LP for my dad-- vision and execution

nathan a

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So, a few months ago I was talking about building my dad an LP with p90s. Finally, here she is!

The Body
-Mahogany chambered les paul body with flame maple top, creme binding.
-"Weathered grey dye" top with clear gloss back.
-Lindy Fralin P90s, 15% underwound neck, stock bridge.

The Neck
-ebony on mahogany 10-16" radius, standard thin contour, creme binding, 6130 frets
-Gotoh locking kluson type tuners (jury is still out on the quality of these. They seem okay so far)
-ebony peghead veneer
-clear gloss back finish
-Dangerous plate! with my dad's initials, DJA
-Some sort of custom inlayed truss rod cover soon to come

So here's the original idea, kisekae style
greyLPchromecopy.jpg


And here's the final product, sorry for the lousy pics
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It looks pretty much exactly how I had hoped. The neck and body back colors match pretty well, and the ebony board has some nice striping near the high frets. The fralins sound really incredible. Plenty bright (just how I wanted) but still really thick and meaty. These pickups mean business, and I'm anxious to hear them after I've set the guitar up nicely and adjusted the pickup height perfectly.
One complaint that I only noticed once it was all put together and strung up. There's a little burr or something on the 7th fret under the high e string. It looks how I imagine a fret would look after being hit with a sharp metal object. It's only noticable when bending the high e on the 7th fret. It snags. Another fix for another day.
He won't get the guitar till probably christmas, so until then, don't tell him ok guys  :laughing7:
 
That is really sweet. That might be my favorite LP I've seen here, including mine. Classic, unique and pure class all the way. :icon_thumright:
 
I've got to agree, that one is a good as it gets. I think you nailed your original vision.
 
Is the weathered gray much different from the dyed black, and is it a transparent or a dye?  That's proof that you love your father.  How are you going to give it to him?  Will it be wrapped?  Will you show him a picture first?

9 years ago my first Warmoth build was going to be an LP.  Never got around to it, and now I'm a bass player.  They do offer an LP bass though.

Back to you.  That's awesome, and I'm sure he'll love it.  Nice choices all around.
 
Oh, nice one! Gorgeous, it looks very 'together' - like it was meant to be just that way. I do think it needs a nice truss rod cover to top it off. Check out these: http://www.custominlay.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=141 I think he does custom work too.
 
Thanks for the kind words guys, I'm real happy with this one. A lot of planning definitely went into this one.

@Super Turbo DC-- The weathered grey is a dye, not a trans finish. It looks more warm-toned than most black dyes I've seen. Also, a lot of the black dyes tend to be too dark for my tastes. This finish is on the lighter side. The color in the mock-up is actually just a resized, moved around photo of the original finish from the Showcase. My finish isn't as brown-orangey as that, but maybe it can be done that way.

As for presentation, I was thinking I would wait till christmas was 'over' (like in the movie A Christmas Story), and then go into the guitar room and just start playing it really loudly. Play a christmas song or something like that.

BUT I'm very open to ideas. Presentation? What do you all think?
 
PERFECT.  Wow.  I don't know what else to say.  Ten billion thumbs up.  :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
 
that guitar screams " I LOVE MY DAD !" , he'll get misty-eye'd fer sure. Very,very nice ! I'm wonder what the price difference was , minus the labor .
 
Awssome Nice work, man :headbang:

One of the nicest gifts you could give. You getting him a case and strap as well?

Brian
 
pure class! she's gorgeous!nice top, nice color, great with the p90's. the only thing I would've done differently, was putting on a bubinga neck on this guitar, but thats just because I dont like finished necks.
 
Yeah, man!  Very nice execution of a well thought out plan.  The old man is definitely in for a rockin good holiday.  It's a long while before Christmas, don't play it too much, or you might not want to give it up, and just end up getting him a tie.  One question, is the neck a conversion, or is it Fender scale?
 
Les Pauls aren't horribly high on my lust list, but that is truly nice!  Be prepared for the possibility of your pop maybe shedding a tear, especially when he finds out that you made it from parts with your own two hands rather than going to Guitar Center and taking something off of the wall. I do have to ask though--what do you have engraved in the neck plate?  Its hard to make out due to the shininess of the metal.
 
Looks great Nathan. Take it from me first hand, it is going to be as great a feeling for you giving it to him as it will be for him getting it. I know people say that all the time but I really can't even put into words how cool it was for me to give my Dad something that I know will always mean the world to him and pretty much is somthing that in normal circumstances money can't buy. Sure my Dad could have bought or even made his own, but for the shear fact that he knows the time and effort that his kids did it for him without ever even being asked puts some serious "mojo" into the guitar. As for the surprise that is the best part...I am sure you have seen the video of how we did it for my dad.

Of course we will all need video as well.
 
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