Home Building A Les Paul!

Jordan Miller · Post by **Jordan Miller** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:25 pm

Hi there!
I am about to start building my first electric guitar. I think I'm going to build a Les Paul standard, with a mahogany body and maple top.
I'm still in the planning stage, and I have got some blueprints and plans from online.

(I'm struggling to add images to the forum, will try some more later.)
Any advice for me would be appreciated, more to come at a later time.

-JM

Jordan Miller · Post by **Jordan Miller** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:47 pm

Here are my plans from the Interwebs and my rough template.

Jim Bonnell · Post by **Jim Bonnell** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 5:22 pm

Hi Jordan. I think you are going to find instrument building challenging,rewarding and addictive. Few people seem to build just one. If you want a Les Paul go for it, but unless you have a lot of wood working experience you might want to try something easier for your first build. Perhaps a Telecaster, Strat or a Les Paul Jr. A Les Paul is a pretty difficult build for your first. Not that it can't be done. I've seen some incredible first builds on here that put me to shame. In any case there is tons of experience on this forum and lots of people more than happy to help. Whatever you decide good luck and enjoy it.

Jason Rodgers · Post by **Jason Rodgers** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 2:01 am

Jim Bonnell wrote: If you want a Les Paul go for it, but unless you have a lot of wood working experience you might want to try something easier for your first build. Perhaps a Telecaster, Strat or a Les Paul Jr. A Les Paul is a pretty difficult build for your first. Not that it can't be done.

What Jim is referring to is trying a guitar design with no neck angle. Getting your centerline and basic saddle height for the bridge you have chosen is challenging enough without throwing in neck angle. Taking it one step further would be to build something with a bolt-on neck. But, as Jim says, it's not impossible.

Chris Richards · Post by **Chris Richards** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 6:24 pm

"Nailing my colours to the mast" so to speak, please don't do a Les Paul with a bolt on neck, take your time and plan a glue-in neck joint. Archtops with a bolt in neck just don't look right...Personal opinion I know.

Jason Rodgers · Post by **Jason Rodgers** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:44 pm

Jason Rodgers wrote: Taking it one step further would be to build something with a bolt-on neck.

Woa, I didn't say anything about a bolt-on LP!

Chris Richards · Post by **Chris Richards** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:20 am

Sorry Jason.... I wasn't referring to your post, just the original one and pictures of the templates which do indicate a bolt-on neck cavity. As you say a "no neck angle" Fender type design would be easier as a first guitar. Speaking personally I just don't like LP guitars with bolt on necks.

Rodger Knox · Post by **Rodger Knox** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 11:40 am

The neck angle isn't that hard, and neither is the set neck.
Binding, on the other hand, should wait for at least the second.

Jordan Miller · Post by **Jordan Miller** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 12:21 pm

Thanks everyone for your help!
I appreciate the feedback, and really want to thank you guys.

As of today, I'm not sure on what I'm going to do! I think a Strat may be my best bet.

One of my good friends is an experienced woodworker, and he is willing to help me out. He also suggested buying a kit for my first build, then working on a full "from scratch" Les Paul.

If I do decide to go homebuilt Les Paul, is there any advice for me for that neck angle? Maybe a jig setup? That is the only part of the build I'm concerned about, everything else looks OK to my eyes.

Thanks once again, apreciate it!
-JM

Jordan Miller · Post by **Jordan Miller** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 12:24 pm

I see what you are saying about the neck angle! Might have to look that one over.

Bill Raymond · Post by **Bill Raymond** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 1:05 pm

Once you've established your neck angle--you may be able to work from the plans you have, or you may have to redraw to establish it more accurately--then you can plane the end of the body where the fretboard lies and rout the mortise using a router guide template. I found that the neck angle can be planed easily by cutting a series of steps into the top of the guitar body then planing off the edges of the steps. If you pursue this project carefully, I don't see any reason you shouldn't be able to do it without having built a Strat-type or a kit first, but that really depends on your skills in planning and working carefully. The binding is not IMO all that difficult, except for in the cutaway area. What I did was to cut the binding using a binding cutter as illustrated in Sloane's book on building a classical guitar then, using a flexible straightedge, mark the lower edge of the binding channel so that it is continuous through the cutaway and carefully pare the ledge to the marked depth with a chisel. A little bit of work, but not at all that complicated nor difficult. Just be sure to think the job through and ask questions if you need to: MIMFers will be here to help you.

