NGD: relic goldtop content

WezV

I know many of you will have seen this in making and modding, but for those that don't go down there....

 Its 99% finished, just needs a truss rod cover

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/108084/les-paul-prototype-build/p1


The idea was to make a Les Paul like Les Paul and Mary Ford actually played in the early 50's.  not a production 52 with incorrect neck angle, and definitely not a burst.  I strayed a bit along the way, but I think I got pretty close

Bridgehouse

Most truest historic.

guitars4you

you are going to have to update me with info on those pick ups - overall looks cool and obviously some man hours gone into it - what is the fingerboard

slightly off topic - but just seen my dad - and old friend of his and an old stalwart of Burton died last week - Norman Willey - don't know if it was before your time - owned Norman's in BOT a number of years ago and a drummer for many many years in BOT

thebreeze

Utterly brilliant

WezV

guitars4you said:

you are going to have to update me with info on those pick ups - overall looks cool and obviously some man hours gone into it - what is the fingerboard

slightly off topic - but just seen my dad - and old friend of his and an old stalwart of Burton died last week - Norman Willey - don't know if it was before your time - owned Norman's in BOT a number of years ago and a drummer for many many years in BOT

I started with the idea of fitting a dynasonic under a P-90 cover just like Les did.  @Mojopickups  ;made the dynasonic coil, i made the cover.  From there it seems to make sense to go with a similar kind of thing for the bridge so I asked marc to wind a P-90 sized slug pole style pickup to match the neck unit. 

The fingerboard is indian rosewood... not tinted or anything, just a nice dark piece.  Body is 1-piece african mahogany topped with a flamed sycamore top that looked stunning - but the plan was always gold and it seemed to fit the 50's ethic to cover some nicely figured wood



I remember Norman's shop, not the man himself.   I went in there for a Violin bow not long after buying my first les paul from Pete's

TTony

WezV said:

 topped with a flamed sycamore top that looked stunning

You can still see a small piece of that.

WezV

Bridgehouse said:

Most truest historic.

and yet not.... with a 3-piece neck, full width long tenon and shaped heel its definitely not from the gibson stable.

Bridgehouse

WezV said:

Bridgehouse said:

Most truest historic.

and yet not.... with a 3-piece neck, full width long tenon and shaped heel its definitely not from the gibson stable.

I guess I was being a bit tongue in cheek - in as much as I'd much rather have one of yours than a "truer than a truly true historic" from Gibson. 

Yours has has captured the spirit of it. Gibson are trying too hard and just end up being too much like fakes. 

Now. Make me an early 60s Thunderbird.

WezV

Bridgehouse said:

WezV said:

Bridgehouse said:

Most truest historic.

and yet not.... with a 3-piece neck, full width long tenon and shaped heel its definitely not from the gibson stable.

I guess I was being a bit tongue in cheek - in as much as I'd much rather have one of yours than a "truer than a truly true historic" from Gibson. 

Yours has has captured the spirit of it. Gibson are trying too hard and just end up being too much like fakes. 

Now. Make me an early 60s Thunderbird.

I get it, i just realised i didn't show the back or headstock in this pic so people might think i have gone down the total replica route.... that doesn't interest me as much.

Next build will be the fanned fret firebird....not sure i ever want to make a thunderbird.  I like them, but they are a quirky beast

Bridgehouse

WezV said:

Bridgehouse said:

WezV said:

Bridgehouse said:

Most truest historic.

and yet not.... with a 3-piece neck, full width long tenon and shaped heel its definitely not from the gibson stable.

I guess I was being a bit tongue in cheek - in as much as I'd much rather have one of yours than a "truer than a truly true historic" from Gibson. 

Yours has has captured the spirit of it. Gibson are trying too hard and just end up being too much like fakes. 

Now. Make me an early 60s Thunderbird.

I get it, i just realised i didn't show the back or headstock in this pic so people might think i have gone down the total replica route.... that doesn't interest me as much.

