gosh

Ahhh.

Sorry for my misreading that.

Gotcha. I'll take a look at the web link you posted and If I can get it here in britain or at least contact them to see if they ship or at least tell me an equivalent, I'll follow your advice. Thank you friend. Much appreciated.

Paul

your best alternative would probably to get some kind of oil-based stain like minwax, and search for a mahogany colour that matches your mahogany wood most, and make sure to use some pre-stain wood conditioner so it doesn't get blotchy spots. If the maple neck is already finished with a clearcoating then i would suggest you sand it off.

test it on some scrap maple? or a non-visible spot on the neck, if the stain is too dark then dilute it slightly with some thinner, i guess. if its too light then i guess you could try multiple stain coats.

hope that helps. lol

Thanks for your reply.

Both the body and the neck are currently in the raw state with no finish at all of any kind. I'm still working on both of them.

BUT, when i'm finished and put it together, i need them to be closer in colour, if not identical BEFORE I start applying colour and finish.

Your suggestion of a stain like miniwax, worries me because of the word "WAX" i think. Surely that would react with anything I try to paint over the top of it?? Like the colour coat and lacquers? That's why I wondered if there was any water based colouring dye to match a mahogany colour. I might also require a supplier in the UK as shipping materials like this is a problem for some suppliers these days.

Of course, you are right, I have two necks, one to try tests on and i can even use my actual neck in places like the tenon for testing. Good idea.

Any further thoughts from guys who are experienced at this kind of problem would be great.

http://bp2.blogger.com/_3Z2Az_8GYNs/Ry310G...-h/IMG_1309.JPG

As previously mentioned, I'm building a replica 59 LP.

We've already established that the neck I have is Maple and the body is Mahogany. A 59 would have been built using a Mahogany neck too. Both coloured red on the back before the top clear coats.

My question is, As MY neck is lighter than the body, I need to have them as close in colour as possible BEFORE the colour is applied and the top clear coats. So I'm pretty sure the neck will have to be painted with wood dye? before anything else to get the two closer.

What is the best advice I can get to make my neck match the mahogany body?

I'm thinking I'll have to apply some mahogany coloured wood dye and try to get as close as possible. Water based dye? Any other method? I'm clueless as to achieve what I'm after.

Here's a model similar to what I'm building and you can clearly see the neck and body match:

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/lpsun.html

I need to get my two pieces of different woods to look the same before finishing.

Any help at all would be great.

Thank you.

Well I agree with others in this thread. I'd definitely get a nice veneer that either compliments the colour of the guitar, fingerboard and body OR is a nice contrast and then add it to the headstock.

Good luck mate.

Ok. Any trick for glueing on a carved piece of wood? I can use clamps, but you want to be sure the veneer is in contact with the headstock on the entire surface.

Why not make a template of the headstock shape out of MDF, apply the veneer, pop the template over the top to make a sandwich and clamp it all tight? That's assuming your headstock surface is flat. Should work fine.

hi i have a les paul dounle cut body with a 25.5 scale, the bridge pickup cavity is already routed in the correct position. My question is if i wanted to add a neck position pickup cavity how far should the the 2 cavities be spaced apart?

thanks,

Adam

http://bp2.blogger.com/_3Z2Az_8GYNs/Ry3zDG...-h/IMG_1323.JPG

I have all the correct measurements from original plans if you need them. Let me know.

The cavities are not measured 'apart' from each other, they are measured from a set position starting from the top of the body. But someone here has already answered correctly. With the surround in place, there is a 1mm gap between IT and the end of the fingerboard.

http://www.beardguitars.com/Merchant2/merc...tegory_Code=BGK

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rosewood-headstock-v...7QQcmdZViewItem

?SNIP<

PS: Do NOT, under any circumstances use filler. It isn't strong enough and over time, your neck will go wobbly.

Gosh,

and your suggestion for using dowels is what? Dowels will leave him with ENDGRAIN. Just about as useless as filler. Use PLUGS cut correctly( straight not tapered) and glued correctly and it will work.

Just my 02 cents.

MK

Wow, people do get tetchy and sensitive on here don't they? I think I should look for some place a little more welcoming. I'm not keen on the one-upmanship, see who's smartest thing. I thought people here were supposed to help one another. That's what I tried to do. So I made a mistake by mentioning measurements because I was sat at work. The basic principle of my suggestion was sound and was a solution. But I've been attacked now by three people on details. I said nothing about end grain or cutting tapers. Oh I give up. Have a great time between yourselves.

