Les Paul from scratch

[ramonet]

Hi everybody, I'm back again. My new scratch project: a hollow Les Paul, and this is going to be my first complete build; until now, I've bought the necks from Warmoth or other suppliers, but I'm going to try to build this one (the only thing I'm going to purchase almost build is a SteMac fretboard).
The woods: sapele for the body (an african mahogany); khaya for the neck (another african mahogany) and bookmatched maple for the top (the supplier says that it's flamed but... for 28€ it's OK)

 

[ramonet]

As I don't have a planer or a jointer, I must true the two body pieces with a sophisticated tool: sandpaper attached with double side tape to a square metal pipe; it works!!!

 

[ramonet]

I've used before padauk for my last two builds and work with sapele it's a pleasure. It sand a lot easily than padauk or maple. The two parts of the body are ready for the glue and the clamps.

 

[ramonet]

Work with maple it's not so easy so I think the best will be look for a carpenter that can easily true the maple sides and the middle joint. I let you know the progress

 

[Nando Vallart]

Cool project!

 

[rapfohl09]

I'm into scratch built anything! and I LOVE sapele, its gonna be beautiful

 

[kboman]

I love LPs, so rock on!

 

[Cagey]

Sounds like fun!

You can never be too too thin, too rich, or have too many clamps, eh? <grin>

 

[ramonet]

Out of the clamps and start planing the body. My sophisticated planer it's (again) a metal square tube with sticked sandpaper. As I told you before, it's hard but it works. Pics before and after

 

[ramonet]

As I still don't have my LP template and the maple top it's not trued, I'm going to start with the neck, my first one: Khaya neck (african mahogany) with ebony fingerboard (sloted from Stewmac)

 

[ramonet]

Two aluminium angles help to cut de headstock angle straight. The raw cut and the trued version (using the same method)

 

[ramonet]

I decided to add an Indian Rosewood faceplate, with an intermediate accent lam of Sycamore, good contrast but first I must true the rosewood

 

[ramonet]

Faceplate + accent line glued. I've used the headstock cut as a clamp piece, secured with two nails

 

[ramonet]

Out of the clamps and sanded. The headstock it's taking shape

 

[ramonet]

I have my template (taken from a 75 LP) and the body is raw cut. I've used a jig saw because my belt saw is too small for the job

 

[ramonet]

Contouring the body with a drum sander attached to my drill press. You must take care of the grain direction to avoid tear outs. It's a slow process but it works like a charm. The next step is to drill the guide holes for the control cavity and the pickup selector, and drill holes in the body (chamber) to take down the weight.

 

[ramonet]

Guide hole for the switch done, control cavitie raw cut. It's time for a weight reduction: starting the process

 

[Cagey]

That's coming along nicely. Won't be long and you'll be jammin'!

 

[ramonet]

The weight reduction process has finished

 

[Nando Vallart]

Cool! Did you weight it before and after the w. reduction??