SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 I’ve build 10 guitars so far. All have been Super Strat or Tele Deluxe style guitars, but my favorite guitar is a Les Paul. I’ve decided to try a LP build. I’m not going for any historic type of thing. I just want a nice playable LP at the end of the journey. luckily I have a Gibson Les Paul Traditional in my arsenal so I can compare as I move along. First things first, I do know an LP build is worlds more complicated, but it’s really more my style of guitar currently vs my 80s shredder models I’ve been building. So here we go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 My first thing was to procure some mahogany. Luckily I live a few miles from a very nice lumber yard. Here are is the wood innocently sitting there in my garage not knowing the carnage that may ensue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 Next I lop off a couple of slabs to build the body blank and glue them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted May 7, 2018 Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 Let the journey begin! SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 Next, I printed off the plans I downloaded online. I compared it to my Les Paul before to make sure the dimensions were accurate. I doing this to show that you don’t need to spend money on plans or templates if your a beginner like me. The free ones work just as well. I did add a volute to the neck for my template. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 Here I have rough cut (very rough some may say) the body using the template with my band saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 I know a lot of people use the router to smooth out the body at this point, but honestly the router scares the ever living %^*# out of me. So I could’ve to sand down to the template. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 The body is now trimmed and planned flat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 Next, I worked on the control cavity, three way cavity along with the wiring route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 (edited) For the top, I’m using 1 inch thick flammed maple. It is not book matched, but I honestly don’t care. I’ve read that most early LPs weren’t. My next step was to glue up the blank. Here she is right before going into the clamps. Edited May 7, 2018 by SOLLYGTRS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 Now is a good time to talk about weight relief. I never play out anymore. I did in my younger days, but this thing will hardly move from inside my house. That being said. I didn’t weight relieve her at all. As you will see, it may be a problem later. Here the top glued and clamped to the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 After letting it dry for a day, I unclampped it and rough cut the top with the band saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 Next, I went to my trusty sander and cleaned up the edges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 Now, about this weight thing. I know I still have to carve the top and do the routing for the neck and pickups, but this seems a little heavy to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 (edited) I hope some of these pics aren’t too dark as I tend to keep the garage door closed due to the fact that my shop dog is usually helping me out. PS: Sorry for the typos. My phone has a mind of it's own. Below is Harley and my #1 getting a string change: Edited May 7, 2018 by SOLLYGTRS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Natural Posted May 7, 2018 Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 36 minutes ago, SOLLYGTRS said: Now, about this weight thing. I know I still have to carve the top and do the routing for the neck and pickups, but this seems a little heavy to me. I happen to have a les paul body in the same state as yours- and curiosity killed the cat. So- weighing it with a bathroom scale (me holding it, me not holding it- x 3 to make sure)- it weighs 7 lbs 8 oz. I built from the same woods a sister to this years ago- and if memory serves me correctly that clocked in at 9 lbs 10oz when it was finished (maple neck) There are still safe t planer marks on the top of this- so- It might need a little off the face-but in the ballpark. Which lumber yard in Atl? I used to go to McClendons on 14th street (cause he was the only guy with real hondo mahog)- peachtree(peachstate?) lumber in kennesaw for Alder- and that place over in Mableton for a variety of things- but its been a few since I have been- I am still stealing from my retirement lumber stash. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Natural Posted May 7, 2018 Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 forgot the pix 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 1 hour ago, Mr Natural said: I happen to have a les paul body in the same state as yours- and curiosity killed the cat. So- weighing it with a bathroom scale (me holding it, me not holding it- x 3 to make sure)- it weighs 7 lbs 8 oz. I built from the same woods a sister to this years ago- and if memory serves me correctly that clocked in at 9 lbs 10oz when it was finished (maple neck) There are still safe t planer marks on the top of this- so- It might need a little off the face-but in the ballpark. Which lumber yard in Atl? I used to go to McClendons on 14th street (cause he was the only guy with real hondo mahog)- peachtree(peachstate?) lumber in kennesaw for Alder- and that place over in Mableton for a variety of things- but its been a few since I have been- I am still stealing from my retirement lumber stash. I use Suwannee Lumber. So far they have never failed in having what I'm looking for. Thanks for weighing your body! That eases my concerns. My Traditional is around the 10 lbs mark. If I end up around that mark, I will have no complaints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2018 1 hour ago, Mr Natural said: forgot the pix That's a beautiful looking body! Thank you for sharing! I use a safe-T planner as well. It's certainly made my like easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2018 I began carving the body today. I used the routing templates that everyone else seems to use, but in stead of sanding, I used scrappers. It took a long time but it was enjoyable. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOLLYGTRS Posted May 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2018 Here are my current builds that I currently going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 13, 2018 Report Share Posted May 13, 2018 12 hours ago, SOLLYGTRS said: I began carving the body today. I used the routing templates that everyone else seems to use, but in stead of sanding, I used scrappers. It took a long time but it was enjoyable. That's coming on nicely. I also generally use scrapers for these kind of carves - I prefer the controllability over speed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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