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2016 LP Classic Build Project


JamGuy

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Saw that someone had made a post regarding the 2016 LP Classics... I had seen a few on eBay but don't recall seeing where they were shipping from. I happened to pick up a 2016 Classic body and neck for an LP build project. I'm looking forward to getting her all together (though it may be a slow process, I have to sell another guitar to raise $$$ for parts). The big question will be what to install for pickups... right now I'm thinking about Duncan Whole Lotta Humbuckers, Sheptone Blue Skys, or Dimarzio 36th Anniversarys. Time will tell... I need to listen to some reviews and demos and see which might fit my needs best. I tend to play extraordinarily clean and add slight OD using my Jetter GS 124. Lots of Allman/Grateful Dead style stuff. I'm certainly open to suggestions on pickups and preferred wiring methods.

 

Anyhow, I'm excited to get to work on her and get some "real" pictures up. For now, a little preview...

s-l1600.jpg

s-l16001.jpg

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If she were mine, first would be the use of 4-conductor pickups. Then I would plan with four DPDT push/pull pots as follows: Volume pots for switching between series (down) and parallel (up) circuit, the neck pickup's tone pot to pull for reversing it's polarity (often falsely called "out of phase"), the bridge pickup's one to pull for splitting the coils of them both in common if the related volume push/pull pot(s) is/are set to series.

 

The pickups will determine what order the coils have to be wired to operate humbucking when both are split. Additionally, they should be humbucking when operated both and with reversed polarity. The neck pickup's coils will have to be connected in reverse order with same wound/same magnet polarity pickups, and in reverse order with reverse wound/reversed polarity pickups.

 

Finally, toggle switch and pots would be wired according to the 60's circuit.

 

I guess my pickups would be two Dirty Fingers, 496R/500T, or BurstBucker Pro neck and bridge. The latters are reverse wound/reverse polarity. For the ultimate clean sound, however, I'd prefer the ceramic-loaded DFs or 496R/500T. I admit I didn't check if they are available with 4-conductor leads at the moment.

 

Anyway, this guitar would offer the tonal versatility of Jimmy Page's modded LP.

 

My hardware would be chrome-plated and include a TP-6 tailpiece. Tuners would have to be drop-ins - no additional holes, please. I think I'd go with cream plastics whatever the pickups may look.

 

Just my two cents...

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As for my choich of pups, I would go with EMG 57/66. I was about to pull the triger on another Gibson just to swap out the stock pups for the emg,s but my interest is now peaked on the gibson build projects. Where can I pick up a Gibson Les Paul body and neck for a project guitar?

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As for my choich of pups, I would go with EMG 57/66. I was about to pull the triger on another Gibson just to swap out the stock pups for the emg,s but my interest is now peaked on the gibson build projects. Where can I pick up a Gibson Les Paul body and neck for a project guitar?

Well according to the pic posted

http://www.stratosphereparts.com/bodies-with-necks/

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Well according to the pic posted

http://www.stratosphereparts.com/bodies-with-necks/

 

I've ordered from them in the past... parts always come as described and in perfect shape... they don't seem to be pushing seconds. As far as ordering a body/neck... this is a first. Prior to this, I've ordered some Strat and tele bodies and necks and again, they show up well packed and in fine condition.

 

I was really on the fence between the body I chose and a Classic gold top. I went with this one as I already have a '83 gold top deluxe.

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If she were mine, first would be the use of 4-conductor pickups. Then I would plan with four DPDT push/pull pots as follows: Volume pots for switching between series (down) and parallel (up) circuit, the neck pickup's tone pot to pull for reversing it's polarity (often falsely called "out of phase"), the bridge pickup's one to pull for splitting the coils of them both in common if the related volume push/pull pot(s) is/are set to series.

 

The pickups will determine what order the coils have to be wired to operate humbucking when both are split. Additionally, they should be humbucking when operated both and with reversed polarity. The neck pickup's coils will have to be connected in reverse order with same wound/same magnet polarity pickups, and in reverse order with reverse wound/reversed polarity pickups.

 

Finally, toggle switch and pots would be wired according to the 60's circuit.

 

I guess my pickups would be two Dirty Fingers, 496R/500T, or BurstBucker Pro neck and bridge. The latters are reverse wound/reverse polarity. For the ultimate clean sound, however, I'd prefer the ceramic-loaded DFs or 496R/500T. I admit I didn't check if they are available with 4-conductor leads at the moment.

 

Anyway, this guitar would offer the tonal versatility of Jimmy Page's modded LP.

 

My hardware would be chrome-plated and include a TP-6 tailpiece. Tuners would have to be drop-ins - no additional holes, please. I think I'd go with cream plastics whatever the pickups may look.

 

Just my two cents...

 

I was thinking about doing a JP wiring scheme... along with the Duncan Whole Lotta Humbuckers. Seems like it might be a great combo. One reason I'm on the fence is that I really want an all cream pickup, though I could live with a zebra coil. I kinda like the look of nickel cover on the neck and open coil cream bridge pickup. In the big scheme of things it's just cosmetics and I'll be most interested in tone over looks.

