Geoff Benge’s Guitar Shop brings over thirty years of luthier expertise to Chicago’s music community. With a family legacy that includes his great uncle Elden Benge, creator of the renowned Benge trumpets, Geoff grew up surrounded by instruments and started playing guitar at age four. By high school, he was already building solid-body guitars while working at Guitar Works in Evanston.

The shop specializes in comprehensive guitar repair services, from fretwork on vintage fifties Strats and D’Angelico archtops to neck resets on classic Martins, Gibsons, and Gretschs. Geoff’s experience extends beyond guitars to mandolins, banjos, resonators, and even rare instruments like ouds, bouzoukis, and hurdy gurdies. His restoration work includes over fifty guitars from the famous Scott Chinnery collection, with instruments featured in “The American Guitar” book.

Custom boutique guitar builds and vintage guitar work remain core specialties, complemented by professional setup services that keep touring musicians and collectors coming back. Many clients have trusted Geoff’s craftsmanship for over twenty-five years. The shop also offers workshops for those interested in learning guitar maintenance and repair techniques.