ANd we can thank China for manufacturing real 50’s style celluloid...scratch n sniff the camphor.
1959 Les Paul Junior Build
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- GrantB
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- meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- jeremyb
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
And that to me is the key right, this will rock hard!
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
- GrantB
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
Complete...notes to follow massive photo dump.
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"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- GrantB
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
So, how does it sound? It's impossible to be objective...but I think it sounds fricken' amazing! Airy, chimey, huge sustain and overtones.
How does it play? Smooth as. Neck is just right and the rounded edges on the f/board were worth getting perfect. Big frets don't feel big.
F/ups - always need to share these to help others in their own mission.
- Tuners are 3mm too low on the pegged. Why? Because I used three reference points - R9, '62 LP Jr and paper plans. The paper plans I used for the headstock and they were wrong. BIG learning on this whole project - just measure an original guitar and use that...the internet is full of shitty work and in more than one occasion (fret!!!) I was led down the wrong path.
Does the tuner position matter? Nope. Is it noticeable? Not really. But the learning is very valuable.
- Making nitro nice and hard has its drawbacks - see close up of tuner above...crakced the surrounding lacquer. Upside is, this is going to do the mild ageing real nicely.
- Neck angle - exactly where I wanted it to be but far out...I cut it very fine. I suggest maybe going for that extra 1 degree to give you options.
- Grain fill - I was lazier than I should have been. Suggest the following for TV Yellow. Make the base coat of white a little thicker than a brief pass. Not enough to fill any pores, but thick enough to withstand a little sanding. Then, grain fill more than once and sand it back...I paid for it in time spent wet sanding, instead of mowing lawns yesterday.
Cool non-F/U's next post....
How does it play? Smooth as. Neck is just right and the rounded edges on the f/board were worth getting perfect. Big frets don't feel big.
F/ups - always need to share these to help others in their own mission.
- Tuners are 3mm too low on the pegged. Why? Because I used three reference points - R9, '62 LP Jr and paper plans. The paper plans I used for the headstock and they were wrong. BIG learning on this whole project - just measure an original guitar and use that...the internet is full of shitty work and in more than one occasion (fret!!!) I was led down the wrong path.
Does the tuner position matter? Nope. Is it noticeable? Not really. But the learning is very valuable.
- Making nitro nice and hard has its drawbacks - see close up of tuner above...crakced the surrounding lacquer. Upside is, this is going to do the mild ageing real nicely.
- Neck angle - exactly where I wanted it to be but far out...I cut it very fine. I suggest maybe going for that extra 1 degree to give you options.
- Grain fill - I was lazier than I should have been. Suggest the following for TV Yellow. Make the base coat of white a little thicker than a brief pass. Not enough to fill any pores, but thick enough to withstand a little sanding. Then, grain fill more than once and sand it back...I paid for it in time spent wet sanding, instead of mowing lawns yesterday.
Cool non-F/U's next post....
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- GrantB
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
Cool things
- It plays and sounds way beyond my expectations. There is something in old wood. Internet explodes.
- I managed to correct the screw ups the seller had inflicted on the wood blanks. For eg, the whole neck heel etc is my work as he had the heel in the wrong place.
- In the end, my intonation was so right, there is no need for set screws on the bridge. It's just sitting there hard and low against the posts.
- Truss rod works perfectly. I glued the f/board onto the neck with a slight concave relief to ensure I wouldn't get back bow.
- Adrian's beautiful rosewood was fab to work with and looks great.
- My parts drawer provided for every piece of hardware on the guitar. I made the plastic (excl pick guard). Still need to make final tweaks to rear plate, incl cutting the ground wire to size).
- The VI Pots are worth the upcharge. Great vintage taper and coupled with their caps, very usable.
The coolest thing is, I am totally going to gig this sucker...if we get any gigs!!!
- It plays and sounds way beyond my expectations. There is something in old wood. Internet explodes.
- I managed to correct the screw ups the seller had inflicted on the wood blanks. For eg, the whole neck heel etc is my work as he had the heel in the wrong place.
- In the end, my intonation was so right, there is no need for set screws on the bridge. It's just sitting there hard and low against the posts.
- Truss rod works perfectly. I glued the f/board onto the neck with a slight concave relief to ensure I wouldn't get back bow.
- Adrian's beautiful rosewood was fab to work with and looks great.
- My parts drawer provided for every piece of hardware on the guitar. I made the plastic (excl pick guard). Still need to make final tweaks to rear plate, incl cutting the ground wire to size).
- The VI Pots are worth the upcharge. Great vintage taper and coupled with their caps, very usable.
The coolest thing is, I am totally going to gig this sucker...if we get any gigs!!!
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- GrantB
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- Slowy
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
Wow!
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.
- Danger Mouse
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
It looks absolutely stunning!
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.
- Dharmajester
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
Thoroughly splendid..
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench - a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."
Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson
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- Jay
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
Absolutely marvelous, that finish looks fantastic!
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.
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Re: 1959 Les Paul Junior Build
Reading this today has made me really happy. To see the results of your work pay off, and how much joy it's given you is a tonic. Well done Grant.
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