Build thread: Pancake body les paul deluxe

WezV

I could go for the walnut. Not the goldm, unless 95% of the gold plating was worn off

Roland

Walnut and brass!

olafgarten

WezV said:

I could go for the walnut. Not the goldm, unless 95% of the gold plating was worn off

Do you not want this?

WezV

I wouldn't kick it out of bed, but its not what I am going for here

WezV

Its not a walnut stain though, certainly not the colour you would get with walnut stain over maple or mahogany

Flink_Poyd

Ive little to add to this thread other than.

1. Its an interesting read seeing a guitar built from scratch.
2. I can now waste my time using the guitar editor to dream up some wacky schemes that I'll never be able to afford.

http://www.frankmontag.com/editors.htm

olafgarten

WezV said:

Its not a walnut stain though, certainly not the colour you would get with walnut stain over maple or mahogany

I couldn't get the exact colour... I'm sorry, I tried...

WezV

olafgarten;884916" said:

WezV said:

Its not a walnut stain though, certainly not the colour you would get with walnut stain over maple or mahogany





I couldn't get the exact colour... I'm sorry, I tried...

I know, its why I had different "mahogany" colours on my mock ups.

Yours looks more like a dark trans black.

WezV

got the back round over done - slightly more than a normal les paul for a touch more comfort without going down the contouring route 

also got the contour map routed for the top carve.

There were a few stages here

1. Route binding channel everywhere except the cutaway.  I wanted to do this whilst the top was flat - I will do the cutaway section once the carve is done
2. Route each ledge on the top - first time doign this and its worked quite well.  Not perfect but nothing which can't be sorted in the final carve
3. routed the neck angle facet at 4.3 degrees between the end of body and neck pickup
4. routed the pickup angle facet at 1.5 degrees between the neck pickup and bridge

often people just sand the ridges out at this stage and by the time its done you will be quite close to a proper les paul carve.  i will use the round bottomed planes and carving tools first as its what I am used to carving with - but the contour map has certainly helped make that a quicker process

time for another weigh in - the top has added 1.5lb

Rocker

That looks a very clever way to get a "uniform" carved top. Great work.

WezV

here is a good tutorial on the process

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

and the source of the templates

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-corner/124446-exnihilo-vintage-burst-build-4.html

strtdv

I love the idea of a Pelham Blue top with natural back and mini-humbuckers, proper 70's Deluxe style.

Jez6345789

Great build really enjoying this. 

Skodadad

I swear if I ever win lottery or an aunt I never knew dies and donates I want you to make me a guitar! You make me fucking sick lol.

WezV

I have destroyed my fair share of guitars over the years

I am trying the sanding technique on the ridges at the moment. Its actually working very well!!

Pics later

Andyjr1515

I use a curved scraper at this stage.  

I'm interested to see how you get on and very interested in seeing the round-bottomed planes, sanding blocks etc you are using!

Great build, by the way 

WezV

Andyjr1515;885840" said:

I use a curved scraper at this stage.  

I'm interested to see how you get on and very interested in seeing the round-bottomed planes, sanding blocks etc you are using!

Great build, by the way 

I was going to use the planes, just brass ibex ones, but they needed sharpening and I couldn't be bothered so am just about to pop outside for the second bout of sanding. good quality 60g on an orbital sander.

Its about 90% of the way there already, the sander should get it to 98%. A curved scraper will do the last of it, but not tonight. I want to avoid scraping too much of a recurve in and making it too fancy, if that makes sense

WezV

Well that didn't take long - about 1 1/2 hrs in carving this top so far, well more like 6 if you count making the contour templates - but I can re-use those.  

Still has some sanding scratches and the occasional hint of ridge line, but its starting to look proper nice

octatonic

Looking good.

GuitarMonkey

That looks brilliant.

I've had a chunk of maple and a set of templates on my bench for about a year and not found the time to carve my to yet.