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1953 Les Paul Conversion project! Tiger flame monster..

J.D.

J.D.

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May 24, 2006
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10,034
quote...who can kid themselves that they’ve got the next best thing to a real one.../quote

Sound like a similar delusion to me. :ha
 
rockabilly69

rockabilly69

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Jul 29, 2001
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2,875
goldtop0 said:
It comes back to the age old adage doesn't it.........if you can't say something positive don't say anything at all, leave well alone.


Let's move on with the positive in this thread fellas.

I want to see how this LP turns out!!
Click to expand...

This is how I feel. This isn't the Les Paul Antiquity Conservation Museum Forum. It's the Les Paul Forum. I tire of the self appointed vintage Gibson police. Although I respect most of their opinions, they harsh my buzz. The thing I don't like is the attacks. And having "thick skin" shouldn't be a quality that someone need to possess on an internet forum. Any forum worth being on, should be civil. I come here to read about Les Pauls (and other Gibsons that I love). The reason I love Les Pauls is the way they feel and sound, especially the way they sound in a mix of a great rock song. For that, they are my favorite guitar. If someone, refinishes, converts, or whatever, to get to their ideal LP tone who cares. Anyone here that's spouting their opinion, is free to go buy up all of the junkyard Gibsons they can find, and restore them themselves. I for one, will applaud their work, just as I do jumping@shadows (Yuuki). And for those that say "should be restored with only a gold refin, or only have P90's or a wrap, fact is, something is only original once, and that goes for any refinish. And, so what, if the guy is making money on these guitars. He spent the money, and put in the craftsmanship in to get to the final product. If you don't like 3 piece tops, plugged holes, that's your choice. No one is saying anything about your taste. It's just the tone that people here express their opinions could be dialed back at bit! Bottom line, is when I heard the clip Yuuki posted of the cut-up junior he did as a burst, I thought, this is the tone I've been looking for for most of my guitar playing life. I've dialed many of my guitars to have the same type of tone. So that's why I like what he's doing. He's making toneful killer sounding guitars out of some less than ideal guitars.

Here's is the hacked up Jr he brought back to life, what a great tone full of harmonics swirling all around...

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1gdK1lnT8Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again
 
Last edited:
surfreak

surfreak

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May 6, 2002
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1,115
The guitar looks great and I take it at face value, ie a beautiful vintage guitar that has been refinished and modified to resemble - not replicate - a 59 burst.

Considering that the upper part of the top consistently goes over the perfect center seam, perhaps one option could have been to shave the lower top from the center line, and glue a 1-piece veneer with a figure that matches the upper half of the top as closely as possible?
 
Jumping@Shadows

Jumping@Shadows

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Dec 11, 2003
Messages
1,331
Thanks for the comments from both sides of the aisle.
I’m pretty happy with how this came out:

tW9R2qm.jpg


To those that dig conversions, I hope your enjoyed following along, to those who don’t I hope it’s not been too challenging.
 
Wilko

Wilko

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Mar 11, 2002
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I love it. Great looking guitar. I'm sure it sounds great.

A few years back I "bursted" a 1956 refin. Didn't need to disturb the neck joint. Top was as nice, but those who say these aren'tthe next best thing, they don't know.

Same factory

same workers

same wood

same parts

same feel

same sound
 
Unbound Dot Neck

Unbound Dot Neck

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Jun 14, 2004
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Well done !!! :salude

Jumping@Shadows said:
Thanks for the comments from both sides of the aisle.
I’m pretty happy with how this came out:

tW9R2qm.jpg


To those that dig conversions, I hope your enjoyed following along, to those who don’t I hope it’s not been too challenging.
Click to expand...
 
goldtop0

goldtop0

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Aug 19, 2003
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8,937
Jumping@Shadows said:
Thanks for the comments from both sides of the aisle.
I’m pretty happy with how this came out:

tW9R2qm.jpg


To those that dig conversions, I hope your enjoyed following along, to those who don’t I hope it’s not been too challenging.
Click to expand...


What can you say..........a real beauty:salude
 
marshall1987

marshall1987

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Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
Worthy of a gallery all it's own ....in the Louvre Museum! :note:note:salude

....well perhaps share with a couple of L. da Vinci's :dude:
 
Jumping@Shadows

Jumping@Shadows

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Thanks all! :salude

Here’s a few days in of fading:

jzDn5bl.jpg


I’ve shot a good few sunbursts now, and know how to ‘load’ the edges to build up intensity and compensate for the fast fading aniline dye, as well as basic methodological techniques to shoot the correct vintage ‘burst shape. It’s fun working these things out and noticing how the ES series are shot the same way, with the guitars hung upright, and making a ‘block pass’ straight across the upper bout, then moving on to the body perimeter, with successive passes around the edge to create the ‘trompe l’oeil’ effect of the emerging sunburst centre- the Les Paul shape is absolutely PERFECT for this colour scheme and gradiation, and instantly looks iconic imho :dude:
 
MapleFlame

MapleFlame

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Jul 3, 2005
Messages
14,044
Looks amazing and I guarantee it will sound even better. I have restored the worst of basket case 50's LP's and they all play and sound great. Owner can do what ever he pleases with his guitar. To have old wood and good parts really gets you close to a 58-60 LP. That Junior retop sounded incredible. Cheers
 
jb_abides

jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,407
Jumping@Shadows said:
Thanks all! :salude

Here’s a few days in of fading:

jzDn5bl.jpg


I’ve shot a good few sunbursts now, and know how to ‘load’ the edges to build up intensity and compensate for the fast fading aniline dye, as well as basic methodological techniques to shoot the correct vintage ‘burst shape. It’s fun working these things out and noticing how the ES series are shot the same way, with the guitars hung upright, and making a ‘block pass’ straight across the upper bout, then moving on to the body perimeter, with successive passes around the edge to create the ‘trompe l’oeil’ effect of the emerging sunburst centre- the Les Paul shape is absolutely PERFECT for this colour scheme and gradiation, and instantly looks iconic imho :dude:
Click to expand...

Looks great and important information imparted on shooting finishes... Congrats! :salude
 
Patek

Patek

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Dec 4, 2015
Messages
419
Jumping@Shadows said:
Thanks all! :salude

Here’s a few days in of fading:

jzDn5bl.jpg


I’ve shot a good few sunbursts now, and know how to ‘load’ the edges to build up intensity and compensate for the fast fading aniline dye, as well as basic methodological techniques to shoot the correct vintage ‘burst shape. It’s fun working these things out and noticing how the ES series are shot the same way, with the guitars hung upright, and making a ‘block pass’ straight across the upper bout, then moving on to the body perimeter, with successive passes around the edge to create the ‘trompe l’oeil’ effect of the emerging sunburst centre- the Les Paul shape is absolutely PERFECT for this colour scheme and gradiation, and instantly looks iconic imho :dude:
Click to expand...


absolutely stunning !!!!
 
fakejake

fakejake

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Sep 3, 2010
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1,290
Apart from that guitar... I like what's in your bookshelf, great selection!
 
jrgtr42

jrgtr42

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Mar 24, 2005
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2,311
Jumping@Shadows said:
For anyone curious, here’s the finished article:


7vJ75Mf.jpg
Click to expand...

That looks great!!!! I was a little skeptical of the fading - it was a very strong cherry burst - but this is top notch.
I personally may well have restored it as much as possible to original - but it's not my guitar, now is it?
Great job. PLay it in good health.
 
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