Our Makeover packages and pricing are recently updated with new, simpler designations: Standard and Deluxe. Don’t have a guitar or don’t want to wait? No problem. You can buy already completed Makeovers on our Real Deal Series page.
Our Standard Makeover package offers the essentials to improve your Gibson Historic Les Paul. We contour the top to vintage specs. The neck is carved to the correct vintage “C” shape and the fingerboard binding edge is rolled. We then completely refinish the guitar using our aniline dyes and unplasticized nitro-cellulose lacquer in one our vintage correct finishes. The package includes a Vintage Patina (weather-checking and aging optional). We also re-stamp the serial number in a correct 50’s typeface.
For an additional charge you can add a 6/6 nylon nut and cellulose nitrate inlays.
Our most complete Makeover for Gibson Historics. On guitars made before 2013, we steam out the neck and reset with hot hide glue. On all guitars, we re-carve the top to vintage spec, reshape the neck to vintage “C” shape, and use hot hide glue to install a Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with correct binding ledge and inlay routs. We inlay the fingerboard with our exclusive 1950’s style cellulose nitrate inlays, and install frets. The fingerboard and guitar body are bound with our Royalite binding and the fingerboard binding edges are rolled. The guitar is completely refinished with aniline dyes and unplasticized nitro-cellulose lacquer in one of our vintage correct finishes. The package includes a Vintage Patina (weather-checking and aging optional). We also re-stamp the serial number in a correct 50’s typeface.
Note On Deluxe Packages – In 2013 Gibson started using hide glue for the neck joint. So we offer a simplified Deluxe Makeover at a lower price for these 2013 and later Historics that leaves out the hot hide glue neck reset necessary on earlier guitars. All the other steps in our Deluxe package are included.
Please read the following regarding our un-plasticized lacquer –
We have gone to great lengths to bring you the most authentic un-plasticized nitrocellulose lacquer giving the guitar the same vintage properties and aging characteristics of a real 1950’s Gibson guitar.
Un-plasticized lacquer is very hard and brittle by nature, which can cause it to chip and weather check very easily on its own. Every aspect of our process has been intentionally implemented to promote the natural aging and wear associated with a Makeover that is emulating the look and feel of a 60 year old instrument. This lacquer will continue to age and weather check on its own well after it leaves our shop.
Adding plasticizer to prevent weather checking, or producing factory perfect NOS finishes has never been this company’s vision, ever.
Weather checking will sometimes start on its own before it leaves the shop or can happen in the cargo hold of an airplane at 35,000 ft. during shipping, where the air is near freezing. We have no control over this. We will do everything we can to accommodate the wishes of our customers but please remember that this lacquer is specifically designed to act in this way.
We offer standardized finish options with all Makeovers. If you have something specific in mind, or want your guitar painted a custom color, let us know.
$375 and up
Add an extra layer of realism and authenticity to your Makeover (Part Shadows are the unfaded red areas under the pickgaurd, neck pickup ring, and rhythm/treble ring).
$375
Add a cool Headstock Stinger to the back of your guitar. When a Headstock Stinger is used, your guitar’s serial number will be stamped in white ink to make it visible over black lacquer.
$100
Includes minor wear such as small nicks, scuffs, and scratches, like you would expect on a guitar that didn’t make it out of the case too much.
$350
Includes authentic weather-checking and more noticeable edge-wear, pick scratches, whiskey bumps, etc. A well loved guitar that was used, but not abused.
$450
Includes authentic weather-checking and serious wear on the finish. Buckle rash, arm wear, scrapes, scratches, oxidation, you name it, this ones got it.
$750
Includes authentic weather-checking and detailed custom aging that replicates your hero guitar, (Pearly Gates, Jimmy Page, Joe Perry clone, etc).
$1800+ Currently not available
Add our vintage correct Mazzucchelli inlays to your Standard Package Makeover (model year 2012 and older).
$325
Add a vintage correct Nylon nut to your Standard Package Makeover. The Nylon nut is included in the Deluxe Package Makeover.
$225
We can replace the factory MOP logo with one in a vintage correct font, using correct placement and orientation based on the year of the guitar.
$325 – $525
We can age and distress you reissue Lifton case, so your guitar looks authentic even when it’s put away (slim line cases only).
$350
Finish it off with with vintage correct plastics, hardware & electronics from our Retrospec store.
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Do you know which package and guitar finish and aging options you want? Are you ready to get started? Follow the link to begin the makeover process today.