Leaderboard

Les Paul from scratch - non warmoth

I like hand tools.

I got quite a bit done on neck number one.  So much for practicing on the other two guitars.  The first order of business was attaching wings on the headstock.



I used some crap I had laying around and clamped it on using Titebind III and then let it sit overnight.

Using the template I did in GIMP I traced the contour of the headstock so I could begin shaping the headstock.  I also used a nail to mark the positions of the tuner holes.



I clamped the neck down to my work table I setup in my garage and cut the rough headstock shape with my coping saw.



While I was out in the garage I also used my drill press and a forstner bit to drill the tuner holes.  They are undersized for the tuners I will use, but I will widen them later.



The headstock was not a uniform thickness so I grabbed a rasp and went at it.



It took a while, but it was enjoyable.  Power tools would have been faster, but this was quiet and now I have arms like Popeye.



Much better.

Time for final shaping.



I taped the template I made for the headstock and used my rasp, a sanding block and my fancy bottle sander as well as a pen sander to get the final shape.

Here it is after shaping.



You can see the witness lines I put on it to not only make sure that it was symmetrical but also to make sure the top is level.  You can see at the back that when I sanded the center lines sanded off first so it wasn’t flat yet.

The final step was sanding it down with 150 grit sand paper and doing a bunch of rounding with various make shift sanding utensils.





It isn’t 100% there yet, but I am really happy with the results so far.

I was feeling ambitious so I decided to get the truss rod in and the fret board on. 



The truss rod is covered with tape and then glue is spread all over where the fret board will be clamped.  I marked the centerline of the fret board as well as the centerline of the neck ahead if time so everything would line up nice and straight. 
Clampage. 


The fret board will be trimmed down with a flush cut router bit and then I get to attach the neck to the body.  I have been waiting for that step for a while now.  It will really feel like a guitar at that point.  The other two guitars are a little behind this one.  The necks need to be cut out and the headstock needs to be shaped and we will be all even.  I kind of wish I had done only two guitars at this point, but I already started so whatcha gonna do?


 
Looks good. I'm curious about how you expect it to sound good, though. You left out the step where you sprinkle in the tone worm larva. Also, weren't you supposed to squeeze in some silicone around that bender rod thingy so it doesn't rattle around while you're playing the devil's music?
 
Cagey said:
Looks good. I'm curious about how you expect it to sound good, though. You left out the step where you sprinkle in the tone worm larva. Also, weren't you supposed to squeeze in some silicone around that bender rod thingy so it doesn't rattle around while you're playing the devil's music?
Click to expand...

Oops. Yeah you are right, but luckily I did not forget.  I just forgot to write that I did it.  I put clear silicon at the nut on each end of the truss rod.
 
Joining and carving

I finally got all the pieces of the guitar planed and ready to go for joining.  I did a little carving on the body so when I joined it at the neck it would be easier since I wouldn’t have to be as careful around the fret board.



I dry fit the pieces and used wood shims to align the body with the neck at the correct angle.  I also grabbed the maple waste from when I cut the body out of the blank.  I took paper towel and taped it to the sides so I could use it in helping to clamp the body.



It sat in the clamps for a day or so and here it is removed and in all of its glory.



I used an angle grinder to start carving out the body.  I marked lines on it so I had a sort of guide to follow and went at it.



I didn’t have time to finish, but you can see what I am going for a little more so on the right side.  The trick I think is going to be in the finish sanding to make sure everything blends nicely.

I really like how the carve is starting to look.  I still need to sand the center to make it flush with the body as well as the underside of the guitar.  I am still debating doing tummy and arm cuts on the back, but we will see.  The carving I have done so far has the guitar down to 11 pounds even.  Still heavy, but it is heading the right directio
 
Good progress. This has gotta be the scariest part, eh?

Just thinking...

Shouldn't the pickup cavities have been routed while the top was still flat?
 
Cagey said:
Good progress. This has gotta be the scariest part, eh?

Just thinking...

Shouldn't the pickup cavities have been routed while the top was still flat?
Click to expand...

It is definitely the scariest part.

Yeah, technically they should have.  My guitar is a little flatter on the top than a normal Les Paul so I can get away with it.  There is still plenty of flat material for the pickup template to go on still.  Part of the reason I stopped was for time and the other was I can't really completely finish the carve until I get the pickups routed out.  I will get to do that tomorrow.  I need to measure my tele though to see how deep they are supposed to be.  I am not really 100% sure of that dimension.
 
