Show off your MODIFIED Les Paul!

[The_Sentry]

Heheheh.....yes, it's time for another guitar porn thread!!!

This one's a bit different though....what I want to see (and this might help settle out the questions of upgrades and mods in my head!) are guitars that aren't stock, and have been altered or modified beyond the pickguard, plastic hardware, or straplock installation. (You can even list the reasons why if you like! ) Be it pickups, tuners, caps, switches, killswitches, custom paintjobs, binding....what made you decide to modify your Gibby Les Paul? What's the guitar look like now? Do you like it more than you did when it was stock?

At least one enquiring mind wants to know!

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ___

I'll start with my backwards guitars...



This is an older pic of my '06 studio, but it has a few modifications. The biggest was the addition of Seymour Duncan blackout pickups. These were purchased after I acquired my '80 Norlin custom and I didn't need 2 guitars for a vintage sound....(and I wanted one to be much hotter, hot enough to play metal licks if need be). I was also intrigued by the Blackouts...so I got a set. In addition, this guitar has a Gotoh aluminum tailpiece (I originally bought this for another guitar, but after some internal debates about it...I put it on the Studio in the hopes of giving it a slightly brighter tone while taming the pickups a bit...I wasn't disappointed.) And last night I put some Gibson modern machine heads on this guitar for more tuning stability.

Mah workhorse guitar, and this is the one I take out of the house more than any of my others...

My other guitar? My '80 Norlin. It had the original PAF in the neck, and some off brand crap in the bridge...I pulled them both out and put a set of Burstbucker Pro's in there along with some Orange drop caps, and new pots. It's also had a full refret on it and a new nut installed...it plays like a brand new guitar. I don't usually whip this one out unless I wanna...hurt someone...hahahahha....(Every other stock component was also stripped off and cleaned...)

[Boleskinehouse]

Just about all of them are modified in some way... I'm not posting all that again!

[guitarfish]

OK, I'll play. This is the control cavity of my '08 LP Standard, barely a week old.

Stock:


RS Treble Tamer:


Installed by me. I wish the soldering on the pots was a little cleaner looking, but hey, it works. I had to try an RS kit based on all the rave reviews. I must say honestly that it when using the tone controls, there is a lot better note definition and control. I liked this kit enough to pull it from my '07 when I sold it and put it in this new one.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Boleskinehouse

Just about all of them are modified in some way... I'm not posting all that again!

Hahahahaha....

C'mon Boles.....

...Just one.....

...it doesn'thave to be....all of them....

[ODD1991]

hi, i added pinstripes to my les paul and i also changed the truss rod cover. i just ordered black pickup rings and switcher.

here it is





i tried to replicate synyster gates' "pimp stripes"

what you think?

be knid its my first time at modding

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by guitarfish

OK, I'll play. This is the control cavity of my '08 LP Standard, barely a week old.

Stock:


RS Treble Tamer:


Installed by me. I wish the soldering on the pots was a little cleaner looking, but hey, it works. I had to try an RS kit based on all the rave reviews. I must say honestly that it when using the tone controls, there is a lot better note definition and control. I liked this kit enough to pull it from my '07 when I sold it and put it in this new one.

Fish...that's pretty nice work!!! So the kit's a keeper?

Thanks....I'm gonna have to consider that down the road....(mebbe for one of mah guitars...)

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by ODD1991

hi, i added pinstripes to my les paul and i also changed the truss rod cover. i just ordered black pickup rings and switcher.

here it is





i tried to replicate synyster gates' "pimp stripes"

what you think?

be knid its my first time at modding

I like unique looking guitars....I don't know how it is for other people, but I'm actually HAPPIER about my guitar when it doesn't look like everyone else's guitar!!!

That's certainly a unique marker on it. Nice work, mon!

[Mike60]

Muttley has undergone extensive modifications...and am having a hard time remembering then all...

[Boleskinehouse]

These two are the most extensive..



I didn't do most of this.. The middle pup and Dimarzios were there when I got it. I did give it new hardware though..

As it looked the day it got home..



The bridge was bent all to hell and the tuners were shot.

Someone also sanded the neck.. Sloppily..