Next build will be the fanned fret firebird....not sure i ever want to make a thunderbird.  I like them, but they are a quirky beast

I'd like to see you do a bass build tho  

You could do the legendary slab Precision... or maybe a wacky Gibson EB1

skaguitar

that looks fantastic...!! nice job

WezV

Bridgehouse said:

WezV said:

Bridgehouse said:

WezV said:

Bridgehouse said:

Most truest historic.

and yet not.... with a 3-piece neck, full width long tenon and shaped heel its definitely not from the gibson stable.

I guess I was being a bit tongue in cheek - in as much as I'd much rather have one of yours than a "truer than a truly true historic" from Gibson. 

Yours has has captured the spirit of it. Gibson are trying too hard and just end up being too much like fakes. 

Now. Make me an early 60s Thunderbird.

I get it, i just realised i didn't show the back or headstock in this pic so people might think i have gone down the total replica route.... that doesn't interest me as much.

Next build will be the fanned fret firebird....not sure i ever want to make a thunderbird.  I like them, but they are a quirky beast

I'd like to see you do a bass build tho  

You could do the legendary slab Precision... or maybe a wacky Gibson EB1

well i am refinishing my version of a P-bass currently.... mixed with a bit of teisco spectrum


and this is as close as i have got to an EB bass - but with a proper bass scale length and a lack of frets.

Bridgehouse

Yeah. Those basses are lovely too.

ellwood

Goodgriefholymolywow. 

WezV

ellwood said:

Goodgriefholymolywow. 

I’ll take that

guitars4you

WezV said:

guitars4you said:

you are going to have to update me with info on those pick ups - overall looks cool and obviously some man hours gone into it - what is the fingerboard

I started with the idea of fitting a dynasonic under a P-90 cover just like Les did.  @Mojopickups  ;made the dynasonic coil, i made the cover.  From there it seems to make sense to go with a similar kind of thing for the bridge so I asked marc to wind a P-90 sized slug pole style pickup to match the neck unit. 

The fingerboard is indian rosewood... not tinted or anything, just a nice dark piece.  Body is 1-piece african mahogany topped with a flamed sycamore top that looked stunning - but the plan was always gold and it seemed to fit the 50's ethic to cover some nicely figured wood

I thought there was some Dynasonic idea in there - looks mighty fine - I hope it plays and sounds as good as it looks - Give Henry a call you might find some work there

WezV

It plays well, still in the settling in period at the moment but it’s pretty close to where it needs to be.

sounds a difficult one, partly because I have had an ear infection since September.  It’s obviously brighter than a normal Les Paul, but still has the girth you would expect.  Sustain is still very good, which was a concern with the tailpiece

Neil

Fantastic Wez.

It must be wonderful to have such skill. 

guitars4you

Neil said:

Fantastic Wez.

It must be wonderful to have such skill. 

I agree - If I say I'm jealous I mean that as a compliment

p90fool

Not just highly skilled, a man of taste too, subjective as that is. 


It's funny how I always wanted a Les Paul for the conventional sonic reasons, but owning one sparked an interest in the man himself, so I also ended up with a goldtop with unconventionally bright single coils.

I even had a trapeze tailpiece on it for a while and I agree with @WezV , it still sounds like a Les Paul. 

LPs are much underrated and dismissed as one trick guitars, but their construction gives them a unique voice no matter what hardware is fitted. 

Top guitar Wez, absolutely stunning. 

WezV

part of it came from not wanting to build something you can already get off the shelf.    I don't get as much time for guitar building as I would like so I am not going to spend it making stuff that is freely available elsewhere. I know I should say my guitars are infinitely better than all the others out there, but I don't go in for that kind of BS. 

Choosing to do it differently also gives a lot of freedom... it means I don't have to focus on every detail being an exact replica.  Often the accuracy of the replica become more important than the guitar itself.