1959 Les Paul Standard Templates

[la9]

I'm thinking about getting a set of 1959 les paul router templates.

I was wondering if anyone could explain to me how to use the templates to get the proper neck angle. I'm am talking about the neck pocket, really any information fitting the neck to body would be helpful.

What is the body thickness ?

Anyone have a good website for dimensions ?

Thanks,

Rod

[Setch]

The easiest way is to plane the neck angle into the maple top, then use this as the base for routing the neck pocket. This means your pocket is angled without any need to shim templates, or set up a routing jig.

[Mickguard]

Well, he's talking about a Les Paul remake which probably has a carved top...but suppose you want a flattop guitar and you like that little bit of angled neck sticking up? (well, I can't say I LIKE it, just that it doesn't bother me--as long as I can keep the flattop look)

Does it make sense to prepare an angled base that you can place over the neck pocket area?

I'm getting ready to do my first angled neck, so this is a interesting thread for me too.

[erikbojerik]

Check out Setch's thread on his last LP build, it will tell you all you need to know.

In short, the area on the body where the mortise & tenon joint lies should be flat, at an angle that will fit the height of your bridge (search on "neck angle"). Like Setch said, this area can be planed into the top before or after you glue it to the mahogany body. The carve happens elsewhere on the body.

There are templates available, but they do not help you with the neck angle, as this depends entirely on your choice of bridge. You need to learn how to calculate this before cutting any wood.

[la9]

OK, is there a list somewhere or should we create a faq that says a Gibson fixed bridge requires a 4 1/2 degree angle. A strat fixed bridge requires no angle.

Is it different on every guitar depending on final fretboard and fret height ?

Should the fretboard be a different final height above different bridges ?

Do you calculate your best before you start and some guitars turn out better than others. Meaning they are all close but you won't be perfect every time.

Edited January 14, 2006 by la9

[Supernova9]

OK, is there a list somewhere or should we create a faq that says a Gibson fixed bridge requires a 4 1/2 degree angle. A strat fixed bridge requires no angle.

Is it different on every guitar depending on final fretboard and fret height ?

Should the fretboard be a different final height above different bridges ?

Do you calculate your best before you start and some guitars turn out better than others. Meaning they are all close but you won't be perfect every time.

It's different depending on the height of the bridge, the height of the frets and fretboard above the body, over the scale length involved.

[erikbojerik]

Is it different on every guitar depending on final fretboard and fret height ?

Should the fretboard be a different final height above different bridges ?

Do you calculate your best before you start and some guitars turn out better than others. Meaning they are all close but you won't be perfect every time.

Yes (x3). The first thing to do is to choose your bridge and scale length, and most everything else drops out from there. Draw it all out on a CAD-like program...or if you go from blueprints, make sure your bridge choice matches the measurements on the plans.

With everything drawn out, you will know the neck angle (if needed), you'll know how thick your fretboard needs to be, etc. If you don't draw it out you'll have some surprises during the build...some you'll be able to deal with, some you can do over...the point of drawing it all out is to avoid the fatal ones.

[la9]

How about throwing this subject off a a little bit.

I have a Jackson Fusion Pro I really like but I'd like it a lot better if it had neck thru construction for more sustain(thinking maple neck Mahogany wings or all mahogany), ebonyand bound fretboard, big mother of pearl inlays and I'd like to try a neck angle.

I also don't care to much about the tremolo bar.

It has a the short 24 3/4" scale and jumbo frets. 1 3/4" nut.

I was thinking about going with the gibson bridge but it only comes in 12" radius. I kinda like the 16" radius. It also has the strat style body so I don't know how it would look with a gibson bridge. I'm not too partial on fender bridges.

I'm also thinking of only going with one humbucker.

I kinda like the idea of doing most of it with hand tools, planes, is that crazy ?

Should I start a new thread since this guitar I really like is completely different from a 59 les paul ?

Edited January 14, 2006 by la9

[Mickguard]

Should I start a new thread since this guitar I really like is completely different from a 59 les paul ?

Just to ask the same question? I don't think the answer will change.