My latest ‘50s Les Paul conversion project- eye popping original flame top!

peteri

Also I think it’s fair to say that a 50s Les Paul top carve is much more 3D and complex than many 

Skipped

Scott Lentz did a number of Conversions with a veneer over the original top (In the 80s). I had the chance to ask him why but didn't for some reason.

I guess it was because people were demanding flame in the flame obsessed 80s? (The customer is always right)

There was of course no real need for that as this thread has clearly shown. A Sunburst finish on fairly plain maple can be very beautiful and I would have been just as happy with that.

As seen before on the forum, this is my Lentz Conversion - with Veneer.

The guitar was a 53 Goldtop from just before the change from trapeze to wrapover. The pots are dated week 16 (April).  Scott was very helpful answering my questions about the guitar and was able to tell me about the original customer and the work that was done on the guitar. He asked me for lots of detailed HQ photographs, even after he had id'd the guitar. I got the impression he loves seeing his work 25 years later?

The butt end of the guitar has a black triangle where the Trapeze holes were. I love that bit and - I understand - it is a Scott Lentz "signature".

http://oi59.tinypic.com/29adth.jpg

http://oi44.tinypic.com/2ngtqhf.jpg

 

 

Danielsguitars

peteri said:

Also I think it’s fair to say that a 50s Les Paul top carve is much more 3D and complex than many 

Yes totally agree with that, having spent quite a few years carving them, they drove me nuts until i got sent a mapped top from a 56 to use on a copy carver

peteri

fretfinder said:

fretfinder said:

peteri said:

And this is my 53/59 conversion Yuuki did

https://imgur.com/a/rV0MC

That’s a very nicely done sunburst and I bet it plays and sounds lovely. Out of interest, did you get the opportunity to have that done as either a Goldtop or a burst? With that very obvious off-centre top join I’d have thought that would have been a great candidate to revert to gold personally. 

peteri said:

To be honest I didn’t get the chance because I got it ‘second hand’ - someone else had specced it. 

That said (and I love goldttops) i think I’d have gone burst - it looks wonderful in the flesh 

Ah understood. Is it actually a three-piece top? I can’t quite tell from the pic. Because of the obvious top join it looks very similar to a 70s LP Standard I had back in the day. 

Yep three piece, out at the moment will post pics of the guitar later where it shows more

Iamnobody

Skipped said:

Scott Lentz did a number of Conversions with a veneer over the original top (In the 80s). I had the chance to ask him why but didn't for some reason.

I guess it was because people were demanding flame in the flame obsessed 80s? (The customer is always right)

There was of course no real need for that as this thread has clearly shown. A Sunburst finish on fairly plain maple can be very beautiful and I would have been just as happy with that.

As seen before on the forum, this is my Lentz Conversion - with Veneer.

The guitar was a 53 Goldtop from just before the change from trapeze to wrapover. The pots are dated week 16 (April).  Scott was very helpful answering my questions about the guitar and was able to tell me about the original customer and the work that was done on the guitar. He asked me for lots of detailed HQ photographs, even after he had id'd the guitar. I got the impression he loves seeing his work 25 years later?

The butt end of the guitar has a black triangle where the Trapeze holes were. I love that bit and - I understand - it is a Scott Lentz "signature".

http://oi59.tinypic.com/29adth.jpg

http://oi44.tinypic.com/2ngtqhf.jpg

 

 

Any chance of seeing your black triangle!?

Skipped

Iamnobody said:

Any chance of seeing your black triangle!?

Sorry about the shadow from the strap button.

Scott's neat straight lines deserve a better photographer.

Iamnobody

Skipped said:

Iamnobody said:

Any chance of seeing your black triangle!?

Sorry about the shadow from the strap button.

Scott's neat straight lines deserve a better photographer.

Ta - a bit like a headstock stinger then but a erm... butt stinger!

Ossyrocks

Skipped said:

Scott Lentz did a number of Conversions with a veneer over the original top (In the 80s). I had the chance to ask him why but didn't for some reason.

I guess it was because people were demanding flame in the flame obsessed 80s? (The customer is always right)

There was of course no real need for that as this thread has clearly shown. A Sunburst finish on fairly plain maple can be very beautiful and I would have been just as happy with that.

As seen before on the forum, this is my Lentz Conversion - with Veneer.

