Members Average_Joe Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 OK, so I've read a bunch of these kit build threads here and elsewhere and found them very interesting, and since I've always wanted to try building one, I finally pulled the trigger on a Les Paul Custom from BYOGuitar.com. When I finally had the funds to order one they were out, and I asked if they were getting more, he told me none were currently on order, but he did have some "blemished" kits that he could give me a deal on. He sent me pics, I picked one that had small gouges on the back, but otherwise was very nice. I''ve built alot of things, but never a guitar, so I dunno how it will turn out, this might be a gem or it may be a candidate for smashing on the groung after doing a Who song, We'll see. The kits seem to be of good quality and spec out pretty good for the money. The Les Paul Custom kit usually goes for $199. Specs are: Mahogany body & neck, Maple carved cap w/ flamed maple veneer. Rosewood fingerboard. Gold hardware, PAF style humbuckers. 24 3/4" scale set neck 5 Ply Binding on body (front and back) and Headstock, single ply binding on fretboard. Medium jumbo frets. I'm going to use the stock hardware and worry about different pups 'n' pots after I find out if it plays ok and my budget recovers. Here's what the kit looks like: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SoldierStape01 Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Very nice... Tips from the first time I built myself a kit... PATIENCE!!!! Take your time and looks like to will come out at least lookikng great... If it dosen't play so well... then hell... you got something cool to hang on the wall... All in all I wish you the best... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Subscribed! Congratulations on making it to the point of not only buying the kit, but unpacking it as well! Good luck man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members newbuilder Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Looks like a nice kit. Can't wait to see what you do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarNoobie Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 58flame Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Looks like a lot of fun. Keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fullmetalguitar Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Cool. And the headstock shape looks great. Some of those Les Paul kits have fugly headstock shapes. Keep us posted. I've never done one of these and have always wanted to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Average_Joe Posted September 27, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Put the glue to the neck yesterday afternoon. The neck joint in this kit is similar to the Grizzly kit in newbuilder's build thread, except requires no shims. The heel of the neck joint is kind of wedge shaped where the heel end is snug in the body socket. I think this is to keep the bass side tight (most of the glueable surface is on bass side and back side of neck) while making the neck easy to slide into the joint at a slight angle and then staighten and clamp. Took the clamps off this morning. The joint seems strong enough. Can't make it move or make any cracking noises. Also put the nut on and marked & piloted the holes for the bridge and tailpeice. I'll put it on the drill press tomorrow after I nab the right drill bit from work tomorrow. Then it'll be ready to sand & color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LTJ_roxx Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 Is that gonna be a kahler route? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Average_Joe Posted September 28, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 No those are just measuring lines to locate the stud holes. They'll be sanded off and A standard tunomatic going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LTJ_roxx Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I have to agree^^^. Nice job so far man! Looking forward to the next set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SoldierStape01 Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I have to agree^^^. Nice job so far man! Looking forward to the next set. Agreed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarNoobie Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 nice work so far , but newbuilders kit is a GFS kit, not a grizzly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Average_Joe Posted October 11, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 11, 2009 I've been sanding and dying this thing. Didn't get the color I was going for, but this will have to do as I am sick of trying to recolor. In case anyone was wondering, sanding still sucks. I was trying to layer it to get a ruby red with black flame highlights but the dyes wouldn't cooperate. Sanded too much of the first layer of black off so the flaming doesn't stand out as much as I wanted, and the red went on and made a pinkish purple. So I over darkened it and got a maroon & black. Sanded a few spots too much and got into the veneer glue, which won't dye good. Finally got enough red & black layered on it to make those spots less noticeable so I'm gonna stop with this color before it becomes fubar. I still got a little more cleaning up of the stains on the binding and then put the sealer and clear to it. But here's how it looks now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted October 11, 2009 Members Share Posted October 11, 2009 Diagonal body pieces? Interesting.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Orange Jackson Posted October 11, 2009 Members Share Posted October 11, 2009 Very cool! +1 on the recommendation to take your time. as soon as you start pushing it is when you make your mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chuck1016 Posted October 11, 2009 Members Share Posted October 11, 2009 Looks great! How do you handle the binding when dying and sanding? Do you tape it off or just dye/sand over it? BTW, Welcome to the forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Average_Joe Posted October 11, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 11, 2009 Looks great! How do you handle the binding when dying and sanding? Do you tape it off or just dye/sand over it? BTW, Welcome to the forum Thanks. I tryed taping it, but it still gets some on it. The binding is plastic so the dye doesn't penetrate it. It is easy to scrape off with a knife held at a 90 degree angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members snowaie Posted October 11, 2009 Members Share Posted October 11, 2009 wow looks awesome!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted October 11, 2009 Members Share Posted October 11, 2009 Looks great! How do you handle the binding when dying and sanding? Do you tape it off or just dye/sand over it? BTW, Welcome to the forum I forgot to welcome you man, Welcome to HCEG! Awesome way to start things off, with a build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarNoobie Posted October 11, 2009 Members Share Posted October 11, 2009 Add another to this. Looking Killer man! I forgot to welcome you man, Welcome to HCEG! Awesome way to start things off, with a build! +1 what he said ^^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Average_Joe Posted October 19, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I shot it with rattle can Minwax gloss lacquer. Pretty shiny. Still need to buff it out, it was kind of cool & damp in my basement when I shot it, so I have alittle bit of mild blushing. I want to wait a couple of weeks to make sure it's good and hard and it should buff right out. Other than that, I got it wired up. That took the better part of the day. I had a dead pot and it took me a while to isolate the problem. I did figure out I mounted the bridge about 1/16" off center towards the bass side. Shouldn't affect play any with my feeble skills, but it did require me to widen out the pickup routes to get them aligned under the strings. So now I have it strung up and I'm going to wait a day or two before trying to set up to let the neck settle, but this is pretty much what she's gonna look like (except truss rod cover is still off now): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brewski Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 looks great!! Nicely done - I'd like to get me one of them LP tyle geetars!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members igge Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 That looks quite good. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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