Did ya ever have one of those days? Alt title: OOPS.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I bought a nice Les Paul Custom a few months ago, I got a good deal on it because it needed some serious love and it had a few tiny little dings on it that were no big deal since I intended to play it rather than look at it.

The stock pickups were not to my liking... A little weak. So, bring on the Duncan Distortion neck and bridge in B&W Reverse Zebra, which I decided I would toss in there yesterday afternoon, no biggie, right?

Looking good, I think:



Well, I'm fucking blind without my glasses, but I can't see up close with them on, so I either wear reading glasses to work or I take my glasses off. This time, I took my glasses of.

Apparently at some point, I dropped or flung a large blob of hot solder and it happened to land on my neck rest, right next to the binding. It burned all the way through the lacquer, turning it brown.

So, I stripped the neck. I kind of wanted to anyway, since I don't like lacquer necks, but I've learned to deal with them - but they still just aren't as nice as the old raw or barely-finished necks like you find on Charvels and Jackson bolt-ons.

I've seen some home-done sandpaper jobs and I hoped I could do better... It didn't come out too bad, especially considering I had to both learn how/practice as well as make this come out right so I only had one shot, if I do say so myself.

I wiped acetone down the center of the back to soften it, and stripped it with a razor blade, being careful to stay away from the (plastic) binding. Then I used more acetone to do the ends cleanly (marked a line with tape and carefully wiped the finish off right up to it) and I sanded the binding and the remnants that the razor blade didn't get.

It left the grain filler, so a couple of coats of Minwax satin wipe-on poly and it feels pretty good.

So, here it is, a dozen razor blades a little 320, and some wipe-on poly later... Resale value? Who gives a fuck.








Whew. I don't think I want to try that again...

[axmann]

It turned out pretty nice. I would play the shit out of that thing. I bought a brand new one in 1982, funky Gibson molded case and all. Traded it for a amp and bottoms that went up in flames. Could have cried. Probably did, just don't remember the early 80's much, if you know what I mean.

[tomanyjacksons]

Excellent work! Funny how things like that can push a guy into something new. I've learned a lot from my oopses.

[Trussrod]

You did a great job on that. I really like the zebra pups, too. Looks like a Mahogany neck and jumbo frets...

[RacerX]

Do not like

[straycat]

Hung Yang L.P. copy?

[surfreak]

Honestly, I wouldn't do that to a real Gibson LP Custom.

[SixstringKing]

Hung Yang L.P. copy?

I was thinking the same. I thought all LP customs had maple necks. Hmm.... Maybe the new ones don't.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I was thinking the same. I thought all LP customs had maple necks. Hmm.... Maybe the new ones don't.

No, it's a real LP custom. Only Norlin-era LP's had maple necks... Maybe a few special models here and there, the Zakk Wylde LP's being one I'm aware of.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

You did a great job on that. I really like the zebra pups, too. Looks like a Mahogany neck and jumbo frets...

Thanks! It was kind of scary pulling the tape off next to the heel because if some acetone wicked up under there it would have been a mess, but it all came off pretty clean.

I guess I didn't make it clear in the OP... This is a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom, not a copy... Hence why I was a little nervous about doing it. I really wanted to do it from the get-go but I don't think I would have gotten the nerve had it not been for that stray solder.

[toejam]

Very nice! I love raw/oiled mahogany necks.

[Devotee]

Honestly, I wouldn't do that to a real Gibson LP Custom.

Me either, i'd be too scared to. But this turned out pretty sweet.

@Jazz: If i were you, i'd touch up the 'stinger' (as Sully called it in one of his vids) where the paint on the back of the headstock meets the unfinished part of the neck, sharpen it up a bit. Otherwise, pretty clean job, nice one!

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I thought about doing the stinger area "right" (up the curve to the where the back meets the side) but I'm afraid it might delaminate on the front and I figure I got lucky enough getting that far with it... I'm not sure I want to tempt fate.

[sully]

Looks good, man! Nice idea with the acetone! The neckjoint area is kinda challenging to get clean, and it looks like you did a nice job of that. You could easily create a little stinger from the headstock with the Stewmac gloss black (it matches Gibson black nicely) and some of their nitro. (oops., just saw your post about that)

Sully

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Thanks, Sully!

I did the headstock end first, and I had to do it kind of "dry" because with the neck curve I was worried, if the acetone dripped around the front, that was gonna be a mess!

So, the edge got kind of "dragged" by the paper towel. I think it looks a little better in person than in that pic, some of that roughness that you see is really noise from the camera... But there are a couple of chips out of the edge and it's not perfectly straight by a long shot, but it's close enough for rock & roll.

And like I said... I am happy as hell it came out as well as it did and I think if I keep screwing with it I'm going to keep fixing it until it's broken.