Gibson Blue Ridge Custom

Grace Da Maren

Gibson Blue Spring Custom: The guitar that got me out of my basement 

Back in 2023 I had been repairing guitars out of my basement for about 11 years. At first it was some homemade benches and my machinist toolboxes. Later I inherited an old kitchen cabinet from my parents, and that became (and remains) my setup bench. Jay and I re-topped it to match the other benches.

As the shop took shape, so did my family. I had 3 amazing kids, as I raised them, my business was at hobby-level. They were hard, lean years. When the kids had all entered school, GGR became a part-time business, and as they all grew into bigger people, Jay and I recognized the need for more play spaces in our home.  I began looking for shop space

One day this gruff ol' carpenter guy, Mike, came to my shop with a battered Gibson that needed a lot of love. It needed fretwork, a neck reset, and some other stitches here and there. The bill was gonna be huge! He was kind of expecting that, and expressed that he appreciated the assessment, but he'd wait to have it done. Besides - he probably had the skills to do it himself.

We chatted on my front porch the evening he picked up his Gibson, and he told me that he worked out of a shop downtown. I'd been looking at rentals around town, and had already ruled out downtown spaces - they're too expensive! So I flippantly replied, "Right! Well, tell me if there's ever an opening! I'd love to be downtown."

His eyes flashed, and without missing a beat, he said, "There is. I'll get Harri to email you."

My jaw must have hit the ground! I'm sure my eyes bugged out of my head. I knew Harri! I'd worked for him before! This could actually be a thing!

And so it was! That's how Mike got me my first shop!

"A few years in, he asked me to take on that job, and I was delighted. It took me 3 months to complete, and I babied that Gibson every step of the way."

Here's the list of interventions this guitar received:

• New bridge

• 3 cracks repaired

• 4 cleats installed

• CA dropfills over the back centre seam

• Neck reset

• Refret

• New nut and saddle

Conceiving the order of operations sounded in my head like Henry and Dear Liza talking about the hole in the bucket. The action is high, so I've got to reduce the neck angle by removing the neck. But what do I set it to?

First... The bridge is not original. Gotta make a new bridge.

But first... The top is bellying and needs to be reinforced.

But first... Gotta pull off that pickguard to release the tension on the top.

But first... Hyrdrate the guitar so it's acting normal. 

Here's what Mike had to say about his guitar shortly after he got his hands on it.

I've been playing my Gibson for about three hours. Stellar accomplishment, Grace. Thank you. (heart)

Check out Mike Sharp on bandcamp!

May 2026