I see you all stick together and this is no place for newbies. Fine. Lucky I didn't hit that "Donate" button yet.

The 4 holes drilled in the neck are too big for the Fender screws. I do not want to drill out the P-bass body to accommodate the larger screws.

You quoted it,why do you not understand it?

With all due respect to your many many posts, moderator status and presumably, good guitar building skills....

I understand it PERFECTLY!!

He says:

The 4 holes drilled in the neck are too big for the Fender screws.

So he clearly wishes to retain the fender screws.

He says:

I do not want to drill out the P-bass body to accommodate the larger screws

So your suggestion won't work as doesn't want to drill out his existing body to use those huge allen type heads

You started your post in this thread with the words "Better yet". But your answer was neither better or an answer to the problem.

I'm not claiming mine is perfect, but at least I'm not just trying to cause an argument or be discourteous.

The 4 holes drilled in the neck are too big for the Fender screws. I do not want to drill out the P-bass body to accommodate the larger screws.

Better yet,buy some inserts for the neck and drill them out larger,then you will have a better connection anyway.

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts....On+Neck+Inserts

I purposely didn't suggest that because he stated that he wished to keep the current, original fender screws.

Like this:

Hey hey.. My first post. I'm a Bass player of 25 years and always just paid someone to do the work on my guitars but I am interested in doing more mods myself.

I did a search and could not find what I needed. I bought a used J-style neck as a temporary replacement for my 78 P-bass. The 4 holes drilled in the neck are too big for the Fender screws. I do not want to drill out the P-bass body to accommodate the larger screws. Can sombody recommend a wood filler or epoxy that I can use to fill the holes on the neck? Is there better solution (without modifiying the P-bass)?

My other option is to forget it (as the neck was very inexpensive) and just buy a cheap Squire body that I could (in good conscience - lol) modify and build out another bass.

Any info/insight would be great.

Gman-29

Some pictures would be helpfull, but here's what I would do based on what you have told us so far.

Get some hard wood dowel and cut to slightly overlenght the depth of the neck joint.

Using a bench drill, re-drill the holes wider to accept the dowels.

glue and tap in the dowel pegs.

when dry, sand the dowels flush and paint, laquer, finish. (whatever)

Re-drill the much smaller holes to accept your original screws.

If possible, your new dowels need to be MUCH wider than the current holes. So if the holes are now, say 3mm, then the dowels should be around 10mm

you get the drift?

hope that helps.

PS: Do NOT, under any circumstances use filler. It isn't strong enough and over time, your neck will go wobbly.

It has come to my attention that copies of my book are being made available as an e-book.

Some people may not see why this is an issue but let me explain.

There were no books available when I learned to make guitars and so I had to learn the hard way. I have spent huge amounts of money learning to do what I do and the results were published first in 1986. It first came out on Blandford Press in 1986 and my yearly royalty was not enough to buy a decent guitar and was never more than £1,000 despite the book selling in huge numbers. I have also answered hundreds, if not thousands, of questions from people who have read the book and none of that time was paid for by anyone other than me. However, I do this happily as I can remember when I was in exactly the same position but with no one to ask.

In 1998 the current edition came out and I am the publisher. For me to set this up I had to get a major loan and put my house as security. I have so far spent several years actually working on the book, invested a huge amount of money and my returns are still not exactly huge. I have considered selling NBS Publications a few times as it is not a profitable business. I am now having to invest money again (money I don't have and have to borrow) to build the company up. There will be some more books out on NBS Publications next year but in the meantime I am having to work very long hours which I am not, at the moment, getting paid for.

Make Your Own Electric Guitar costs about the same as a pretty average guitar pickup. If you are going to make a guitar it is about the cheapest part of the whole process, and the cost of the book has not gone up since it was released. All the increases in paper costs, transport (which I have to cover for trade orders) and storage have all been absorbed by me. It also has thirty years of my life, from learning what I do to te present, wrapped up in it and all the information you need to stop you making some of the mistakes I did in my early years, each one of which will have cost you more than the cost of the book. If you do not think that an investment like that deserves the small return I get then you are not living in the real world.

E-copies are illegal and I will take action against anyone selling or offering them. They are a breach of copyright which is covered in most countries.

If you have any information on copies that may be for sale please do not hesitate to contact me with the details.

Melvyn Hiscock

melvyn@melvynhiscock.com

I'm very sorry to hear that Sir.

I will certainly keep my eyes open for you too and report here. Part of my day job invovles copyright, so I know where you are coming from.

