1959 Les Paul Build

[Mojotron]

Originally Posted by David Collins

Looking great Gil.

Not to put the cart before the horse, but I'm curious to see if you'll be going after replicating the old tooling marks when dressing / polishing the frets.
...

I think those tooling marks are from using swinging arm fretboard sander with a stationary sanding base (instead of a belt sander) to shape the fretboard radius. Kind of like this with a stationary base instead of a moving belt:



Prior to the fret work.

[preeb]

Originally Posted by nuance97

Hi Preeb,
When you apply the glue do you spread glue on both mating surfaces or just on one?

Thanks,
Daniel

Usually both. When it's super hot it penetrates the pores but the glue surface cools down immediately, so in order to fill pores on both sides for better bonding it's better to apply both mating surfaces.

[preeb]

Originally Posted by Mojotron

I think those tooling marks are from using swinging arm fretboard sander with a stationary sanding base (instead of a belt sander) to shape the fretboard radius. Kind of like this with a stationary base instead of a moving belt:



Prior to the fret work.

Gibson designers knew better than sand shaping against the grain of rosewood... I highly doubt that option... but who knows. After hearing about the channel in the lefties anything is possible (-;

[preeb]

Originally Posted by Shepherd

1000 posts for a LP build on a Tele forum. Who whudda thought?

Yeah!!! and we also got the highest rating score... ever.
This will be a famous guitar LOL...

[drgonzo2]

Hi Gil. Another of your fascinating builds, exellently documented (as usual). A couple of thoughts for you.

The Nut. I see you're using 6-6 nylon. I read something fairly recently that said that the original nuts used in the 58-60 period was a modified nylon blend, due to the standard 6-6 mix being temperature sensitive. Iirc, the material used had a higher silica content than normal. I was wondering if you knew anything about this?

Secondly, how do you think the necks were shaped on the originals? I can't see them being hand shaped, as that would take too much time for a production instrument, but I can't see how they could be shaped by machine either...?

Cheers... G

[preeb]

Originally Posted by drgonzo2

Hi Gil. Another of your fascinating builds, exellently documented (as usual). A couple of thoughts for you.

T

Originals had either 6-6 or 4-6 Nylon nuts. Their properties are pretty much the same. Why would they worry about a temperature that will ruin the whole guitar anyway? Hide glue will melt way before the nut will (-;
My opinion is that 6-6 is the right stuff but I promise you that no one will ever know the difference between both types. Both materials are still made and available in sheets for a few cents a nut.

roughly cut on a cutter shaper and then a lot of spindle sanding. The shaper stage was only done to save "spindling" time like you said.
No two necks are alike which is a big difference from the pre-CBS Fenders where the final shape was cut on a shaper.
Truth is... it takes less than 10 minutes to roughly shape a Mahogany neck with a fast cutting Japanese file so even spindle sanding is a waste of time and effort TMHO. I really enjoyed shaping this neck and there's much less dust to collect compared to spindle sanding.

Cheers... G

^V^

[Sterling Sound]

Gil...I'm intrigued, what is that VVV codeword ?? :-)

[Shepherd]

Isn't that Mahogany dust horrible stuff? I'm just building an amp cabinet and the whole garage is red cause the dust is so fine. Reminds me of Mr. Bean painting his house by putting a big firecracker in a can of paint, lol.

[preeb]

Originally Posted by Sterling Sound

Gil...I'm intrigued, what is that VVV codeword ?? :-)

It's a mossad code I deliver through this forum. Did you really think I was actually building guitars?

[preeb]

Originally Posted by Shepherd

Isn't that Mahogany dust horrible stuff? I'm just building an amp cabinet and the whole garage is red cause the dust is so fine. Reminds me of Mr. Bean painting his house by putting a big firecracker in a can of paint, lol.

It is nothing compared to BrRW dust... it burns in the nose.
Man... this clip is hilariously funny (-;

[Sterling Sound]

Originally Posted by preeb

It's a mossad code I deliver through this forum. Did you really think I was actually building guitars?

Come on... most Israelis are in the mossad, so they would all get your code Still I think you have a credible cover job.

[ordenes10]

Hi Gil. Did you use for both binding types (ABS+Celluloid) Aceton?

Thanks and what a great guitar.

[preeb]

Originally Posted by ordenes10

Hi Gil. Did you use for both binding types (ABS+Celluloid) Aceton?

Thanks and what a great guitar.

Cellulose - Acetone mix. It's in the thread somewhere.

[preeb]

Glue is cured and clamping is removed. Lots of dripping and mess but hide glue cleans very easy. Note the little gap I mentioned earlier... looking familiar?



Made the required change to the pu rout template to allow it to ride over the fingerboard.



I left the faint line I used for the tenon/ears rout and since both templates overlap 100% I'll just use it to align the pu routs with the rest (check the template making part in the beginning of this thread).



like that

[preeb]

Clamped



Routed



Done. Note the correct 3/4" mortise corners radius that show clearly after the routing



more

[preeb]

Bridge pu cavity



more



Depth verified correct. Routing is done for this baby



I weigh it just for the record... 2.7Kg (5.94 lbs). Very light indeed.

[preeb]

I mark the input jack drill location from the template



and the drilling angle too



I'll drill a pilot hole for the large 1" forstner point to follow. Here'a a little trich to hold your guitar in place...



drilling

[preeb]

I verify the exit hole location to be correct



set the drilling speed to low



and drill away... being extra careful not to get a busted exit wound (-;



Nice and clean. Note the fine round tooling marks caused by the slow speed... just like on the old ones

[preeb]

Exit hole is very clean as well



The switch cavity is a little tricky... there's a second angled 3/4" plain around the 1/2" top drill (like on the control cavity...). This will force the switch base to sit in a correct angle to fit the maple top slope on that area. I do it with a high speed 3/4" carbide forstner bit



and the trick is to push the body down firmly with my other hand to get the correct angle (it works perfectly well...)



Like that. This is an eyeballing thing and the originals were all over the place in this regard...

[preeb]

The 1/2" is drilled square (like the pot drills). There's enough slack for the switch to get into the angled position...



like that



I now verify that the area around the switch is more or less flat