LP Scratch build

Non-tube amp discussion to discuss music, girls, life, etc.

Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal

Post Reply
telentubes
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:29 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA.
Contact:

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by telentubes »

Next step is to pull off the masking tape (which some folks think should not be on there in the first place), and scrape the binding. It's easier if you can get to it before the sealer gets too hard. Also easier if the sealer is not too thick.

I make scrapers out of old band saw blades, ground to the shape I want, and kept sharp with a file.

Binding scraped, edges rounded, then sanded with 220.

Another coat of sealer, which makes a better lacquer to plastic bond.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
telentubes
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:29 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA.
Contact:

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by telentubes »

I think I will be very happy with this color when it has a few coats of lacquer. It has some qualities that I really like. At any rate, I won't do it again.
The color changes a lot depending on the light, which is a good sign. There is a nice three dimensional quality to it, which is reflected in the curl in the maple. Sometimes it looks really curly, sometimes it looks completely plain, depending on the light. I like that.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Reeltarded
Posts: 9926
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:38 am
Location: GA USA

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by Reeltarded »

hahaha :P

YES! She's a beauty.
Signatures have a 255 character limit that I could abuse, but I am not Cecil B. DeMille.
User avatar
martin manning
Posts: 13080
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:43 am
Location: 39°06' N 84°30' W

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by martin manning »

Looks deeper and more complex this time, if one can see such things from a photo on a computer screen... or maybe that means its even more stunning live. Well done!
User avatar
Reeltarded
Posts: 9926
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:38 am
Location: GA USA

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by Reeltarded »

I love it. There will never be a photo to do a piece of figured wood any justice. The clear coats make it 3x as translucent. I can't wait to see it in the sunlight.
Signatures have a 255 character limit that I could abuse, but I am not Cecil B. DeMille.
User avatar
Structo
Posts: 15446
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:01 am
Location: Oregon

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by Structo »

Do you have plugs in the pot holes?

I agree, it is going to look awesome!
Tom

Don't let that smoke out!
telentubes
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:29 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA.
Contact:

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by telentubes »

Yes, there are plugs in the pot holes as well as the selector switch and bridge stud holes. This is to make leveling easier when it is time to wet sand the lacquer, and also to keep water out of the end grain in the holes. If water gets in there and wicks under the finish, it buckles the surface and checks the lacquer in that area. Not good.

And yes again, the coloring on round 3 is more complex than the 2nd go round, although they look nearly identical in the photos. In real life, the burst is more gradual and you can "see" into the darker part of the sunburst. In the photos, it looks opaque with an inner halo of red, which isn't that accurate, but gives the general idea.
moj067
Posts: 129
Joined: Fri May 18, 2007 4:51 pm

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by moj067 »

Nice! Bursts are so hard to photograph. Everything looks more right on this iteration. That should be a beauty when all buffed out.
Thanks for giving us these little peeks.
telentubes
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:29 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA.
Contact:

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by telentubes »

Rolph '59 humbuckers arrived. Things of beauty.

I sprayed the first build coats of lacquer, which brought out the curl in the maple a bunch. I'll sand to almost level tomorrow (don't want to take off too much), then shoot the last 4 or 5 coats the following day. Then I'll let it cure for a couple of weeks before leveling and polishing.

The color in real life is more like the pic of the second Gibson I posted, just a little darker, more saturated color on the outer edge, but not opaque as it looks in the photos.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Structo
Posts: 15446
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:01 am
Location: Oregon

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by Structo »

It's getting there!

Did you mask or scrape the binding?

I found out the hard way that scraping the binding is a learned skill.

I ended up using some pin striping tape to mask it after trying to scrape.

Love the color, I know it is hard to photograph what it actually looks like.
Tom

Don't let that smoke out!
telentubes
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:29 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA.
Contact:

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by telentubes »

I scraped the top edge., but masked the sides. You still have to scraped the binding where it meets the color on both facets of the binding to get a clean line, even when you mask.
telentubes
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:29 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA.
Contact:

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by telentubes »

Back at it. I was out of town for three weeks which was a good amount of time to let the lacquer shrink.
I decided to go "repro" so cut Gibson from a piece of gold mother of pearl. then glued it in the headstock with blackened epoxy.
Parts were "aged" with coffee, or vinegar fumes in a plastic container.
Lacquer is leveled, starting with 1000 grit wet/dry, then 1200, 1500, 2000, and finally polished with rottenstone.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
telentubes
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:29 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA.
Contact:

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by telentubes »

More polishing, then adding a "Les Paul" waterslide decal to the peghead. I haven't put on a decal since building models as a kid.
The decal doesn't look great. I don't have any experience with them, so hope the cloudy footprint it leaves will clear up with some lacquer over it. Does anybody out there have experience with water slide decals?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by telentubes on Thu Mar 26, 2015 1:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
telentubes
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:29 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA.
Contact:

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by telentubes »

Here's the cloudy decal. It looks like it has air under it but I'm pretty sure I got it flattened down well. Maybe not. Maybe I over did it, although I tried not to.
Putting all the parts on. I'll probably end up taking the covers off the pickups, but they are on for now.
A selection of tone caps are on their way in the mail.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
moj067
Posts: 129
Joined: Fri May 18, 2007 4:51 pm

Re: LP Scratch build

Post by moj067 »

That's a beauty!
Post Reply