The John Lennon Les Paul Junior project

[Twiz]

Rabs, that turned out really cool!

[Rabs]

Rabs, that turned out really cool!

Cheers man.. I guess im going to have to get used to parting with guitars that I work on lol.. I really wanted to keep it ;)

[Namvet]

Super job Rabs [thumbup]

[clarkuss]

Still recovering from a mammoth week of gigs, drinking, lack of sleep etc...

 

Firstly, thanks to Rabs for taking on this project. His perfectionism and attention to detail made him the perfect man for the job and I can say that the guitar itself is perfect! Lovely personality and pleasure to meet. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend his skills and couldn't be happier with my guitar!

 

Secondly, thanks for all the kind words RE the band. We have a FB page too: www.facebook.com/thembeatles

 

Edlo, the Fab Four are fantastic and probably the best in the business. Liverpool Legends are good but not in my Top 5. Gav, who plays George in The Fab Four, was at our show in the Philharmonic and generously informed me that he rated it 9.5/10 so hopefully one day we'll be as good as they are! We've only been together 4 years but so far so good.

 

Me and Gav:

 

 

Will get the footage and pics to Rabs ASAP but for now here is a pic of the guitar on stage at the Phil:

 

 

[Rabs]

Still recovering from a mammoth week of gigs, drinking, lack of sleep etc...

 

Firstly, thanks to Rabs for taking on this project. His perfectionism and attention to detail made him the perfect man for the job and I can say that the guitar itself is perfect! Lovely personality and pleasure to meet. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend his skills and couldn't be happier with my guitar!

 

Secondly, thanks for all the kind words RE the band. We have a FB page too: http://www.facebook.com/thembeatles

 

 

Thank you for that. It was a total pleasure

[darling67]

Nice work!

 

 

Now watch… Gibson will announce the release of the new limited edition "John Lennon New York City Les Paul Junior" next month!

 

[Rabs]

Nice work!

 

 

Now watch… Gibson will announce the release of the new limited edition "John Lennon New York City Les Paul Junior" next month!

 

thanks

 

haha.. and yes, well.. at least all you guys will know about it if that happens ;) I think thatd be awesome if they did do that (obviously id want my commission ;) :P ) lol

[Rabs]

Nice work!

 

 

Now watch… Gibson will announce the release of the new limited edition "John Lennon New York City Les Paul Junior" next month!

 

Actually in thinking about it what would be REALLY cool is if Gibson did another run and offered the guitar in all three finshes (sunburst, natural and cherry red)... now THAT would be cool :)

 

(or of course anyone wanting one can always just come to me :P :))

[clarkuss]

Actually in thinking about it what would be REALLY cool is if Gibson did another run and offered the guitar in all three finshes (sunburst, natural and cherry red)... now THAT would be cool :)

 

(or of course anyone wanting one can always just come to me :P :))

 

With the success that they've had with the Inspired By John Lennon Casinos it would be a good move if they were affordable. The JL Junior is extortionate...

[Rabs]

With the success that they've had with the Inspired By John Lennon Casinos it would be a good move if they were affordable. The JL Junior is extortionate...

That is true.. signature models do tend to be a bit on the expensive side.. I cant remember if it was the Clapton or Page model LP but the VOS Aged version I think was like £25,000.. The crazy thing is that they all seem to sell out.

[krock]

Im glad this thread was referenced back to in another thread because I missed it the first time. Great job on the craftsmanship, and clark, what an excellent band you have. Kudos to you both

[badbluesplayer]

Really nice job!! [thumbup]

[quapman]

Im glad this thread was referenced back to in another thread because I missed it the first time.

 

 

Wow,, me too. Somehow I lost track of this thread. Looking at the dates though it was still summer and I was camping every chance

I got so my internet was limited.

 

At any rate,,,, Great job Rabs. It takes some giant kahonees to take someone elses guitar and do a project like that with it.

