prost893 Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 OK I decided for my first project that assembly would be better that full scratch so I can gain some experience. I have always wanted a Les Paul but my hands just don't fit on on a 24.75 scale. So I turned to warmoth and got a nice body with figued top and a 25.5 neck with ebony FB, inlays, binding, and quilt veneer. I have attached a pic below ( I thnk my kitten liked the LP also! ). I have read several books, hysock and others, and still had a few questions that I am hoping to clarify. 1. Cutting the nut properly. I have thought about this a great deal over the last week. It seems I need to do things in a set order to get this right. I am hoping to get approval or corrections on this procedure. These steps are all prior to applying any finish. I will disassemble after these tasks and finish. First, since the bridge studs are already installed, put the TOM and STP in place. Second align the tuning keys with a level and mount them in the head stock. Third screw the neck in place and check alignment. Fourth is sting up the E strings to verify in the neck is in straight. Fifth is place the nut and mark the outer strings. I have the stew mac string spacing template so I'll be using that to mark all the strings. Sixth if everything looks good drill the neck holes and mount the neck in place. Then cut nut slots as usual. Once I have all of that sorted out I will disassemble for finishing. 2. Body countouring by hand. I want to make a contour in the lower cut out similar to a PRS single cut. This clearly involves shaving back some of the wood on the top edge of the body in the cutout. My question is what is the best tool to start removing the wood? I am guessing a round file followed by finer files followed by hand sanding. 3. Mahogany grain filling. the pores in the body and neck woods seem to be pretty open. Do I need to ues some epoxy to fill this grain or can I just start out with something like the reranch oil based grain filler? I will be using dye on the top with natural binding and nitro finish. I will add color to the laquer when spraying the back of the body and neck. That's all the quetions for now. Thanks for reading my long quetions. All help is appreciated. Thanks Wes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 DANGER WILL ROBINSON If the TOM was already drilled for, grab a tap measure and check that the distance from the nut to the TOM is 25.5". If it's not then you're going to be screwed, I have a funny feeling that it won't be. If this is the case then either the body or the neck have to be changed. Definately don't drill any holes until you've checked. In answer to quuestion 2, I'd have a look if that's a vaneer or a cap on top, If it's a vaneer then boy you be screwed again. You can still carve it if you want but in my opinion it would jus look plain wired if you wnet through the vaneer. As for the tiols, that is what I would use, but I wouldn't start with a very rough file as you might tear some grain off and on a virtually finish guitar, that would just be an arse ache. In answer to question 3, I have no idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerryL Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Prost, IMO, Don't touch a file or cutaway any material on the top. Being a laminated top, I think you'd regret it later, when you cut thru that beautiful maple cap. Like Hotrock Said, Check your measurments on the bridge placement to see that it's 25.5" from nut to bridge center. I thought Warmoth actually drilled the neck holes when they made bodies. IF the neck has holes already find some small dowel centers and put those in the neck holes and give it a small tap and that will give you the hole placement. I cut the heads off nails and wrapped them with tape and put those in the holes, In place of dowel centers. It depends what kind of finish your putting on it. If you use a oil based finish, Use an Oil based Paste wood Filler. If you use Water based Finish, Use water based paste wood filler. You won't have to do that to the top because it's Maple and closed Grained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prost893 Posted November 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 If the TOM was already drilled for, grab a tap measure and check that the distance from the nut to the TOM is 25.5". If it's not then you're going to be screwed, I have a funny feeling that it won't be. No it's correct. I don't think they could stay in business without getting the scale length right on an order. Their standard is 25.5. If you want 24.75 you have to order it that way. Also that top is a cap not a veneer. It goes all the way down to the mahogany. I guess when you write things on a post they make perfect sense to you but they sure aren't that clear to the readers. The body and neck are already drilled. I guess I shouldn't have added the part about drilling. I just wanted to make sure I use the correct procedure and be careful to line everything up before I commit to screwing down. Thanks for the replies so far and keep them coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Well, time to break out some powertools then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prost893 Posted November 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Thanks for the replies. Bump up for more applicable advice. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_ed Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Howdy Wes, I have done 2, count 'em TWO, whole arm rest cuts. But I used a Sureform tool to start, and then went straight to 80 grit sand paper on a power sander. But I found this to be a very efficient method. Guitar Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prost893 Posted November 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Thanks for that input Guitar Ed. I'll certainly practice on scrap with that method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cracked Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Hey Prost, is the neck pocket angled? Since you're using the TOM, you might want to look into that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prost893 Posted November 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 Hey Prost, is the neck pocket angled? Since you're using the TOM, you might want to look into that. Yup it is carverd correctly already. Warmoth do all of their LP Carve top bodies with the correct neck angle when they set it up for TOM. Thanks for that reminder since it is very important. I was thrilled that the neck attached flawlessly and lined up beautifully with the E strings. I am now waiting on a few tools and a nut from Stew Mac. I ordered a Tusq nut from Warmoth but the neck is about 1/16 wider than the nut. Not a big deal but I didn't like the look so I ordered a blank from Stewmac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 prost, nice body, how much does it weigh? Is it on the lighter side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prost893 Posted November 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 prost, nice body, how much does it weigh? Is it on the lighter side? Thanks javacady. I am very impressed with the figuring and the quality of the top. It is a one piece mahogany back. The only thing that surprised me a little is they routed into the underside of the maple cap in the control cavity so that the top is only 1/4" think there. I would rather they they had not done that so I could really recess the knobs but I never thought to ask about that when I ordered. I seem to think the body is about 5 1/2 pounds but I will double check when I get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 Getting to be an awful lot of Wes's around here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prost893 Posted November 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2004 Getting to be an awful lot of Wes's around here! Rock on Wes! Wes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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