Next project is a simple finishing job on this ...
... or maybe it'll be more accurate to say that it *was* a simple finishing job.
It's the one on the left, one of GSP's pieces that I recently bought from another member here
.
My original thinking was that I'd use some gold grain filler, with red stain over the top and then a few coats of oil to build up to a nice shine. Tried that on a test piece (albeit different piece of mahogany) with these results ...
... the gold filler enhanced the grain nicely, and with a few more coats of oil and some buffing work, I thought it'd probably turn out quite nicely.
*But*, that would create another red LPJr DC. We've all seen plenty of those.
Which got me thinking ...
This one is quite heavy, with all its clothes off. If I added a cap, I could chamber the body to reduce the weight, and create something that's not just another red LPJr DC.
I'm not thinking of anything too fancy or carved, but I've got a few nice-ish pieces that are sat here waiting for a suitable project to come along ...
(to show just 3 options!).
I'd remove a few mm from the thickness of the body on this one, so that the neck join angle still works, drill out some chambers, add the cap and re-find the pickup cavity and bridge holes. I might still finish the back with the red-over-gold combination, and then something suitable for whichever cap I use.
To my mind, the benefits of adding a cap are;
- I can chamber the body and lose some weight
- I can hide the neck/body join without having to use a scratchplate
- I make something a little different
The only downside being that it's no longer a traditional sort of finish for that sort of guitar.
Thoughts, oh wise ones??
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There *is* precedent for fancy tops on a DC shape:
If you're thinking of doing something similar, it can't be a completely daft idea then.
TTony what happened to the Fishman acoustasonic idea? I pulled the powerbridge from my LP if you're still interested in it. I tried heating the solder on the back, which made no difference, it's the low E & G saddle's which are lower output, if you can work some magic on it & use it I can post it to you. Now it's out of my guitar I'll never use it.
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Do you take a tad off the thickness of the back of the body or go with the extra thickness?
(You did a corking job of that les pauly one you recently revived, look forward to seeing it progress)
Those gsp jnrs are so slick I'll get one one day (or eventually make one from scratch when I'm skilled enough)
I don’t really understand how, but with lockdown and furlough and absolutely zero real work to do, I don’t seem to have had much progress on a whole long list of projects.
Will PM you re the bridge though, as that project is still going to happen, eventually!
Normally @MLten80 (having done this a few times now!), I’ll take “x”mm off the top, where x = the thickness of the cap that I’m putting on. I put it on the top rather than back so that I can chamber the body to remove some of the weight too - and cover the neck join without needing a horrible piece of plastic to do that job!
Started milling up a blank for a DC with fancy top but as there's two others coming along here and Pete's pair I reckon a re-ponder is in order.. which means more pondering tea & biscuits, so not too bad..
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And in my book, nothing at all wrong with a topped DC
Of course, I’d never admit it, but I’ve got a made Tele or two, too ...
Thanks @Andyjr1515 - I grab them when I see them and then don’t use them for years. Mark Bailey sold off some of his stock last year, and I grabbed a load, just before buying a load more from @Rabs.
Still, I reckon I’ll have used them all by 2030. ish.
Decision: I’m going to maple cap the Jr DC, once I’ve chambered it and taken 5mm off the top. Finish the top in white (Osmo) and then grain fill the back with the Crimson gold with red stain on the back & sides. Or I might use black stain over the gold - that might match better with the white top.
https://i.imgur.com/ye9nviN.jpg
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Finally got around to planing and jointing some of the Utile (similar to Limba) planks that I bought ages ago, and also put this through the planer/thicknesser ...
... that's the Idigbo that I bought at the same - ages ago - time.
It's not been treated with anything in those photos,just straight out of the thicknesser.
I'd originally planned on putting some sort of caps on this, as it didn't look much in plank form, but with the colouring and patterning that's now visible, almost flamed-like in places, I think that's going to become something with a top carved into it and then probably a simple oil finish.
It's heavy though.
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https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/CUSF5K865/Les-Paul-Special-Double-Cut-Figured-Top/Cobra-Burst
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