You did a fantastic job. Good on ya..

 

 

 

 

Oh,, and I love this pic,,, nothing says "I'm British" like a nice basket of tea cups.

But what the hell are you doing with a bag full of teddy bears?

 

[badbluesplayer]

 

Oh,, and I love this pic,,, nothing says "I'm British" like a nice basket of tea cups.

But what the hell are you doing with a bag full of teddy bears?

 

Aren't tea cups used as currency in Britain?

[charlie brown]

That is true.. signature models do tend to be a bit on the expensive side.. I cant remember if it was the Clapton or Page model LP but the VOS Aged version I think was like £25,000.. The crazy thing is that they all seem to sell out.

 

That's because some folks have more money, than sense! :blink:

 

CB

[Rabs]

Wow,, me too. Somehow I lost track of this thread. Looking at the dates though it was still summer and I was camping every chance

I got so my internet was limited.

 

At any rate,,,, Great job Rabs. It takes some giant kahonees to take someone elses guitar and do a project like that with it.

You did a fantastic job. Good on ya..

 

Oh,, and I love this pic,,, nothing says "I'm British" like a nice basket of tea cups.

But what the hell are you doing with a bag full of teddy bears?

 

 

Haha... Thanks guys for the compliments.. it was a great job to get and really great to do... I still don't have the footage of it playing through an amp (ahhhemmmmmm !! ;)) but if I do get it I will still make a full video as theres LOADS more pics and detail than shown in this thread.

 

Id be lying if I said that it didn't phase me when I was starting to work on it, the first cut when I made the pickup cavity was REALLY nerve racking (as you say its not my guitar) but after that I was fine (like playing the first song at a gig) :)

 

And the T-Cups and teddy bears... Ha... they are there as I am working in my parents garage which is just full of crap that my mum collects (to my dads great displeasure). My parents used to own a commercial catering equipment company so we have LOADS of crystal glasses and china that my mums been hoarding over the years.. My dad and I are trying to empty it bit by bit lol

[Rabs]

and clark, what an excellent band you have.

Cheers..

 

And yes, obviously I did my research when I took this job on and they really are a great Beatles cover band they go the whole hog with the detail the go into... How many of them go this far to learn the sitar :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErrqrpS7YuM

[sellen]

You got skills and passion, and that's always a thrill to see

[Rabs]

You got skills and passion, and that's always a thrill to see

Thank you sir.. I appreciate the comments

[esk1020]

On 8/25/2013 at 6:16 PM, Rabs said:

And now the build (I will keep this light)..

 

So heres the guitar before... Very nice to play and HEAVY for a Junior

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC02964_zpscc20ef34.jpg

 

and heres the pickup.. its a big sucker 🙂

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC02979_zps39387e5e.jpg

 

So the first thing I did was design and make a cavity for the pickup in question.. The idea being that most of it is hidden under the pickguard and the top of the pickup is flush with the top of the cavity

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC03111_zpsf5981145.jpg

 

Then I removed and plugged the wraparound bridge bushing holes (using mahogany dowels I made myself :))

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC03357_zps05831c78.jpg

 

Then I drilled for the new tune o matic and stoptail and the toggle switch

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC03414_zpsac4f0578.jpg

 

Then the wiring channels from the toggle switch all the way to the control cavity

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC03432_zpscb4cf83e.jpg

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC03457_zps9d6ca5a3.jpg

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC03459_zps09ae3d13.jpg

 

Then I stripped the whole thing down

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC03540_zps71dfd08f.jpg

 

And stained it to what I thought was the best colour

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/John%20Lennon%20LPJ%20project/DSC03590_zps091a2ab6.jpg

 

More below

Hello,

I know its been quite awhile since this project, but I am trying to get that natural color on my Lennon Les Paul Jr build. Any chance you recall how you obtained it or where to start?

Thanks!