Jordan Miller · Post by **Jordan Miller** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 2:15 pm

According to the Benjamin Stouffs plans, drawn in 2005, the angle is 3.5 degrees.
I've looked around, and the current angle is anywhere from 3.5-4.5 degrees.
For example, the LP custom kit from Gibson has a 4.4 degree neck angle.

Post by **Mark Swanson** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:23 pm

We have a Library Archive here, that has lots of old discussions about neck angle jigs for solid bodies, and the web and Youtube is full of them as well. Spending the time to make a good jig will give you a good result, it's worth it.

Jordan Miller · Post by **Jordan Miller** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 9:04 pm

One more little detail I want to pick your brains for.
The issue of the dreaded CURVED TRUSS ROD!

Is it really necessary to use a curved truss rod in my LP? If so, can someone direct me to a proper jig / technique to use while cutting this out?

If its not necessary, can I use a straight rod instead? I was looking at the Hot Rod truss rod from stewmac.com
http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Su ... s_Rod.html

Any help is appreciated, I really need some guidance and experienced people to help me out!

Thanks

Chris Richards · Post by **Chris Richards** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 6:36 am

The problem with a curved truss rod is cutting the curved channel there are several ways to doing it but all require some kind of jig, you can cut a constant depth slot and glue a curved filler strip in the bottom. The filler strip that goes over the top HAS to be tight on top of the truss rod otherwise it won't work. There are a few other types of truss rod you can use that only require a constant depth slot, there's the type that runs in an aluminium box section and probably best of all a bi flex truss rod that will bend the neck both ways. On occasions either the act of gluing on the fretboard and/or putting the frets in can cause the neck to form a slight back bow and with a single action truss rod you can't do anything about it, basically it's a disaster! Unless you have a double acting rod that you can adjust to counteract the curve.
If you do use a traditional single acting truss rod it's a good idea to sand a slight curve in the fretboard before fretting that way you can compensate for any "back bow".

Bryan Bear · Post by **Bryan Bear** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 10:43 am

I have heard of a few makers having trouble with the hotrod on electrics with slim neck profiles. The hot rod ends are taller than some other rods and require a bit deeper slot. If you then carve a thin neck you can end up really thin behind the rod end towards the nut. I have heard of some guys having the rod push out the back of the neck. If you are gong to have a thicker neck profile all should be good but, if you think you might be pushing the limit for slot depth Stew mac has a newer low profile dual action truss rod. It looks very similar to the dual action rod (other than mine being a 12 fret rod) I just got fro the Martin Guitarmaker's Connection. It very well could be the same product.

Rodger Knox · Post by **Rodger Knox** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 11:51 am

Go for the Blanchard style double action rod,

http://www.lmii.com/products/mostly-not ... welded-nut

Much better design than the hotrod, and requires a 3/8" deep route.

Jordan Miller · Post by **Jordan Miller** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:43 pm

Thanks for your help,

Is there a site where I can buy premade necks for the Les Paul in case this one doesn't work out? I've checked a few options but some more help would be appreciated.

David King · Post by **David King** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 3:14 pm

duplicate post

David King · Post by **David King** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 3:15 pm

Check that Blanchard rod to make sure it works correctly before you install it. Some of them have issues where the end blocks aren't welded on straight and they bind up before having much effect. The other LMII rods are just as effective and just as easy to install and cost considerably less. I tested all the rods last summer and the Blanchard sample I got was the only one that didn't work. The easiest installation is probably the aluminum channel rod (aka old Martin style rod). Those are very reliable and reasonably low profile albeit a little heavier.

MIMF

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