Les Paul Prototype Build

PhilKing

Interesting pickup choice.  A bit like 2 55 custom staple pickups.  What are you going to use for the bridge?  

TTony

P90s are good.
Single piece mahogany (with a little weight relief if required) is good.
Nicely flamed top is good - perhaps a little of it will show through it the gold top isn't too thick?
Gold top is definitely good.

Tailpiece thingy not so good, but if you got it perfect, I'd be very jealous


If you're doing a proper neck join, rather than a G-emulation, perhaps a bit of neck/body join carve-away?  Then I could forgive the tailpiece thingy ...

WezV

I am still undecided on the pickups but I want them to be somethign unusual and period correct.  the back up plan is slug-pole P-90's

I just noticed TV jones do this model



the first bridge will be bigsby style because I have a dirty old one in the parts draw, but i may try a bowtie version too.  i may even try a solid aluminium bar with minimal shaping

WezV

TTony said:

Tailpiece thingy not so good, but if you got it perfect, I'd be very jealous

if i don't like the chunkier one, i will go this route

TTony said:

If you're doing a proper neck join, rather than a G-emulation, perhaps a bit of neck/body join carve-away?  Then I could forgive the tailpiece thingy ...

no carve away - it will be a hybrid of the two show in the first post, just like i did on the last LP

earwighoney

WezV said:

wood pics


Mahogany, sycamore and rosewood

IMO, 2 piece QS mahogany back is as good as it gets aesthetically. 

Stunning sycamore as well. 

As for pickups, have you heard from Mojo Marc when he'll put up the Dynasonics he said he'd put on his site? 

Winny_Pooh

The pic with the dog ear p90s looked ace, if you go that route the bigsby bridge and a bigsby would look awesome.

WezV

Not yet but Marc's currently top of the list for the neck pickup.  I know Ash also did some dybasonic stuff a few years back and may be able to help.  The big issue is the P-90 style cover with the wrong holes, and I was surprised to see TV Jones have that covered.

thr second pic in my first post shows Mary holding Les' guitar with the trem... and the bridge is clearly a P-90.  But what is the neck?  I reckon this is pre  dynasonic stage for this guitar.  Later pics with the dynasonic shows screws in the corner of the bridge pickup, but I think this is still pre-staple


i have been after a staple top for years, but I don't actually think it's right for this guitar.

TTony

WezV said:

The big issue is the P-90 style cover with the wrong holes, and I was surprised to see TV Jones have that covered.

To be precise, I think they've got the holes *un*covered

WezV

Winny_Pooh said:

The pic with the dog ear p90s looked ace, if you go that route the bigsby bridge and a bigsby would look awesome.

If I later decide to go for a natural finish then dogears will be back on the table... but I think it's going to be a goldtop.

the fun bit will be comparing the final guitar with my original plan

usedtobe

I'm in!

WezV

a couple of modded 52's I quite like.  I think these get quite close to what I am after

normula1

the second one has a tailpiece and a half

paulnb57

normula1 said:

the second one has a tailpiece and a half

First one is best though....

WezV

normula1 said:

the second one has a tailpiece and a half

The second one is there because it shows this kinda guitar with a natural top... it's not off the table as a finish option.

normula1

You know I hadn't spotted the natural top under all that metal it's rather pretty without being an over the top "look at me".

I do like the idea of a bit flamed sycamore stealthily hiding under a gold top being revealed over time or with a touch of sensitive relicing

Danielsguitars

Definitely the first one, that's a good looking guitar

WezV

It won't be a clone of either.  My aim is something between the 51 proto in the first thread and a first run 52.  Those tailpiece mods get close.

That natural guitar above is a first run 52.  You can tell by the lack of binding and bridge P-90 with corner holes.  It will have been goldtop.  Both those 52's will have had the dodgy bridge tailpiece combo.  The shaved down tune-o-magic and replacement tailpiece is a common fix for the neck angle issues 52's have.  These days you can get 52 style bridge/tailpiece combos that work, but I want nothing to do with that feature.

the neck angle will be standard les paul, not 52 style.  Worse case, I do a "conversion" further down the line

TTony

WezV said:

normula1 said:

the second one has a tailpiece and a half

The second one is there because it shows this kinda guitar with a natural top... it's not off the table as a finish option.

I'll wis that


Gold tops are good, but gold finishes when you can still see the beauty of the wood underneath (but not in an "in your face" obvious style) are gooder-er.

Jalapeno

Followed .....

WezV

i thave been trying to consolidate my pickup options so did a drawing


i definitely want to have at least one of the pickups from the Les mods section - that's based on some of the previous pics where les is clearly messing with readily available single coils.

the bottom section is just ones i think would look nice, but wouldn't be period correct.   

I just found a supply of no-hole soapbar covers so I might have a go at seeing what I can make fit before i commission something to be wound.