About Martin Bell
The Journey
My journey into guitar repair began in the mid-1990s after an unsatisfying experience with a local shop. I was determined to learn how to make my own guitar sound and feel the way I wanted it to. Armed with a book and a lot of patience, I started experimenting on my own equipment. Before long, a few brave friends let me work on their instruments, which gave me the confidence to take on more challenging tasks like fretwork.
In time, I discovered a luthiery course offered at the Leeds College of Music in the UK. I moved there for a two-year program that taught me the fundamentals of guitar building and repair. When I returned to Canada in 2000, I found work in an entirely different field, but never stopped repairing guitars for friends and bandmates on the side.
We're In Business
In 2010, I returned to Peterborough, Ontario, a small town with a vibrant music scene. While looking for a “regular” job, I continued taking on repairs in my spare time and quickly realized there was a genuine need for quality guitar service in the area. That realization led me to open my first small shop in 2012. Since then, I’ve been quietly working behind the scenes at Martin Bell Guitar Works, helping players keep their instruments performing at their best.
Today, I look after all types of guitar issues — from simple setups and restringing to complex structural repairs and vintage restorations. Electric, acoustic, or bass, every instrument that comes through the shop gets the same level of care and precision. Whether it’s fine-tuning playability, solving stubborn electronic problems, or bringing a well-loved guitar back to life, my focus is always on making it sound and feel its best. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working on instruments for hobbyists, touring musicians, and collectors alike, each one reminding me why I started doing this in the first place.
