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Customer Comments
"Gord, Upon receiving my refinished guitar in the mail, I was unsure of what to expect. I slowly opened the package and after studying the guitar for a few minutes, I have to admit I was extremely impressed. The work was impeccable - the aging finish was perfect and the relicing was exactly what I wanted (the 15% was totally accurate as to how it should have looked). The non-aging under the pickguard and neck plate was also dead-on. After I put the guitar back together, it just wails! It's the envy of all my friends - they are constantly trying to purchase it from me. I will highly recommend you, Gord, for the excellent work you have done on my '72 Tele. Best regards, Chris Segalini PS - You can quote me anytime! "I wanted my left handed 1956 goldtop reissue to more closely resemble the genuine article. With amazing craftsmanship and attention to detail, Gord transformed my Historic Les Paul into a virtual clone of a vintage mid-fifties goldtop. The finish, the aging, even moving the "Gibson" pearl inlay to the proper position on the headstock, were done perfectly. I was also impressed that Gord listens to what I, as the customer wanted, and he delivered! Gord is a class act!" Steve Craw "Gord, Wanted to drop you a line to thank you for the wonderful work you did on my guitar. I really couldn't have dreamed that it would come out that nice. Very three dimensional finish that looks different each time you look at it. I don't think pictures can truly capture that element in your work.I was good with just the pictures that you sent but when I opened the case for the first time with my wife standing there, we both were totally silent for at least a minute.It was a reverent moment. No kidding.Great job all around on everything you and Blair did. I don't even think I'd spend the cash on a real '59 after getting this one back. So authentic looking and the workmanship is the best. Thanks a million times over. Jim " Jim Chaney "I was referred to Gord by a good friend who has been around vintage guitars for over twenty years. He spoke highly of the quality of the restorations, and acknowledged Gord to do some of the finest work he has seen. Having my 50's goldtop delivered after the restoration was quite exciting! Not only was the detail work excellent, but the small nuances which most would ignore or not even attempt was what set the work apart. I also have the luxury of comparing to an original fifties goldtop and can certainly say that the work is excellent" John K. "5/28/09 - To whom it may concern: Several years ago, I was referred to Gord Miller regarding the restoration of my two old vintage Fender guitars. The referral came from Larry Cragg (trusted guitar tech for Neil Young for 30+ years), of San Anselmo, CA. I made an initial call to Gord to discuss what I was hoping for. I had two old Fenders that needed TLC. I eventually had numerous conversations with Gord re: my options. Gord was full of thoughts and suggestions. We talked in detail of what is possible these days in guitar restoration. I just happened to see a couple of his guitars at a vendors booth for the travelling Texas Guitar Shows. People spoke fondly of Mr Miller and his work. I decided to box up and ship both guitars to him. After Gord received my guitars, we again spent a lot of time discussing (email & phone) what was possible. It turned out my old 1961 strat had a neck replacement in 1968, thereby making restoration (in my opinion) not worth the effort. Gord's resources kicked in and with his help, the old strat was parted out. I was amazed at the deal(s) he found me, so the strat was sold as parts. I was happy:) We then concentrated on the restoration of the 1963 Tele I bought new while still in high school. It had been mistreated poorly over many years of use and abuse. There were big chips out of the wood. I had "refinished" the Tele many times over the years. It was worth little except for a trained eye. So, Gord and I worked out what "we" could do with the guitar. With Gord's help, we fixed and corrected problems with it. Parts to be replaced were no problem. Gord obviously has great resources, and flat out was a great big help! I was in no big hurry. Gord and I spoke several times during the process, discussing problems and fixes and let the process take it's course. "Can't push a river"! My excitement and anticipation built until my delivery arrived. It looks and plays wonderful. It (Tele) started my current collection, and is now a star with numerous other collectables. Gord Miller gave me the time and confidence to know I made the right decision. The proof is in a guitar that now receives its deserved attention. Thank you Mr. Miller!!! Gord says the guitar should now be worth some surprising money. That's nice, but it'll stay with me until................" Gordon Elliott Novato, CA (Marin County, USA) "I sent my 53' Les Paul to Gord Miller to be renecked and refinshed with a nice relic job and 54' specs. When I found this guitar, the neck was gone and it had been refinished clear, with a 65' strat neck bolted on it(go figure!). I just recieved the LP back from Gord and GM Restorations, and all I can say is what a great job! So much attention to detail, including a great relic job that looks just right. Not only is this now a beautiful instrument, but it plays like a dream! Special thanks to Gord and GM Restorations for a job well done, I will definately have more work for you in the future! Much Thanks, Brian Calway (blues artist 'Hash Brown'- myspace.com/hashbrownblues , www.hashbrownblues.net)"  "I
did a lot of research on who I wanted to do the finish work on my
Les Paul. I must have spoken to a half dozen luthiers, including Gord,
and heard what everyone had to say about taking on this job. Gord
was very in touch with what I wanted done and was also willing to
add his own perspective on completing the project. Gord did
an incredible job and kept in very close touch with me during
every step of the way.
