1960 Les Paul Junior restoration project pics

[Toecutter]

http://www.lilypix.com/photos/showalbum.php?uuid=600&aid=3113

Here's some shots of my recently completed 1960 Les Paul Junior restoration project. It was pretty much a mess when I got it, and was refinished in an ugly brown color, but most importantly no breaks or routes! It does however have a burn mark on it (as you can see in the pics). I'm not sure how it happend, but I think it actually adds a bit of character to the guitar. I tried to get as close to the original color as possible using a diluted version of Gibson red.

Most of the hardware was missing, but I was lucky enough to get the original harness containing the original Centralab pots, jack, and the Sprague bumble bee cap! I hand fabricated the pickguard and the the back control cavity cover. I Installed a Pigtail wrap-around bridge w/steel studs, and a Lindy Fralin stock P-90 dogear pickup. The neck is not huge, but its got a bit of heft to it. It plays and sounds like a dream, and if you push the overdrive, it really rocks out!

All in all I think it turned out O.K., and ready for another 45 years of rockin!!

 

[JJ Jones]

Wow! It turned out great! What a beauty!

 

[keef]

Finish looks great - terrific job!

 

[fretwire]

Very nice looking job indeed! Nice work on that pickguard too. :dude

 

[ScreamingTrees]

Looks good! Keep rockin.............

 

[8 5419 & 8 1689]

GREAT job!

 

[V!N]

You did well, I bet it looks killer with your red Marshall box now. :salude

 

[Toecutter]

Thanks for all the kind words! It's truning out to be one of my favorite guitars, even over my R9!! I guess old wood really can't be beat...

 

[the von haze]

Good color, nice and rich, and nice photography too. Thanks for sharing.

 

[hawkeye2u]

Man that is SOOOO NIICCEE!!!!!
GREAT job
How long did it take You?
Please tell us more
Love it can I have it?

 

[Toecutter]

hawkeye2u- I added some comments to the pictures, so you can see and understand what stage of the restoration you are looking at.

The total restoration took about 2 and a half months. It took about a week or so to strip and clean the wood and plug the reamed tuner holes (as seen in the pics I installed original Kulsons).

The next week was spent on final sanding (before nitro) filling the grain and sealing the wood with shellac. I always seal with several thinned coats of shellac for safety sake. You never know if someone has applied some type of silicone to the wood. That would be a disaster and the nitro wood fisheye like crazy. The finish took about another two weeks. After that, I let the nitro dry and settle for about 4 weeks.

The final wet sanding with mineral spirits and buffing about 2 days. Then the final cleaning and assembly.

Thanks to all for the nice comments!