34 year reunion

[Chris Pile]

I built my first guitar back in 1985 for a client who wanted an all walnut Les Paul, but all round and molded. Here is the only picture I have of it from way back then... The fuzzy picture was taken with an old Kodak 110. The body is one piece of very heavy walnut from a slab about 6 feet long. I still have 4 feet of the old slab, which should be well seasoned by now.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: 34 year reunion

I hadn't seen Troy or the guitar in 34 years, and he had some more work done to it - like had a Gibson logo and a pineapple / crown inlayed by someone else. He recently had it refinished, and installed all new gold hardware and replaced the old DiMarzio Super D's with Duncan 59's. He asked me to set it up from scratch, remake the bone nut, and get it all squared away. Here are some fresh pix taken hours ago.... It still plays great, and sounds good. Those are the original frets and ebony fingerboard, hardly worn. He still uses Ernie Ball Extra Slinkys (.008) and has a light touch. The frets needed a very light level and polish. What do you think?

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: 34 year reunion

By the way, we are still waiting for the truss rod cover and control knobs to come in.... Hopefully they will be here soon and I can deliver the guitar to the client. He said he still has the original receipt at home and will bring it to show me when he picks it up. He says he wanted it "made new" again, and plans on giving it to his grandkids when he gets too old to play.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: 34 year reunion

Cool! He basically had you build him a The Paul.
I like a walnut body. Don't think I have ever played a walnut neck.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: 34 year reunion

Cool! He basically had you build him a The Paul. I like a walnut body. Don't think I have ever played a walnut neck.

Yes, quite popular back then. He could have purchased a The Paul for less money than I charged him, too - but he wanted it custom made to his specs. Despite the weight, it's quite comfy to play sitting down or hanging on a strap.

 

[Demanic]

Re: 34 year reunion

Beautiful guitar. I don't understand though why he put a Gibson logo on the headstock.

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[Mincer]

Re: 34 year reunion

I would just be proud it was a custom guitar, but people do weird things. How much does it weigh? It looks like a very cool instrument, but I like the before pic better.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: 34 year reunion

How much does it weigh?

Guessing.... 11.5 pounds. It's not the heaviest thing I've seen with strings. I used to own an old Jazz Bass from the 70's that weighed 16 pounds. I only played it when sitting, and I'm a big guy.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: 34 year reunion

I don't understand though why he put a Gibson logo on the headstock.

I'll ask him...

 

[kramersteen]

Re: 34 year reunion

Gibson logo? WTF seriously try harder next time.

 

[jimilee]

Re: 34 year reunion

I have a The Paul myself. Definitely a heavy guitar. Looks nice all the way down to the hardware. Does the headstock say Gibsun though?


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[Chris Pile]

Re: 34 year reunion

Does the headstock say Gibsun though?

It's a real Gibson pearl inlay. No idea where it came from or who inlayed it (I don't do inlays).

It was great to see the guitar again after all this time. I had wondered for decades what happened to it. Troy moved back to town a year ago, and I heard he still owned it, and hoped I'd get to see him and the axe soon.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: 34 year reunion

You made a "The Paul" as your first guitar,... Haha badass.

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: 34 year reunion

I really like it. This guitar is awesome.

Well, except for the G logo. I think it was completely unnecessary to butcher this into the headstock. This axe stands great by its own right. What the heck he tried to validate or whatever?

But yep, people and their weird ideas, eh?

Meh.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: 34 year reunion

So the guy wanted a Gibson logo... who gives a #$%&? That the owner wanted it is the only thing that matters.

Cool guitar. And awesome that it was reunited with its "father" after so many years.

 

[orpheo]

Re: 34 year reunion

nice work. My first was an LP standard but that one's a goner, helas. The fret slots were cut 0.02mm too narrow each, causing a fairly severe backbow in the neck which can't be fixed unless I pull off the board and attach a new one. might do that one day cause that guitar is the best sounding one I ever made. Too bad the finish work is worse than what a toddler would be able to do because of all the reworks and tests etc.

 

[SAguitar]

Re: 34 year reunion

Well done, ICTGoober! Great looking axe, and it's awesome that it's still together and being enjoyed after all these years.

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: 34 year reunion

So the guy wanted a Gibson logo... who gives a #$%&? That the owner wanted it is the only thing that matters.

Having seen the staggering amount of fake Gees lurking around my country, you would raise an eyebrow, too. Apart from resale boost, I can't see any reason to add it on the headstock of a good custom-made guitar like this one.

 

[Francois]

Re: 34 year reunion

It's beautiful. It looks like "the Paul" or the "Firebrand LP" version, but more beautiful.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: 34 year reunion

Nice heel joint! I think she would look prettier with some gold pickup covers. Lovely looking guitar though.