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A 1987 Custom, an idea and some Bad Religion....

BCR/Greg

Les Paul Forum Member and Host of Guitar Shop
Joined
Jul 21, 2001
Messages
2,802
Brian Baker is the guitarist in Bad Religion, and formerly in Minor Threat, Junkyard and others. Mr. Baker decided that taking his recent white Custom and making it cooler is something that I needed to do. Vintage P-90/Alnico Staple pickup set and wraparound.....damn cool, indeed. Not an easy job....but just the thing that I love doing.

So here we go....

Before
IMG_2289.jpg



Parts off.

IMG_2291.jpg



The black grease pencil areas are where material will be removed, then the routes will be narrowed using the same material as the body.

IMG_2296.jpg




Maple over mahogany for the fill bits.


IMG_2297.jpg


Stay tuned, it gets hairy.....
 
Last edited:

BCR/Greg

Les Paul Forum Member and Host of Guitar Shop
Joined
Jul 21, 2001
Messages
2,802
Using Uncle Greg's Stud Remover Thingy to take the anchors out of the body. The holes will be filled.

IMG_2303.jpg


Removing material by hand....no big machines wanted or needed.

IMG_2305.jpg



Handmade maple dowels to fill the holes....

IMG_2310.jpg


Ready to drill for the new bridge.


IMG_2311.jpg
 

J T

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,501
Freehand router!

Now THAT is something you don't try at home, kids. :)
 

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
I played a friends 53 Custom (yes) with this exact pick up arrangement- wow.
Just spectacular- the neck pickup had such clarity, but those are perfect when pushed into the dirt. Hi-fi dreck.
Very cool. His had an ABR 1.
I told him it was like playing royalty.
Wraparound on this- what a concept. Can't wait.
 

BCR/Greg

Les Paul Forum Member and Host of Guitar Shop
Joined
Jul 21, 2001
Messages
2,802
Marked with grease pencil to prepare to drill BIG, GNARLY HOLES into the guitar, FREEHAND. (Actually, 1/4 in holes are drilled FIRST, then the big bit follows that....keeping drift at bay.

Sharp eyed folks will notice that the bridge holes are NOT uniformly spaced from the center. That is the mistake that 98% of those out there do when drilling for a wraparound. The bridge is canted, so the strings do not come straight forward, like on an intonatable bridge.

IMG_2312.jpg


I use a peghead ferrule as a bearing when drilling the string ground hole.


IMG_2313.jpg



Checking alignment....


IMG_2316.jpg



Gluing in the supports for the staple pickup....

IMG_2319.jpg
 

CDaughtry

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner and Moderator
Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
12,646
I totally agree. It's always fun to watch a master at work.:dude:
 

BCR/Greg

Les Paul Forum Member and Host of Guitar Shop
Joined
Jul 21, 2001
Messages
2,802
Trimming the fill plates to thickness....

IMG_2322.jpg



THAT should do it...

IMG_2323.jpg



Shaped and trimmed to match the routes and wire channels.....


IMG_2324.jpg



Clamppitty doo dah....

IMG_2325.jpg
 

Badoogie

New member
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
48
I love threads like this. :yah

Greg, you mentioned why the bridge holes for a wraptail are slightly left of centre. How do you calculate this spacing?
 

Mars Hall

Active member
Joined
Nov 26, 2008
Messages
1,829
This looks like an expensive conversion. I'm wondering why, when there are a plethora of P-90 LP's to be had in all price ranges?
 

BCR/Greg

Les Paul Forum Member and Host of Guitar Shop
Joined
Jul 21, 2001
Messages
2,802
This looks like an expensive conversion. I'm wondering why, when there are a plethora of P-90 LP's to be had in all price ranges?

Because he wanted it that way. Find another one with a wraparound and staple pickup in any color.
 

mattnew33

New member
Joined
Jul 14, 2016
Messages
138
This looks like an expensive conversion. I'm wondering why, when there are a plethora of P-90 LP's to be had in all price ranges?


:) Because do what you want, do all you can, break all the *****ing rules and go to hell with superman :)
 

AA00475Bassman

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2016
Messages
3,769
This looks like an expensive conversion. I'm wondering why, when there are a plethora of P-90 LP's to be had in all price ranges?
I see very few Les Paul Customs with a wrap tail & staple , P90 if any !!

Disclaimer : And they are P90 TOM of the garden variety , One guy who will remain nameless because he's super secret and most likely a planted mole member has a very cool wrap tail double coil guitar .........!!!!!!! I think it's even a stinger but i'm not saying anymore .

More phots of this cool guitar !
 
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