Andre S Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Normally, this doesn't not bade well for my guitars, especially my LP, and it definitely does not here. Since I sanded off some finish for a faux binding, I've been thinking how much fun it would be to refinish it. And then, why stop there? Add a real binding! And then I thought, if I am getting a SG standard, I would love to have a P-90 guitar as well! I want to retrofit real soapbar P-90's into my LP Studio, with a custom binding, black finish and gold bigsby and new tuners, the keystone gold ones.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Just make sure ya got another guitar to play on while your destro.........modding the Les Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 It will be hard to fit real p90s in a guitar routed for humbuckers. What you can do is buy some humbucker sized p90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre S Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 It will be hard to fit real p90s in a guitar routed for humbuckers. What you can do is buy some humbucker sized p90s. Yea. but p-90 soapbars have a particular look, that I like. What I was thinking was I would cut 2 matching pieces of maple , or several maple layers glued together, to fill in the humbucker cavities. The advantages of using multiple layers, would be I can use a regular power saw for the lower layers, so that I don't need a router, when they are glued together, there will be a routed hole, by cutting out the mid pieces of the several layers of maple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Yea. but p-90 soapbars have a particular look' date=' that I like. [/quote'] I know what you mean... looks are 50% of what makes p90s desirable to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Do it man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre S Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 Do it man! I would love too, the only problems to overcome, is refinishing, and routing binding close to the neck joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Normally' date=' this doesn't not bade well for my guitars, especially my LP, and it definitely does not here. Since I sanded off some finish for a faux binding, I've been thinking how much fun it would be to refinish it. And then, why stop there? Add a real binding! And then I thought, if I am getting a SG standard, I would love to have a P-90 guitar as well! I want to retrofit real soapbar P-90's into my LP Studio, with a custom binding, black finish and gold bigsby and new tuners, the keystone gold ones.... [/quote'] As you know I am using a worn brown LP studio for my project guitar.... The sky is the limit. Do what every you want to do to make your dream project guitar take shape.... Just one question. What is a faux binding? I am simulating a binding on my project with paint maybe a faux binding is another option I hadn't considered.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre S Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 As you know I am using a worn brown LP studio for my project guitar.... The sky is the limit. Do what every you want to do to make your dream project guitar take shape.... Just one question. What is a faux binding? I am simulating a binding on my project with paint maybe a faux binding is another option I hadn't considered.... Well, the faux binding for me is what I did, sand down the paint on the edges. Did you see the pics I put of it half way done? link: http://forums.gibson.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=23151 Just keep refreshing the page, it may take a few refreshings to load all the pics about 11-12. If you are refinishing it you can do what I think PRS does, and mask the portion of the body where the binding would be with pinstriping tape or painters tape. The colour goes on, the tape comes off, and there is a nice maple coloured strip around the edge, in the same spot the binding would normally go. Then clear coat, everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Refinishing is a snap and installing new pick-ups not much more difficult if you have a knack for electronics. Binding.. however.. is a different story. Real binding is installed by using a router to rout a rabbet edge around the entire circumference of the body. A rabbet has to be the exact depth and width of the binding or it looks like it was done by an amateur. This is compounded by the fact that a router is designed primarily for milling a profile into a flat surface, like a table top, not a LP body. Your router would likely have to be set up with the router upside down on a router table with the bit protruding through. Then a fixture would have to be made to hold the heavily profiled LP body face down absolutely dead-nuts flat so that the routing bit is absolutely parallel to the side of the guitar body to ensure proper and consistent depth. Then a stop would have to be employed to prevent milling the rabbet too far from the edge. If the guitar body were square like Bo Diddley's you could make a fence to slide the body along and you'd be good. However, the LP body is contoured and a fence wouldn't work. A stop resembling a point or dowel next to the bit would be used. This would be little better than free handing as it requires a steady hand and plenty of patience. Gibson probably uses a lazer sighted CNC machine to do this. So.. if you are planning to retrfit binding on a Les Paul, consider this: What is your level of tolerance for an "oops"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 You can get a router bit that has a little wheel at the bottom that holds the cutting edge at the amount of wood you would be taking out and you could set the depth, but you are going to have a problem at the neck as the base of the router will hit the fret board. Thus you would have to somehow build a jig to have the router run around the body unhindered. Now they do make a small edge type router for laminate trimming that could work.......... or you could go old fashioned with a mallet and wood chissels...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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