Getting the parts together

This image shows just a few of the parts required to build a Les Paul. Be warned, if you are intending to do this right, it can be fairly costly. Of course, you can opt for cheaper parts made by different companies around the world, and there are massive savings to be made by doing this but this one is going to be built as close to original as humanly possible, so only the best parts are being installed.



The large piece of wood you see here is solid Mahogany that has been kiln dried as all good Luthier soundwoods should be. It is slightly over thicknessed to allow for thickness sanding after work has been carried out on the cavities etc. I shall give dimensions later.

You can see a packet of genuine Kluson Tuners, a rosewood fretboard blank, cream binding plastic and a variety of genuine Gibson parts ready for the build. It is important to have these before you start so that when marking cavities for things such as the pot cover on the back of the guitar, you can double check that the size on the plans matches the actual cover you have bought. You can even use these covers etc as templates to mark the position and size of the cuts you will need to make.



You will also notice there are two partly finished necks there too. I bought these NOS necks quite a while ago and as this was my first build, decided to use one for this project. However, the next build will include making your own neck. Both these necks are factory Les Paul necks that simply require finishing and profiling. They are cut to roughly the right shape and have the truss rod pre-installed. But that's all.

You can buy necks that will be suitable for building a replica like this from quite a few web sites around the world BUT you will have to work on the headstock. for obvious reasons, they do not shape the top in to the unmistakable "open book" shape. But it is a great way to get a head start.

Check out these guys:
stewmac.com

You can get just about anything you need here and yes, they DO ship most of it to the UK. Only solvents and other flamable liquids is a problem.

There are a load of other parts that I will come to as we go along but as I've mentioned, It is important to have them all at the start of the project so you can check fit, measurements and compatibility etc.

You might also notice an original cream pick guard from a 1959 Les Paul that has been foil printed "1960". That is because that was the year it was sold new from the shop first time. But it was "made" in 59, so I know the size and shape is 100% correct.

In these pictures, the necks look a little pale. Probably due to them hanging around in the sunlight waiting to be used. Once shaped and treated, they will return to the original colour OK. Both the body and neck will receive some stain and paint to match them up anyway.



This is a close up of the headstock on the factory unfinished neck. The surface of the wood is rough but it's a perfect easy starter. Check out the locating holes in the neck top they use to position the fretboard. The head of a 59 LP is distinctively different to modern versions, but luckily this unfinished head has plenty of play to make this replica exact.

Here is a better look at the heel.



Very rough finish especially around the heel joint itself. No final shaping has been carried out which is fortunate again because early Gibsons were a little different to how they do them now. By the way, I have check these necks to ensure they are perfectly flat. I'm certain both are fine.

All proper Gibson parts:



The body blank and fretboard blank roughly cut to size.



A close up of the correct type Kluson tuners. These are the ones that would have been fitted at the factory. The one you see here from my set is made by Kluson but is a replica of the original. I can't get closer than that.



This is the veneer that will cover the front surface of the headstock. This is a NOS factory veneer with the Mother of Pearl inlay already in position. These are actually "fibre" boards that later will be glued to the headstock and then cut to shape.



So, I've got the plans, a back-up guitar just in case I need further reference, all the bits and pieces, time to get started...

Why build a replica Gibson?

For me, the Gibson is the finest guitar ever made. I cannot imagine how these beautiful guitars could be improved upon, which is presumably why they have remained largely unchanged for decades. However, many people cannot afford a Gibson guitar. You might try some kind of copy or a low end look-a-like, but you are bound to be disappointed. They are just not the same.

I'm lucky. I've owned a few Gibsons and currently have a couple of Les Pauls in my guitar collection. But even if I had the money, I doubt i would have the good fortune to find a 1959 Les Paul. For this reason, I set about making my own. Partly for the challenge, partly to hopefully own something special at the end of it all.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that if you have patience and a little skill, you can create something in a few weeks that will give you pleasure for a lifetime. I intend to chart the whole build of a replica 1959 Gibson Les Paul in EXACT detail. I hope it inspires you to try it yourself.

Here is a stunning 1959 Les Paul that inspires me just looking at it.



I have a set of Luthier plans that I have owned for years to help me build this guitar. The plans were professionally created using a 1959 LP for all the measurements, including the wiring. There are Gibson plans available on Ebay for most modern style LP's as well as the SG. There may be others, I haven't checked.

If there are any aspects of the build that are not clear from the plans, it is sometimes best to check an actual guitar. As I say, I'm fortunate to have one handy. This is my 80's model Les Paul Custom in a nice tobacco Burst.



I'll never be a threat to the guys who make these at the factory and building these things only makes me want to own more of them. The people at Gibson are incredible. Thanks to them and Les Paul of course, music will never be the same. I can't even begin to try to improve on what they do, just copy it in the hope that they see it as a compliment.

Let's start building our own...