NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

Les PaulBearer

Les PaulBearer

New member
I found a nice second hand Les Paul, it's a 2004 Standard. It came loaded with BK PG Blues (I might switch these to Seth Lovers like in my other LP type guitar a Tokai LS-150) so I decided to finish the job of sending it back in time. Now has lightweight Alu tail piece, ABR1 bridge, pointers, gone is the circuit board wiring - replaced with CTS Vintage taper pots, LUXE Bumblebees, 50's style wiring all the way through to the toggle switch. Vintage historic spec pick up surrounds, and 59 style toggle switch tip and truss rod cover. The previous owner was kind enough to give it a very light relic by playing it for 13 years, the neck is fantastic and very clean, 50s style but not too chunky, just right. When I got it, although it sounded quite nice, it was a bit of a brute, just very bottom heavy and chuggy, felt quite compressed sounding and was quieter than all my other HB loaded guitars. A bit average sounding, the character of the PG Blues didn't really come through. Sounds totally different now, more about the mids and the Pups actually sound PAF-like, I have found that old school hardware seems to remove bass and allow more dynamics in your playing. It needed a good set up and plenty of attention to the frets and fingerboard but I was blown away when I finished it, plays and sounds awesome. I think it Looks pretty too, barely put it down since it was completed.

IMG_5652.jpg

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Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

Went looking for one of these 2002-6 guitars because people talk them up. It was quite nice as I found it but I don't like the Nashville bridges and the saddles weren't that well cut or well spaced for the neck. It felt a bit tired so I've definitely woken it up. The wood, the tuners, the toggle switch and the jack socket are the only original parts now but it feels worn in as well as tightly dialled in.
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

Thats a sexy top. One thing I also suggest doing if you really feel like it would be to install a nylon nut. My R9 came with one stock and stayed in tune fantastic and the clarity was awesome
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

The nut was a little sticky when I got it. I used some needle files and a magnifier to improve the travel path, a simple and gratifying fix. A nylon nut is a nice idea though, would be interested in the tonal change and as a material it's got to work well for letting the strings move. I really like the top, it's not too crazy, it's not too red. The back is a nice colour too.
 
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Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

That is a great looking guitar and I like the changes you've made. I'm in the process of updating my new GM LP, and I've just received the new hardware. Callaham ABR-1 and tailpiece. I've had really good luck with their products, even if they are a bit expensive. I'm also updating to locking Kluson's, which look just like the stock tuners. For now I've left the stock pickup rings, I need to research what the difference is.

I'm not really trying to recreate Gary Moore's guitar....I just want to have the best parts available on it..... as it already sounds incredible.

Great work with yours and I also love the top. Glad to hear the changes made such a difference for the guitar.
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

I didn't like the low height of the original rings, they looked odd to me as I have a Tokai Love Rock and a CS-336 which both have vintage style rings. I bought the Gibson Historic pick up rings, I had to alter the radius on the bottom to get them to fit well to the top - I did this very slowly (removing as little material as possible) with a scraper tool and light sand paper. I knew I'd have to do this so I avoided an expensive set in case it went wrong. I was surprised how easily it came together.
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

Jeff_H said:
That is a great looking guitar and I like the changes you've made. I'm in the process of updating my new GM LP, and I've just received the new hardware. Callaham ABR-1 and tailpiece. I've had really good luck with their products, even if they are a bit expensive. I'm also updating to locking Kluson's, which look just like the stock tuners. For now I've left the stock pickup rings, I need to research what the difference is.

I'm not really trying to recreate Gary Moore's guitar....I just want to have the best parts available on it..... as it already sounds incredible.

Great work with yours and I also love the top. Glad to hear the changes made such a difference for the guitar.
Click to expand...



This GM LP sounds great. Is it finished or are you working on it now? What is the guitar, year - model? Any pics?
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

Les PaulBearer said:
This GM LP sounds great. Is it finished or are you working on it now? What is the guitar, year - model? Any pics?
Click to expand...

Not finished yet. I'm not confident or experienced in repair and guitar work to notch saddles and check and verify that nut slots are cut correctly. I can change pickups and do my own setups and hardware changes, but I tend to leave the hard stuff to luthiers.

I popped in my Greenie set for just a few minutes before I took the guitar to my guy and they sounded great. He is going to notch the new saddles for me, check the cut of the nut slots and will completely taken out the Gibson wiring and install my bourns pots and PIO caps and do 50's wiring for me. It's just easier for me to have him do it all at once. He is so reasonable in price.

The guitar is a 2013 Gary Moore Les Paul Standard. I never thought this would be the LP I would buy, but I fell in love with the wood on this guitar. My plan was to buy a Traditional or an early 00's Standard like yours. However, I'm super happy with my purchase and I'm excited to get it back. Hopefully this weekend.

More info and pics here if you are interested. I don't want to hijack your thread about your beautiful guitar.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?325921-NGD-Gary-Moore-Les-Paul-Standard-Signature
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

Jeff_H said:
I popped in my Greenie set for just a few minutes before I took the guitar to my guy and they sounded great. He is going to notch the new saddles for me, check the cut of the nut slots and will completely taken out the Gibson wiring and install my bourns pots and PIO caps and do 50's wiring for me. It's just easier for me to have him do it all at once. He is so reasonable in price.

The guitar is a 2013 Gary Moore Les Paul Standard.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?325921-NGD-Gary-Moore-Les-Paul-Standard-Signature
Click to expand...

That's an awesome looking guitar. I'm here sharing what I'm up to 'cause most people I know don't care about this stuff, very glad for the conversation and seeing so many amazing guitars and mods on here. I met Gary a few times, he was awesome. I was never really a fan until I met him and, despite many saying he was a bit spikey (I bet he never suffered a fool gladly), I found him to be really compassionate and funny and unbelievably excited about guitars, amps and pedals. Seeing him play up close and discuss some of his ideas was quite incredible. Really deep knowledge of so many styles of blues, impossible for me to imagine being that talented.

I love doing all the little jobs myself but it's taken so long to get good at most of it - I'm someone who needs a project and likes to cause himself extra work. I'm not a pro repair guy but most of it is actually easy and doing it a few times, slowly and thoughtfully, is all you need to have most of it down. I think it's great if you can go to someone who you trust though, I've done a whole bunch of projects with other people and it's amazing to help someone else push a good guitar into being great.

I'm glad you like the look of my new guitar, I'm a little besotted with it, my other guitars must be jealous.
 
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Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

Gorgeous axe!!! Also, beautiful job on the cavity!! My wiring is always sloppy.

What are vintage spec surrounds?? Lower profile then modern ones??
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

BloodRose said:
Gorgeous axe!!! Also, beautiful job on the cavity!! My wiring is always sloppy.

What are vintage spec surrounds?? Lower profile then modern ones??
Click to expand...

Vintage rings were taller than modern rings, especially at the bridge. Like 50's coke bottle glasses!
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

Jeff_H said:
Vintage rings were taller than modern rings, especially at the bridge. Like 50's coke bottle glasses!
Click to expand...

Spot on. The modern rings mean that when pickups are the right height from the strings there is quite a bit of the side of the pickup cover showing, this just looks weird to me, although some might prefer it.
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

Very nice guitar indeed and the top looks wonderful. The pick up covers sort of look aged...did you do any special aging treatment to them?



;>)/
 
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd

What a great experience, being able to spend time talking gear with someone like Gary Moore. I would have loved to have that opportunity.
 
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