And this '04 Std.

[The_Sentry]

Dude...that is seriously a badass guitar. I noticed it in your collection a while back. I have to be honest....I don't think I've seen another one in that color config....that really is a unique piece as far as I'm concerned...even amongst the Norlins. (Most of those that I've seen are either the Ebony models or the Ace Frehley Cherry models...I really dig that guitar! )

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Mike60

Muttley has undergone extensive modifications...and am having a hard time remembering then all...

Indeed it has. Hmm.....I'm trying to gauge that....you've replaced the pups, probably the pots...is that also aged h/w on that guitar?

[Boleskinehouse]

Well... It would have looked a lot like yours when new. The right way around and a slightly different color. The middle pup is not original and neither is the creme plastic. In fact, the only thing original on it is the wood itself.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Boleskinehouse

Well... It would have looked a lot like yours when new. The right way around and a slightly different color. The middle pup is not original and neither is the creme plastic. In fact, the only thing original on it is the wood itself.

Actually....mine's got a few dings on it. I've got a polish which covers most of that up. (And the middle pup as an afterthought definitely explains the uniqueness of that guitar....for a moment there I thought someone at Gibson had lost their bloody mind and put out a one-of-a-kind or extremely limited run of the Frehley model...)

[vladmaximus]

i only got this les paul type guitar right now...
i change the stock pickups to dimarzio sets pickups...
and change the stock switch tip to gibson amber switch tip...
and this guitar works great for me..
no need to modified at all...
thanks...

[Boleskinehouse]

Frehley had one like it.. He had a pickguard on his though. I saw it hanging in the store and rushed right to it. It played nice even with all of it's problems at the time, and I can't pass up a good Norlin. Sounds almost like an acoustic unplugged. Rocks like a mofo plugged.

[The_Sentry]

Heheheheehhe......The Tokai's aiight by me, Vlad.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Boleskinehouse

Frehley had one like it.. He had a pickguard on his though. I saw it hanging in the store and rushed right to it. It played nice even with all of it's problems at the time, and I can't pass up a good Norlin. Sounds almost like an acoustic unplugged. Rocks like a mofo plugged.

Boles, I know you've got a truckload of axes....

But I think that one is one of my faves as far as your Norlin gee-tars go...!

[zontar]

I'll have to post the pictures later--but you can see a before picture--but tiny--in my avatar. When I bought it, it was already modified. The pickups & machine heads were not original, and I didn't like either.

I already had a Seymour Duncan Duncan Distortion pickup for a project that never came to pass, and I bought the matching pickup they made at that time--the Seymourizer II. Both are zebras, I considered covers, but decided to leave them uncovered. I had them wired for series/parallel. Series is normal humbucking mode & parallel is like having two single coils together. I choose between the two with push/pull pots on the volume controls.

I replaced the ginormous Grover machine heads, as the buttons almost collided with the next tuner, and the turn ratio was odd to me. I had machine heads for the project that didn't come to pass, so I used them. Schaller minis. It was like someone took half a set of right handed tuners for a Strat & combined them with half a set of left handed tuners. They are not only smaller than the ones they replaced, but smaller than normal ones--I like them. The guitar originally had Klusons--you could see the screw holes & an impression from them.

I also replaced the pickup selector ring--as the previous owner put a cream one on a black guitar--and it looked awful. I had to get new pickup rings (cream ones again--it looked wrong. I also put on black speed knobs. The previous owner had changed the original knobs for amber speed knobs that look great on my natural finish EB-3 copy, but not the black Custom. The bridge was worn out so I replaced it and I put on a TP-6. I like them for fine tuning, ease of string changing, and they look cool. The new hradware is chrome, but the old hardware was gold that is mostly worn off, so you can't really tell I mixed & matched.

The only original parts, as far as I can tell are the wood, inlays, frets (the fretless wonder type--so they don't really wear out. It makes it great to use for slide.), toggle switch, tone pots, strap knobs and some of the wiring.

