1959 2013 LP Build

[vanhalen5150]

The other trick thats quite effective is to clamp a belt sander to your bench. You can use some scrap wood under it and use the same thickness under your blank. Use a square and make sure the belt is a perfect 90 degrees.

[vanhalen5150]

Get the edges as close to the lines as possible. That caulking roll makes for a great sanding block.

[vanhalen5150]

I need my top to be 5/8"ths. I mark aproximately from the top down. I used a router and a large sanding block to remove the excess. SHIT BLIZZARD ALERT!.....what I couldn't see, was there was a flaw in the wood that didnt reveal itself until I removed the excess from the bottom.....I may be ok with this but if comes out in the top, I'll remove the top and put on a new one. I should be able to see what I have after some routing.....

[vanhalen5150]

Here is the flaw from the side.

Next I use double faced tape, and line up the template for the channel that runs the switch and PU's to the control cavity. I used a cheap 1/2" router bit and got a little burnout. No big deal. African mahogany is pretty f'ing hard.

[vanhalen5150]

Mixed up some hide/hyde glue. I use a 1:1 ratio, in a mason jar that sits inside a pot with about 2" of water. The glue melts at pretty easy and is pretty fluid at 145 degrees. No need for a thermometer. Its pretty liquidy thin

I have all my clamps pre set to the correct height. I line up the straight lines on the body blank with the center line of the maple top. I add the spring clamps first and then add the others. Before adding the glue to the body blank, I heat the mahogany with a heat gun. This gives you a little extra time if you need to adjust the top. I only add glue to the mahogany blank with a paint brush. I forgot to tape the sides to prevent glue run from being sanded.

Leaving the top clamped/glued for about 2 days.

[vanhalen5150]

Some interesting things you realize. even though you are using templates, the sanding process will cause every guitar to be a bit different. Gibson used a large belt sander back in the 50/60's and the templates eventually would wear from the router bearings. No 2 vintage Gibsons are exactly the same.

[vanhalen5150]

Did a test router over the dark flaw. Have to replace the top. Yippeeeee! Lets see how easy hide glue is to reheat.

[somethin'else]

Aw man, bumsies. I thought that dark 'knot' was cool, like Marilyn's beauty spot.
Did you totally lose the maple?
Big flexi scraper/spatula, heat with gun or over stove (wear glove).
Wedge that hot blade all around the edges and work towards the middle.
Love that your sharing this. Can't wait to see the neck fab & join!

[vanhalen5150]

Yeah its a downer but Ill get it staightened out. Here is a pic before I started routing. Gluing a new top up today, hopefully back to where I should be by the weekend. Luckily I used hide glue, otherwise I'd be totally screwed.

[Tone Slinger]

Very cool Shannon . I guess when you have conquered amp building you move on to guitars . I think that, as sweet as it is to make your own amp, that a GUITAR is even sweeter. It's just more personal.

[rgorke]

So, why do you have to replace the top? Did you make a router oopsie?

[vanhalen5150]

Certainly not conquering of amps.

I removed the top because of a flaw I couldn't see in the wood until I started to router down the top edges. It was a long dark spot that wouldn't have looked great. I'm sure these tops became the painted tops Gibson put out.

Successfully removed the top and have another glued up.

[6burgh]

Always wondered what my Ebony standard looked like without the paint! knots and wormholes!

[vanhalen5150]

Always wondered what my Ebony standard looked like without the paint! knots and wormholes!

You never know....sand it down!

[vanhalen5150]

New top.