I
opted to meet Gord in person and take the trip to Victoria to
pick up the guitar myself. The instant I saw the guitar I knew I had
made the right choice. The color and the aging was spot on. It was
also very nice to get a tour of the town, have lunch and meet a truly
nice guy. I definitely made a new friend out of the deal as well.
I
can not express enough how perfect of a finish job he did and
his attention to detail, making sure that the guitar stayed with in
100% original specs. I would recommend Gord's finish and aging
work to anyone who wants that perfect, head turning guitar
that will not settle for less. Thanks again, Gord. "
Mike
Bertolucci
"In my opinion a refinish by Gordon
Miller is not only the absolute best and most educated historical
enhancement to a guitar needing that work but is SO good that I believe
it creates a whole new price niche in between the normal discounting
for a refinish and original one.
His work looks factory, his aging looks like it could not have happened except over time, and his work will make your restored guitar worth as much as it could possibly be all circumstances considered!" Dan Yablonka - Dan Yablonka Guitars
Dan has written several articles about
vintage guitars, and the vintage guitar industry"...Gord took my completely stripped
55 Les Paul and returned it to it's original but used glory. Keeping in
close touch with me and allowing me to make decisions thru each
process, the guitar was returned in a very reasonable time period. Gord
truly realizes and shares in the emotion that we all
have surrounding a great vintage piece........Yup he is just as
sick as the rest of us."
Tom Benson
Here are some comments from our happy customers... "Where should I start? How about "WOW"! My story is not
unlike many others except that we're starting with a real 1953 Les Paul
that is to be converted to a '56 and refinned in its original "all
GOLD" finish. This was a major project and I'm going to keep this
as brief as possible and let the pictures tell the real story.
When I got this guitar it had almost none of the original parts and had
been refinished in the red of the Gibson Customs of the 70's.
Nothing major though, no broken neck or headstock, just some real minor
routing for the mini-humbuckers etc., BUT... an authentic '53 body and
neck with original pots and wire harness. The guitar played well but
had some issues to be sure!
Gord came highly recommended to do the gold top as he has a real knack for nailing that vintage color and does outstanding relic work. So, I called Gord and talked to him and got some info regarding the neckset etc. I wasn't sure if it was really necessary but he assured me that his Luthier partner was a Les Paul crafting wizard and it wouldn't be a problem for him to accomplish this job with amazing results. So, I said what the heck, lets do it. I bought all the Vintage '50s parts needed to convert to '56 specs, drove on up to Victoria to meet Gord, see his shop and get this project rolling... Fast forward 3 months. When I arrived this time, Gord picked me up at the Victoria Clipper dock as this is actually an easier way to get there from Seattle than driving. So, for the unveiling.....jaw drops....almost speechless.....oh my god! The guitar looks absolutely FANTASTIC!!....beautiful goldtop color, unreal lacquer checking that gives it MAJOR coolness and vibe, the neckset is totally perfect!! No one and I mean no one could tell this neck has been reset! This guitar is the real deal! I couldn't be happier with the work that they have done and what a super nice guy to deal with to boot! Thanks again Gord and we'll be in touch." Doug Capener / Seattle, Wa Please feel free to contact me regarding any of the detail work done to this beautiful Axe. bars4fd@yahoo.com  Photo (c) 2007 Monica Frisell "I'm so happy with this guitar. Gord Miller took a brand new good guitar and turned it into a fantastic instrument that looks and feels like it's been around. Warmed up. Broken in. It now has a real vibe and makes me want tot go pick it up and play. I know I'll get some music out of this one. Thank you Gord" "Hi Gord-the neck arrived safe and sound on Tuesday. The
finish looks perfect-not too much shine, but not forced either. The
checking on the headstock is dead on, and it will match my original
finish jazzmaster body beautifully. Thank you again. Your work is
stunning. I look forward to future projects with you."
Mark Johnson
Seattle, Wa. "I just received my second custom
built
guitar from Gord, an Inca Silver early sixties strat, and it is a
knock-out!