I'd love to have a stock one. But when I was able to get this one for cheap--due to the mods and that superstrats were all the rage at the time, and Les Pauls out of fashion, I went for it though. It was my chance to own a real cool guitar, and I made it even better.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by zontar

I'll have to post the pictures later--but you can see a before picture--but tiny--in my avatar. When I bought it, it was already modified. The pickups & machine heads were not original, and I didn't like either.

I already had a Seymour Duncan Duncan Distortion pickup for a project that never came to pass, and I bought the matching pickup they made at that time--the Seymourizer II. Both are zebras, I considered covers, but decided to leave them uncovered. I had them wired for series/parallel. Series is normal humbucking mode & parallel is like having two single coils together. I choose between the two with push/pull pots on the volume controls.

I replaced the ginormous Grover machine heads, as the buttons almost collided with the next tuner, and the turn ratio was odd to me. I had machine heads for the project that didn't come to pass, so I used them. Schaller minis. It was like someone took half a set of right handed tuners for a Strat & combined them with half a set of left handed tuners. They are not only smaller than the ones they replaced, but smaller than normal ones--I like them. The guitar originally had Klusons--you could see the screw holes & an impression from them.

I also replaced the pickup selector ring--as the previous owner put a cream one on a black guitar--and it looked awful. I had to get new pickup rings (cream ones again--it looked wrong. I also put on black speed knobs. The previous owner had changed the original knobs for amber speed knobs that look great on my natural finish EB-3 copy, but not the black Custom. The bridge was worn out so I replaced it and I put on a TP-6. I like them for fine tuning, ease of string changing, and they look cool. The new hradware is chrome, but the old hardware was gold that is mostly worn off, so you can't really tell I mixed & matched.

The only original parts, as far as I can tell are the wood, inlays, frets (the fretless wonder type--so they don't really wear out. It makes it great to use for slide.), toggle switch, tone pots, strap knobs and some of the wiring.

I'd love to have a stock one. But when I was able to get this one for cheap--due to the mods and that superstrats were all the rage at the time, and Les Pauls out of fashion, I went for it though. It was my chance to own a real cool guitar, and I made it even better.

Those are some cool upgrades....thanks for sharing that....I also like the fact that it wasn't just something you had magically planned out from Day 1 (or did you? )



J/K....But seriously, it sounds like you're just as bad as I am about the plastic stuff.....

[ehamady6]

As everyone knows, my guitar is inspired by John Sykes' LP Custom (Google JS's Custom if you haven't seen it before). I upgraded just about everything except the wood. It came with all gold hardware and I wanted to make it more "evil" looking. I installed chrome Grover locking tuners, chrome Tonepros locking tailpiece and locking bridge, mirror pickguard, chrome pickguard bracket, chrome pickup rings, chrome rhythm/treble toggle switch washer, Switchcraft chrome toggle switch and chrome toggle switch knob, chrome jackplate, reflector knobs with silver "machined" disks, and EMG 81/85 pickups with corresponding wiring. It's a metal beast now.

My favorite mod is easily the locking Grover tuners. They're rock solid, stay in tune, look cool, and cut restring time in half.



My final mod will be to get this engraved on a truss rod cover (probably without the blood) or find an Impaler decal:

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by ehamady6

As everyone knows, my guitar is inspired by John Sykes' Custom. I upgraded just about everything except the wood. It came with all gold hardware and I wanted to make it more "evil" looking. I installed chrome Grover locking tuners, chrome Tonepros locking tailpiece and locking bridge, mirror pickguard, chrome pickguard bracket, chrome pickup rings, chrome rhythm/treble toggle switch washer, Switchcraft chrome toggle switch and chrome toggle switch knob, chrome jackplate, reflector knobs with silver "machined" disks, and EMG 81/85 pickups with corresponding wiring. It's a metal beast now.

I always dug that guitar.

I got a question....what's your opinion of those new EMG pickups that come in gold and chrome? (I want 'em for my guitar...but I've been resistant so far. I can't blow money on this stuff unless I can justify it...especially to myself.)

[zontar]

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

Those are some cool upgrades....thanks for sharing that....I also like the fact that it wasn't just something you had magically planned out from Day 1 (or did you? )



J/K....But seriously, it sounds like you're just as bad as I am about the plastic stuff.....

When's Day 1?

