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December 2023 by Julie Groo
Ruben restored my Father's vintage Underwood manual typewriter to perfect working order. This process takes months because it's an art and he double checks his work. He was upfront about the costs, his estimate was accurate, and he sent videos of the process. Listening to my brother type brought back sweet memories of my Father. He could type 60 words a minute and helped us with many of our high school papers because his typing was so accurate. Thank you Ruben.
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December 2022 by Kail P.
Ruben is the best!! As an early Christmas gift, my mom had purchased an electric typewriter for me via OfferUp. Unfortunately, the typewriter wasn't in complete working condition. After doing some research, I reached out to Ruben. I am so glad that I did! He is incredibly knowledgeable and has decades of experience. He was able to give me a detailed initial quote after I first brought the typewriter in, and he kept me filled in throughout the entire process. He found some further repair needed and he was able to explain it very well. He sent videos and pictures along the way and I loved seeing the process. My mom reached out to him so she could surprise me by paying for the repair. When I came to pick up the typewriter, he told me to FaceTime my mom so they could tell me the surprise together. It was so sweet. Ruben is very skilled and my typewriter is in excellent condition. I spent the weekend writing. I highly recommend Ruben!
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December 2022 by Nicholas A.
Rubens the absolute best, returned my typewriter like brand new and a gentleman to boot. very knowledgeable about different types of typewriters and taught me some tricks to mine.
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November 2022 by Timm S.
Ruben is a skilled craftsmen to the highest degree. He gave me a price quote talked about what he would do. Once I agreed to the rate and timetable he gave me updates along the way, both video and pictures which was exciting to see. He finished the work within the price quoted. He is very professional and skilled. He really enjoys what he does and it shows. Don't take your typewriter anywhere else.
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November 2022 by Alison D.
I bought my hubby an old 1920s typewriter from a second hand store. I decided to splurge on a restoration. I spoke with Ruben. He is extremely knowledgeable about old typewriters. It will take a few months to complete the makeover. I will get photos along the way. I'm excited to see the finished product! P.S. My dad used to do business with Ruben's dad when I was a kid. The business has been in the family for years.
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September 2022 by Ron Miller
It has become much more difficult to find people who are skilled at fixing and restoring typewriters. Ruben is a rare find and a master craftsman. He knows typewriters, their strengths and weaknesses and most importantly, he knows how to get them up to their peak performance. He took my machine, which was pretty dirty and gummed up and had it looking and typing like it was brand new. You will not be disappointed with his level of service.
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June 2022 by Sheree Wong
Ruben, the typewriter guy, is very knowledgeable and passionate about his work. He was upfront about the deposit, and the estimate was accurate. He explained all the work that was to be done to refurbish my 1960’s Triumph typewriter. He even told me he wouldn’t be sending out platens for 6 to 8 weeks, and it would take several months for me to get it back. He was also concerned about some supply chain issues. Once I contacted him regarding where I was in his queue, he replied immediately, and then provided photos and videos of the work being done. My typewriter is typing like a new typewriter! I’m very happy with the results. I would take any of my future typewriter needs to Ruben without hesitation. Highly recommend for quality work that takes some time. Thank you Ruben!
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June 2022 by J N.
Ruben is a world class master typewriter technician. He knows these machines inside out. Every model every brand. He will not stop at anything other than giving you the absolute best service and making sure you are 100% happy. Transparent with everything and great communicator. Goes the extra mile to make sure you are happy even after he's serviced your typewriter. He will literally respond to your texts with full video tutorials of how to fix something or do something if you have a question, months after he's done his work on your machine. This is how dedicated, passionate, and thorough this guy is. He is serious about his 3 year warranty on service. Don't hesitate to bring your machine to Ruben, you'll be in excellent hands.
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May 2022 by Jabba Hutt
First things first. I know that typewriters are a novelty considering today’s technology. While Ruben may do exceptional work, his lack of communication skills and aggressive money collecting tactics are really what I do not appreciate. There was no mention of leaving a deposit upon arrival which is fine, no problem there. We agreed upon to his 350 dollar charge over the phone, and once I got there, he quoted me an additional amount of 50 to a total of 400. Again, no problem. I left the typewriter 12/21/2021 and payed using Venmo which he agreed to. I understand that things take time, yet after calling every few weeks, I was given no turn around time. He never once bothered to call back. Once I finally was able to reach him on 4/2/2022, he did mention it would be ready soon. Great, he said would let me know the status of the repair over the weekend, which again he did not. He texted me on 4/7/2022 to inform that it was ready. We agreed that I would come up on 4/9/2022 to pick it up. He texted me every day once it was ready. After exchanging a few texts, Ruben kept insisting I pay cash. I’m not opposed to that, however, I did have the intention of paying by way of Venmo again. Ruben said his “system” wasn’t working and flat out said, he only takes cash. Again, I payed using Venmo last time and his Yelp page states that he takes cards and other forms of payment. I’m not against paying the man for his effort but it’s the principle overall. He became aggressive when trying to collect yet he never gave me an initial date it would be ready. The entire process for the repair has been drawn out and simply tiresome. At this point, I have left my typewriter with him, as I would much rather purchase a different one for less and not have to deal with him again.
