LP Replica Build

SG Lou

SG Lou

Well-Known Member
Well I did state this is a "59" replica build but I must elaborate, I'm using 59 specs and measurements but that's about it . That idea got totally blown out the window when the customer came over, picked up the rough cut body and cried....."It's too heavy" so had no choice but to weight relieve it.
You'll see in the pictures.
So, being it's NOT going to be a true 59 replica a few items were changed.
Mahogany Body and Neck, Indian Rosewood FB ( keeping my stash of Braz RW for myself...hehehe).
Celluloid Nitrate neck and body binding along with the inlays, 2 way truss rod instead of the traditional compression rod, American Holly headstock overlay.

Anyway:











weight relief holes actually dropped the completed body down from 6.8 lbs to 4.8 lbs after all of the carving was done.





Book matched Eastern Flamed Maple.....I got a HUGE surprise after it was done being carvied. You'll see further on.







 
Carving the top using the Terrace method:





Lost the book match after the carving was done....the flame is still there bit I think It looks HORRIBLE. It happens sometimes and there wasn't much i can do about it. Customer saw it and actually thought it looked good so.............THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT !









Partial routing of the neck mortise. I'll finish it up on the overhead router.





 
Using the overhead router and a jig that puts the body at a 4.4 degree angle therefore the neck mortise will also be at 4.4 degrees.



Notice I broke the mounting boss that locks the router body in place. Had to use a bar clamp to keep things tight.
It has since been repaired !



Neck mortise routed out, getting ready to route pickup cavities.







Binding channel being routed using my homemade floating jig.









Binding glued up !

 
Fingerboard time :









Binding nubs are a real PITA to do but..............looks classy !



Neck:





Sled I built for cutting the 4.4 degree shoulders for the tenon:





 
Some random shot's, test fitting neck, etc, etc :



















That's about as far as I have gotten on this build. Got WAY to cold to work in the shop and the customer is in no big hurry !
 
Looking Great as usual! I personally love it when the wood gives a surprise like that. It makes the guitar unique and no just another Flame top...

My 58' R8 has that going on and it's why I chose it...
 
Lou,

Can you talk about that terrace technique more? I'm assuming you route out each terrace level then sand out the "stair steps". What do you use for the sanding...a belt sander?

At any rate, the final product looks great.
 
smitty_p said:
Lou,

Can you talk about that terrace technique more? I'm assuming you route out each terrace level then sand out the "stair steps". What do you use for the sanding...a belt sander?

At any rate, the final product looks great.
Click to expand...

Yes, I use 7 different sized templates. Starting with the largest one, I route down to the finished height of the body / binding . Template 2 on and route 1/16th of an inch down, , and so on and so on until you achieve the terrace effect. The using a RO Sander and 80 grit paper I blend it all together making sure not to sand the very top, know as the neck / pickup plane.

These pictures were from another LP I built. You can see the contours better on this top:

















 
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Well, seeing the effort that is required to make a Les Paul body really makes me appreciate them more.

I realize Gibson does not do it this way, but it's still very fascinating to observe different approaches to the same goal.
 
smitty_p said:
Well, seeing the effort that is required to make a Les Paul body really makes me appreciate them more.

I realize Gibson does not do it this way, but it's still very fascinating to observe different approaches to the same goal.
Click to expand...
CNC machines crank them out....
 
Nice build (i saw so many LP build threads and therefore find it business as usual, but of course really well done), but as a customer i would not have been happy with the top. I wonder how it might have looked from the back... And i know about the difficulties in judging. I have a top of wildly flamed pear where i have real difficulties to match it.
 
bea said:
Nice build (i saw so many LP build threads and therefore find it business as usual, but of course really well done), but as a customer i would not have been happy with the top. I wonder how it might have looked from the back... And i know about the difficulties in judging. I have a top of wildly flamed pear where i have real difficulties to match it.
Click to expand...
Both side were ALMOST identical as far as grain match was concerned so I went with, what I thought was the best side. Unfortunately one does not know what lies in between until the carving takes place. As for the customer, he liked the final result and that's all that matters. If he didn't like it I would of had no problem removing the top and making a new one.
 
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Looking fantastic Lou! Top notch job as per usual... Can't wait to see this progress to the finished product.
 
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