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2012 Les Paul Special- Completed

lous1952

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
99
I had a thread about changing the pot/caps on this Special.
It's now completed, so I figured that I would start a new thread.

After stripping everything, I touched up the nicks in the finish with black lacquer.
The finish on it is Satin Black, so I lightly sanded the touched up spots to degloss them.
As you probably know, these satin finishes buff to a semi-gloss in the spots where your body contacts the finish.
The neck, back of the body, and where my arm rests had buffed to a semi-gloss.
To even out the finish, I buffed the body until it was fairly even gloss.
I then applied a light coat of wax to further even it out and protect the finish a bit.
The neck was not touched as it is fine.

After the body was done, I installed the 500k CTS pots, Russian .022uf PIO caps, and the pickups.
The pickups are Brandonwound unpotted vintage wind P90s, 8.57k ohm bridge and 8.07k ohm neck.
The neck pickup is RWRP for hum cancelling in the middle position.

I installed ABR conversion studs, and a nickel plated ABR from a 335.
The tailpiece is aluminum, nickel plated, with locking steel studs, also nickel plated.

I am very happy with the results.
The pickups really sound great, and it's nice to have the hum cancelling in the middle position.
It is not too bright or dark, it sounds as I hoped it would.

Some poor quality pictures:

20160831_153444.jpg


20160831_153724.jpg


20160831_153550.jpg


20160831_153629.jpg
 

mattnew33

New member
Joined
Jul 14, 2016
Messages
138
I had a thread about changing the pot/caps on this Special.
It's now completed, so I figured that I would start a new thread.

After stripping everything, I touched up the nicks in the finish with black lacquer.
The finish on it is Satin Black, so I lightly sanded the touched up spots to degloss them.
As you probably know, these satin finishes buff to a semi-gloss in the spots where your body contacts the finish.
The neck, back of the body, and where my arm rests had buffed to a semi-gloss.
To even out the finish, I buffed the body until it was fairly even gloss.
I then applied a light coat of wax to further even it out and protect the finish a bit.
The neck was not touched as it is fine.

After the body was done, I installed the 500k CTS pots, Russian .022uf PIO caps, and the pickups.
The pickups are Brandonwound unpotted vintage wind P90s, 8.57k ohm bridge and 8.07k ohm neck.
The neck pickup is RWRP for hum cancelling in the middle position.

I installed ABR conversion studs, and a nickel plated ABR from a 335.
The tailpiece is aluminum, nickel plated, with locking steel studs, also nickel plated.

I am very happy with the results.
The pickups really sound great, and it's nice to have the hum cancelling in the middle position.
It is not too bright or dark, it sounds as I hoped it would.

Some poor quality pictures:

20160831_153444.jpg


20160831_153724.jpg


20160831_153550.jpg


20160831_153629.jpg


Very cool :yah

Something about the understated simplicity of the Jr's and specials screams "play the crap out of me". They have a certain subtle touch of class that ... a certain "je ne sais quoi" ... that tells you it is a really really nice guitar even without the AAAAAAAA flame maple top that other LPs have.

Dammit.. now I want to go buy a special.
 

Kris Ford

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
4,003
Lookin' good Lou!:salude

I have an old Super 2 that Jared is converting into a full blown Super Distortion, great guy!
 

lous1952

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
99
Thanks for the kind words guys.

Kris, I think that you will be very happy with his work.
He's done several repairs and conversions for me in the past, and they all worked quite well.
 
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