I need help with back plates on a 53

Big D Guitars · Jan 31, 2020

I am restoring a 53 les paul and the body is in terrible shape. I need to put a back cap on the back of the guitar, at some point the body was stepped on and attempted repair was done with bondo... lots of cracks and etc... sad story.

I need to know the size of the back plates.

The templates I have today are based off a 59. Does anyone have a 59 and a 53 to compare the back plate sizes? I am assuming the sizes are the same but want to know how much I have to take down of the wood to make this right.

thank you.

for those interested this is part II: https://youtu.be/gigmqyfRGsY

agogetr · Feb 3, 2020

Big D Guitars said:
I am restoring a 53 les paul and the body is in terrible shape. I need to put a back cap on the back of the guitar, at some point the body was stepped on and attempted repair was done with bondo... lots of cracks and etc... sad story.

I need to know the size of the back plates.

The templates I have today are based off a 59. Does anyone have a 59 and a 53 to compare the back plate sizes? I am assuming the sizes are the same but want to know how much I have to take down of the wood to make this right.

thank you.

for those interested this is part II: https://youtu.be/gigmqyfRGsY

also they are different colored arent they? the guys here will know

dwagar · Feb 3, 2020

assuming my back plates are original, is this what you need?

I just have the '53, don't have a '59 to compare.

boogieongtr · Feb 7, 2020

You already have the size needed for the guitar. From your video you can see the backplate route. Make a template from that and you will be ok. Also if the fretboard didn't have binding I would date it an early 52. After that point all 50's LP Goldtops fretboards had binding.

I need help with back plates on a 53

Big D Guitars

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