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Well, I decided to pull the trigger on the Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbuckers... no cream/cream option so just went for the nickel covers. I was able to come up with enough scratch to order the rest of the parts as well, most all of which were Gibson parts. I'm going with a standard 5o's wiring scheme, CTS pots, Sprague PIO caps. All totaled it came out to around $1700 including a nice new brown/red Gibson case. Less than a new Les Paul but probably not a great investment for resale. In any event, I'll get some pictures up as soon as I can... cheers.

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That's where my 2015 SG came from. I can't wait to see how your LP comes out.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty stoked. It'll basically be a LP Classic with the addition of a historic truss rod cover, pointer washers, different pickups, and a complete new wiring assembly... with the exception of an amber switch tip, the rest are all Gibson parts. I just never boded with my honey burst LP Traditional... I bought it on-line and the color of it in the photos and the actual color were quite different. It had a beautiful top however... Anyhow, that just sold so I had the money for this project.

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a change of plans...

 

found some cream/cream SD custom shop 59 pickups on Ebay and jumped on them. Looking forward to getting this puppy together! Just waiting on a few more parts. [thumbup]

 

Awh dang!

 

I was gonna' say, with that finish it can only be 1 of 2 options, IMHO:

 

1. Double-creams on both, open-bobbin (Ace Frehley or JB Skinnerburst look).

2. Double-blacks on both; nickel cover on the bridge (Page #2).

 

Too late!

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Well, I decided to take the guitar to my repair guy for the final wiring... all my soldering gear is in storage currently and without a proper shop space, decided not to fill my apartment with the sweet and intoxicating smell of lead... a fact my fiancé will no doubt be happy about! May be ready by Saturday so I might be playing her by the weekend. Fingers crossed!

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You guys and your project Gibsons have inspired me. I have a pair of Shaw pups just gathering dust so I just ordered a Pelham blue Studio T body and neck. Ordered Faber aged nickel ABR and tailpiece, Art of Tone 500k harness. Hope to get everything delivered by Friday and be playing by Saturday.

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You guys and your project Gibsons have inspired me. I have a pair of Shaw pups just gathering dust so I just ordered a Pelham blue Studio T body and neck. Ordered Faber aged nickel ABR and tailpiece, Art of Tone 500k harness. Hope to get everything delivered by Friday and be playing by Saturday.

 

Yay! Another project guitar! This one has got me looking at the StratoSphere eBay page a lot at the Gibson and Fender parts; I feel a project coming together soon!

 

Looking forward to seeing yours (is there a thread already?)

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so my confused face has to ask.. why is there a company that's taking a complete new guitar apart and then putting all the parts back up for sale?

leaves me scratching my head?

 

 

 

$1700 for a LP Desert Burst body/neck, then you have to add all the parts back

http://www.stratosphereparts.com/bodies-with-necks/?sort=featured&page=3

 

wouldn't it just be easier to buy the guitar fully built?

 

 

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so my confused face has to ask.. why is there a company that's taking a complete new guitar apart and then putting all the parts back up for sale?

leaves me scratching my head?

 

 

 

$1700 for a LP Desert Burst body/neck, then you have to add all the parts back

http://www.stratosphereparts.com/bodies-with-necks/?sort=featured&page=3

 

wouldn't it just be easier to buy the guitar fully built?

 

Hello!

 

It is cheaper to buy a stripped down guitar, if You would customize it with aftermarket pickups and hardware, isn't it?

 

If You buy all the stuff from them to complete Your instrument, it would be much more expensive than to buy a complete one from a dealer. That's where their profit is.

 

Cheers... Bence

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Yay! Another project guitar! This one has got me looking at the StratoSphere eBay page a lot at the Gibson and Fender parts; I feel a project coming together soon!

 

Looking forward to seeing yours (is there a thread already?)

No thread yet. Body will not be here until Monday. I have all the hardware and hope to build this up then.

 

image_zpsxjsn7hbx.jpeg

 

Got this one a few months back, CS Tele body for another project.

 

image_zpsorscj6kw.jpeg

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No thread yet. Body will not be here until Monday. I have all the hardware and hope to build this up then.

 

image_zpsxjsn7hbx.jpeg

 

Got this one a few months back, CS Tele body for another project.

 

image_zpsorscj6kw.jpeg

 

congrats... looks like a fun project. That tele body reminds me of my MJT tele body.

 

My project is complete and it came out awesome... plays and sounds spectacular and I'll try and get photos up and posted to share as soon as time allows. Cheers.

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IMG_2362.jpg

 

a few funky glare marks from the photo don't do it justice but here she is... I'm still tinkering with getting the action just so but she plays and sounds fantastic. It's a little hard to tell playing through my practice amp but I think it's going to sound great through my "big rig". I'm temporarily living in an apartment where I can't really get after it like I'd like... I need to keep a lid on the volume of things so my regular amp and cab are lying dormant currently. Anyhow, I know how everyone loves pictures so wanted to get this posted. Cheers.

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