​Acoustic aspirations

New guitar shop Flatland specializing in guitar repair, maintenance and sales

Is your guitar buzzing, wildly out of tune or sounding less vibrant? If you live in the Fargo-Moorhead area and you own a guitar, chances are, your instrument(s) is suffering from post-winter trauma and is need of some optimizing.

Flatland Guitar and Lutherie, located next to Addictions Tattoo and The Great Wall on University Dr. in Fargo, can help with that – and just about anything guitar related: neck adjustments, restringing, structural fixes, personalized additions and other “things that can make or break your guitar,” says luthier and shop co-owner Paul Hvidsten.

This new, small, earthy and intimate music store specializes in guitar maintenance and repair, as well as buying and selling.

“Basically, it’s a guitar shop built around a repair bench,” Hvidsten says.

“It’s a guitar optimization store,” adds Brett Marcuson, co-owner and guitar specialist.

Currently, Flatland has more than 40 instruments for sale, including and handful of ukuleles and 16 styles of Taylor, which is one of the most popular guitar brands in the world.

More guitars are on the way. Banjo and mandolins are also on the books. And of course Flatland has all the major accessories needed for acoustic instruments, even some for electric guitars, like cases, straps, pickups, DIs, capos and strings.

Hvidsten and Marcuson say they have a passion for making instruments sound, play, look and feel their absolute best. As guitar enthusiasts, they are also passionate about fitting customers into the right guitar style. Flat pickers, heavy strummers, finger-stylists, singer/songwriters and curious beginners all require a unique fit.

Flatland is essentially a shop for all people who love guitars and music. Or, to be more specific, guitar/instrument owners (or soon to be guitar owners) who prioritize sound quality, which always stems from care quality.

“That’s half the fun, making sure they are up and running as good as they can be,” Marcuson says.

Hvidsten and Marcuson, who’ve worked at other music shops prior, including Marguerites in Moorhead, said they started Flatland because they wanted to focus more on acoustic instruments, and they wanted to have a more one-on-one experience with their customers in a more intimate setting.

“The whole point of (Flatland) is the customer service aspect of it,” said Hvidsten. “Just to interact with people more so, versus dropping something off and they never see who’s doing the work or what they are doing.”

Hvidsten, who’s been working with guitars for about 14 years, also happens to be one of the only authorized Taylor servicers in town.

“I’m trained in the way that they (Taylor) do things, how they go about resetting the neck or re-fretting the guitar, fixing a ding in the finish,” he said. “And they are very good about warranty on their products so they cover a lot more than what other companies tend to do.”

Marcuson has had years of experience selling Taylors and fully stands by the brand.

“I have three of them, so I am a little biased,” he said. “But they are one of my favorite acoustic guitars. I can’t say anything bad about them.”

Flatland’s other major, more affordable guitar line is a French brand called Lâg Guitars.

“They play well and they are the right price,” Hvidsten said. “It’s kind of your everyday guitar that you can dink around and not worry about as much.”

By the time the store has its grand opening within the next month or so, customers can expect to see even more products, mostly acoustic, but a few used electric guitars and basses as well.

“We opened really soft,” Hvidsten said. “(For the grand opening) we want to have people to walk in and go “oh my god!”

IF YOU GO:

Flatland Guitar and Lutherie

1623 University Dr. S, Fargo

Mon - Thurs: 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

Fri: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sat: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm(701) 205-3627