Ledzendrix1128 Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 Has anyone ever put a laminate top onto a les paul junior, and made it into a lespaul... i mean im sure theres stuff im not thinkin of.. like the neck pocket... but i just thought of this randomly.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 Has anyone ever put a laminate top onto a les paul junior, and made it into a lespaul... i mean im sure theres stuff im not thinkin of.. like the neck pocket... but i just thought of this randomly.. ← In other words, that would be like painting clothes on the statue of David... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 If you mean adding a carved maple top to an existing LP Jr, sounds like a lot of work - if you're talking about building an LP Jr wth a carved maple top added, don't they call that a PRS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 That's not a PRS. That's a Hamer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 That's not a hammer; it's an Epiphone Les Paul DC(only because of the bolt neck). Unless you do a set neck, then we can say it's like a Gibson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 Seriously, compare the silhouette of the LP Jr to the PRS Standard/Custom 22 (especially the early, pre-factory ones) - it's remarkable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 Oh, well I noticed that the first time I saw one, but I think it's only fair to say he's turning a gibson into a gibson(jr. into dc). I've always been a bit turned off by how PRS made the santana models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ledzendrix1128 Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 are epiphones supposed to have bolt on necks... cuz someone else told me that too... and everyone i know who has an epiphone is set neck. My epiphone is set neck too. And im talkin about a single cut away LP junior... the double looks like a PRS yes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Well, you'll see much more epi's w/ bolt necks than gibsons. Does gibson even have a model with a bolt neck? I don't think so. wait...there's a single cut LP Junior? That's a new one to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 wait...there's a single cut LP Junior? That's a new one to me. yes there is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 I like the flat look on the double cut...but I think a flat single cut would just look cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 (edited) LP Jr Singlecut Why would you waste the effort on a $100 guitar.....??? Like LK said just buy a PRS (or Hamer or one of the 50 other copies out there). Edited September 4, 2005 by bluespresence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 As an aside, Hamer has been building the flat top LP Special-style double cut since the late 70s. Here's a brief history. Back to you, Chet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 You see vintage '50s LP Juniors on eBay all the time. I believe they're almost all single-cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 I like the flat look on the double cut...but I think a flat single cut would just look cheap. ← yeah...they do look cheap...so do the double cuts. but i played a single cut lp jr and i have to say it was pretty sweet tonewise. very poor fret job and just a horrid finish,but it sounded great and even with the poor fret job still played pretty slick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Single cut Jr's (or specials if they have two pickups) really are awesome tonewise. Way back when, my guitar teacher had one and let me play it during one of my lessons. What a sweet chunk of wood. Amazing tone. Of course, that was solid mahagony and not "tonewood". (sounds like the mystery meat in the school cafeteria, it definitely is NOT beef LOL) Some people think that a glued on wood top inhibits resonance somewhat. I'm not sure what to believe, but if you decide to go through with this, you must realize that you will be removing the neck, shimming the existing route, and gluing the neck back in. If you are a beginner at this type of stuff, well, good luck. I'm real curous as to how you are going to get the neck out. I doubt they used glue that you could steam out. And you better make sure you get that angle right the first time when you shim it and glue it back in. You are also going to probably have to take some thickness off the body. (actually, if you took the thickness off the top, you might be able to get away with leaving the neck alone, but if you screw up, the neck is a goner). This is not a job for the faint of heart and I doubt its a job for a beginner at this kind of thing. If you were going to go to this effort, it may be better just to build from scratch and use the epi to become a better guitar player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ledzendrix1128 Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 hahaha, heck no im not doin it... my friend has an LP junior... hes getting me to install some pickups for him... and it was one of those "i wonder if..." type things. So i figured this would be the best place to find out if anyones ever done it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Well, I've read about really talented luthiers taking Gibson Historic Reissues and doing the following: * removing the fretboard and stripping the rubber coating from the truss rod (called by Les Paul afficianados a truss condom ) * removing the neck and redoing the neck angle truer to 50's specs * making the headstock slightly smaller (again to 50's specs) * recarving the top * not sure what else? (this is from a thread on the Les Paul forum I read like 2 years ago) This is pretty involved stuff and I guess that folks do this so that they own a real Gibson but to get it closer to a real burst. Its gotta be crazy expensive, because the Gibson Historics are already pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 In my opinion, the LP Jr single-cut/single P90 ranks up with the Telecaster at the very top of all time guitar design. The simplicity and sheer efficiency is just awesome. But then, I really like flattop guitars, carved guitars don't thrill me. I like the LP Jr double-cut too, though, especially in TV yellow... That Epiphone is NOT an LP Jr ---not with that humbucker (shudder)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Well, I've read about really talented luthiers taking Gibson Historic Reissues and doing the following: * removing the fretboard and stripping the rubber coating from the truss rod (called by Les Paul afficianados a truss condom ) * removing the neck and redoing the neck angle truer to 50's specs * making the headstock slightly smaller (again to 50's specs) * recarving the top * not sure what else? (this is from a thread on the Les Paul forum I read like 2 years ago) This is pretty involved stuff and I guess that folks do this so that they own a real Gibson but to get it closer to a real burst. Its gotta be crazy expensive, because the Gibson Historics are already pricey. ← That's just...stupid. I'm sorry, but it is. If you want something spec'd the way you like it, get the custom shop to do it, or build yourself one from scratch. Either's gotta be a whole lot less work (particularly the scratch building part) than modding a set neck guitar that heavily. Maybe I'm a heathen, but I really don't care how 'original' the damn thing is, as long as it's constructed well, plays well, sounds good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Yeah, and I agree. You have to remember though, that any luthier who makes Les Paul copies, is good at it, and starts to get attention, gets a visit from Gibson's legal team. Even PRS couldn't beat Gibson's legal team, how does a small time luthier even stand a chance? I'm eventually building up to build my own burst copy, but if and when I do, I won't be selling them. I don't want Gibson to take my children and home away. I also don't believe in putting other guitar companies names on guitars that I build, but I know Gibson is very, very concerned when people either copy the body design of the Les Paul too closely, or the Gibson "open book" headstock. Of course, this is only an issue in the US. It doesn't seem to be an issue anywhere else in the world. In fact, there is a Russian guitar company called Shamray that will build you a burst copy at a very reasonable price, but I digress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3Va1L Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Tonewood body = plywood for those wondering... If it's the same as a LP special anyways... My friend has an SG-Special (SG equivalent to a Special-II (LP special)) and I never have seen a less "vivid" body... It eats up all vibrations!! You're playing it and it dosen't vibrate at all. No sustain either... No need to say it sounds crappy too : / Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 Tonewood body = plywood for those wondering... no...it does not what it means is that some of them are solid mahogany,some of them are solid alder... basically they are just not garanteeing it is mahogany...for whatever reason some of the cheaper gibsons get made of alder. gibson does not use plywood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 In my opinion, the LP Jr single-cut/single P90 ranks up with the Telecaster at the very top of all time guitar design. The simplicity and sheer efficiency is just awesome. But then, I really like flattop guitars, carved guitars don't thrill me. I like the LP Jr double-cut too, though, especially in TV yellow... That Epiphone is NOT an LP Jr ---not with that humbucker (shudder)! Total punk attitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ledzendrix1128 Posted September 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 In my opinion, the LP Jr single-cut/single P90 ranks up with the Telecaster at the very top of all time guitar design. The simplicity and sheer efficiency is just awesome. But then, I really like flattop guitars, carved guitars don't thrill me. I like the LP Jr double-cut too, though, especially in TV yellow... That Epiphone is NOT an LP Jr ---not with that humbucker (shudder)! Total punk attitude. ← LOL... def... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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