The Ultimate Gibsons Les Paul Custom Replica - A New Twist:
- Thread starter Inspector #20
- Start date
then the thickness of the tailpiece U shaped slot are different.i got a whole box full of tailpieces and none of them are exactly the same.same goes for the tailpiece studs thereselves,the area where the tailpiece fits into on a tailpiece stud are all over the map of thicknesses ect.
OP
I read the fine print at Stewie-Mac. The Gibby aluminum tailpiece they sell is 7.4mm thick and the metric studs accept 8mm's.
OP
Had so many ideas on this project that I almost never got it off the ground. At first, i wanted an absolute duplicate of an LPC. But then, there were things about the Customs that I didn't like and things I wanted to do differently.
I knew I didn't want nibs, I hate the disproportionatly large diamond, I prefer rosewood to ebony, i prefer smaller frets and I wanted a flatter fretboard radius, more like my Schecter. Another thing I wanted was a very relaxed neck angle and the long tenon neck joint.
We literally changed the course of this entire project 3 or 4 times!!!
In the end I decided that what I really wanted was a player that featured premium wiring and hardware, but one that paid homage to the 1974 LPC that intrigued me as a kid.
This was a departure from the original concept and I really went into this with a more open mind than ever.
The misery of my 2016 Gibson SG project was still very fresh in my mind and I mostly wanted this venture to be, above all else, fun....black with gold hardware of course!!!
Playing the original 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom this past weekend, and having played many Gibson relics, really impressed upon me how un-holy grail-ish the vintage Gibson's really are...and how blind the Gibson loyalists are.
The old '79...Yes, its a very good sounding guitar, but ive played and heard better.
Having previously owned a couple of vintage Gibson's, 2 brand new modern Gibson's, and paying huge sums for vintage Gibson PAF pickups, I am simply no longer willing to invest money in Gibson's to turn right around and start fixing problems. Even the $4,799 Les Paul Custom at my local Guitar Sinner had intonation issues and a pronounced buzz on the bridge pickup. Not again...
So, rummaging through Alex's archive of parts and husks, I came across a weight relieved body that he said nobody liked because of its relatively light weight. The wood looked so good that painting it would almost be a crime.
I've always felt that the sheer weight of the Les Paul held the secret to its tone. However, Alex claims it is the rigidity and vibration that creates the sustain and the density of the wood that contributes to the tone.
Again, ive really had to throw my preconceived notions out the window and trust the Luthier, and that was harder than it sounds.
Mom's 1979 Les Paul Custom weighs almost 15 pounds. I don't want to lug that kind of weight through a 4 hour set, so I gave Alex creative authorities and stopped by each afternoon to check in on the progress...and, of course, talk...
Alex told me it was such a pleasure building this replica that he looked eagerly forward to working on it each day. The more we talked...and laughed...mostly at my OCD nature, the lower and lower the price went.
This was to be picked up as a bare husk and finished out by me when my parts arrived. However, Alex offered to complete it with loaner hardware, which I will return when my golden goodies arrive.
All in all, everything has gone just gone super smooth. This has been the most fun I have ever had with a guitar.
I picked it up last night and its just really, really so nice looking. The finish is like a piano. It looks soaking wet. Even with loaner hardware and wiring I am so pleased with the sound and feel.
The tailpiece is right on the body and the strings clear the bridge by a mile. the action is unreal. Each fret is dressed and polished with a slight flat profile at the top.
Funny, isnt it??? My genuine Gibson SG took a 1/4" of shims to get the strings off the bridge.
Alex attributes this to actually being able to read an inclinometer, unlike Gibson's minions...he said somewhat jokingly.
The feel is so hard to describe. Not light...but not heavy like the '79, but it rests on my leg without trying to roll backwards into the floor. Perfectly balanced.
The flatter board is just amazing. No nibs. No fret edges, just smooth as silk along the binding.
I also noticed that the Wolftones I get on the neck pickup of my Gibson SG at the 15th to 17th frets are totally absent on this replica project. Alex attributes that to where the neck pickup is placed. That alone was worth the switch.
The smaller and tighter headstock diamond changes the one thing I always disliked about real LPC's. I love it. Kinda like Cadillac's modern emblem, which pays homage to the original, less the 6 ducks.
So all premium gold hardware is on order. I even got a pair of replica bumblebees for it. GFS is supplying a pair ofVEH's 11.5k bridge and 9.5k neck...Grover gold keystones are coming from Stratosphere and a Gotoh gold plated aluminum tailpiece is coming from Philadelphia Luthier Tools.
I couldn't be more pleased....