By the way, I just ordered and OFFICIAL copy a few days ago. Can't wait to read it. THANK YOU for putting it together.

All the best, Paul

Krevazingo(otherwise known as bubinga)

He's right you know!

It comes from Africa mostly.

http://www.bunnybass.com/e-zine/wood/bubinga/bubinga.shtml

Hello eyeryone , I want to DIY a Les Paul style guitar ,but I have no Les Paul CAD drawing of body shapes. Who can give me a CAD drawing ?Thank you very much.

There are a lot of places that sell them. Including Ebay.

However, if your budget is so tight you are restricted to getting them for free, you may struggle to complete your project. It's not going to be cheap.

Congratulations. You chose a beautiful name for her.

A Gibson - as the top logo, exactly as is but with the letter 'A' added

By Paul - where it would normally say 'Les Paul' in the same scripty lettering.

Waddaya think?

Yeah, that's the idea... I remember seeing a photo of someone's Strat...he used the Fender logo, but drew on "Not a " in front of that...it looked pretty cool. Also do a search for the Jellycaster, if the photos are still up...

LOL. That's very cool. Thanks for the heads up mate

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/logo.htm

Which refreshed my memories of these:

I'd love to have one of those.

Thanks.

So I am building a Les Paul Project. I am used to strats / fenders. What are the good pickups for gibsons. I play mostly Jazz, blues, rock. I would like something either versatile or something very unique and nice sound. Whats the best guys? Any sound clips?

Thanks!

For me, it HAS to be Burstbuckers. That would suit the sound you want perfectly.

http://www.gibson.com/whatsnew/pressrelease/2002/jan4b.html

There are loads of people selling them now:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--GIBAIM57ANH

http://www.stevesmusiccenter.com/GibsonPUPBurstBucker.html

Hey, thanks for the comments buddy. I appreciate your note about the headstock. That's worth thinking about.

My day job is Graphic Design, so maybe I can come up with something groovy for the head logo instead. I'll certainly think about it.

It's kind of frowned upon here, using a company's logo for your own build.

On the other hand, since you already bought the headplate, there are plenty of ways of making it your own --you could alter one or more letters (looks like MOP inlay, shouldn't be too hard to match that).

Or add in something that will make it perfectly obvious and at first glance that it's a fake (or hommage, as you prefer!)

Now you have my creative juices flowing...what about...

A Gibson - as the top logo, exactly as is but with the letter 'A' added

By Paul - where it would normally say 'Les Paul' in the same scripty lettering.

Waddaya think?

Zakk wylde's signature Les Pauls have maple necks. they look like this

Looks nice. But I would cover up my lovely maple top wouldn't I?

Very cool guitar though.

if they are maple necks it might be worth considering a bullseye graphic

You mean like the old Mod thing? Can you explain?

Hey, thanks for the comments buddy. I appreciate your note about the headstock. That's worth thinking about.

My day job is Graphic Design, so maybe I can come up with something groovy for the head logo instead. I'll certainly think about it.

And yes, you are right about the necks. I just got back from talking to a guy who makes and repairs instruments near where I work. He told me both necks are indeed Maple and I didn't even notice the "ears" on the head were extra bits stuck on. But they are 3 pieces. There is also a Rosewood strip covering the truss rod.

Although he obviously couldn't say for sure they are genuine, his advice was that because of the way they have been manufactured, it appears to look like a professional job and something that was created en mass. He reckons they will be fine and the wood is top quality. The general opinion seems to be they are Gibson necks. As both sellers, individually assured me they were.

Thanks again all.

Looks great, dude. The blog looks professional!

I'm curious as to what those necks are made out of. I agree that they look lighter than any mahogany I've seen (though I've only used about three or four different pieces.) But even in the pieces I've seen, there's a range of color, from a very light brown to a brownish-pink. But the pores of mahogany are pretty distinctive I think, and I don't see them in the close-up of the one neck.

Not to put a damper on it... but you may want to make sure the necks are made from acceptable wood before you invest your time and energy (and emotion!) in building it. It would be heartbreaking to have the necks warp beyond repair after you finish an otherwise beautiful guitar.

Tell you what, we have a luthier near to where I work. I'll take them both in with me and ask him to verify the wood for me. I'm no expert on these things but he will know.

Hey that's great! I've already sent his an email... his Les Paul plans look great.

Those are the ones I'm using to build mine.

Good luck friend.

http://59gibsonlespaul.blogspot.com/