The guitar was a 53 Goldtop from just before the change from trapeze to wrapover. The pots are dated week 16 (April).  Scott was very helpful answering my questions about the guitar and was able to tell me about the original customer and the work that was done on the guitar. He asked me for lots of detailed HQ photographs, even after he had id'd the guitar. I got the impression he loves seeing his work 25 years later?

The butt end of the guitar has a black triangle where the Trapeze holes were. I love that bit and - I understand - it is a Scott Lentz "signature".

http://oi59.tinypic.com/29adth.jpg

http://oi44.tinypic.com/2ngtqhf.jpg

 

 

Skipped said:

Scott Lentz did a number of Conversions with a veneer over the original top (In the 80s). I had the chance to ask him why but didn't for some reason.

I guess it was because people were demanding flame in the flame obsessed 80s? (The customer is always right)

There was of course no real need for that as this thread has clearly shown. A Sunburst finish on fairly plain maple can be very beautiful and I would have been just as happy with that.

As seen before on the forum, this is my Lentz Conversion - with Veneer.

The guitar was a 53 Goldtop from just before the change from trapeze to wrapover. The pots are dated week 16 (April).  Scott was very helpful answering my questions about the guitar and was able to tell me about the original customer and the work that was done on the guitar. He asked me for lots of detailed HQ photographs, even after he had id'd the guitar. I got the impression he loves seeing his work 25 years later?

The butt end of the guitar has a black triangle where the Trapeze holes were. I love that bit and - I understand - it is a Scott Lentz "signature".

http://oi59.tinypic.com/29adth.jpg

http://oi44.tinypic.com/2ngtqhf.jpg

 

 

That’s just like one I played at a meet up in London in 2015. @jumping@shadows  was there too. When did you get it? It could be the same guitar.

meltedbuzzbox

Iamnobody said:

Skipped said:

Iamnobody said:

Any chance of seeing your black triangle!?

Sorry about the shadow from the strap button.

Scott's neat straight lines deserve a better photographer.

Ta - a bit like a headstock stinger then but a erm... butt stinger!

Aka a @Gassage ;

Skipped

Ossyrocks said:

That’s just like one I played at a meet up in London in 2015. @jumping@shadows  was there too. When did you get it? It could be the same guitar.

I have had it 8 years so it won't be that one.

Maybe the top was from the same roll? 

ourmaninthenorth

Ossyrocks said:

That’s just like one I played at a meet up in London in 2015. @jumping@shadows  was there too. When did you get it? It could be the same guitar.

That's the first thing I thought too Rob, very similar to John's old one. 

jumping@shadows

ourmaninthenorth said:

Ossyrocks said:

That’s just like one I played at a meet up in London in 2015. @jumping@shadows  was there too. When did you get it? It could be the same guitar.

That's the first thing I thought too Rob, very similar to John's old one. 

John’s was a reneck/retop as I recall, and this one is much prettier imo. 
I really like the black butt stinger- elegant and historically coherent solution  

stephen.wood125

Some really beautiful work going on here.

Personally I prefer PAF/humbuckers to P90s but that's going to be a stunning guitar whatever.

@jumping@shadows You are a proper craftsman and I'd love to be able to afford one of your restos. Bravo sir!

mikeyrob73

i started reading this thread, gave up. standard FB shitfest these days 

WezV

mikeyrob73 said:

i started reading this thread, gave up. standard FB shitfest these days 

You missed a lot of good stuff... focus on that instead 

stephen.wood125

WezV said:

mikeyrob73 said:

i started reading this thread, gave up. standard FB shitfest these days 

You missed a lot of good stuff... focus on that instead 

Wiz'd 

fretfinder

Hi @jumping@shadows, can you say how much this flamey beauty will be when it’s finished? Thanks.

Bridgehouse

WezV said:

mikeyrob73 said:

i started reading this thread, gave up. standard FB shitfest these days 

You missed a lot of good stuff... focus on that instead 

And it’s gone back to a normal thread (yay!) 

plus - not standard I’d say - shitfests are getting less and less and decent content more and more. 

sweepy

Les Pauls like this always tease and tempt me, I love the look and general aesthetic but I can’t get on with one no matter how hard I try

jumping@shadows

fretfinder said:

Hi @jumping@shadows, can you say how much this flamey beauty will be when it’s finished? Thanks.

ONE MEEEELLLIIIIIIOOOOONNN POOOOUUUNNNDDS