Epi Les Paul advice needed?

robgilmo

I went to look at one today, lovely it was, frets need a polish, neck is very straight with no relief but it didn't seem to buzz any and had a nice low action.

Then I had a look at the back of the neck and there seemed to be a scarf joint right below the head stock, it was really really neat and symmetrical, all the way around from the binding on one side to the binding on the other side, it looked way to neat and symmetrical to be a repair but I wasn't sure so asked the seller if I could find out about it first, he was a nice chap and said he would hold it for me until I found out.

Now, I have read about 3 piece necks but have never seen one, it also had what looked like 2 pieces of wood at the heel inline with the body, is this a 3 piece neck? Guitar is a 1995 Standard. I have only ever seen LP's in solid colours so Ive never seen this before.

Are there any pros and cons to a 3 piece neck (if that is what this is)? Are they all like this?  

thermionic

They’re all like this AFAIK.

I don’t know if this makes them stronger than Gibson necks, but the headstock angle is 4 degrees (I think) less steep, which might also make them less fragile.

robgilmo

Ive never noticed it before, it also has a 5 piece body, I always thought they were two pieces. I noticed the grain on the headstock to be running slightly different to the neck. I did notice a small dip in the finish around the neck/head scarfe joint, could feel it by running my finger nail on it but it wasn't cracked.

robgilmo

This is the joint

https://i.imgur.com/okBGxXa.jpg

GluedtoMusic

A scarf joint is preferable on a neck that isn't reinforced with a volute or laminated neck, it orientates the wood grain in the same direction as the headstock making it stronger.

Sorry for the plug but if you want to read about scarf joints in more detail I've described them with pics here:

https://www.gluedtomusic.com/blog/1/headstock-and-scarf-joints-explained/

robgilmo said:

Now, I have read about 3 piece necks but have never seen one, it also had what looked like 2 pieces of wood at the heel inline with the body, is this a 3 piece neck? Guitar is a 1995 Standard. I have only ever seen LP's in solid colours so Ive never seen this before.

Do you mean the join was horizontal across the heel? Sounds like you are describing a stacked heel rather than a laminated neck.

ICBM

Completely normal on an Epiphone.

It's done to save wood - as is building the heel up separately - but is also stronger than a one-piece neck if it's the proper type where the join runs up at an angle to about the 1st-2nd fret, rather than a flat piece glued on at the back with the join about at the E machineheads.

Multi-piece bodies are also normal on them.

robgilmo

Just added a pic guys, the heel joint ran pretty much horizontal with the rest of the neck.

https://i.imgur.com/okBGxXa.jpg

robgilmo

Im hoping that other long thing is just a scratch, I didnt notice it before.

Funkfingers

Yup. The white mark in the finish is a scratch. If I had to guess, I would say that the mark was caused by a stand or a wall hanger.

There are ways to disguise the scratch but they probably are not worth fussing over very much. If you are one of those guitarists who likes to rub down the finish on necks to a satin feel, this would probably obliterate most of the scratch from view.

Personally, if I were going to go to that much trouble and expense, my funds would be directed towards better machineheads and, if necessary, the nut.

DrCornelius

thermionic said:

They’re all like this AFAIK.

I don’t know if this makes them stronger than Gibson necks, but the headstock angle is 4 degrees (I think) less steep, which might also make them less fragile.

Interesting, I picked up an Epi LP Custom Pro recently and the headstock angle looked shallower and it seems to stay in tune better than previous LPs I've had. I'm guessing the two are related

robgilmo

Apparently the later ones have the headstock glued on after the nut rather than before it.