Mahogany/Wenge LPS

[bob7point7]

Well, I built this guitar over a year ago, but I've never posted pics of it completed, so here it is. It's a chambered mahogany body with a mahogany carved top. The sides and back are finished in transparent brown with some burst over on the top. The neck is wenge with a Warmoth headstock, '59 roundback contour, ebony fretboard with abalone inlays, and a graphtec nut. It has a tonepros bridge and tailpiece and Grover locking tuners. The pickups are SD Pearly Gates, and it's wired with a 3 way switch, one volume, two tones, and a push-pull pot that splits both pickups. The chambered body didn't balance well with the wenge neck, so I added 1/2 lb of weight to the control cavity. Of all my guitars, this is the one that just feels and sounds perfect to me every time I pick it up.

 

[Mor Paul]

That's an awesome top!

 

[NonsenseTele]

Killer!

 

[GoDrex]

Cool guitar. :icon_thumright:

So wenge is really that heavy? Because I have an all mahogany LP that is hollow, with a mahogany neck, and it balances fine. Did you try the strap on the top horn?

I want to try a wenge neck but stuff like this makes me nervous.

 

[bob7point7]

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I originally tried mounting the strap button on the upper horn, but the upper horn on an LPS is really short so moving it to the back of the neck joint helped neck dive a lot. The biggest problem after that was that the guitar wanted to flip forward. Adding the weight to the control cavity fixed the problem with it wanting to flip forward and helped the neck dive even more. Also keep in mind this neck has the '59 roundback contour and the tuners probably aren't the lightest. A single cutaway body like am LP would have probably been OK with the stock strap button location and no extra weight. I have to say that the tone and feel of the wenge was well worth trouble of working out these kinks. Go for the wenge neck and work out the rest later.  :toothy10:

-Bobbie

 

[GoDrex]

What did you use to add weight to it?

 

[bob7point7]

I made a tray out of aluminum sheetmetal that was shaped like part of the control cavity, then used a torch to melt 1/2 lb roll of solder into the tray. After it cooled peeled off the aluminum and attached the hunk of solder to the inside of the control cover plate.

 

[GoDrex]

wow that's a cool idea

 

[Orpheo]

I have a wenge neck for a guitar, which is a les paul too,, semi hollow too, but it won't neckdive. in fact, its one of the most comfortable and best sounding and playing guitars I have. and damn, I hate that axe. its just TOO easy to play!

 

[Ang3lus]

would it be possible for you to post some audio of how ti sounds like ?

i'm intrigued by that wenge body sound.

 

[shanejw]

I love the way the top looks!!

 

[GoDrex]

would it be possible for you to post some audio of how ti sounds like ?

i'm intrigued by that wenge body sound.

it's mahogany - - the neck is wenge

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

That it a very 'alternate metal' looking guitar, I love it!

 

[blue313]

Sweet build there man!  :icon_thumright:

 

[dglady]

Thanks so much for the input ! 
Since I want to go with authentic LP tone, sounds like I should go with Mahogany w/ Maple cap + wenge neck.

 

[muttznmongrelz]

One word...GORGEOUS!!! That's a fabulous piece of wood.  :headbang:

 

[chrisg]

I like the look of that strap. Tell us about it  :glasses10:

 

[bob7point7]

Thanks for the positive comments. The strap is from Levy's, and I've been really happy with it. It's nice and wide, which is good because this is a heavy guitar! Here's the link:
http://www.levysleathers.com/product;cat,105;item,673;Tooled-Leather-PM44T03

Here are a few more pics:

 

[blue313]

Just beautiful.  :glasses9:

Love the "Hard Rock" shot with your reflection in it.

 

[Muse_lover]

that's a BEAST!!!  :headbang1: