What Plek does

Plek (legally A+D Gitarrentechnologie GmbH, operating as plek Berlin) is a Berlin-based German precision-engineering company founded in 1990 by Gerd Anke and Michael Dubach that manufactures computer-controlled systems for measuring and processing guitar fingerboards. Its core technology combines high-resolution magnetic linear encoders, laser-based scanning, proprietary String Tension Simulation (STS), and a Virtual Fret Dress (VFD) software platform to measure and dress frets at resolutions down to 0.001 mm under simulated or real string tension. The product lineup consists of three hardware tiers: the Plek Scanner (laser-based non-contact measurement for quality control and assessment, launched in 2025), the Plek Station (a flexible measuring-and-processing machine for repair shops and small-to-medium manufacturers), and the Plek Pro (an automated mass-production machine with integrated STS and automatic tool changer for large manufacturers).

Plek monetizes through hardware sales, tiered subscription service plans (Services on Demand, Plek Basic, Plek Standard, Plek Premium), software add-ons (templates, Automated Virtual Fretdress Adjustment, cloud backups, Remote File Viewer), recurring fret-cutter resharpening, on-site setup and installation, and operator training. Go-to-market is B2B enterprise field sales for manufacturers combined with a global channel of authorized service partners and distributors for repair shops and music retailers. The company serves 29+ major guitar manufacturers including C.F. Martin, Gibson, Taylor, Yamaha, Warwick, Collings, Duesenberg, Santa Cruz, Fodera, and Cole Clark, plus 100+ Plek-equipped repair shops and retailers including Sweetwater Sound and Musikhaus Thomann across 14+ countries in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific.

Name

Plek

Legal name

A+D Gitarrentechnologie GmbH

Website

https://plek.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Plek manufactures computer-controlled guitar fret measurement and processing systems — the Plek Scanner, Station, and Pro — sold to guitar manufacturers, repair shops, and luthiers in 14+ countries for precision quality control and instrument setup.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luthier and musical instrument manufacturing equipment

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Audio Accessories & Consumables (Cables, Stands, Cases, Strings, Picks, Heads) (MPAIAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrument & Pro Audio Retail (Online/Brick-and-Mortar) (MPAIAJAH), Musical Instruments (Acoustic & Electric) (MPAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Guitar fret dressing equipment
• Luthier precision tools
• CNC guitar measurement systems
• Musical instrument manufacturing machinery
• Fingerboard processing machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Machines: Sale of Plek Pro, Plek Station, and Plek Scanner machines. Plek Pro is designed for mass production environments, Plek Station for repair shops and small-medium manufacturers, and Plek Scanner for quick assessment and quality control.
2. Software Subscriptions and Add-ons: Software add-ons including templates, cloud backups, production databases, and remote file viewing capabilities. Offered as one-time purchases or subscription (rental) basis.
3. Service Plans: Tiered service plans: Services on Demand (per-incident), Plek Basic (for small businesses), Plek Standard (for small-medium operations), and Plek Premium (comprehensive coverage for larger enterprises).
4. Fretcutter Sharpening Service: Resharpening service for worn fret cutter blades, with standard service cutters maintained in inventory for immediate shipping.
5. Training Services: On-site operator training (2 days for Plek Station, 3 days for Plek Pro), and individual training available at Plek Berlin or with partner Joe Glaser in Nashville.
6. Setup and Installation: On-site machine setup, assembly, and installation by Plek technicians including verification of electricity, compressed air, and internet connections.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Plek designs, manufactures, and sells computer-controlled guitar fret measurement and processing machines made in Germany, plus the software, services, and consumables that support them. The product line comprises three hardware platforms: the Plek Pro (mass-production system with automated String Tension Simulation and an automatic tool changer for large manufacturers), the Plek Station (versatile measuring and processing system for repair shops and small-to-medium manufacturers), and the Plek Scanner (laser-based non-contact measuring device for quality control and assessment). The company complements hardware sales with software add-ons (templates, cloud backups, Remote File Viewer), tiered service plans, operator training, on-site setup and installation, and fretcutter resharpening services for customers worldwide.

