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Project Refin: 1961 Les Paul

MapleFlame

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Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
14,044
Well thank you very much. I have explained to him that it will certainly not be factory perfect, but as Kris said, between the pickup rings and the sidepull trem, a lot of this will ultimately be covered up. I am pretty handy with an airbrush so I can do a little more blending, but you're right, there are definitely limitations. So far his feedback is that it already looks better than he ever imagined it could and he's a real down to earth guy who is knowledgeable so I think he is going to be pleased with the end result.

This is may be a bit anal, and possibly not worth it, but I was thinking of mixing some of the sawdust from sanding this body with grain filler, and using that to fill the seams if all the plugs. Sanding that back, using a hobby knife to connect my grain lines across the seam, and then using my cherry grain filler to fill the body. I'm thinking that would prevent darker filler from highlighting the shape of the plugs.

I'm sure it will look great. I was making sure you weren't going to get any flack in the after work. I had false premises when I had guitars worked on. I didnt realized the many things that go along with plug fills.
 

Kris Ford

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
4,003
It came out great, did have some shrink back on headstock revealing the repairs, but it was a very very bad break and previous repair. The bridge pickup really punches and as J45 always said, neck pickups are where they prevail. Good to hear from you. Yes this SG project is awesome

Right on!:salude:salude
 

CBRmatt600

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2015
Messages
280
These repair patches will never be invisible, and as the lacquer cures and shrinks. the outlines of each patch will become even more visible. That is reality. I applaud your efforts here but you need to be realistic about the end result (which I more or less believe you are).


Youre definitely right, it is likely going to be in vain at the end of the day, but more for experimentation sake I want to see how invisible I can get them. But they will never be completely unnoticeable.
 

CBRmatt600

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2015
Messages
280
Playing around with a little color and shade, I've got this plug damn near invisible.

51C49423-9001-4558-A883-A289F44F422F.jpg
 

CBRmatt600

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Joined
Oct 27, 2015
Messages
280
It will be a couple more weeks before I have anymore updates, I brought it up to someone who is a refret and setup master to get rid of the old frets and install the new bridge and tail piece before I move on to the final stages of finishing. Here is a mockup I did with the new plastic, and of the headstock after a little filler and sealer.

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latestarter

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
Great work. That "ring" will always be visible but the matching on the plug inside is excellent. The center block is very well executed.

Going great. What sanding sealer have you used?
 

Kris Ford

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
4,003
I concur with Grant!

I'd just use double thumbwheels and forget all about those rings!

Center will be damn near invisible when the color goes on!:salude
 

CBRmatt600

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2015
Messages
280
Thanks! I use Behlen's, very lightly. I grain fill and level enough that I typically don't need very much. I use Behlen nitro as well as well. Not many options around these days, I wish someone would come up with a formula that has a lot less platicizers in it.

And we are doing double thumbwheels, so those bridge rings won't be noticeable at all. I'll do my best to hide the rings on the tail plugs with a little airbrush shading, but like you said, if this is done in the correct color they will be near impossible to hide. That's alright, I'm really pleased with how this is shaping up compared to where it was at.
 

Kris Ford

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
4,003
Thanks! I use Behlen's, very lightly. I grain fill and level enough that I typically don't need very much. I use Behlen nitro as well as well. Not many options around these days, I wish someone would come up with a formula that has a lot less platicizers in it.

And we are doing double thumbwheels, so those bridge rings won't be noticeable at all. I'll do my best to hide the rings on the tail plugs with a little airbrush shading, but like you said, if this is done in the correct color they will be near impossible to hide. That's alright, I'm really pleased with how this is shaping up compared to where it was at.

Any updates Matt?
 

CBRmatt600

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2015
Messages
280
Thanks!

No updates yet unfortunately. The owner is coming by tomorrow to check out a Burst that will be at the house, so I should have an idea then. The luthier he has do his fretwork is a real small one man shop in North Georgia and I think he is a little backed up.
 

CBRmatt600

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2015
Messages
280
It's back.....

I've been swamped with custom builds, but have a little holiday slowdown so I got back into this restoration. Over the weekend I cleaned up the fretboard, pulled an old replacement inlay and installed one made from the correct material, and put new frets in. Since this is a husk and the binding was removed, I am going to replace it with proper Royalite and cut the factory nibs back into it. The biggest hurdle is the fact that during the years of modding and bastardizing of this guitar, the edges of the neck have been shaved to the point that the binding channel is only about 1/32" wide in some places. I'll be sizing my binding strips to accommodate for this prior to gluing them up, that should be interesting....


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corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
So this came back from Rome AND STILL needed a refret?
 

corpse

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Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
I still think you should pop off the board and give it the Yuuki treatment- shim behind and widen it a touch at the top.
 
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