1959 Les Paul Build

[preeb]

Originally Posted by whaledog

I can't wait for an archtop build!
Gil,
This has been an awesome build. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Not before mid 2011 (-;

[preeb]

Originally Posted by Scott Auld

That's just too sad for words, man. :)

Thanks again for a wonderful thread. Looking forward to the next one.

My pleasure Scott Auld (-;

[preeb]

Originally Posted by PhilCollins

Benedetto - Il Palissandro

Motivation to get started on an Archtop? Works for me...

If only the materials weren't so much more expensive than they are for an acoustic or electric

At least I'll have a good use for my figured maple stock...
BTW, if you know your way around lumber yards you can save a lot of $$$.
The woods are not *that* hard to find.
The main investment is the build time + the initial jig building and templates (like always...).

[preeb]

Originally Posted by Sterling Sound

Actually I was so impressed I looked Marc up on internet... His Les Paul custom shop is for sale since last week. What a strange coincidence .

Gil can you translate what he is saying to you in between the playing?

Of course... Sorry... I thought you all know Hebrew by now... (-;
Here's the translation...


At 00:48 -

Marc: "This is too funny... we need to do this like the last time... with all the shouting in the background and with my accent..."

Gil: "... and with the phone ringing.."

Mark: "Laugh... yeah... with the phone ringing... it was great"

Gil: "Yeah..."

Mark: "Brother... everybody had a great laugh at that video.... even my mom.. she saw it in Marocco... "

Gil: "aha... it was funny..."


Referring to this video when he came to pickup his new strat...





At 01:07 -

Marc: "Wow... This guitar... what a trip"



At 02:21 -

Marc: "... hmmm Why am I playing this ?!? "

Gil: "You should try the other pu positions... "



At 03:31 -

Marc: Mumbling something I can't understand... he can't understand it either probably...



At 05:42 -

Yuli (my little one): " mwaaaa haaaa haaaa" (crying in Hebrew after her sister smashed her head against the wall or something like that... )

Teoni (My wife): "I'm going to break their bones.. you know... it's impossible..." (If you're married with kids you've been there... If you're not don't do it)

Mark : "?"

Gil: "Relax... don't worry about it..."

Mark: "Laugh... You don't give a sh_t at all huh....?"

[mlp-mx6]

He's a great player, and the guitar sounds amazing. That video KILLS my ears, though, because the high-E is flat. It needed to be tuned!!!

[preeb]

Originally Posted by schoeftinger

Thanks!

Slugs, magnets, poles and keeper are special ordered to my specs.
Wire is old (not 50's or 60's...) type with the thinner insulation (about half!)
Base plates are from Mojo - they are good enough to save me the trouble of special ordering this complicated part...

The modern kits are great. If you're looking to get a good modern sounding pu they are all excellent but if you want to replicate a good PAF tone, unfortunately, it's a whole different story. I don't wish to get into the small details at that time but I can tell you one thing, get a good sounding PAF and investigate it slowly, patiently and carefully. That's the only way to do it.... and when you'll start dreaming about PAF parts at night... it would be a good sign (-;

Thanks,
-Tom

VVK

[preeb]

Originally Posted by mlp-mx6

He's a great player, and the guitar sounds amazing. That video KILLS my ears, though, because the high-E is flat. It needed to be tuned!!!

Hold on a second, I'll tune it real quick (-;

[martin manning]

Gil, I'd like to add my sincere thanks. The generosity you've shown in taking the time to document and explain your work here is astounding, and I'm truly humbled by your going the extra mile in graciously answering so many questions, be they uninformed, esoteric, or outrageous. It's a beautiful result all around.

Cheers,

Martin Manning

[sproing]

Very good work preeb, been watching since the begining of the build and checking almost daily.

Keep it up!

edit: typo,

[dietrichluthier]

Originally Posted by preeb

Hold on a second, I'll tune it real quick (-;

Originally Posted by preeb

VVK

The modern kits are great. If you're looking to get a good modern sounding pu they are all excellent but if you want to replicate a good PAF tone, unfortunately, it's a whole different story. I don't wish to get into the small details at that time but I can tell you one thing, get a good sounding PAF and investigate it slowly, patiently and carefully. That's the only way to do it.... and when you'll start dreaming about PAF parts at night... it would be a good sign


is happening to me

[Viqbang]

I'm woefully behind in this thread...but this photo brought back so many wonderful memories that I felt it had to be reposted.

[Jimijazz]

Wow! This build has been amazing and the guitar is phenomenal! At first I thought the colour was too intense, but after you hit it with the UV, it looks close to perfect. I never knew they faded so fast though.

[BluesHound]

Been away for a few days, so I've just been playing catch up with the tail end of the build. I'm absolutely gobsmacked, this build has to be the most incredible guitar related thing I've ever seen. I've chipped in with a few comments earlier, but seeing (and hearing) the finished result, I just can't put it into words.............

So I'd just better say THANK YOU GIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And even though you denied it earlier, I really do think that the title of true genius is applicable.

Thanks again.

[Moggl]

Another great build comes to its inevitable end, and again: Thank you, Gil!

[alexands]

stunned! stunned is all I can say to sum up how I feel. You are an amazing artist.

will you ever sell your pickups? I doubt I could afford one of you beautiful guitars but I might be able to afford the pickups.

I think my wife was worried last night that I was going to sell the baby to raise the money to buy one of your guitars.

Thanks so much for you time and teachings.

[greeny]

Gil, thanks for the blood, sweat, tears, love and understanding you have put into this build, amazing to witness.
I was just wondering how close Tom Bartletts plans are to your blueprints? I know the neck and pickup plane differ but what about plan view body shape profile? are they at all similar or just larger?
all the best.Thanks man.

[Sterling Sound]

Originally Posted by preeb

Of course... Sorry... I thought you all know Hebrew by now... (-;
Here's the translation...


At 00:48 -

Marc: "This is too funny... we need to do this like the last time... with all the shouting in the background and with my accent..."

Gil: "... and with the phone ringing.."

Mark: "Laugh... yeah... with the phone ringing... it was great"

Gil: "Yeah..."

Mark: "Brother... everybody had a great laugh at that video.... even my mom.. she saw it in Marocco... "

Gil: "aha... it was funny..."


Referring to this video when he came to pickup his new strat...





At 01:07 -

Marc: "Wow... This guitar... what a trip"



At 02:21 -

Marc: "... hmmm Why am I playing this ?!? "

Gil: "You should try the other pu positions... "



At 03:31 -

Marc: Mumbling something I can't understand... he can't understand it either probably...



At 05:42 -

Yuli (my little one): " mwaaaa haaaa haaaa" (crying in Hebrew after her sister smashed her head against the wall or something like that... )

Teoni (My wife): "I'm going to break their bones.. you know... it's impossible..." (If you're married with kids you've been there... If you're not don't do it)

Mark : "?"

Gil: "Relax... don't worry about it..."

Mark: "Laugh... You don't give a sh_t at all huh....?"

Too funny!

[preeb]

Shipped this morning... last photo in her heavy duty brown wooden case. I wish I could use the correct Lifton Cali-Girl, but obviously it can't be used for shipping (to say the least...) since it hardly got any padding and support.

[doncha_magoso]

I wish i could do something like that sometime :D that's a realy beauty :)

[mattij]

Found this thread today and read it with most eager interest! Most inspiring and stunning project, to say the least! Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm and knowledge with us. I'm about to begin my third guitar project, and your methods and attitude have changed my thoughts and attitude about luthiering. Thank you for the inspiration.

- Matti