I recall being in the sixth grade when I first turned to my Dad, and asked him to teach me something on the guitar. In those days he paid the rent and put food on the table by playing and singing “pop tunes” from the 30’s and 40’s.  The first chord progression he showed me was a I, VI, II, V . So from the beginning I didn’t lean toward the open string keys of Folk, R&B and Country. And like so many guys from my era, once I heard the likes of Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow, Barney Kessel,  George Van Eps et al, I was hooked on the sound of a mellow jazz guitar.

After playing into my teens on a series of “hand me downs” and 2nd hand instruments, in 1963 I traded my “Harmon”  Electric for a 1964 Gibson ES175.  For almost 50 years y ES175, nicknamed “Strings,” withstood all he ravages of time, travel and natural abuse that comes from just playing, let alone occasional jobbing.

Recently, I finally decided it was time to let “Strings” die and go to heaven. Then one day inadvertently discovered “The Brad French Guitar Restoration Lab” on the Internet. Mostly out of curiosity, I sent Brad an email. Obviously I would never consider shipping my most treasured possession, to a guy I didn’t know, or ever heard of, and is a thousand miles away.  After several lengthy telephone discussions, that all changed. I became convinced that I was talking to a man who loves doing what he does, loves and respects the instruments themselves and most of all, loves pleasing his clientele.

Cut to the chase: I won’t enumerate the laundry list of steps he took to bring “Strings” back to life. This letter is more about trust and professionalism. I’ll simply put it this way: he did everything possible to restore tonility,  playability, and cosmetics while preserving the integrity of my vintage instrument.

( a note to Brad ) :

I’ve always believed that the love and passion for playing guitar is rooted in the soul.  Thanks Brad for helping to rekindle that passion.

Al Cairo

I was not happy at all.  My 31 year old acoustic guitar was showing signs of age it wouldn't hold a tune, frets were buzzing, etc.  I had taken my guitar to several guitar repair shops already, but no one was able to fix the problem.  Sure; when they returned the guitar the frets weren't buzzing, but within a week the problem was always back 

Then a friend recommended Brad French.  Brad spent some time listening to me describe the problem and what I thought might be wrong.  Then he looked the guitar over and pointed out the problems that needed to be fixed.  Most importantly he took the time to fix it, and do it *right* the first time.  The result my guitar plays like it did the day I brought it home (actually; better) and I could not be happier.

If you are looking for a "quick fix"; then go somewhere else.  If you are looking for someone who will take the time to repair your guitar and do it right the first time then you've come to the right guy.

Bob Walker
Milton, Vermont

I would like to commend Brad French for an incredible repair on my acoustic guitar which was literally crushed by someone falling on it!! Brad worked diligently on this well loved instrument and was able to completely repair the body, make all adjustments necessary to the neck, re-string and tune it, shine it, and basically love it back to life. My guitar sounds wonderful and looks like a brand new instrument. He took his time explaining exactly what had to be done, and charged me a very reasonable price.  I have since recommended him to a friend who had an heirloom violin that had not been used in over 30 years. Brad completely overhauled and restored it to my friend’s COMPLETE satisfaction. It was so beautiful and sounded so sweet that it brought tears to our eyes. I have found Brad to be completely honest and straightforward about what is needed and I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Jan Nickel

"Words cannot express my appreciation and gratitude for the excellent job you recently did on my beloved $4,000.00 Taylor 12 string. I recently moved to Burlington, VT due to a job promotion at IBM. My guitar was damaged during the move. Not knowing anyone in the area, I found the best music store in the Yellow Pages. I left the guitar with the repair shop (big mistake) for service. When I came to pick it up I was horrified with the results! Not only was the damage repair botched, but the playing action and musical tone ruined. I refused to pay the bill and stormed out of the store threatening a lawsuit with guitar in hand! Thanks God that a co-worker turned me onto you Brad. He plays in a very popular local band and said you were the ONLY person that he and his friends would ever entrust their guitar to for servicing. Needless to say when I picked up my Taylor after you worked on it, I was beside myself. It looked like the day I bought it and played and sounded even better!!!”

Your Customer For Life!

Thanks Again,

Tony Dion

“Brad French is an x-rock star who understands the inner workings of guitars and basses. Personally the most work he’s done for me was on my Ibanez Prestige Bass. As you may or may not know, this brand is the Cadillac of basses! All electronics are built into the Prestige. That means a lot more complicated to repair if something goes awry. But with Brad’s expertise and know how it’s actually better than new. Brad’s taught me a lot and taken the time to explain what's going on with my instrument. He's shown me how great it really is and my appreciation grows each time I play it, rock it spank it, slap it, or just tickle her strings. Thanks to Brad, I know my bass is the best it can be giving me absolute hours upon hours of pleasure. If you love your instrument and love playing it, you'll love Brad's work.”

Sincerely,

Judy Lyon
Burlington, VT

“I recently had my 1968 Gretsch Country Gentleman refurbished by Brad French, the results were extraordinary-it plays and looks better then new. He paid close attention to every detail and exceeded my expectations at a very reasonable cost.”

Thank You,

Robert Deforge

“I have brought 2 guitars to Brad for repair. One was a 1937 Gibson L SO Arch top. The guitar had a deep crack on the top, the action was awful. Brad totally repaired the cracks and revitalized the action. It is now a wonderful playing instrument. He also repaired my Heritage Gold Top Les Paul. The neck was bowed and the action was so low it could not be played. The adjustment on the neck could not be accomplished by utilizing the truss rod. (it was bowed the opposite way)Today this is truly the best guitar with the best action I have ever played.””

Thanks a Billion Brad

Steve the “howling” wolf man