Making the Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop 2021 even better!!

[El Gringo]

IMO I truly believe the Makeover market is softer than the Murphy market other than a few bellyacher's on this Forum wanting marshmallows in their hot chocolate I commend Gibson !

For sure . The re builders have to drum up some business . It's pretty ridiculous and so pathetic .

 

[rickruz88]

I think it's safe to say this topic has been beaten far beyond its death.

 

[renderit]

Let's go for 12!!!!

I hear it makes a difference which State you bought your LP in.

True?

Discuss...

 

[Wilko]

Ok, that fretboard on while gluing. Non-issue. Done that way in the 50s. Most probably don't have much gap and even so, hide glue is an excellent gap filler with no creep, flex, or rubbery dampening effect. These days CNC ensures and excellent fit for the tenon.

On that ledge where the tenon meets the body, that design is an improvement as it provides better coupkling while eliminating any risk of creep.

For those who don't believe Morgan's drawing was real here's a '50s les Paul neck removed:

 

[Wilko]

I can't believe top cutaway neck joint diagram is correct " vintage " Heres a 58 ES 335 I will be looking for a Burst joint .

335 neck joint is different. the burst necks don't have that ledge. I have no problem with it as I believe it can only help with tone/feel. Most are whining about accuracy of reproduction, not "best tone". As an example, bridge and post parts. I find that longer stainless steel posts are a vast improvement.

 

[AA00475Bassman]

Thank you Wilko !

 

[AA00475Bassman]

I would like to apologize Morgan24 I was wrong Im giving myself the Butt Man Award ! Im truly sorry !

 

[Morgan24]

Apologize accepted, no problem 😁 👍

 

[Bulwark]

I heard from a friend they have upgraded the thumbwheels this year(which I believe have been brass for awhile now), they will not put the short seam on the tailpiece or round the edges properly, and that Gibson refuses to update the current shaved ABR-1 which in my opinion is a missed opportunity. I have several vintage ABR-1s and vintage thumbwheels, and I cannot personally hear a difference especially in a live setting. I like the look of the bigger thumbwheels and the more vintage correct ABR-1. Maybe when I finish my project I will hear a difference, but I doubt it. In my opinion, we are talking a 1-2% difference in tone, and you will always sound like you no matter what hardware you have or guitar you have. I try my hardest to avoid putting costly vintage pieces on my Historic when I don’t have to because of this minuscule difference, and for example, paying $1000 plus for a vintage non-wired ABR-1 bridge on a Historic often seems ridiculous to me for such little gains.

If you want a more detailed accurate Les Paul, 335, and SG these days parts wise for a 2017-2021 guitar, then these are the parts I think could make them more accurate from an outer appearance if you are looking to change as little as possible. I even put them in order in terms of accuracy. I did not list all plastics because Gibson has gone through great lengths to even copy the molecular structure, but I still prefer some of the reproductions out there. I tried to only mention brands that are still available, but if I could I’d put DMC/Old Area59, they would still be at the top in many of these areas. The problem is that the good brands come and go, and if you don’t see a brand here, I can bet you I have had it to compare, but it isn’t widely available. None of these reproductions below are perfect either by design or they just lack the ability, but anyways, Gibson still appears to get many of these things wrong. Anyone worth their salt can tell whether the guitar is a Historic from 20 feet away, even a Historic Makeovers one, and if you have held enough old parts and vintage guitars, you can often tell which parts are reproductions and which ones are real.


ABR-1 Bridge:

There is no answer for this really since none seem to get the shape right and also manufacture them out of the right material. The old ones all varied in shape, but the 50’s ones have this particular shape that is difficult to describe and not shaved in a hideous way like the current custom shop ones. Even the best reproductions of these seem to exclude or include elements not in the originals. Callaham(Shape Only), Montreux, PigTail, and last but not least CreamTone(Only Because They Do Copperless Plating), and Faber. What is interesting is that the Gotoh ones and this other Brand called Solo Pro makes really good looking ones, but the way the saddles are mounted on the Gotoh ones are different, and on the Solo Pro, the screws are not interchangeable with the Gibson bridges.

