BGD - 70's LP Custom

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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    bridge an tailpiece - 

    A nice lightweight aluminium tailpiece


    and the one issue that really needs fixing!

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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    old style grovers which do seem to be a factory original feature

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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    the dimarzio and SD removed


    original parts laid in place


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  • PhilKingPhilKing Frets: 1473
    It looks like a replacement bridge already.  In the 70's they would have still been ABR-1 bridges.   I have a no-name one you can have, but think the post holes might be too big, as it is a later one from when there were studs for the bridge.  I used to have a 71/72 Custom, with the Gibson embossed pickups, and it was really light.  I didn't know much about them back then, but it was almost the same weight as my mate's 335.  Stupidly I got rid of it (story of my life back then).  I have a 70 one now, which has the larger inlay at the 21st fret.  I just had it refretted, after giving up with the 'fretless wonder' mini frets.  It plays much better now, but still weighs a ton.
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    yeah, i thought the same when i saw the writing underneath.  I am going to straighten it first and see how that holds up.  I may just end up ageing a new ABR-1 but if you do have something that might fit that would be awesome

    the other issue may be the holes in the pickups feet
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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3831
    Very cool. Didn't know that could happen to a bridge. 
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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3831
    Btw, I really like zebra pickups in LPCs. 
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  • DanielsguitarsDanielsguitars Frets: 3261
    tFB Trader
    I love customs but don't want that weight ever, is it a maple cap on that one

    Cool guitar though and nice to have for a while
    www.danielsguitars.co.uk
    (formerly customkits)
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    I love customs but don't want that weight ever, is it a maple cap on that one

    Cool guitar though and nice to have for a while
    Yeah. It's a maple cap on pancake body at this point

    would you turn down a 50's LP if it weighed 10lb?  It's really not an unreasonable weight
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  • PhilKingPhilKing Frets: 1473
    It will still need aging, but I'll bring it over anyway.  It looks like someone put strat size screws into the feet on the pickups!  I've seen nuts soldered to the feet in the past to fix that.  It doesn't look elegant but no-one can see it when they are mounted.
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    My normal fix is to cut the feet off a spare baseplate and solder them over the hole, but I may try something less invasive first. 
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  • DanielsguitarsDanielsguitars Frets: 3261
    edited September 2017 tFB Trader
    WezV said:
    I love customs but don't want that weight ever, is it a maple cap on that one

    Cool guitar though and nice to have for a while
    Yeah. It's a maple cap on pancake body at this point

    would you turn down a 50's LP if it weighed 10lb?  It's really not an unreasonable weight
    I've got to make one 3 pickup and bigsby and under 9.5lb or lighter 

    I just don't like the weight anymore so I pick out blanks that'll do the job or as close as i can get 

    I've just done a goldtop 56 style with bigsby and around 9lb finished, that's what he wanted, most people ask me for a lighter guitar 

    Yes I would turn down a 50's if it was that heavy, the good ones I've tried are all around 9 or under, although I haven't had a custom yet, I've heard of light ones though

    I tried a 68 standard that was getting on for 10lbs and it just didn't have it even with original pafs, didn't blow me away and i wouldn't buy it
    www.danielsguitars.co.uk
    (formerly customkits)
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    That's too narrow a view for me. You already know I talk about wood selection and weight relief to make my own lighter, so I don't disagree with your opinion of light guitars.  But there is room in my life for something slightly heavier. 

    There are loads of decent guitars sitting over 9 1/2lb and some players don't actually like light guitars. Has no one ever asked you to build a guitar with a bit of weight?

    10lb isn't that heavy.  The average 58-60 burst is approx 9lb.  I agree that's a good average to aim for which suits most.  

    The custom is very slightly heavier.  It Is more direct sounding, but I suspect you could say the pancake body or laminated neck cause that.  It's certainly closer in acoustic tone to a high end Yamaha SG than a 50's Gibson.... but this was never a thread about 50's Gibson's!
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  • DanielsguitarsDanielsguitars Frets: 3261
    tFB Trader
    Hey I've got plenty of blanks that'll get that sort of weight lol

    I'd be interested in the tones especially the cleans when you sort it out 

    No more 50's nonsense promise
    www.danielsguitars.co.uk
    (formerly customkits)
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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6915
    tFB Trader
    WezV said:
    My normal fix is to cut the feet off a spare baseplate and solder them over the hole, but I may try something less invasive first. 
    If you can get hold of some 3-48 spire clips/u-nuts that would work but I don't know where to get any!
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    First attempt will be to flatten them off to close the hole up a bit and flow some solder inside.  It does look like one pickup was mounted to a strat as the lead is cut to that sort of length.   The other is fine, although the threads are still a bit worn and a little solder flow should be plenty there
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    so flattening the feet, flowing solder in the threads and re-tapping seems to have done the trick in a non-invasive way.  I also sliced a new length of wire onto the pickup which had been cut short so they are all ready to be wired in


    I got the bridge straightened as much as i dared so restrung - although pickups have not been wired in place yet



    that's a lot better 



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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    One issue here is the scratchplate.  It's just too loose and getting annoying.  It also sits higher than the bridge pickup ring.  I know the owner prefers it without, so I am not going to stress too much but it's the one bit of it which doesn't fit together nicely.  I think it's warped slightly
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    Pickups are now wired in and I tidied up the control cavity whilst I was in there.

    sadly the kids are in bed so I can't test it in anger yet, but the low volume clean test was pleasing and the controls are working well.  

    I also got around to measuring the neck taper.  21mm at the 1st fret, a full 25mm at the 12th.    
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16547
    edited March 2018
    Finally decided to do a re-fret on this.

    It shouldn't need one.   It was done about 15 years ago because my mate wanted to lose the fretless wonder frets.   sadly, they seemed to replace them with some which were almost as low.   I also don't think they levelled the board as they are quite uneven

    Anyway, all out now, and because its the second re-fret in ebony I need to spend a bit of time on slot repair and reinforcement  

    here it is with the frets out and the slots flooded with thin CA to reinforce them.   


    and some of the frets that came out - mostly low and flat, but quite uneven.  They also took off too much tang which explains why the ends had lifted on some.


    Gonna get some nice chunky jescar wire

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