Custom Shop Alex Lifeson AL-355 Restoration

[Freddy G]

Hi!
This will be a restoration of an AL-355 Alex Lifeson signature model guitar from the Gibson Custom Shop.
The title of the thread says "restoration" but really it's going to be a repair because it came from the factory with a lot of issues.
The most infamous issue is the location of the "volute". It's CNC carve co-ordinates were programmed 1 inch off!!! So the crest of the volute lands in between the nut and first fret. I'm going to remove the existing volute and replace it in the correct position.

Here are some photos of the AL-355 volute:

I had a 70's 335 in the shop and was able to compare volute locations. This one looks correct to me, and also it looks like the same location as Lifeson's '76 ES-355 as I recall.

There are finish problems as well...the lacquer is cracked all around the inlay on the peghead, my guess is that it was finished before the epoxy for the MOP was fully cured.

But that's not all, there is a blemish, a bunch of greyish dots and specks on the face of the body. It's underneath the clear coats. Also some of the binding scraping is very uneven, and very aggressive. There are some pretty big ridges where the scraper dug in deep.
While I'm at it, I'm going to fix the location and mounting of the pickups. They are not on centre and also mounted out of square! Because of that, they modified the pickguard to try and fit that mess....sheesh!

Stay tuned

 

[dickjonesify]

DU DU DU DAAAAAAHHHHH DU DU DU DAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!
That was the guitar riff from "Tom Sawyer" if you couldn't tell. Awesome Freddy. It will no doubt look perfect when it's done. That's so crazy about the volute

 

[Penny Dreadful]

I saw her in your shop. This is going to be good!

 

[Freddy G]

Here's a bit more of an overview of the guitar:

 

[Penny Dreadful]

You worked on the original Fred, so no ones more qualified to bring this guitar up to
snuff then you.

 

[Ken McKay]

Freddy,

Some of those black spots show up in the veneer. It is actually purple, dark purple. I can't see that well in the video so you probably got it right. Just saying...

Looks like your got yourself a good project there. Nice scraper technique!

 

[Freddy G]

Here we are all stripped and sanded.

Some of those black spots show up in the veneer

It turns out that they were in the lacquer, under the topcoats.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that this guitar needs a fret level, crown and polish. So I'm doing that now, before it sees new lacquer.

Next, I'll work on the volute.

 

[mdr40z]

wow it's going to be good, can't wait to see more

 

[Ken McKay]

Looks nice.

Freddy can you mic the body thickness for me and the body end at the joint. Thanks.

 

[Freddy G]

Looks nice.

Freddy can you mic the body thickness for me and the body end at the joint. Thanks.

No problem Ken...PM'ed you

 

[intrique45]

This one I am really going to enjoy. I have an 82 ES335 reissue and its one of the best guitars I have owned. I can't understand that if this a Custom shop model, why would it pass Gibson's quality control? One inch off on the CNC? I can't imagine what irregularities would be found on the standard production line models. With what I have seen in Guitar Center and other shops selling new Gibsons at absurd prices I would rather have one custom made by any of the fine luthiers contributing to this forum

 

[Pemorin]

DU DU DU DAAAAAAHHHHH DU DU DU DAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!
That was the guitar riff from "Tom Sawyer" if you couldn't tell.

I was pretty sure that was Beethoven's fifth.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRgXUFnfKIY]Beethoven's Fifth[/ame]


I can't wait to see more ! Looks like a cool project.

 

[dickjonesify]

ya, that too I guess

 

[Barnaby]

This one I am really going to enjoy. I have an 82 ES335 reissue and its one of the best guitars I have owned. I can't understand that if this a Custom shop model, why would it pass Gibson's quality control? One inch off on the CNC? I can't imagine what irregularities would be found on the standard production line models. With what I have seen in Guitar Center and other shops selling new Gibsons at absurd prices I would rather have one custom made by any of the fine luthiers contributing to this forum

+1.

I find it hilarious that a brand new Custom Shop Gibson requires 'restoration' to make it into a decent guitar.

Beautiful work, as one would expect. Just out of curiousity...are you going to replace the 'Custom Shop' decal once it is done? That would be both strangely cool and deeply ironic.

 

[jonas 335]

I have 5 Gibsons including a 3 yr old 335 all are great guitars, but were carefully chosen. It's amazing how much I like Gibsons considering the crap level sometimes.

 

[Penny Dreadful]

I have 5 Gibsons including a 3 yr old 335 all are great guitars, but were carefully chosen. It's amazing how much I like Gibsons considering the crap level sometimes.

It could have been bought as a "B" stock instrument. In other words Gibson knew it was dodgy and adjusted the price accordingly.

In fact, I dont know the history behind this guitar and im sure its private and confidential, but a few years back at my local Long & Mcquade I saw a Lifeson 355 for sale and it was selling at a reduced price because of cosmetic flaws, and those blemishes that I saw that day, look like the ones on Freddys
makeover. If it is indeed the same guitar, then I can say with 100% certainty that Gibson knew it was flawed, and allowed L&M to adjust the price.
How do I know?....I asked the manager and he told me so.

*Note*
Im not saying it IS the same guitar, but not many came this way and those blemishes look very familiar.

 

[1981 LPC]

[...] it came from the factory with a lot of issues.
The most infamous issue is the location of the "volute". It's CNC carve co-ordinates were programmed 1 inch off!!! So the crest of the volute lands in between the nut and first fret.

For shame!

 

[Freddy G]

are you going to replace the 'Custom Shop' decal once it is done? That would be both strangely cool and deeply ironic.

Yes, I will be replacing the custom shop logo and re-inking the serial #. I actually had to get the logo custom made, the ones that I found were not the same, the "since 1894" part was always in metallic gold not black like the original one on this guitar. Ha...yes, deeply ironic to say the least!

It could have been bought as a "B" stock instrument. In other words Gibson knew it was dodgy and adjusted the price accordingly.

No, this was sold for full pop.

In fact, I dont know the history behind this guitar and im sure its private and confidential, but a few years back at my local Long & Mcquade I saw a Lifeson 355 for sale and it was selling at a reduced price because of cosmetic flaws, and those blemishes that I saw that day, look like the ones on Freddys
makeover. If it is indeed the same guitar, then I can say with 100% certainty that Gibson knew it was flawed, and allowed L&M to adjust the price.
How do I know?....I asked the manager and he told me so.

*Note*
Im not saying it IS the same guitar, but not many came this way and those blemishes look very familiar.

This is not the same guitar, it was not sold in Canada, it was shipped to me from abroad.

 

[gator payne]

+1.

I find it hilarious that a brand new Custom Shop Gibson requires 'restoration' to make it into a decent guitar.

Beautiful work, as one would expect. Just out of curiousity...are you going to replace the 'Custom Shop' decal once it is done? That would be both strangely cool and deeply ironic.

I am sure Freddy will agree with me here but in the last 20 years the you would be amazed at what you will see come out of the custom shop. now I am speak mostly of acoustics in my case I have repaired near as many custom shop Gibsons over the years as production line. Just my opinion but anymore the custom shop is just a way to pay more. That is a bit too harsh but it was not always the way it is now.

 

[Barnaby]

It could have been bought as a "B" stock instrument. In other words Gibson knew it was dodgy and adjusted the price accordingly.

They made 300 of them this way, apparently. There are a lot of very annoyed owners out there...and a lot of discussion of this issue online, like here, for example.

I'm not really that surprised by this, but the fact that the guitar really needed a setup is a bit sad.