I have got to give a giant shout out for my good friend Oliver Specht! He builds, he brings ’em back to life, he gets them up to snuff, he goes the extra mile and makes guitars do what they were meant to do. In a world of influencers, enablers, cyber self celebs and “truthers” . . .  Oliver is a doer. He freakin’ gets it done. Guitar is magic and this one, rebooted by Oliver, is living proof. ’81 Les Paul Standard. Ohhh Yeeaahhhhh!!!

Need it done , he’s the ONE !
Oliver Specht
.

As a long time professional guitar player, I have never learned how to do guitar repair work or set ups. Living on Vancouver Island presents a problem for me as I had a difficult time finding someone to repair and adjust my guitars that I could have faith in, especially my vintage instruments. Travelling back and forth to Vancouver is costly. Fortunately, I met Oliver who does exceptional work at very fair prices. Highly recommended!
David Gogo
Don’t forget to boogie…

My name is Wil, singer songwriter and guitarist. Oliver is a “details” man, analytical, asks questions and seems to not want to cut any corners. So if you are looking for a quick, cheap, bang it out, next guitar please kind of gent, Oliver is the WRONG man, Oliver is a luthier, he cares for the wood, he looks to match the set up to the player thus digs and gets info from you like Jason Bourn! Hell, he built a baritone acoustic from scratch which i had the pleasure of playing, and then wanting.
All of this said, i also get the sense that no guitar is more precious than another to him by way of how he treats it, no hierarchy so to speak really, if you love your instrument, he will as well – that simple.
Wil, of I Break Strings

When you’re a very demanding player that likes perfection, Oliver is the Luthier to see. He makes a point of listening to me and my style of playing, so I’m getting exactly what I want. All six of my basses need to be set up just a little different from one another and this is why I go to Oliver. He looks at details including proper neck relief, string height to match my style of playing, getting perfect intonation, and making sure the pickups are set up properly. Checking the whole bass over for other flaws or potential problems is also very much appreciated. These are all fine details that this dedicated Luthier makes a point of doing right . Working with pleasant people like Oliver makes it easy to come back time and time again.
Ron Mollinga

I lived in Nanaimo for two years and Oliver did all of my guitar work for me while I was there. He’s a really solid guitar tech with a great touch for slick setups. He also did a couple of repairs for me and he was fast, practical, and reasonably priced. Beyond his repair and luthier skills, he’s just a basically decent guy (always a plus). Highly recommended for anyone looking for a solid guitar tech.
Jim Soloway

I purchased one of Oliver’s very 1st instruments he ever built aprox. 25 years ago. It was a custom acoustic fretless base, 4 string. Beautiful instrument made out of Yew wood sides & back, Spruce top, Maple neck, Rosewood fingerboard, & Ebony binding. Even back when he 1st started building instruments I could see a high level of craftsmanship, attention to detail, & a feel for experimenting with different woods to achieve an original, fuller sound. The sound of that bass
improves every åyear as the wood ages & matures. I’ve bought 2 more guitars since then. An electric Baritone guitar made out of Mahogany which has six strings 20 & is open tuned to A.Absolutely Gorgeous to look at & has a big rock’n sound. It’s worked well for some funky bass lines, big heavy chords, can break out into a solo, or even a country twang. My most recent purchase which you will find pictures of on this site is a custom 5 string electric bass. It’s got a custom oversized body made out of Koa wood, Custom Koa neck shaped
to fit my hand & a rosewood fingerboard.
My dream bass, I can’t say enough about it. It’s got sexy curves, wood grain like I’ve never seen before, & a huge HUGE sound. The combination of the Ultra Jazz 5 pick-ups & the tone of the Koa wood make for a sound like no other. The finish is flawless. I could stare at her for hours. The1st night I got her I didn’t sleep. I kept waking up drooling over her wanting to caress & stare at her. My girlfriend is a little jealous. Now I’ve got my eye on a nylon string acoustic he’s building. Uh oh, I think I’m addicted. Oliver, thanks for a lifetime of playing enjoyment.
Grant McRae

“I brought my 1942 SS Stewart to Oliver for a set up, as it was likely not done at the factory; even had the original strings on it. Also he installed new tuning buttons. The guitar I picked up probably never sounded as good as it does now. There was no BS, just ‘this is what I can do.’ The service was excellent and quick. If you’re looking for a luthier, you need look no further. Thanks for the help and I will bring all my future repairs your way.”
Christopher Robin Dubinsky

Oliver, that is one of the most beautiful instruments I have ever seen . . . I will be so so proud and honored to play her!! I really am honored – we will make some great music with her! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Talk soon,
Sam
Samantha Parton, of the Be Good Tanyas

Oliver’s bass is a masterpiece. I’ve been playing basses of all kinds for 35 years and I’ve been a professional violinmaker for 20 years. I have never seen such a balance between masterful workmanship and awesome sound. The bass is very easy to play and I think at last I’ve found the perfect instrument.For recommendations call me at: Village Violinmaker 604-947-9887
Brian Hoover

I first met Oliver through a mutual friend Greg Esposito. I had been looking for a builder to take on an imagining that had been developing for some time. Being a lover of many genres of music, I had first imagined the need for several instruments. Through further explorations I realized the need for a single instrument that would encourage the eclectic expression of the many styles at once. The instrument would definitely be a nylon stringed acoustic of mahogany spruce and ebony.It would have extra scale length to add tension and pluck and allow for a larger top to be sounded.The neck to be all but full in profile with a radiussed fretboard. The body to be large in the hips and comfortable with a taper from top to bottom and balanced overall. It was suggested the guitar would naturally play jazz with influences of the soulful Spain, Brazil, Argentina, and Cuba in mind. With this arduos task I turned to Oliver. He listened well took on the specifics intellectually and the large artistic ideas heartfully and turned his enthusiasm for creative adventure loose. What he did in fact was make this mere idea possible and more. The instrument he crafted encourages the expression of many styles. It is of full and even voice bottom to top and throughout its dynamic range. The tone is already richer than I had imagined and with each playing there comes a new discovery, a new joy and wonder.

Don McEachern, Saltspring, BC

Nanaimo’s musical scene is so fortunate to have stringed-instrument repair person extraordinaire Oliver Specht in its midst. I needed an emergency repair to my hand-built resonator guitar just as I was leaving on tour. Oliver came right to the rescue, fixing the monster cracks in the back and side in record time and for a most reasonable fee. As a bonus, he trouble-shot my electronics and wound up installing a new pickup on the resonator. My guitar sounds great now and survived the tour in fine fashion. Oliver is honest, reliable and efficient – and a heck of a nice guy. I highly recommend him and his shop for all your instrument repairs and rebuilds.The guitar’s doing great, by the way!
Thanks, David