Forstner bits are awesome.

I love forstner bits.  I never had used one until I started working on my guitars, but they work great.  I put my guitar on the drill press and drilled out the control knob holes.  One volume, one tone and one pickup selector.  It isn’t a standard Les Paul option, but I like this particular setup which is why I also used it on my tele.  The only difference is the kind of switch I am using is a standard Les Paul style toggle.

After I was done with the top holes I flipped it over and got started on drilling out the control cavity.  I measured approximately how far I needed to go and then used a large 1 ¼” forstner bit to clear it out.  After that I grabbed my control knobs and test fit them to see how much clearance I needed on the top to make the shaft clear the rosewood top.  This part was nerve racking.  I was paranoid about cutting through the top so I took it really slow and left the top as thick as humanly possible.  I forgot to grab pictures of any of this so everybody will have to use their imaginations.

Then I moved onto finish carving the top.  Technically I really should get around to routing the humbuckers, but I have been putting it off.  I have a stewmac template I am going to use and there is enough material to have it lay flat for my router so it isn’t a huge deal.  I am just going out of order.  Probably because carving is way more fun than precise routing.



I think the top left of the guitar looks a little chunky still so I may bevel it more.  I flowed the ledge into the curve, but I think I phased it out a smidge early.  The rest of it I am really happy with.  It needs some sanding and tweaks, but otherwise this is exactly what I was looking for.  Also on another happy note.  This beast is getting slimmer everyday.  She is down to 9 1/2 pounds now and the neck still needs to be shaped.  I decided against a tummy cut as when I held the guitar it felt really comfortable as is.  My tele is flat backed so I guess I am just used to it.  Because I am not contouring the guitar back at all I would guess the body and neck will weigh in at about 9 1/4 pounds when all is said and done.  A little heavy, but much better than the 15 pounds it was before.

 
Lookin' good! And 9.5 lbs. isn't bad for a Paul, but don't forget you've still got about 2 lbs. of pickups, bridge, tuners and other miscellany to go on there. The lack of pickup cavities continues to disturb me. Lack of flat surface, lack of surface it would be ok to ding if the router slips since it's going to be carved anyway, and like that.
 
Nice work and good wood choices - they go well together. As it's a neck through I reckon you could carve a heap of weight out of the (currently) large heel, too, and get access way better than a standard Paul or bolt-on.
+1 on the PU routs. Hope they go OK after all your effort to date.
 
djf67 said:
Nice work and good wood choices - they go well together. As it's a neck through I reckon you could carve a heap of weight out of the (currently) large heel, too, and get access way better than a standard Paul or bolt-on.
+1 on the PU routs. Hope they go OK after all your effort to date.
Click to expand...
yep...lots of room there.  What type of profile are you going for on the neck...
 
Yeah, I hope the pickup routes go well too.  I think it should be ok as the template fits on the flat part pretty well.  Thanks for liking the guitar!  I am really happy with how it has turned out so far.  As far as the neck profile and heel.  I am planning on doing a nice heel for access to the upper frets.  The neck profile is going to be a little chunkier.  My tele has the standard thin, but for a Les Paul style guitar I want something with more beef.
 
Based on the pics and descriptions you must know what your doing, how'd you figure out the body to neck angle? 

From a previous pic before you matched the center to the wings makes it look like it's gonna need a tall bridge.
 
Alfang said:
Based on the pics and descriptions you must know what your doing, how'd you figure out the body to neck angle? 

From a previous pic before you matched the center to the wings makes it look like it's gonna need a tall bridge.
Click to expand...

Ha, fooled you  :)
The bridge is actually going to be shorter than a standard Les Paul.  I have never really liked Tune-O-Matic bridges.  I calculated the neck angle using geometry.  If you draw it all out on paper from the side it is pretty easy to calculate.  You need to know the dimensions of your bridge and also the string height, essentialy nut height, as well as the thickness of your final fretboard.  I had all the parts on me so it was easy to get that.  If you don't want to do thte math there is an online calculator that I saw.  I trust my math though so I went with that.  I double checked my math using GIMP (a free photoshop clone) by drawing the guitar from the side full scale and I was good.
 
Reading over that I realized it is not helpful at all in calculating the angle.  I will do up a diagram that will make more sense.
 
No diagram needed, I get it, you did your homework.

Just an idiots observation, looked high to me, evidently it's not.

Can't wait to see the finnished product
 
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