. After long, helpful discussions with the seller I took the gamble and bought it without ever having actually seeing it or playing it. When I received it, it looked great and played very nicely and it felt great. But I knew I’d need an expert to go over the guitar from top to bottom and set it up. I’ve taken my guitars to a few different luthiers in the Columbus area over the past 5 years and they’ve all done good work but I always had some questions or minor concerns whenever I got them back. I wanted to try someone new. After looking at a few online and reading many reviews I decided to give Ed a try At Panzer Custom Guitars in Hilliard. The minute I met Ed I felt comfortable talking to him. I was impressed with his shop (at his home) at first glance. It’s a classic and true workshop. I told him the story behind the LP and as soon as he picked it up he assured me that it was a good guitar. Of course, He told me he’d go over the whole thing carefully from top to bottom and let me know what his thoughts were on it before doing any work in it and setting it up. I gave him the green light to go ahead and when I got it back it was everything I hoped it would be and more. He went over every inch of it inside and out. His response time was almost immediate, and the turn around time was less than three days. He detailed and polished it. When I went to pick it up he gladly adjusted the action on it to my specs and simply said “I want it to be perfect for you”. And Man, it is! He told me I found “a gem”, and he was right. I was so happy with the time he spent with me and the work that he did that I asked him to look at my Tele that I’ve had trouble getting the intonation correct on and he gladly said he’d take a look. There were more issues with it than I was aware and he fixed them all, and when I got it back it felt and sounded better than ever before since I bought it brand new 3 years ago. His prices were more than fair, less than I expected. Bottom line, I found my luthier, and a new friend. If you need work done on your guitar, take it to Ed Panzer. And if you want one custom built from raw materials to the finished product have him show his Panzer guitars, they were AMAZING.