Started a new build today. Not particularly adventurous, this one though!
This will be a flat top Les Paul, mahogany body and neck (I have half a blank left from my last build). Tele bridge, P90 neck and a strat middle pickup. LP Special DC style pickguard and tele control plate.
Basically a Fano SP6!
I have realised that I am a LP guy and 25.5" just doesn't work for me. This should give me a tele/stratty enough sound for my covers band. Obviously won't be quite right due to the different woods, shorter scale and set neck.
I'll be adding body binding and going to have a stab at LP custom-style block inlays (only done dots before). Fretboard will be gabon ebony because G&W can't ship rosewood to the UK any more and I like their preslotting service.
Finish wise it will be natural back (same as my last build) and painted top. Thinking drab olive green with black 4-ply pickguard.
Progress so far is flattening the neck blank and cutting the headstock angle. Now to wait for the truss rod and body wood to arrive before moving forward.
Comments
Looking forward to seeing it progress
(formerly customkits)
@Danielsguitars, I saw your posts, and they may have subconsciously influenced me!! That looks awesome!
I think my bridge need to move down a bit, I used the StewMac position for this scale, but it doesnt look right to me.
obviously you need to make templates for all the different routes needed, be careful with the tele bridge route, it needs to be tight or you'll see the route on the edges and make sure it's bang in in the centre line
Good luck I'll be watching
(formerly customkits)
I dont plan to route the pickups or drill the bridge until the neck is glued, so should be able to get it well aligned.
(formerly customkits)
(formerly customkits)
https://www.rothkoandfrost.com/guitar-making-supplies-c83/inlays-c30/fretmarker-sets-c51/incudo-block-guitar-fretmarker-inlay-set-p503#attribute[10]=976
You can get some pearl block from china too... it will be lower grade pearl, but not too bad. better than plastic (note its 9 pieces on this listing)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Guitar-Inlay-Material-White-Mother-of-Pearl-Shell-for-Fingerboard-Fretboard/153045584470
if you want the really pretty pearl, pay smallwonder. Its more expensive, but you wouldn't regret it. they also have the decent plastic ones too
http://www.smallwonder-music.co.uk/shop/Fretboard-Inlay-Sets/Block-Inlay-Sets/p-114-430/
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Chinese first fret block inlay on the left, primo blank from smallwonder in the right.
In the flesh the small wonder has a lot more colours reflecting back at you. It's stunning and worth every penny.... but the Chinese stuff is still nice, and 1/10th the price.
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I used the Chinese ebay pearl blocks on my recent DC build because they were going under tinted lacquer anyway.... why pay 10 times the price for extra colour variation and chatayoncy that will just be lost under the lacquer.
That bubbly pearloid is odd though.
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(formerly customkits)