Students first LP from-scratch build

[cc2003btw]

Hi guys, sorry if this is in the wrong place or whatever, i'm new to this place.

I'm at school, and for my D.T. project i'm ding a guitar, and need some help, as it's my first 'from scratch' build (previously i've put necks and bodies and done a bit of wiring).

I'm building an electric guitar, solid body, and jut need a few pointers. Tools arent a problem, as the school has most stuff.

I firstly wondered if there were any blueprints on here, in particular for a les paul, as the neck will be glued, and i generally prefer the sound.

Secondly, what woods can i use. We have a good supply of mahogony for the body, which i gladly accepted, my real problems start at the neck, and fingerboard. The school has beech, and a few manufactured woods, ply, MDF etc. So what can i use for that.

Thank you for any help, really appreciate it.

cc2003btw

[ToneMonkey]

For your plans go and have a look at www.guitarbuild.com They also have some very good plans over at MIMF (www.mimf.com) but I can never seem to find them.

LP's are mahogany with a maple cap (there probably are exceptions to this).

I think that they also had mahogany necks (althoug I'm using maple for mine)

As for the manufactured woods (ply, mdf etc) - leave those for templates.

I would highly advise you to get hold of Melvin Hiscocks book, Build Your Own Electric Guitar as it's easy to follow and will have all the information that you need. The chances are that you can get it from the library (that's where I first got it from and it's what got me hooked on building guitars).

Good luck with the build

Kaj

PS. Where you based?

[RGGR]

Do search on this site for les Paul.......some great built examples will pop up.

All info you need will be in them.

So search on this site first and spend night or two reading.

Enjoy:

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...wtopic=8792&hl=

Good luck.

Edited January 10, 2005 by RGGR

[erikbojerik]

Traditionally the LP necks are mahogany with ebony fretboard. Both the maple cap on the body and th ebony fretboard help to add some brightness and attack to what would otherwise be a fairly warm, rounded tone.

For ebony, you can either get pre-slotted fretboards from Stewmac or even a blank one to saw yourself (if a pre-slotted board would violate the rules of your proj or something...).

[Supernova9]

If you don't want to shell out for a maple top (Even though Craft Supplies can get ya one for around £20), then you could modify your design slight and make it an LP Special, they didn't use a maple cap, just solid mahogany.

As said earlier, mahogany can also be used for the neck, and ebony fingerboards can be had from Touchstone Tonewoods for less than £6 each, so we're not talking major money for those.

Manufactured boards are only really good for templates when it comes to guitars.

[cc2003btw]

Thanks a lot for the replies, i need all the help i can get, tone monkey, im in south west England (UK), and again, thanks, im able to access the internet from school, so i'll post images of the project on here sometime.

cc2003btw

[ToneMonkey]

Just off the top of my head, I think that Touchstone Tonewoods is your closest place to get supplies from. They have good stuff but they're a bit pricey. I think David Dyke is down your direction too, but they are pricey (but you get what you pay for and they do good stuff).

If you're short of funds, you can always butcher a knackered guitar of all it's bits.

Good luck and definately go to the libary and order that book. It'll help more than you realise

[cc2003btw]

Just off the top of my head, I think that Touchstone Tonewoods is your closest place to get supplies from.  They have good stuff but they're a bit pricey.  I think David Dyke is down your direction too, but they are pricey (but you get what you pay for and they do good stuff).

If you're short of funds, you can always butcher a knackered guitar of all it's bits.

Good luck and definately go to the libary and order that book.  It'll help more than you realise 

Thanks, any chance of some links to them.

I also wanted to ask about neck construction. I can go two ways with the options of neck strength, both possible, although i didnt believe one at first, but my teacher is friends with a luthier, so i'll believe him. 1. obviously, a truss rod down the neck, fingerboard on top.

2. My other option was to have i straight piece of ply through the whole guitar, neck into body, i wasnt sure, and im still not, but if someone could clarify that, that'd be great

cheers

cc2003btw

Edited January 10, 2005 by cc2003btw

[ToneMonkey]

I take it you mean a neck through (and you'll need a truss rod, however you decide to do it).

All answered in the book

[cc2003btw]

lol, sorry if it was unclear, it confused me as well, thanks anyway, got those links?

[Supernova9]

Thanks, any chance of some links to them.

I also wanted to ask about neck construction. I can go two ways with the options of neck strength, both possible, although i didnt believe one at first, but my teacher is friends with a luthier, so i'll believe him. 1. obviously, a truss rod down the neck, fingerboard on top.

2. My other option was to have i straight piece of ply through the whole guitar, neck into body, i wasnt sure, and im still not, but if someone could clarify that, that'd be great

cheers

cc2003btw

Touchstone Tonewoods - www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk

Craft-Supplies - www.craft-supplies.co.uk (If you go to this site, look at the SoundWood Catalogue, it's where the luthiery stuff is).

If you're SW England (Devon/Bristol way?), I'm not thinking Touchstone are very close to you to be honest, they're in Reigate, which is outskirts of London.

Craft Supplies are cheaper than David Dyke and Touchstone (especially if it comes to body blanks)

Hit your parents up for cash, this one's educational

Edited January 10, 2005 by Supernova9

[cc2003btw]

Hit your parents up for cash, this one's educational

that might be an idea, they might be me some of it for my birthday if i ask, a lot of it was cheaper than i expected, Ebony fingerboard, pre slotted for example, £13, classic :D

[Devon Headen]

If you're SW England (Devon/Bristol way?)

Hey, that's me . If you can get more mahogany where you got the body blank, that's probably your best bet for the neck. That's what LP's necks are anyway.

[Supernova9]

Hit your parents up for cash, this one's educational 

that might be an idea, they might be me some of it for my birthday if i ask, a lot of it was cheaper than i expected, Ebony fingerboard, pre slotted for example, £13, classic :D

Just make sure if you're getting a pre-slotted board that it's for the correct scale length (my first purchase was such a rush I ended up with a 25.5" board for a les paul. Whoops!)

[Setch]

Just to correct an earlier comment, Les Pauls traditionally have Rosewood fretboards. Customs have ebony boards, but Standards have always used Rosewood. I think the RW balances the brightness introudced by the thick maple top. I also think RW is a much more forgiving wood for a first fretjob.