Any word on that prototype? I have a lead on a DMC bridge...

 

[Mr. Legit]

Any word on that prototype? I have a lead on a DMC bridge...

It is due to arrive to me this coming Monday. Several people have messaged me about it so far, and I have formed a soft waiting list to those who PM me with no deposit or anything necessary, but ultimately, I will create my brand and such when it is ready. I still need to test it though, and so I am not looking to having anything tangible just yet. I am looking to pass DMC or at least meet their standard. There are still tweaks to the prototype I need to do. I can tell you though that I have nailed the shape of the vintage ABR-1's I scanned, and spent a lot of money trying to do so. I am excited because I have been tired for years of having to spend hundreds or even a grand or so on vintage ABRs and reproductions, and since Gibson has switched over to their shaved sided ABR1's and refuses to change, it is has made my cause more passionate.

DMC made great products, and I was told they were supposed to relaunch last year. However, the pandemic probably changed all that. CrazyParts made a killing on their old stock restock lately, but I couldn't stomach the price for a reproduction that touches the price range of originals.

 

[Lee Murray]

You can clearly see the body stands proud to the the neck , could this be shrinking from steam ? Please explain is the fretboard separation from the neck .

I'm not convinced of a defective assembly, I'm convinced of a result of process removing , I would think Kim at HM would slap something like this on his web site !

Disclaimer : We see it, buy & most like me believe it's not a factory flaw , hard to accept Florian's blanket compared to rectangular burrito blanket as to how repetitive this is .

So you think this happens in the process of removing the old fretboard before installing the Brazilian board?

 

[AA00475Bassman]

So you think this happens in the process of removing the old fretboard before installing the Brazilian board?

You can take your Burrito Blanket & stick It were , LEE YOU JAMF !!!

 

[New Teaboy]

If you like playing Epiphone and Squire Stratocaster fine with me. So why putting anyone down who want a close as possible Les Paul 59? I just dont get it, and why do you read a post like this? If it is okay to play a cheap guitar then why is it not okay to change parts to make your guitar sound better?? I just dont get it!! If you cant hear the difference on the YouTube clip, fine with me no problem. If I can hear a big difference what is the problem with that??

Does it come down to the difference between those who want a VOS to hang on their wall or simply to own as a replica, and those who want an instrument that has been the focus of attention of luthiers and other skilled craftsmen and women so that it it plays better than everything else they can get their hands one in a world where brilliant guitar techs are hard to find? I'm getting my new R9 properly set up by my tech because I realise the CS factory haven't got unlimited time to tweak the perfect set up on my guitar, but they have tried to produce as near perfect an instrument that can come out of their factory given the limitations of a factory environment.

 

[Morgan24]

Changes I have done so far to my 2018 M2M 59': Faber ABR, Crazy part vintage correct brass thin thumbweel and wheel posts, CTS BVT burst taper 10% 550K, MOD capacitor 0.22uF and Throbak KZ-115 MXV A4. Every change was done one at a time. Then I played the guitar at least a week before I did the next change. Every change made my Les Paul better. It was a great guitar from the beginning, but now it is fantastic unplugged and plugged in. I can only recommend these changes to everyone. Every change I did, I was amazed how much difference and how much better my Les Paul sounded👍😊

 

[FireLion]

Studs:

I don’t know why, but I guess it is the plating that is done, but modern reproductions always end up being too rounded. The Vintage Haven ones are the best I have found, but from their original promo photographs, the Faber ones seem to look very good. CreamTone and all the other brands do not do 100% accurate reproductions of these, but CreamTone at least does copper less plating.

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum but been reading the posts for a while, I wanted to comment on the stud recommendation, I have a 2019 60th anniversary R9 VOS, and just purchased a set of Faber "Vintage Steel" studs as they where mentioned to be more accurate to original 59s. Well, they definetely are not rounded at the corners, they are quite sharp, the only downside is that the circunference of the head is smaller, about 1/32", I aso have a pair of Retrospec and they are exactly like the gibsons, looking at pictures from old 59s it seems the larger one is correct. Hoping somebody can comment if they own the Montreux version and if it's a better match, not just by looking at pictures. Thanks.