1959 Les Paul Junior Build

[Molly]

How are you finding time for this?

[jeremyb]

Beautiful work Grant, can’t wait to see the finished product!

[Bg]

How are you finding time for this?

Maybe he doesn't watch much pornhub?

[GrantB]

Looking sweet! Did you need to do anything to the neck pocket or was it nice and square and to the right angle already? Is that a well sealed crack on the top?

Neck feel comfy?

No cracks, only grain.

Neck pocket...hmmm...shimmed on the treble side, and the neck itself worked on. Bit of a pain in the azz to be honest. I’ll mansplain more in a later post.

One thing I wanted to achieve was a low neck angle. Modern Gibson’s have it wrong. The wrap tail should almost be bottomed out at the right action. Achieved!

[murky]

Nice!

Plug and re-drill for the post inserts?

[StrummersOfThunder]

Jeeze. That's some next level skillzzzz
Nice one grant. Looking forward to seeing the end result

[Lostininverness]

Looking sweet! Did you need to do anything to the neck pocket or was it nice and square and to the right angle already? Is that a well sealed crack on the top?

Neck feel comfy?

No cracks, only grain.

Neck pocket...hmmm...shimmed on the treble side, and the neck itself worked on. Bit of a pain in the azz to be honest. I’ll mansplain more in a later post.

One thing I wanted to achieve was a low neck angle. Modern Gibson’s have it wrong. The wrap tail should almost be bottomed out at the right action. Achieved!

So you go with the same idea of bottoming out the wrap around as a stop tail on an e.g. LP for vibration transfer etc.?

[sizzlingbadger]

Great looking build so far Grant !

I would set it up to my preferred action, measure any small gap between the tail and post inserts, and then make some spacers so I could seat it right down.

[GrantB]

How are you finding time for this?

I spend a lot of time thinking what needs to happen next and then use my time very precisely. I need to preserve my pornhub time.

Re the wrap tail angle...I don’t look to have it solid against the inserts so much as to have a string angle that’s more parallel with the body. Although I take everyone’s point about having that solid connection and I do agree it can be a great idea. It could be somewhat anecdotal as there will be many more aspects contributing to tone, but in my experience the guitars I have had with a lower bridge height have been easier to play and have sounded better. Modern Gibson guitars use lower tolerances and allow for more variables in the neck fitment and therefore you’ll often find the bridge is quite high on them. With my 1960 ES-335 the bridge is almost hard against the body, and that is the case with my 1976 Explorer. This build there will be maybe 1 to 3 mm lift from the base of the insert to the lowest stud flange. I’ll take photos so JB can get excited about the stud flange.

Long vintage steel studs make a big difference if anyone is ever contemplating one of these builds or updating a modern re-issue.

Murky, I drilled out the inserts thinking I would need to dowel and redo, but conveniently the vintage sized inserts I have are slightly bigger than the holes previously drilled, so I was able to take out the poor tolerances without having to fill and re-drill.

[werdna]

Very exciting thread.

[Grayson314]

I got my korina blanks and dark rosewood FB's from Adrian too years back for my V and Explorer builds - keeping an eye on this thread! Speaking of neck angles, the 58' explorer I made had a something like 1degree neck pitch, Abr-1 thumbwheel sits maybe a credit card above the top, definitely has a sound to it I think.

[GrantB]

I got my korina blanks and dark rosewood FB's from Adrian too years back for my V and Explorer builds - keeping an eye on this thread! Speaking of neck angles, the 58' explorer I made had a something like 1degree neck pitch, Abr-1 thumbwheel sits maybe a credit card above the top, definitely has a sound to it I think.

That's awesome - and getting right takes super fine adjustment of the heel and neck pocket! I spent maybe an hour on getting that exacting.

[GrantB]

So you go with the same idea of bottoming out the wrap around as a stop tail on an e.g. LP for vibration transfer etc.?

Not necessarily...with long studs and inserts this is less of a thing, I think...but I have no evidence. It's more the lower angle changes the feel (easier to play, bend, vibrato etc) and one would think, helps with vibration (higher bridge, tighter string tension, not as much vibration available)? I'm making this stuff up, but it sounds good, right?

[GrantB]

I got my korina blanks and dark rosewood FB's from Adrian too years back for my V and Explorer builds - keeping an eye on this thread! Speaking of neck angles, the 58' explorer I made had a something like 1degree neck pitch, Abr-1 thumbwheel sits maybe a credit card above the top, definitely has a sound to it I think.

And also, Korina is a great tone wood. It's a shame clean blanks are not readily available. My Korina Strat is just so loud and resonant....it's crazy.

[hamo]

I got my korina blanks and dark rosewood FB's from Adrian too years back for my V and Explorer builds - keeping an eye on this thread! Speaking of neck angles, the 58' explorer I made had a something like 1degree neck pitch, Abr-1 thumbwheel sits maybe a credit card above the top, definitely has a sound to it I think.

And also, Korina is a great tone wood. It's a shame clean blanks are not readily available. My Korina Strat is just so loud and resonant....it's crazy.

A korina V is high on my GAS list.