PAIGE ARMSTRONG
My workshop is temporarily out of service, so I’m unable to accept workshop projects right now. Thank you for your understanding.
Custom Guitar Finishing and Aging
Paige’s refin and relic work surpassed my expectations. Paige took my poly finished sunburst 72 Tele Deluxe RI and turned it into the guitar I always wanted. The body was stripped and refinished in black nitro and then reliced. Paige removed the shine off the back of the neck and applied various coats of linseed oil allowing for much smoother playability. I couldn’t be happier with the final result. Paige has a strong attention to detail and uses a technique where the relic work looks as genuine as real road wear.
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- Kevin McCarthy
Our
Story
Welcome to my custom guitar finishing page. This space showcases a selection of guitars I have refinished for both clients and personal projects.
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My interest in aging and relic-style guitars began as a hobby and has since grown into a specialized craft. I am now pleased to offer custom guitar finishing services for players looking to create a truly personal instrument.
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I began painting and aging guitars in 1998, inspired by the worn and weathered look of Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s guitar. Its character and history appealed to me, and I set out to recreate that aesthetic on my own instruments. As major guitar manufacturers later introduced factory-aged models at prices beyond my reach, I continued developing my own techniques. One of my early projects was a recreation of Jimi Hendrix’s Monterey Pop Stratocaster, originally produced by Fender in 1997. I completed all of the painting and assembly using licensed Fender parts.
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In 2004, I undertook a major project recreating the Stevie Ray Vaughan model built by Fender Custom Shop master builder John Cruz. This piece has remained on my wall as a showpiece and is as much a work of art as it is a guitar. Through this work, I was fortunate to receive guidance and insight directly from John Cruz himself. That experience strengthened both my technical skills and my passion for the artistry and soul behind a great guitar finish.
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Whether you are looking to change your guitar’s colour, convert it to a lacquer finish, or create a full heavy relic appearance, I can help bring your vision to life. I have built and assembled parts guitars—primarily Fender-style instruments—for over 20 years and have extensive experience ensuring proper fit, playability, and visual detail. As a touring musician for more than 10 years, I have also set up and maintained my own guitars without a dedicated guitar technician.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your dream finish, please feel free to contact me.
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Thank you for considering me for your guitar.
— Paige
This is my Stevie Ray Vaughan guitar that I built in 2004 to match John Cruz's. I was 23.
I refinished this in 2020. It's a 2008 USA Fender Telecaster Thinline with custom lacquer paint.
I built this guitar from parts in 2002
and painted the headstock to match the body. This is signed by Colin James who had the same colour guitar.
I put this guitar together in 2017 and after getting a large scratch on the front of the body in 2021, I decided to do a heavy relic job on it.
Located in Niagara Falls