Hard to make an LP style guitar?

axisus

I've made three 'bolt on' guitars and I feel reasonably Ok with doing them now. I'd like a crack at an LP but it seems like a whole new ball game in terms of difficulty - carved top, set neck, angled headstock. Anyone got any good advice or seen any good tutorials out there?

WezV

I have posted 2 Les Paul build threads here.

I recommend the contour map approach to carving, especially for a first go

WezV

http://mountainwhimsy.com/2012/03/les-paul-top-carve

axisus

@WezV Thanks, I'll take a look at the link and your threads when not at work. Is it doable for an amateur with limited tools?

aord43

I was thinking about having a go at this next year. The threads here are very encouraging and dare I say inspirational!
But I am very much put off by the idea of making a neck, as it seems there's a lot to get right (angles, lengths, not to mention the complexity of fitting frets properly).  I might have to buy one.

WezV

axisus said:

@WezV Thanks, I'll take a look at the link and your threads when not at work. Is it doable for an amateur with limited tools?

I think its doable.  It is obviously more complex, but its still just a series of jigs to make and steps to follow

I would suggest some kind of router thicknesser jig with adjustable angle. You will need to make some carving templates.  also think about binding channels but you can d those before the carve the same way you would on a flat top guitar.  

Work holding and clamping becomes a bit more difficult, especially when trying to  use small pickup templates on a non lfat surface they way you would on a flat top. 

Neck join decision will affect tooling for that, a full width long tenon is similar to a fender join, just longer, deeper and angled... or you can go for a traditional handcut tenon  but its still just a case of routing a slot in a body

Photobucket has ruined my first LP thread thread, so you will need to install a plugin to view http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/112304/getting-around-the-photobucket-curse

This one is quite detailed

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/55672/build-thread-pancake-body-les-paul-deluxe/p1

Less detail on this - but the same steps are shown and pictures work without a plugin

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/108084/les-paul-prototype-build#latest

WezV

aord43 said:

I was thinking about having a go at this next year. The threads here are very encouraging and dare I say inspirational!
But I am very much put off by the idea of making a neck, as it seems there's a lot to get right (angles, lengths, not to mention the complexity of fitting frets properly).  I might have to buy one.

I wouldn't do a les paul  or any set-neck as your first build.   get all that stuff right on bolt on styles where a neck failure doesn't compromise the whole project and there are less angles to think about

There are more angles on a les paul neck so you need something that can cut through the full side profile accurately.  You can build a spliced or stacked neck with little more than handtools to get the same look, but it would be a struggle to do a 1-piece neck with hand tools alone 

axisus

Ta. I may chicken out and go for more of a Jr feel. I'm worried about carving the top, and also fitting a neck. I'll have to look into it a lot.

Anyway, 4 more bolt-ons in the pipeline, I may tackle some of them first

WezV

a junior is a good stepping stone, because it gets you thinking about neck and headstock angles more than a normal bolt-on would.

honestly though, I think you could do it.  You seem to be good at making a plan and sticking to it and i reckon a long as you took it in small steps it would turn out well.   My first proper les paul carve had me worrried, but the router step method made it really simple.  Simple enough that i got great results first time - better and easier than expected

TTony

Didn't you sign up for the online Bailey course when Mark offered it to us at a cheaper-than-cheap price?

If so, that takes you through the process step by step, in as foolproof a way as can possibly be.

Danielsguitars

I'd suggest going on mlp forum as well and look in luthiers corner 

There are lots of builds and the jig building ideas are great, particularly the angled box jig for people home building Lp style as you can route from above and alter angles for neck plane and pickup plane

axisus

TTony said:

Didn't you sign up for the online Bailey course when Mark offered it to us at a cheaper-than-cheap price?

If so, that takes you through the process step by step, in as foolproof a way as can possibly be.

Actually that's a good point. I shall have a look again. I basically used the course to make a bolt on, but the guitar he made was different. Set neck? Angled headstock? I don't recall but I will check

axisus

customkits said:

I'd suggest going on mlp forum as well and look in luthiers corner 

There are lots of builds and the jig building ideas are great, particularly the angled box jig for people home building Lp style as you can route from above and alter angles for neck plane and pickup plane

Mlp?

WezV

He either means My Les Paul or My Little Pony.  I assume the first

Bridgehouse

WezV said:

He either means My Les Paul or My Little Pony.  I assume the first

I got banned from the my little pony forum..

Yep, he meant My Les Paul

Danielsguitars

WezV said:

He either means My Les Paul or My Little Pony.  I assume the first

I didn't know my little pony had a luthier corner sorry for the confusion 

Bridgehouse

customkits said:

WezV said:

He either means My Les Paul or My Little Pony.  I assume the first

I didn't know my little pony had a luthier corner sorry for the confusion 

They specialise in cutting saddles...

WezV

customkits said:

WezV said:

He either means My Les Paul or My Little Pony.  I assume the first

I didn't know my little pony had a luthier corner sorry for the confusion 

Have you not seen the picture of my little pony guitars I have spammed the forum with...

i will I’ll make a rainbow dash guitar!!  

Danielsguitars

I forgot to mention freddy g from my les paul has just done a complete you tube building les paul series, highly recommended just to get your head around the whole process start to finish

Jez6345789

Hi
time has prevented me from starting my Les Paul build this year but did a load of research as already said WezV build threads are very educational.

if you are looking for a quicker (costlier)route all the stuff talked about here in terms of jigs and templates are all available over the counter for stuff like contours, neck angles, body routs

i cheated on the top and brought a ready made one from a US eBay guy got it shipped to friends and brought it back to the uk whilst on holiday. That was prebrexit exchange rate so a good bit cheaper than now but it is nice enough and the guy was good in getting it delivered to my travel window.
its correct to the Bartlet plans, 


These days there is a mass of diy Les Paul information way more than say 10 years ago when I last looked at building one.

Danielsguitars

WezV said:

i will I’ll make a rainbow dash guitar!!  

I bet that would sell really well too