Improving a Les Paul

Axe_meister

As I've said in a different thread I'm off to Crimson Guitars for a two week course and will be working on a Les Paul Style build.
What would you do to improve a Les Paul.
Specs so far
Traditional woods, (Mahogany Neck/Body, Maple Top and African Ebony fretboard.)
Headstock will be Narrower than a Gibson one with a straighter string pull.
Control knobs will be recessed (PRS Style)
I'm going for a scarf joint (so I can learn the process)

What else would you do.

Sporky

Thinner body and longer scale for me, but that might be straying too far from actually being an LP. 

WezV

Full width neck tenon.  Laminated neck.  Reduced headstock angle. Chambering/weight relief 

matt_sefton

Belly cut on the back.

ICBM

Basically, this.

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/en-gb/products/aria-pro-ii-pe-r80-sunburst-1982-1692172

Thinner body, carved front and back, sculpted neck joint, tapered headstock, recessed knobs, coil splits (though not necessarily with mini-switches), and some more interesting inlays.

Axe_meister

Oh yeah forgot, I'm going with a single F hole

ALMuti

ICBM said:

Basically, this.

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/en-gb/products/aria-pro-ii-pe-r80-sunburst-1982-1692172

Thinner body, carved front and back, sculpted neck joint, tapered headstock, recessed knobs, coil splits (though not necessarily with mini-switches), and some more interesting inlays.

shout-out to this because I've always thought that the Aria PE is the LP shape perfected. 

(admittedly, a PE is my "one who got away" from when I was a teen - went back to the store the day after and they'd sold it)

stickyfiddle

Paint it gold if not already gold. 

Add Bigsby if not already added 

Profit? 

NickBotfield

stickyfiddle said:

Paint it gold if not already gold. 

Add Bigsby if not already added 

Profit? 

The only person to profit from adding a Bigsby to anything is the scrap metal merchant.

Rocker

Earvana nut. 

prowla

A Freeway switch.

https://www.freewayswitch.com/

davros

Chambered body, full width neck tenon with carved body/neck transition, volute.

They're likely to have you freestyle the top carve with an angle grinder. If you want a really authentic carve, I'd suggest referring to the MyLesPaul forum definitive top carve thread and using some templates.

Hope you enjoy the course, I loved it!

GSPBASSES

Here you are everything you need to do to the back and neck of a Les Paul, the bodies are also fully chambered. The necks are three-piece quarter sown Honduras Mahogany, the bodies are African Mahogany.

Nerine

I’ll be the one to say it’s difficult to improve on a good Les Paul. 

Axe2Grind

I have a Standard 60s LP so I am a fan of the traditional build although I would like a little more higher fret access, that would be  good improvement. For hardware I would say improvements would be a locking bridge/stop tailpiece and locking tuners.
Alnico V neck / Ceramic bridge but with medium output. Push/pull pots on the tone knobs to split the humbuckers.  Also I'd like to see a pic of the finished guitar

bad_alice

Getting it as close to your "perfect" weight as possible.
Next, a perfectly cut nut.
No burs on the saddles.
Glassy, polished frets.
And a good amount of time spent thinking through and planning your finishing options.
Finally, locking tuners.

IMO if a guitar stays in tune, is set up well, sounds killer and looks the dog's bollocks to your eye?
It's one you'll keep picking up.
And then keep playing.

Most of all though, have FUN!
Looking forward to following this thread while you at Crimson. 

God speed!