When I saw the guitar in the store and decided I was going to buy it I figured I would have to change the bridge, and thought there would be a good chance I'd be switching the pickups & machine heads, but it did come together bit by bit, not all at once. I spent periods of time after I bought it unemployed, so the accumulation of parts took a while, until I finally just took in what I had and had most of the work done.

It did develop over time, yes.

In my avatar picture--shown larger here-You can see the amber knobs, and old pickups. There are no strings on it at this time, and the bridge & machine heads are off, but I do have the TP-6 on it there. ANd I have the black toggle switch ring on it already. I was also seeing how I liked the look without the pickguard.


And here's a blurry picture of it recently, next to my Ibanez AF95. I have some better pictures, but I need to upload them.

[ehamady6]

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

I always dug that guitar.

I got a question....what's your opinion of those new EMG pickups that come in gold and chrome? (I want 'em for my guitar...but I've been resistant so far. I can't blow money on this stuff unless I can justify it...especially to myself.)

I haven't tried them yet but my bud WildeStarr installed the chrome EMGs in his black Custom (which is great because that shows me what they'll look like in mine). He said they sound a little brighter. I may install the chrome EMGs in my Custom way down the road. I love EMG's quick connect cables. I wish I could just put chrome covers on my existing pickups, but EMG tech support said it can't be done because the covers are sealed onto the pickups.

[Saiko]

Originally Posted by ehamady6

I haven't tried them yet but my bud WildeStarr installed the chrome EMGs in his black Custom (which is great because that shows me what they'll look like in mine). He said they sound a little brighter. I may install the chrome EMGs in my Custom way down the road. I love EMG's quick connect cables. I wish I could just put chrome covers on my existing pickups, but EMG tech support said it can't be done because the covers are sealed onto the pickups.

It can be done if you are careful, just sand/file off the old covers and glue the new ones on. Pushead, a member here did it with some EMGs I believe and there are some sites you can google on this very topic. Perfect example, James Hetfield's Iron Cross LP Custom. This is a '73 GIbson LP Custom with EMG pickups after James sanded the EMGs down and put the Gibson covers on them. He even cut off the pole piece heads and glued them on for the full effect...

[coreydm676]

my totally not fake 62' standard custom heres a pic of me holding it

[Kølabrennern]

1990 Les Paul Classic:



Mods:
- RS Vintage kit
- RS aged pickup covers
- RS aged Kluson double ring single line tuners
- Faber lightly aged aluminium tailpiece
- DiMarzio pickup rings
- Less pink plastics in general
- Gibson Historic truss rod cover
- Home-fashioned late 1960 style reflector knobs
- Waiting for a set of WB Firewaters

[siore]

Originally Posted by Saiko

It can be done if you are careful, just sand/file off the old covers and glue the new ones on. Pushead, a member here did it with some EMGs I believe and there are some sites you can google on this very topic. Perfect example, James Hetfield's Iron Cross LP Custom. This is a '73 GIbson LP Custom with EMG pickups after James sanded the EMGs down and put the Gibson covers on them. He even cut off the pole piece heads and glued them on for the full effect...

Lovely shot! Wait, that's EMG's with Gibson covers and pole piece heads?! That's interesting.

[Vintage_Burster]

Originally Posted by coreydm676

my totally not fake 62' standard custom heres a pic of me holding it

Holy Shit! Corey's back!

[Tom99SS]

2007 Les Paul Standard



Mods

RS CTS 500K pots
RS Luxe Repro Bees
RS pre-wired toggle switch (all braided wiring, no grounding plate)
Reflector knobs and pointers
Gibson Historic Pickup Rings
bone nut
Gotoh LW TP
TonePros locking TP studs
TonePros AVR-II locking bridge
BrownsGuitarFactory ABR conversion posts

[Pushead]

Originally Posted by Saiko

Pushead, a member here did it with some EMGs I believe and there are some sites you can google on this very topic.

Hell yeah!


The cross is being plated as I type.

EMG tech support said it can't be done because the covers are sealed onto the pickups.

Nonsense. Check out this thread for pix of the covering process:

EMG: Chrome 81 & 85 now in my Les Paul!