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April 2022 by Jabba H.
First things first. I know that typewriters are a novelty considering today's technology. While Ruben may do exceptional work, his lack of communication skills and aggressive money collecting tactics are really what I do not appreciate. There was no mention of leaving a deposit upon arrival which is fine, no problem there. We agreed upon to his 350 dollar charge over the phone, and once I got there, he quoted me an additional amount of 50 to a total of 400. Again, no problem. I left the typewriter 12/21/2021 and payed using Venmo which he agreed to. I understand that things take time, yet after calling every few weeks, I was given no turn around time. He never once bothered to call back. Once I finally was able to reach him on 4/2/2022, he did mention it would be ready soon. Great, he said would let me know the status of the repair over the weekend, which again he did not. He texted me on 4/7/2022 to inform that it was ready. We agreed that I would come up on 4/9/2022 to pick it up. He texted me every day once it was ready. After exchanging a few texts, Ruben kept insisting I pay cash. I'm not opposed to that, however, I did have the intention of paying by way of Venmo again. Ruben said his "system" wasn't working and flat out said, he only takes cash. Again, I payed using Venmo last time and his Yelp page states that he takes cards and other forms of payment. I'm not against paying the man for his effort but it's the principle overall. He became aggressive when trying to collect yet he never gave me an initial date it would be ready. The entire process for the repair has been drawn out and simply tiresome. At this point, I have left my typewriter with him, as I would much rather purchase a different one for less and not have to deal with him again.
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April 2022 by John C.
Let me start by saying, Ruben is the clear choice for Any typewriter repair or restoration this side of the Mississippi, hands down! The service he provides here is unparalleled. I vetted multiple repair shops in the area and was utterly impressed with the service I found here. He gives a great briefing on what to expect, photo/video updates during the process, and a great debrief/instructional on how to ensure you get the most out of your machine. I've now dropped off multiple typewriters to his new shop and will certainly be returning again! Thanks Ruben!
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March 2022 by Twosox2 5.
It is best to reach Ruben with Caller ID enabled or through Yelp. I contacted him in-person by taking the Gold Line and hollering through his screen door as I didn't know mine was disabled ;). There is not much I can say better than reviews already written. I will therefore write in order what you will expect when doing business with Ruben. Transparency: Base price for diagnostic and honest feedback about additional costs based on condition of typewriter. Education: You WILL walk away with knowledge on how to do maintenance on your own if interested so get ready to take notes. Patience: I had to grab some cash and he held on to my Torpedo typewriter while I walked to ATM. Thank you, Ruben, for sharing your craft, experience, and knowledge with this novice typewriter owner.
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March 2022 by Jesse D.
I recently had my Underwood No. 5 refurbished by Ruben and my oh my the talent he has at bringing typewroters back to life! He was extremely knowledgeable and shared many facts about my typewriter I didn't even know when I brought it in to get serviced. He was very communicative and was very clear on time frames and what work needed to be done. If I had additional questions, he was also very easy to reach out to and answer my questions. My Underwood No. 5 operates so fluidly and feels like a new typewriter, well worth the price and investment. I already have him working on tuning up my portable as well. If you have a type writer and want someone to really help bring it back to life, Ruben is the one for the job!
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February 2022 by Nigel D.
I've taken two typers for service and getting ready to take a third. I haven't been to their new location, but these guys are the best! Super knowledgeable and patient.
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January 2022 by James T.
This was first experience with Ruben and I couldn't be more happy. He refurbished my 1939 Corona Standard to where it now hums along as effortlessly as it must have when it was first purchased -- over 80 years ago. The price was fair, and the communication was excellent. And the work came with a 3-year guarantee. These days it's rare to find expert craftsmen dedicated to their art. Ruben is indeed one of the last of a dying breed.