Ethan

[Rabs]

27 minutes ago, esk1020 said:

Hello,

I know its been quite awhile since this project, but I am trying to get that natural color on my Lennon Les Paul Jr build. Any chance you recall how you obtained it or where to start?

Thanks!

Ethan

 

Hi Ethan...  Yes, this was one of the first ever projects I took on that set me on a Luthier path..  I do still have the pictures.

I remember when I was researching this guitar, it was very hard to find a good photo of it when it was in its natural state (was later re-finished in cherry red). In a lot of pics it looks almost orange but that is just the natural mahogany..  These days the mahogany used is different and a different colour. Which is why in the end I decided to stain it..

I used a translucent antique pine stain.. The idea is that there is some natural red in mahogany, adding a dark yellow ish colour is what gives you the orange. So it depends on how dark it goes when you add a finish.. You can wipe it down with mineral spirits and it will give you a good idea of what it will look like with some finish.  Since all my pictures have gone I will re-post some for you.

So the guitar started like this when it was sent to me

Sanded it al down

Added stain.....  I think (cant quite remember) I may have used two different colours.. The antique pine one and a few drops of mahogany red.

The colour builds and gets darker the more you add so its a case of using your judgement when its dark enough]

And then once I had sprayed it with Nitro

 

Well I hope that helps some.. Feel free to ask me anything else and good luck with it 

[esk1020]

2 minutes ago, Rabs said:

Hi Ethan...  Yes, this was one of the first ever projects I took on that set me on a Luthier path..  I do still have the pictures.

I remember when I was researching this guitar, it was very hard to find a good photo of it when it was in its natural state (was later re-finished in cherry red). In a lot of pics it looks almost orange but that is just the natural mahogany..  These days the mahogany used is different and a different colour. Which is why in the end I decided to stain it..

I used a translucent antique pine stain.. The idea is that there is some natural red in mahogany, adding a dark yellow ish colour is what gives you the orange. So it depends on how dark it goes when you add a finish.. You can wipe it down with mineral spirits and it will give you a good idea of what it will look like with some finish.  Since all my pictures have gone I will re-post some for you.

So the guitar started like this when it was sent to me

Sanded it al down

Added stain.....  I think (cant quite remember) I may have used two different colours.. The antique pine one and a few drops of mahogany red.

The colour builds and gets darker the more you add so its a case of using your judgement when its dark enough]

And then once I had sprayed it with Nitro

 

Well I hope that helps some.. Feel free to ask me anything else and good luck with it 

Looks incredible! Thanks so much for the info.

[esk1020]

@Rabs just started my project. The LP Jr I got was a 2008 worn cherry. I am sanding and was curious your sanding process to get it to raw wood. Did you use a palm sander or just elbow grease? Any tips?

thanks again!

Ethan

[Rabs]

1 minute ago, esk1020 said:

@Rabs just started my project. The LP Jr I got was a 2008 worn cherry. I am sanding and was curious your sanding process to get it to raw wood. Did you use a palm sander or just elbow grease? Any tips?

thanks again!

Ethan

Hey Ethan..  Yes from what I remember, random orbital sander.. Back and the top certainly and all the edges and corners by hand...

Start with 120 grit, that should get it off cos its just a worn finish (thick nitro would be different),... Once all the stain is off then you will have to sand it back up to 400-600 grit before you start doing any finishing to get the sanding marks out.. Do make sure you go through the grits.. 120, 180, 240, 400, 600 (roughly)....

[esk1020]

1 minute ago, Rabs said:

Hey Ethan..  Yes from what I remember, random orbital sander.. Back and the top certainly and all the edges and corners by hand...

Start with 120 grit, that should get it off cos its just a worn finish (thick nitro would be different),... Once all the stain is off then you will have to sand it back up to 400-600 grit before you start doing any finishing to get the sanding marks out.. Do make sure you go through the grits.. 120, 180, 240, 400, 600 (roughly)....

Thanks! I’ll give it a go!