What's the best resource for building an LP?

axisus

Either online or in book form?

Long term it's something I would love to do. I'm pretty sure I could build a bolt-on neck guitar, but it's the solid neck and carved top that would have me worried with an LP.

I realise that a course is the best route, but quite frankly that ain't gonna happen unless a few thousand pounds fall out of the sky into my lap.

JudasVigilante

You can buy the kits from Gear4Music among other places. The kits don't come with much in the way of instructions but enough to get the job done. I recently built one of their Jazzmaster kits and the kit quality is very good. Neck was perfect. They do a LP and an SG kit too. You can customise your build as much as you want from body finish to pickups to other hardware. About £100 or less gets you the kit and then whatever you want to spend on it after that. Hope this helps.

JudasVigilante

Here's the link:

http://www.gear4music.com/Electric-Guitars/DIY-Guitars

axisus

Thanks for that, but I'm really more interested in doing the whole thing from scratch, shaping lumps of wood etc. Proper 'luthier' type job!

GuitarMonkey

There are plenty of sites and videos on YouTube to help.

I think that the techniques you use depend on what tools you have and how long you are willing to spend making jigs.

For the top carve you can use the freely available contour templates as this guy does:

http://mountainwhimsy.com/2012/03/les-paul-top-carve/

IvisonGuitars

@axius MyLesPaul.com is your friend here. They have hundreds of threads from first time builds to pro luthier replica builds. Lots to be learnt and taken form each thread.

Check out the luthier section threads, here's a few to whet the whistle....

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-corner/123788-mlp-bartlett-build.html

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-corner/124446-exnihilo-vintage-burst-build.html

And here's an INSANE Gil Yaron thread where he even makes the moulds and casts his own pickup surrounds!

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/194271-1959-les-paul-build.html

WezV

miserneil said:

And here's an INSANE Gil Yaron thread where he even makes the moulds and casts his own pickup surrounds!

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/194271-1959-les-paul-build.html

if its not in this thread you don't need to know it

axisus

Thanks people!

IvisonGuitars

WezV;534390" said:

miserneil said:


And here's an INSANE Gil Yaron thread where he even makes the moulds and casts his own pickup surrounds!

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/194271-1959-les-paul-build.html




if its not in this thread you don't need to know it

Haha @WezV, yes, above and beyond that one isn't it?!