RetroSpec Vintage Parts is the parts division of Historic Makeovers®, created to offer the same uncompromising vintage accuracy in component form. Built by people who work on real vintage Les Pauls every day, RetroSpec exists to supply truly correct parts for classic vintage-style electric guitars—whether you are restoring, upgrading, or refining a Historic Reissue.

Produced using vintage-correct materials and construction methods, every RetroSpec part reflects a strict adherence to original standards. From plastics to metals, nothing is approximated or modernized without purpose. The goal is simple: deliver parts that look right, feel right, and perform as close to original 1950s examples as possible. For those seeking aged components, each piece is individually hand-aged with a focus on realism and restraint, avoiding artificial or overdone effects in favor of authentic character.

A direct extension of Historic Makeovers®, a name trusted since 2008 for transforming modern guitars into instruments that capture the tone, feel, and visual nuance of vintage originals, RetroSpec carries those same standards forward. The same materials and attention to detail that define Historic Makeovers are carried through every RetroSpec offering.

Rooted in the vision and lifetime of work of Kim LaFleur, RetroSpec reflects decades of firsthand experience. With over five decades immersed in vintage guitars—playing, restoring, buying, and studying—his work was grounded in firsthand experience with original 1950s Les Pauls. After acquiring a 1952 Goldtop in 1970, his focus became a lifelong pursuit: understanding what makes a vintage guitar truly special. Through years of sourcing parts, attending shows, and working under Vintage Checkout, he witnessed original components become scarce and inaccessible. RetroSpec was born from that reality—built to recreate those parts with accuracy and integrity.

His development work helped define modern vintage-correct standards, including advancements in cellulose nitrate inlays and side dots. Backed by an extensive reference library of original guitars and nearly two decades of Historic Makeovers experience, that work continues to guide everything we do—making the details that matter available again.

Whether NOS or aged, every RetroSpec part reflects a commitment to authenticity, precision, and respect for the originals.

Today, Historic Makeovers and RetroSpec are led by Daniel Carneglia. A luthier and entrepreneur who has spent years building high-end electric guitars, Daniel brings his own vision to the work while carrying forward the standard Kim established — the same reference library, the same materials, the same refusal to approximate.