Starrguitar1
New member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2024
- Messages
- 4
As the guitar community begins to learn the news of Kim LaFluer’s passing, I find myself compelled to add my condolences to his family, friends, and the Historic Makeovers crew, as I reflect on our time together and the impact he had on all of us!
In late 2006, Kim approached me to help revive Historic Makeovers after Dave Johnson's departure. His passion for perfecting, what were conceivably, already excellent Gibson Custom Reissues was intriguing, but quickly became infectious! Kim's meticulous eye and relentless pursuit of detail taught me to see the finer nuances in each finish, color, and vintage specs of these guitars. Without his constant drive for perfection, I wouldn't be the guitar painter I am today.
I still hear his voice when deciphering the colors for Gibson refinishes. Kim's eye was truly extraordinary, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have learned from him, especially during those early days. I'm sure many in the Gibson refinish world have shared similar conversations with Kim, but I was one of the lucky ones to have him right there by my side—examining, discussing, and refining until everything was just right.
From 2007 to 2015, we worked on a lot of guitars together! Including seven guitars for Joe Bonamassa, Big Ed replicas, Smokin’ Joe Kubek, and John Shanks—just to name a few of my favorites. Demand for Historic Makeovers grew so much during that time, it allowed my business to grow from a small garage into a full-fledged workshop! Over time, I passed aspects of the makeover process to Kim’s expanding team and focused solely on just the paint work.
By 2015, the Historic crew had become fully self-sufficient, allowing me to step away and turn my focus toward expanding Starr Guitars. Kim, his crew, and I remained good friends—all sharing the same passion for the work we’ve done together! Even though I’m doing my own thing now, we never saw each other as competitors, and had often referred work to each other as we both believe the customer's needs come first.
Kim was also a fantastic resource for things like parts as his knowledge was unparalleled. He was the “go-to guy” when you needed something specific and if he didn’t have it, he probably knew who did!
Kim’s passing will reverberate throughout our community for a long time. My hope is that those of us touched by his influence will continue his legacy and keep the dream alive. While the future is uncertain, I believe he’d want us to carry on what he started—delivering the best possible service to every musician chasing their dream guitar.
Godspeed Kim! You will be missed but never forgotten.
Kip Elder
Starr Guitars
In late 2006, Kim approached me to help revive Historic Makeovers after Dave Johnson's departure. His passion for perfecting, what were conceivably, already excellent Gibson Custom Reissues was intriguing, but quickly became infectious! Kim's meticulous eye and relentless pursuit of detail taught me to see the finer nuances in each finish, color, and vintage specs of these guitars. Without his constant drive for perfection, I wouldn't be the guitar painter I am today.
I still hear his voice when deciphering the colors for Gibson refinishes. Kim's eye was truly extraordinary, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have learned from him, especially during those early days. I'm sure many in the Gibson refinish world have shared similar conversations with Kim, but I was one of the lucky ones to have him right there by my side—examining, discussing, and refining until everything was just right.
From 2007 to 2015, we worked on a lot of guitars together! Including seven guitars for Joe Bonamassa, Big Ed replicas, Smokin’ Joe Kubek, and John Shanks—just to name a few of my favorites. Demand for Historic Makeovers grew so much during that time, it allowed my business to grow from a small garage into a full-fledged workshop! Over time, I passed aspects of the makeover process to Kim’s expanding team and focused solely on just the paint work.
By 2015, the Historic crew had become fully self-sufficient, allowing me to step away and turn my focus toward expanding Starr Guitars. Kim, his crew, and I remained good friends—all sharing the same passion for the work we’ve done together! Even though I’m doing my own thing now, we never saw each other as competitors, and had often referred work to each other as we both believe the customer's needs come first.
Kim was also a fantastic resource for things like parts as his knowledge was unparalleled. He was the “go-to guy” when you needed something specific and if he didn’t have it, he probably knew who did!
Kim’s passing will reverberate throughout our community for a long time. My hope is that those of us touched by his influence will continue his legacy and keep the dream alive. While the future is uncertain, I believe he’d want us to carry on what he started—delivering the best possible service to every musician chasing their dream guitar.
Godspeed Kim! You will be missed but never forgotten.
Kip Elder
Starr Guitars
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Great sentiment, wonderful first post. Welcome!