[RandK]

I measured the neck angle at about 4 degrees with my little plastic protractor thingy. I would say it was more than 3.5 and less than 4.5. Not easy to get an accurate measurement of.

This is my control cavity. The pots were replaced as were the caps. I got some nos grey tigers that need to go in there. There are a ton of control cavity pics and discussions over on the LPF.

[slpd]

I measured the neck angle at about 4 degrees with my little plastic protractor thingy. I would say it was more than 3.5 and less than 4.5. Not easy to get an accurate measurement of.

This is my control cavity. The pots were replaced as were the caps. I got some nos grey tigers that need to go in there. There are a ton of control cavity pics and discussions over on the LPF.

Are you a member of the lpf??

I agree it is hard to get a measurement on the neck angle 4 dergrees are not unknown, but the most common is 3.5.

Have you measured the spacing between P-90 your pickups??

[GooCart]

The '53 has approx 2.5 degrees neck angle, I think they changed late 53 from 1 degree as the '52 has and 54 they changed to 3.5.
RandK, you'r GT is a killer, I love the checking.

Regarding stew mac, there's so much mistakes in that drawing that it's useless if you want to make a trustworthy 58-60 replica. I wounder what they were thinking when they did it..

[RandK]

LPF member same name.

Pickups polepiece to polepiece is 4 7/16. Space between is 3 3/32

The neck angles are all over the place because they would sometimes adjust to match the top after sanding. The sides of the body are not square to the plane of the back because spindle sanders aren't very precise so using a protractor to measure picks up that error too. So I double checked for you just measuring and doing the trig and I get 3.6 degrees but that's eyeballing the measurements to the edge of the FB so it's probably no more precise/trustworthy than the protractor. You can make your model work out to whatever you pick.

[slpd]

LPF member same name.

Pickups polepiece to polepiece is 4 7/16. Space between is 3 3/32

The neck angles are all over the place because they would sometimes adjust to match the top after sanding. The sides of the body are not square to the plane of the back because spindle sanders aren't very precise so using a protractor to measure picks up that error too. So I double checked for you just measuring and doing the trig and I get 3.6 degrees but that's eyeballing the measurements to the edge of the FB so it's probably no more precise/trustworthy than the protractor. You can make your model work out to whatever you pick.

the 3 3/32 is that the distance between the pickup holes or the actual pickup bobbins??

[RandK]

the 3 3/32 is that the distance between the pickup holes or the actual pickup bobbins??

Between the edges of the covers, the gap between the pickups.

[slpd]

The '53 has approx 2.5 degrees neck angle, I think they changed late 53 from 1 degree as the '52 has and 54 they changed to 3.5.
RandK, you'r GT is a killer, I love the checking.

Regarding stew mac, there's so much mistakes in that drawing that it's useless if you want to make a trustworthy 58-60 replica. I wounder what they were thinking when they did it..

From what i gathered they had a 59 in and were going to do a detailed plan but it seems they decided to keep the info for them selves!!

RandK

Do you have anyway of collecting info on your top contours and pickup routes??

[GooCart]

The top contour and all routing is from the John Catto pdf. I learned just the other day that the pickup routing shall be in a 3 degree angled plane, if we shall be correct.

[slpd]

The top contour and all routing is from the John Catto pdf. I learned just the other day that the pickup routing shall be in a 3 degree angled plane, if we shall be correct.

Are you saying the pickup routes are angled????

[GooCart]

Well, it's not me saying it, but I've read it over at mylespaul. Ill try to find the thread.

edit:
Here is a thread with lots and lots of info, for example the pickup routing angle.

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luth...-mistakes.html

[slpd]

Well, it's not me saying it, but I've read it over at mylespaul. Ill try to find the thread.

edit:
Here is a thread with lots and lots of info, for example the pickup routing angle.

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luth...-mistakes.html

Ignore that piece of info regarding the pickup routes being angled its wrong it came from a drawing mistake I have seen about.

However you can find router bit circules in the bottom of the route.

There is also other info need which is not in the thread which you and RandK can help contribute with before you even start the top!!

[RandK]

I don't have a scanner etc for the top contours. I'm not making an LP copy but it's useful to understand the design and construction for my own work.

I've only had the pickups out once and I recall the routes looking the same as the historics. The covers are very thin and fragile and I don't want to take them out unless it is necessary. I don't know if the old and new covers have the same outside dimensions, but I assume they do. I don't recall looking to see if the cavities were slanted with the top as John suggests. There is some 50 year old foam rubber under the P90's that could also be why they are slanted to stay parallel to the strings.

I'll check out that thread on mylespaul, I had forgotten about that forum. I have version 1 of their plan which was for a 54ish custom, and version 2 which is after they borrowed a 59 to revise the plan. A bunch of people moaned about it on the LPF and Erick/Dan quickly had Don revise it to make version 3 which I don't have. Is it possible his drawing matches the guitar they examined ????

[slpd]

I don't have a scanner etc for the top contours. I'm not making an LP copy but it's useful to understand the design and construction for my own work.

I've only had the pickups out once and I recall the routes looking the same as the historics. The covers are very thin and fragile and I don't want to take them out unless it is necessary. I don't know if the old and new covers have the same outside dimensions, but I assume they do. I don't recall looking to see if the cavities were slanted with the top as John suggests. There is some 50 year old foam rubber under the P90's that could also be why they are slanted to stay parallel to the strings.

I'll check out that thread on mylespaul, I had forgotten about that forum. I have version 1 of their plan which was for a 54ish custom, and version 2 which is after they borrowed a 59 to revise the plan. A bunch of people moaned about it on the LPF and Erick/Dan quickly had Don revise it to make version 3 which I don't have. Is it possible his drawing matches the guitar they examined ????

The historics 54 and the originals are different as historics 59 and bursts are different.

Do you have a digital calipier as i think they are only 15 dollars in the States??

[RandK]

I had no idea there was so much interest in replicas/fakes/etc over on MLP. Lots of experts there that seem to have every conceivable answer. Ain't gettin none of that on me as they say.

Digital calipers. I think those are in a box with my crayons and fingerpaints... next to my cnc machine... lol

[slpd]

Well, it's not me saying it, but I've read it over at mylespaul. Ill try to find the thread.

edit:
Here is a thread with lots and lots of info, for example the pickup routing angle.

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luth...-mistakes.html

Did you recieve my PM??

[slpd]

Goocart

Have you compared the pickup spacing measurements I sent you against your own reissues??

[GooCart]

Nope, I've been busy these days with other stuff, but I'll try asap.

[amplexus]

I too would love an emailed zip of the file please send to
[email protected] alternatively you could upload to rapidshare which would be better still

[justin22885]

does anyone have an updated final model of the les paul they could post?

[marcerasmus]

Looks great. I plan on starting the "real" build soon. I'll be using your files and I'll keep you informed on progress. My real passion is for violins and mandolins. Do you have any files for these?

Greg

are you still looking for a violin 3d model? i have one as an stl, cant vouch for its accuracy, but could be a good place to start, let me know and i will upload or email to you, regards marc