Gord has a strong intuitive sense of what makes a guitar feel like it’s
been
your number one for the last twenty years. A spot-on aged finish with
just the
right amount of weather checking and wear, a comfortable neck with the
fingerboard edges worn and rounded, seemingly from years of playing;
Gord’s
attention to detail illuminate his passion and respect for the Golden
Age of
electric guitar! Thanks Gord." Nick Schilling
Coeur D'Alene, Idaho
"My experience working with Gord has been a real pleasure. I've been throwing some real "finish nightmares" at him with my Reso Teles, Flame maple amp cabs, and solid-wood pickup covers. He approaches each one with care and a dedication not only to his craft but to me as his customer." Shannon Coberly Trimmed And Burnin' Amps / Guitars "Gord Miller is an incredible artist of guitar finish restoration. He has done amazing work on several guitars for me and I am now waiting to receive three more. His level of craft and attention to detail is fantastic. He has a real passion for these old guitars and it shows in the work that he does. My basketcase 56 strat that he restored is now my favorite due to the beauty of the sunburst and the fact that it looks as real as my original finish 55 strat. Gord has been a dream come true for all my funky old bad refins! Another great thing about Gord is his cordial and friendly personality. I enjoy dealing with someone who is responsible and completely trustworthy. I highly recommend his work and service." Sincerely, Charles Anderson Seattle, Wa "I've known Gord for 20 years. His refinishes have tons of vibe and mojo, and definitely increase the value of any old stripped guitar. Gord is the Yoda of vintage guitar restoration!" Rick King Guitar Maniacs Tacoma, Wa "I had been working on-and-off on a semi-hollow Tele project for several years and kind of stalled at the finishing stage. Gord had previously refinished two guitars for me and I knew he was up for the job. I'm 100% satisfied with the results and his professional approach to working with me to ensure he understood what I wanted. I've gotten more positive feedback on the appearance of this guitar body than any other!" Sean Kilback Vancouver Island, BC "Gord did an exceptional job on my '57 Stratocaster, which when purchased had a 'chocolateburst' rustoleum spray-can finish and oversprayed neck. Fortunately the original body finish lay untouched under the pickguard, so Gord was able to do a near exact color-match of his relic refinish to the original. The neck overspray was thin enough for Gord to remove without impacting the original nitro finish, which he followed up with an ever-so-light nitro touch up where needed. The end result is what appears to be an 'under the bed' relic, with a neck that looks and feels as good as any original finish 50's Fender you'll every play." "No detail is too small for Gord. The passion he has for getting it right becomes quite evident after the second or third phone call. He must have called me ten times over the 2-3 weeks that he worked on the guitar, going over options and explaining processes. The finished product looked so good I had him do another one for me." "As an avid collector for the past twenty years, I've generally shied away from refinished or modified guitars, knowing the impact such changes have on value. After having Gord work his wonders on a '57 Strat and a '63 Esquire Custom, I now find myself scanning eBay for botched refins with routed pickup cavities, knowing that Gord can bring them back to life as solid players that will look, play and sound far better than anything the Fender Custom Shop has to offer" John Morrow "Gord came highly recommended to restore my 64 strat case. After talking with him by phone and e-mail, I was sure he was a true craftsman. He transformed the case from a unusable relic, back to a sturdy, functional, collectable piece. I could not be happier with his work. Thanks again, Gord." Bob Schroeder, Bend, Or. "Gord Miller is that sort of rare breed that can channel the much sought after mojo of the craftsmen from that gilded era of American guitar manufacturing--aka the halcyon days of Gibson/Fender/Gretsch magic. But he can also go one better thanks to an uncanny ability to mimic the touch of Father Time himself...you want vibe? Gord will give your guitar vibe and then some. A few months ago I came across a 1966 non-reverse Gibson Firebird that had been poorly refinished and sabotaged by interlopers. I decided to pick it up just the same thinking how cool it would be to give it the right kind of TLC that would restore a once great guitar to its former glory. Soon after that, Gord's services came highly recommended to me by the enthusiastic staff at Emerald City Guitars in Seattle Wa. (Gord's reputation and skills clearly transcend international boundaries!) And after reviewing the website and visiting the shop in person, there was no doubt in my mind that Gord was the right man for the job. Fast forward to two months to the day that I originally dropped my guitar off with Gord, and I returned to the shop for the ''unveiling" (literally!) and was sincerely amazed at what I saw--there was my '66 Firebird that had been brought back to life showcasing a vibrant burst that had long ago been extinguished. Gord had totally exceeded my expectations and not only restored my guitar's classic look but also gave it back its vibe and most important of all, its dignity. (Not only that, but he also gave me a ride back to the bus stop just to make my trek back to Vancouver a little easier.) In closing, I can't stress this enough: Gord not only loves what he does, he's the best there is. On top of all that, he's a fantastic guy to deal with. End of story." Scott MacLeod, Vancouver, B.C. And my personal favourite... " If only Gord had used his super powers for good instead of evil!" Don Peterson Victoria, BC |