Product overview

Plek offers a suite of precision guitar measurement and processing machines made in Germany. The product lineup consists of three main hardware products: the Plek Scanner (a laser-based measuring device for quality control and evaluation), the Plek Station (a versatile measuring and processing tool for repair shops and small-to-medium manufacturers), and the Plek Pro (a mass-production machine with automated String Tension Simulation and automatic tool changer for industrial guitar manufacturing). The products work together as an integrated system where the Plek Pro and Station can scan and process guitars, basses, and similar instruments under real or simulated string tension, while the Scanner provides quick laser-based evaluation without full machine scanning. The company also offers associated services including setup, training, support, fretcutter servicing, and consulting, along with software add-ons (templates, automated virtual fretdress, board planing) and data add-ons (cloud backups, remote file viewer, machine protocol database).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plek Pro A mass-production computer-controlled fret measurement and processing system designed for large guitar manufacturers. Features an integrated automated String Tension Simulation (STS) and an automatic tool changer. Uses customized STS mounts for manufacturer-specific guitar models, template files for recurring models, and parameterized machining data to deliver competitive cycle times with optimal quality and repeatability.
• Plek Station A highly flexible measuring and processing machine designed for guitar repairs and small-to-medium-sized manufacturers. Uses a universally adjustable instrument holder to scan and process common guitars, basses, and similar instruments under real string tension. Supports professional fret dressing, nut slot cutting, fingerboard preparation, quality assessment, and setup optimization for individual instruments.
• Plek Scanner A laser-based measuring device for guitars used in manufacture, wholesale, distribution, and repair scenarios. Supports incoming and outgoing quality control, final assembly and setup in production, development and recording of new models, go/no-go evaluations, complaint management, and custom builder work. Captures complete instrument geometry in approximately 1.5 minutes.
• Plek Service Plans Tiered service and support plans for Plek Pro, Station, and Scanner owners. Includes Services on Demand for per-incident support, Plek Basic for small businesses, Plek Standard for small-to-medium operations, and Plek Premium for comprehensive enterprise coverage at a fixed monthly price.
• Fretcutter Sharpening Service Resharpening service for worn Plek fret cutter blades. Standard service cutters are maintained in inventory for immediate shipping back to customers, maximizing machine uptime for repair shops and production facilities.
• Plek Training Services Structured operator training delivered on-site, at Plek Berlin, or with service partners such as Joe Glaser in Nashville. Includes 2-day training for Plek Station operators and 3-day training for Plek Pro operators, plus individualized training sessions.
• Plek Machine Setup and Installation On-site machine setup, assembly, and installation service provided by Plek technicians. Includes verification of electricity, compressed air, and internet connections to ensure the machine is fully operational upon commissioning at the customer site.
• Plek Software Add-ons Software add-ons for Plek machines including processing templates, cloud backups, production databases, and Remote File Viewer access. Available as one-time purchases or on a subscription rental basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Resolution of 0.001mm (0.00004 inches) for scanning measurements and 0.01mm (0.0004 inches) for fret cutting accuracy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• Ian Weston (Topaz & Weston Instruments)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Service partner based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Partner since 2015, providing training, technical service, and software development. Completed luthier apprenticeship in Montreal, Canada in 2004, opened own repair shop in 2010, acquired Plek machine in 2014. University education focused on applied sciences.
• Joe Glaser (Glaser Instruments)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Operates guitar repair workshop in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Technical advisor for Plek technology development since 2002. First Plek buyer in the USA (2001). Provides training, technical service, and software development support for North American customers. Musician, luthier, and inventor of the B-Bender.
• Plek Japan Ltd. (sleekelite.com)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional partner for Japanese market, facilitating distribution and support of Plek products in Japan.
• PlekHaus (plekhaus.de)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman service partner offering Plek Scanner and services. Operated by Stefan Greis in Berlin, Germany.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Hipshot Products: Manufacturer of guitar and bass hardware components (tuning machines, bridges, string retainer systems). Supplies guitar builders and is part of the same manufacturer and OEM ecosystem Plek serves, but in discrete components rather than precision machinery.
• Ernie Ball: Major guitar string manufacturer and instrument accessories brand (Ernie Ball, Music Man). Adjacent supplier to the same manufacturers and players Plek serves, but operates in consumable accessories rather than capital equipment.
• GHS Strings: Long-established manufacturer of strings and related accessories, distributing to retailers and repair shops that overlap with Plek's channel network. Tangential rather than direct competition in the precision-equipment category.

Broad incumbents

• Fender Musical Instruments: World's largest guitar manufacturer and a Plek customer (Fender Custom Shop visible on Plek's Instagram). Operates across the full value chain — instruments, amps, accessories — and represents both a buyer and an adjacent incumbent in the same industry.
• D'Addario: Largest music accessories company globally, spanning strings, tools, tuners, and care products. Operates broadly across the music industry with overlapping customers (repair shops, manufacturers, retailers), but does not offer automated fret-leveling equipment.

Emerging players

• MusicNomad: Specialty brand in guitar and instrument care, setup, and maintenance products targeting musicians, repair shops, and retailers. Shares Plek's end-market focus on guitar playability and instrument condition, though at the consumable-accessory layer rather than precision equipment.

Direct peers

• Luthiers Mercantile International (LMII): Established supplier of tonewood, hardware, and precision tools to luthiers and guitar manufacturers worldwide. Sells setup and fret-work tooling to a buyer base highly overlapping with Plek's repair-shop and small-manufacturer segments.
• Stewart-MacDonald (StewMac): Leading US supplier of professional luthier tools, setup equipment, and guitar repair supplies, serving repair shops, builders, and manufacturers — directly overlapping Plek's customer base, although StewMac's catalog skews toward manual tools rather than automated fret-leveling systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/PlekInfo
• Instagraminstagram.com/getplekd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plek