GUITAR CZAR REOPENS AS REPAIR-ONLY SHOP After more than 32 years serving Utah’s music community, Guitar Czar has re- opened in a scaled-down form as an instrument repair shop in South Salt Lake.
A fter closing its doors earlier this year, Guitar Czar originally based in Murray, Utah, has reopened with a scaled-down op- eration focused solely on instrument repair. For more than 32 years, Guitar Czar served as a retailer for its local music scene, provid-
munity and being a part of so many people’s music journey and artistic discovery,” the store wrote. “Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years.” While the retail portion of the business remains closed, the newly reopened repair shop held its grand opening on Nov. 22, 2025 and has already drawn at- tention for its specialized services. According to the store’s website, Guitar Czar is now “the only Plek service center in the Intermountain West.” The Plek Pro system is a com- puter-guided tool used by technicians to repair and set up guitars. In another Instagram post, Guitar Czar highlighted its streamlined repair process in the new space. “In our new shop we are continuing the practice of doing setups weekly,” the store shared. “This means that setups don’t have to sit in queue with major repairs and typi- cally get finished within a week as long as there are no major underlying issues with the instrument.” MI — By Kimberly Kapela
D ’Addario and TerraCycle, an interna- tional recycling leader, have celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the D’Addario Playback Free String Recycling Program, a large-scale initiative to recycle instrument strings of any brand. Over the past decade, the partnership has kept more than 16 million strings out of landfills and incin- erators, helping musicians, retailers and schools nationwide make sustainability part of their sound. “At D’Addario, sustainability is wo- ven into everything we do,” said John D’Addario III, CEO of D’Addario & Com- pany. “Partnering with TerraCycle has allowed us to engage our entire community — from local music shops to global tour- ing artists. This milestone celebrates both progress and possibility as we work toward a more sustainable future for music.” Since its launch in 2015, the D’Addario Playback Free String Recycling Program has provided a simple, free way for musi- cians to recycle instrument strings, which aren’t typically accepted through municipal recycling services. Through the partnership, participants can sign up online, download a free ship- ping label, and mail in used strings and clippings from any brand or instrument type — from guitar and bass to orches- tral strings. Once received, the collected strings are smelted and formed into metal ingots, which are then used by manufacturers to create new products for the future. {daddario.com} D’Addario, TerraCycle Celebrate a Decade-Long Recycling Program
ing instruments, gear and expert repairs to generations of musicians. When the store announced its closure earlier this year, long- time customers mourned over the loss of its repair shop, which many relied on to keep their instruments stage- and studio-ready. In an Instagram post announcing the closure, Guitar Czar cited tariffs, a slowing economy and the continued rise of online shop- ping as contributing factors to the decision. “We have loved serving the music com-
26 I MUSIC INC. I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2026
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