The Ultimate Gibsons Les Paul Custom Replica - A New Twist:

Robert Herndon said:
Dude! I was playing it and Mom kept saying, "Be careful with that. Don't bend those strings too much!"
Click to expand...
because she fears for your safety and doesnt want the strings to cut you and get germs and diseases and hippy funk......you'll smoke weed and tune out man......just send it to me for disposal its a service to humanity I am offering.....

I mean just LOOK at that HIPPIE on the far left------ (ha---that was a double whammy Hippie--far left--- damn I am good)
 
eSGEe said:
because she fears for your safety and doesnt want the strings to cut you and get germs and diseases and hippy funk......you'll smoke weed and tune out man......just send it to me for disposal its a service to humanity I am offering.....

I mean just LOOK at that HIPPIE on the far left------ (ha---that was a double whammy Hippie--far left--- damn I am good)
Click to expand...

That's a die hard country fan there...
 
Parts shopping!

Faber gold plated aluminum locking tailpiece with gold plated steel studs, gold plated roller tune o matic, brass cavity and switch covers, Grover gold keystone tuning keys....

I only have two bridge choices in 14" radius with 4.4mm studs...a roller TOM from Philadelphia Luthier Tools and a ABR-1 from Stewie-Mac.

Decisions!!!
 
Pickups!

Will likely stay with a more vintage, PAF style in the 8.5k/8.0k range.

Really looking closely at the GFS vintage 59 in classic 2 conductor wire and gold plated covers...

FYI, I was able to test a pair of 1979 T-tops recently and they measured 7.52k/7.75k @ 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
 
Last edited:
Ok! So, now I am in the process of gathering up the hardware needed to finish the project.

My desire with this is to recreate the first Les Paul I ever saw - a black '74 custom at Buck Owens Studio in Bakersfield around 1977.

So, in that era , although I don't remember, the LPC had gold witch hats and pointers, although some had black speed knobs too.

Randy Rhoads 1974 custom had gold speed knobs and pointers, although not likely original, since it also had brass cover plates, brass poker chip and a brass switch tip too.

The standard LPC switch tip was cream against a black poker chip...gold pickup adjustment screws, with black mounting ring screws.

Alex said I can pick it up Sunday. I was expecting to pick up a husk, but he is outfitting it with loaner parts from his junk bins so it is playable, then I will return the hardware and wiring after my new stuff starts rolling in...
 
Getting excited!

Although I am going to stay pretty close to the 1974 style LPC, including the gold plated, aluminum tailpiece (according to Gibson Historical Services) I'm not going to go super crazy on making it 100% authentic. I want a player. A workhorse that has the tone I have always lusted after. It will, no doubt, be a pretty good replica, but I'm not going to agonize over small details and make the project a lesson in misery, like my Gibson SG was...this project is going to be FUN!
 
Robert Herndon said:
Getting excited!

Although I am going to stay pretty close to the 1974 style LPC, including the gold plated, aluminum tailpiece (according to Gibson Historical Services) I'm not going to go super crazy on making it 100% authentic. I want a player. A workhorse that has the tone I have always lusted after. It will, no doubt, be a pretty good replica, but I'm not going to agonize over small details and make the project a lesson in misery, like my Gibson SG was...this project is going to be FUN!
Click to expand...
I will join you in this fun. My "Chibson" just passed through customs!
 
Since I don't have a bridge yet with a 14" radius to match the custom fretboard, I'm having Alex put 8mm sleeves in for an Epiphone loaner bridge.

If I find a 14" small 4mm pin Gibson ABR-1 at a later date, I can simply install the 8 x 4mm conversion studs from Philadelphia Luthier Tools and not have to pull the sleeved.

Seems to me the bigger pins used on the Epiphone might be better/more stable than the tiny Gibson pins???
 
Stock Epiphone bridges are marginal at best.Get a Gotoh or somethin. the overall design of the large studs on metric bridges are alot stronger than its American counter part but ya got to get a good quality metric bridge.Gotoh or Tonepros.i swear there the same bridge its just a matter of if you want to spend 3 times as much for the Tonepros over the Gotoh for a couple set screws. i dont like the set screws and toss them on the tone pros stuff.to ridgid sounding or somethin to me.
 
JohnnyGoo said:
Stock Epiphone bridges are marginal at best.Get a Gotoh or somethin. the overall design of the large studs on metric bridges are alot stronger than its American counter part but ya got to get a good quality metric bridge.Gotoh or Tonepros.i swear there the same bridge its just a matter of if you want to spend 3 times as much for the Tonepros over the Gotoh for a couple set screws. i dont like the set screws and toss them on the tone pros stuff.to ridgid sounding or somethin to me.
Click to expand...

Anybody use the ABR-1 roller bridges???
 
i feel the same as Smitty about the roller bridge idea .whats the point if ya got no Bigsby or somethin.
 
I may just use the 8mm "fat stud" Epiphone take-off (new) that I am getting as a "loaner" for a while....
 
You're trying to find a 14" radius bridge, right?

In a worst case scenario, you could set the E strings where you want them and file the A, D, G, and B string notches in the bridge saddles until you get the actual string radius to match a 14" radius. It's, perhaps, not the ideal solution, but it is something to think about.
 
hell keep it in there,luthier gonna have to put the metric stud bushings in anyhow i do believe,then when ever ya want to buy a nice metric gotoh nashville or what ever you just loosen the strings and take old bridge off and put new bridge on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top