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My 69 Gold top restoration project

Toecutter

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Joined
Feb 21, 2003
Messages
528
I finally got around to posting the pictures of my 69 Gold top project. I started this project late November 2003 and completed it about the second week of February 2004. It was rough spraying paint during the winter in the garage, but I somehow was able to get through it, waiting for the warm days (above 20 degrees F). The guitar was in pretty rough shape when I got it, but it played and sounded like a dream, so I decide I was going to bring it back to it’s somewhat original glory!

It’s on the heavy side 10+ lbs; it’s got a one-piece mahogany body with a three-piece mahogany neck with a short tenon. The headstock was modified long before I got it, as someone tried to make this guitar look like an early 50's Les Paul by moving the logo down on the headstock and circumcising the large 69 head. The back of the headstock was also painted with a black stinger, which covered the old filled tuner holes. After I stripped the head I realize all of this...

The Gold top paint is from Re ranch, the rest of the lacquer is Lawrence-McFadden Gloss Guitar Lacquer (9 coats). The electronics are original with original Sprague Black beauty .022 caps, and 68 CTS pots. I changed out the non-original pups and installed two Patent number PAF pups (early 60’s), and I also replace the single ring historic tuners with the correct period double ring Gibson Deluxe tuners. All in all I’m pleased with how it turned out.

Here are some pictures showing the before, during, and after shots. (I wish I took more pictures during the restoration).

http://www.lilypix.com/photos/showalbum.php?sf=1&uuid=600&aid=1843
 

lasher

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Aug 9, 2003
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644
cool

that's a lot of work, done well i might add. looks gooder than good.
 

DBL-CLUTCH

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Jul 17, 2001
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Nice work there Toecutter. I'd be proud of that restoration.
 

moonweasel

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Jan 20, 2004
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9,427
Nice save! Sanding can be brutal. Id like to refin a guitar one day, think it could be pretty fun....

I just finished building a mahogany kayak with my dad... 17ft.... I sanded that whole boat with three grades of paper about 7 times before it was done...

Check it out.... (note the figure in the mahogany, YES, I look like an idiot)....



done.jpg
 

Toecutter

Member
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Feb 21, 2003
Messages
528
guitargasm- I won a $25 EBAY auction of guitar parts that included the pup. It needed a new base plate, otherwise it was perfect. The other one was purchased for 50 bucks about 10 years ago.

moonweasel- Very nice, that kayak looks great :dude

I've never seen a mahogany kayak :wow
 

1954Gold

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Nov 7, 2003
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Fantastic! I would like to do this one day... how did you redo the black on the headstock and get the Gibson and Les Paul logos?
 

Toecutter

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Feb 21, 2003
Messages
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1954Gold- The headstock restoring went as follows; I removed the old headstock veneer (using heat) and also removed the misplaced Gibson logo. At that point I also removed the doweling that was used to plug the original tuner holes (I wish I had taken photos of this). I fabricated a plug cutter from some hobby brass tubing. I used the cutter to cut some mahogany plugs with correctly oriented grain. Once the plugs were glued in (with Titebond). I cut a new holly veneer to fit the headstock. I then used a Dremel tool for the Gibson logo cutout and also for the truss rod opening. Once I was satisfied with the veneer I glued it on using hide glue. I then used CA to attach the MOP logo. I used some alcohol soluble black dye to color the filler around the logo. I actually found reproduction of both the MOP Gibson logo and the Les Paul Decal on EBAY.

Regarding the back of the head stock. I was extremely lucky as the tuners mostly cover the old holes. If you look closely you can see the plug on the top of the D tuner.
 

moonweasel

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Jan 20, 2004
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Toecutter,

You should check these guys out. If you are as into wood working as you seem to be (the work you did on that headstock blows me away), you really owe it to yourself to look into this. The company is slightly larger than "mom and pop", so you can still call and talk to the guys that build the kits.

I REALLY wanted to put a sunburst on my boat! :) Mine is the 17ft model...

Late 60's Pauls are the best....

http://www.clcboats.com/boats/chesapeake.php/cart_id=3918ad8e8e109231540aa18690dec6ea/
 
Last edited:

1954Gold

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Nov 7, 2003
Messages
1,889
Toecutter said:
1954Gold- The headstock restoring went as follows; I removed the old headstock veneer (using heat) and also removed the misplaced Gibson logo. At that point I also removed the doweling that was used to plug the original tuner holes (I wish I had taken photos of this). I fabricated a plug cutter from some hobby brass tubing. I used the cutter to cut some mahogany plugs with correctly oriented grain. Once the plugs were glued in (with Titebond). I cut a new holly veneer to fit the headstock. I then used a Dremel tool for the Gibson logo cutout and also for the truss rod opening. Once I was satisfied with the veneer I glued it on using hide glue. I then used CA to attach the MOP logo. I used some alcohol soluble black dye to color the filler around the logo. I actually found reproduction of both the MOP Gibson logo and the Les Paul Decal on EBAY. Regarding the back of the head stock. I was extremely lucky as the tuners mostly cover the old holes. If you look closely you can see the plug on the top of the D tuner.

Many, many thanks for the reply..had to ask since there is quite a job in progress between slide #14 and #15. I surmised the headstock was the trickiest part; cetainly wish there were photos of that! ...Wasn't sure wheter or not you got the logos on Ebay or not from the U.K. outfit that lists there. As I said, I would love to attempt something like this, maybe starting with beat up old Tele and eventually working my way up or a StewMac kit. Great job!
 
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Toecutter

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Feb 21, 2003
Messages
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1954Gold- That 72 LP would be a good candidate for a fairly easy restore, as there's been no mods done. Regarding Reranch, the gold spray they sell works well, and looks pretty close to the original color. The most important thing I learned doing a gold top is the prep work. The top needs to be as smooth as you can get it, or imperfections will show in the gold coat.

Good luck :dude
 

1954Gold

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Nov 7, 2003
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Toecutter said:
1954Gold- That 72 LP would be a good candidate for a fairly easy restore, as there's been no mods done. Regarding Reranch, the gold spray they sell works well, and looks pretty close to the original color. The most important thing I learned doing a gold top is the prep work. The top needs to be as smooth as you can get it, or imperfections will show in the gold coat. Good luck :dude

Yeah, I agree.. just don't like the price figure for it. Might best to find a beat up Tele. One last question to bug you with... do I understand that the veneer on the headstock ( is the veneer the black laquer background for the Gibson logo and Les Paul decal? ) comes off with heat and then can be reglued on? Thanks again.
 

Toecutter

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Joined
Feb 21, 2003
Messages
528
1954Gold said:
Yeah, I agree.. just don't like the price figure for it. Might best to find a beat up Tele. One last question to bug you with... do I understand that the veneer on the headstock ( is the veneer the black laquer background for the Gibson logo and Les Paul decal? ) comes off with heat and then can be reglued on? Thanks again.

The veneer is just a thin piece of Holly wood which is used to inlay the Gibson logo (It gets painted black). The old veneer was not reusable as it was really beat, plus the Gibson logo cutout was too low. I installed a new holly veneer and had to finish with black lacquer, and lots of coats of clear over the black. The Les Paul model decal was applied after 4 coat of clear, then 5 or 6 coats more over the decal.

Don't sweat the questions, thats how you learn things :dude

becks bolero- Thanks for the nice words.
 
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