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Making a "1959 LES PAULo" project

We recently started a private CNC project to make ourselves (best regards to Reinhard, Christian, Balsi + Pest) each a Les Paulo (named this way due to some reasons) according to the 1959 specs.

TO PREVENT ANY LEGAL ISSUES: THESE GUITARS ARE NOT FOR SALE AND WILL NOT CONTAIN ORIGINAL VINTAGE GIBSON PARTS, LOGOS, SERIAL #s etc.

We just want to share our experience - once we have made them - and pics from the future building process. If you see any interested in getting a CNC´d LP top feel free to mail.

We found out ourselves that finding the "right" parts is painstriking as you have to locate them at various suppliers. Therefore we will offer these parts here in the future incl. the "right" and sought after caps, pots, real featherweight aluminium tailpieces, tune-o-matic bridges with brass saddles (like "the real ones" have) soon. Check the "Woods+Materials" section at left.

If interested check back or write an email to info@best-eurospruce.com to receive a newsletter with comprehensive informations regarding the LP ´59 in general and about this project.  

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First pics from the start: rough CAD-drawing, measurements mainly taken from the StewMac plan, corrected where neccessary. 4 degree neck angle.

And here we go: new pics from rendering of the top routing (3.8 degree neck angle):

Above pics are just from rendering the digital data and are just good for a first impression. More pics to come, hopefully soon from carved tops.

UPDATE: finally the data for the top routing are ready, a first test was done with enrolled foam, pics here.

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Additionally we CNC´d a routing template for a 1959 Les Paul body (we just altered the electric cavity for the pots to a more convinience one). This alternate is for all who want to go the traditional non-CNC way. Neck to come.

If interested in an acrylic or MDF template like below just ask (25 Euro).

We publish the drawing of this here as shareware, a free 1:1 .pdf (A2) of the drawing below you can download here. You can print this A2 size 1:1 on several A4 sheets for puzzeling at home -> adjust your Acrobat Reader printing settings for this option. Or print at a copy shop a full-size version. We worked carefully but cannot guarantee anything, feel free to use it on your own risk!

For routing the recessed cover of the electronic cavity just flip the template. The wider blueish circle next to the bridge humbucker is for routing of the recessed toggle switch cover: locate it in place on the back (over the hole for the toggle switch).

Principly the same template is used by Gibson Custom Shop, see short video here.

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For this project we stocked up with Honduran mahogany body blanks and flamed maple tops. Soon to be offered here - or email in advance.

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Original G**son headplates (NOS, multibound fiber) in stock - not suitable for a LP Standard, but for LP Custom and various ES models.

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Until we have more content up we entertain you with some links:

1.  For a presentation of Larry DiMarzios personal vintage 1959 Les Paul
     (cherry red burst) click here.

2.  Soundclips of a humbucker test here: same song played with 14 different pick
     ups. Text in German, but list of .mp3 pu-soundclips is self explaining. 

3. Gibson Custom Shop video "The making of a VOS" you can find here.

4.  Video (trailer) from award winning documantation about Burst ´59 from MAX
     (maker of famous replicas) you can find here.

5.  For videos from 3 Gibson factory tours click here or here or here. Last link incl.
     Gibson CEO playing guitar.

6.  Here you can see during another factory tour the position of the 9 weight
     relief holes that Gibson uses since 1982 for weight reduction of the body 
     made of mahogany that is nowadays usually heavier than in the 50´s.
    Other say that this was a strict request from the US chiropractic´s union.

7.  Tom Murphy´s seven part lecture on aging guitars: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

8.  Use the GuitarDaterProject here for identifying the production year of a
     Gibson guitar.

9. This latest addition is a PRS factory tour to see how guitars are made using 
    high-end machinery like CNC routing etc. For a quick introduction focusing on 
    wood click here, for a general video about the making of a PRS guitar click
    here, and a personally guided tour is here. (start with the last link, it is most
    informative of all, imo). Paul Reed Smith talks about guitars here. In case you
    don´t believe that PRS can play guitar: watch him playing here, and here he
    demonstrates the tone of his guitars personally throught a amp given to him
    by Carlos Santana.

10. Interested in the making of a sunburst finish: click here.

11. Interested in a infos regarding "How to spot a FAKE Gibson guitar"?
      Click here.

MORE TO COME !

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