I knew I didn't want nibs, I hate the disproportionatly large diamond, I prefer rosewood to ebony, i prefer smaller frets and I wanted a flatter fretboard radius, more like my Schecter. Another thing I wanted was a very relaxed neck angle and the long tenon neck joint.
We literally changed the course of this entire project 3 or 4 times!!!
In the end I decided that what I really wanted was a player that featured premium wiring and hardware, but one that paid homage to the 1974 LPC that intrigued me as a kid.
This was a departure from the original concept and I really went into this with a more open mind than ever.
The misery of my 2016 Gibson SG project was still very fresh in my mind and I mostly wanted this venture to be, above all else, fun....black with gold hardware of course!!!
Playing the original 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom this past weekend, and having played many Gibson relics, really impressed upon me how un-holy grail-ish the vintage Gibson's really are...and how blind the Gibson loyalists are.
The old '79...Yes, its a very good sounding guitar, but ive played and heard better.
Having previously owned a couple of vintage Gibson's, 2 brand new modern Gibson's, and paying huge sums for vintage Gibson PAF pickups, I am simply no longer willing to invest money in Gibson's to turn right around and start fixing problems. Even the $4,799 Les Paul Custom at my local Guitar Sinner had intonation issues and a pronounced buzz on the bridge pickup. Not again...
So, rummaging through Alex's archive of parts and husks, I came across a weight relieved body that he said nobody liked because of its relatively light weight. The wood looked so good that painting it would almost be a crime.
I've always felt that the sheer weight of the Les Paul held the secret to its tone. However, Alex claims it is the rigidity and vibration that creates the sustain and the density of the wood that contributes to the tone.
Again, ive really had to throw my preconceived notions out the window and trust the Luthier, and that was harder than it sounds.
Mom's 1979 Les Paul Custom weighs almost 15 pounds. I don't want to lug that kind of weight through a 4 hour set, so I gave Alex creative authorities and stopped by each afternoon to check in on the progress...and, of course, talk...
Alex told me it was such a pleasure building this replica that he looked eagerly forward to working on it each day. The more we talked...and laughed...mostly at my OCD nature, the lower and lower the price went.
This was to be picked up as a bare husk and finished out by me when my parts arrived. However, Alex offered to complete it with loaner hardware, which I will return when my golden goodies arrive.
All in all, everything has gone just gone super smooth. This has been the most fun I have ever had with a guitar.
I picked it up last night and its just really, really so nice looking. The finish is like a piano. It looks soaking wet. Even with loaner hardware and wiring I am so pleased with the sound and feel.
The tailpiece is right on the body and the strings clear the bridge by a mile. the action is unreal. Each fret is dressed and polished with a slight flat profile at the top.
Funny, isnt it??? My genuine Gibson SG took a 1/4" of shims to get the strings off the bridge.
Alex attributes this to actually being able to read an inclinometer, unlike Gibson's minions...he said somewhat jokingly.
The feel is so hard to describe. Not light...but not heavy like the '79, but it rests on my leg without trying to roll backwards into the floor. Perfectly balanced.
The flatter board is just amazing. No nibs. No fret edges, just smooth as silk along the binding.
I also noticed that the Wolftones I get on the neck pickup of my Gibson SG at the 15th to 17th frets are totally absent on this replica project. Alex attributes that to where the neck pickup is placed. That alone was worth the switch.
The smaller and tighter headstock diamond changes the one thing I always disliked about real LPC's. I love it. Kinda like Cadillac's modern emblem, which pays homage to the original, less the 6 ducks.
So all premium gold hardware is on order. I even got a pair of replica bumblebees for it. GFS is supplying a pair ofVEH's 11.5k bridge and 9.5k neck...Grover gold keystones are coming from Stratosphere and a Gotoh gold plated aluminum tailpiece is coming from Philadelphia Luthier Tools.
I couldn't be more pleased....
OP
Here's the first photo...after oiling the Rosewood:
Another angle....before oiling the fretboard:
Another angle....before oiling the fretboard:
OP
Dude! I'm having fun with this project!
Bocc69
Ambassador of Metal Health
OP
Youll be like John Fogerty with that big black LPC there
LOL!
I grew up in Porterville. Remember the CCR song by that name???
Interesting fellow John Fogerty is.
As CCR was coming to an end, Fogerty began working on a solo album of country & western songs, on which he produced, arranged, and played all of the instruments. Despite the solo nature of the recordings, Fogerty elected to credit the album to "The Blue Ridge Rangers," - a band of which he was the only member....
Kinda of like my current musical pursuits....
OP
The Gotoh gold plated aluminum tailpiece is only $20 from Philadelphia Luthier Tools. The have nickel plated versions too...
OP
Luthier built. I abandoned the genuine LPC with the botched fretboard. This is a mutt built from pieces...