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PNVGD 1958 Les Paul TV Model Junior Single Cut

Cliff Gress

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Aug 26, 2004
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From Matt Hughes “Mr Banker Custom”

“Junior and special were budget guitars. They used block tenons. Basically the bottom of the neck is the tenon, and that was ok because it was a slab body and the upper part of the fretboard stood above the body.

On the standard, the fretboard sits flush on the top of the guitar. So the 3 degree neck angle also had to be cut into the top where the neck attaches. Otherwise the neck would stick out above the body. The thickness of those guitars is vastly different, so they used the thinner long tenon and mortise. Also, notice on the treble side of standards, there’s no body shoulder where the neck meets. It’s seamless. You can’t do that with a block tenon.
From a woodworking stand point, block tenons are way faster and easier to produce”

now I wonder ... doe these differences have an effect on tone?

Thanks man. Faster and easier on the less expensive model lines, makes sense. My dc Melody Maker has the block on both sides of the neck.
 

Pellman73

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Aug 9, 2016
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Put on this new "stud finder" Music City Bridge today... I like it! I like the idea behind it too. You can see the high E side has more meat to it so the bridge itself is more in contact w the posts-- and the intonation built in... aged a bit. I also put on the ThroBak hybrid strings -- all sounds great!!



 

Pellman73

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Very sweet!

Took out and restrung its older sister, a 1957, today and tuned it to open G. It likes to do Keef, Black Crowes and Zep tunes like 'Dancing Days".

kVhj1hk.jpg


Neck joint and finish detail with cool grain:

Ty3EcpU.jpg


Around 7 lbs. Have a Pigtail with locking studs on it, improves intonation and articulation.

that board is crazy! what a beauty !!:peace2:salude
 

Pellman73

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This 55 has a killer dogear. Congrats!!!!
<iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="flickr-embed-frame" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" width="640" height="428" data-natural-width="640" data-natural-height="428" data-loaded="true" style="overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; width: 640px; height: 428px; max-width: none;"></iframe><script async="" src="https://widgets.flickr.com/embedr/embedr-70c2e3e766deb8c8fd87b83c30e47332.js"></script><script async="" src="https://embedr.flickr.com/assets/embedr-loader.js"></script><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

love it-- Single Cut TV JRs unite!
 

thin sissy

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Jan 2, 2006
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Hey man, great to hear about the stud finder! I have a question: Did it fit your studs?

I bought one about two years ago, and the ears were much too thick to fit the studs on my 57 Jr. I filed them down (quite a bit) and had it on for a while, but eventually put the old bridge back on. My filing made the stud finder look crude, and I kind of felt I lost something in the tone with it.

I really love the design though, it's very smart and looks good. Maybe I should try it on again :hmm
 

Pellman73

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Hey man, great to hear about the stud finder! I have a question: Did it fit your studs?

I bought one about two years ago, and the ears were much too thick to fit the studs on my 57 Jr. I filed them down (quite a bit) and had it on for a while, but eventually put the old bridge back on. My filing made the stud finder look crude, and I kind of felt I lost something in the tone with it.

I really love the design though, it's very smart and looks good. Maybe I should try it on again :hmm

It fit perfectly ! I didn’t have to do any mods ...
 

57gold

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Jan 14, 2005
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692
Saw Tom Bukovac's video on the Music City Bridge, which I believe Joe Glaser has something to do with.

Pigtail is a nice unit, but far from a vintage look and it need to be pushed back from the treble side post pretty far with hex bolt to intonate properly.

Pellman, did you check intonation with a strobe tuner and see how close it gets to proper intonation? Pigtail is spot on with adjustments to the individual saddles.

My other problem is that mine has skinny, 1957 frets that have been played...was thinking of sending it to Joe Glaser to have it refretted. He did a 1958 Strat for me that came out great.
 

neuroy

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Mar 10, 2008
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This 55 has a killer dogear. Congrats!!!!
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/185825126@N07/49996029626/in/dateposted-friend/" title="79457831_931150090664109_7084759016739438592_o"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49996029626_b5704b503b_z.jpg" width="640" height="429" alt="79457831_931150090664109_7084759016739438592_o"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>[/FONT]

Nice !
I have a ´55 too. Also the best p-90 ever heard.
Is yours the "natural" colour ? 6 digit serial-no. ?
Are the knobs original ? mine has golden barrels.
Cheers
 

Pellman73

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Aug 9, 2016
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Saw Tom Bukovac's video on the Music City Bridge, which I believe Joe Glaser has something to do with.

Pigtail is a nice unit, but far from a vintage look and it need to be pushed back from the treble side post pretty far with hex bolt to intonate properly.

Pellman, did you check intonation with a strobe tuner and see how close it gets to proper intonation? Pigtail is spot on with adjustments to the individual saddles.

My other problem is that mine has skinny, 1957 frets that have been played...was thinking of sending it to Joe Glaser to have it refretted. He did a 1958 Strat for me that came out great.

I didn't check the intonation yet but will. just hitting the harmonics at the 12 fret though everything sounded good but..... that's prob not that accurate! I"ll check

if you have it refretted will you put the vintage correct ones on there or maybe go a little bigger (I think the 59s have bigger frets?)? Mine are pretty damn thin too but I'm reluctant to make any alterations... then again I"m prog never gonna sell it so ... I can still bend but I"m with you that they are small.
 

Pellman73

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Nice !
I have a ´55 too. Also the best p-90 ever heard.
Is yours the "natural" colour ? 6 digit serial-no. ?
Are the knobs original ? mine has golden barrels.
Cheers

Mine is grey poupon colored... I love it-- I've not really seen any of the newer reissues get that shade.

5 digits 8 2366

I think the knobs are original but I couldn't say for sure. it was sold as all orig
 

guitplayer

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Mar 8, 2008
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2,114
Nice !
I have a ´55 too. Also the best p-90 ever heard.
Is yours the "natural" colour ? 6 digit serial-no. ?
Are the knobs original ? mine has golden barrels.
Cheers
yep, wheat color 6 digit . Knobs are original.
 

neuroy

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Mar 10, 2008
Messages
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yep, wheat color 6 digit . Knobs are original.

Thank you !

I have only seen 3 of those in the last ten years. Yours is number 4.
Literature states there were 5 "Naturals" produced in ´55 ( and only in ´55).
Some years ago some forum members said they had seen quite a few in the past, but like I said not me.
They pop up really seldom. I am very convinced that this is a uber rare model.

When I bought mine 12- 14 years ago there was another one for sale, like mine with repaired headstock fracture ( the same place and kind of break, ser-no very very close ).
Another one in mint condition sold at Carters.
one , IIRC in Italy.
TW showed an old picture of one he used to own ( which could be one the others already mentioned )
And now yours. ( broken headstock, perhaps ? )
You don't want to sell yours ?

Cheers
 

guitplayer

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Mar 8, 2008
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Mine is straight. Dan put 2 , 1/2 inch bushings together on this one to make 1 inch.
I`ll keep it in mind. thanks
 
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