My 3rd guitar build Bit first lespaul Build

[Crystalord]

Hi guys im new on this forum
ive been floating around and seeing all of you guys doing builds has made me want to build a lespaul so here we go.
the body will be pine, i have not Decided on neck material yet

it will have P90's as i like them over Humbuckers

This Build is Based on my Vintage V100 lespaul (no not epiphone or Gibson)
so heres a few pic's

This is my master Cardboard template against the Body wood. Red pine

My current lespaul

Sorry about massive pictures

ill see you guys soon

 

[pfox14]

I would not recommend using pine for a guitar body. It is way to light weight, does finish well, and won't provide much in the way of good sustain.

 

[Barnaby]

I would not recommend using pine for a guitar body. It is way to light weight, does finish well, and won't provide much in the way of good sustain.

EDITED: Originally, I went off on a bit of a rant about pine and how it is a great but much-maligned tonewood. After reflection, I think my post came off as a bit aggressive, however, so I've removed it and will simply say that I think this should be a good build and that I wish the OP all the luck in the world with it. I am sure he will have an amazing result!

 

[Crystalord]

Thanks Barnaby It means allot to hear that from you
your builds are amazing and have been one of the reasons for me trying to do a lespaul

 

[emoney]

Yeah, I see both sides of this question of Pine. However, my "use what you got" foundation,
trumps all. So, having said that, carry on! (but, with a tad smaller pics, thx).

 

[LPBR]

In MY opinion the tone, timber, sustain, etc, is of the minor importance when choosing wood to build an electric guitar, being the most important the behavior of wood along the time (shrink, expand, twist, warp, crack, etc).

I don't think that pine is a bad wood at all, and I am not sure about the sustain thing. Actually I have read somewhere that the neck has too much more influence in the overall tone and sustain itself than the body, so...

And about the weight thing actually I think that it would be a bonus, since a light guitar is always a good thing from the point of view of the comfort.



BUT!

I have some experience with pine - not for guitar building, but for furniture. Since I am starting to build a couple guitars I have been tempted to use pine specially because it is cheap and you can find it practically anywhere.

The problem I have observed with pine is that it is a massive production/consum wood (at least here in Brasil) and the real issue is that they are cut, dried in big ovens and then sent to the lumber stores.

OK, let's talk about the oven part. The best you try to dry a wood using artificial methods it is not the same thing as natural drying, and it may be a problem with porous woods. Pine in particular is very subject to shrink when it dries. A few time ago I have built a desk and used some nice pine planks. In order to recycle some cedar scraps, I made the top jointing three pieces of pine and two of cedar (pine-cedar-pine-cedar-pine), making a nice striped pattern. The pine pieces had 30cm and the cedar something around 5cm. A couple months later, the cedar kept stable but the pine shrinked about 2mm each plank and the tension made it unglue from the cedar and open big gutters between the pieces. The result was a ruined top.



I cannot imagine what such wood behavior could cause to an musical instrument, and this is the only reason why I wouldn't use pine for build a guitar.



PS: Please totally disconsider it if you have found chunks of pine that were forgotten at the bottom of your shop by your grandpa few decades ago...

 

[Barnaby]

Thanks Barnaby It means allot to hear that from you
your builds are amazing and have been one of the reasons for me trying to do a lespaul

Blimey! I am honoured and surprised. Honestly, I'm not much of a builder - there is so much talent on here that I am very much in the shadows, but I appreciate the compliment.

Yeah, I see both sides of this question of Pine. However, my "use what you got" foundation,
trumps all. So, having said that, carry on! (but, with a tad smaller pics, thx).

"Use what you got" - good call!

Personally, I've always considered the pine question as settled. There are so many builders using it today, as there have been historically, that saying it is a bad tonewood seems silly.

Other threads on here list lots of makers - including our own Roman Rist and Bruce Bennett, along with many others - who have used it to great effect. If everyone from top pros down to beginners like me choose it as a wood, then there must be something to it.

Of course, as LPBR points out in his excellent post, there's pine and then there's pine, but I think one can say that of any wood. Pine gets an unfair rap.

 

[fortwinnie]

My pine teles ROCK.

 

[straightblues]

My pine teles ROCK.

So does mine. I can assure you that you can make a good guitar out of pine. I have one out of Cypress, as well a Rist out of solid spruce. Build away and don't worry one more second about the wood.

 

[mux164]

all the guitars i have made are out of pine and they just sing, so who knows, but i will be watching this thread.

even done two radiata pine with a merbau center strip and they are still good as

 

[mux164]

updates?

 

[dinkyguitar]

I've never users anything but the traditional woods in making guitar bodies....but so long as the wood is suited (not talking about the mythical tone wood)to be a guitar body then use it....

Once a guitar is plugged in, you can throw tone out the window....unless it's an acoustic.

dinky,

 

[TheX]

Pine is fine for a build like this. I love pine planks for Tele's.

 

[emoney]

Obviously, all the negative talk about Pine has scarred the poor boy into oblivion. He's
not been back it doesn't look like, since pfox hurt his feelings. Sigh....another one bites the dust.
This is a cold, cruel hobby we have. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

 

[mux164]

damn it i was looking forward to this as pine is so underrated but it is a prick to work with, i will be doing a thread soon on a pine/merbau neck thru semi hollow 339, i just want to get a bit of work done on it before i post

 

[Crystalord]

Im here! Just doing exams atm so i havent had a chance to do much

i made my templates though

 

[Crystalord]

Ok sorry for the late update i cant seem to find time with my exams and stuff :/ But an update is im letting the wood dry for a while i have a Drying cabinet in my room so the pine will sit there while i finish the shape and the sizes for the Templates

 

[Crystalord]

I have gotten round to glueing the body or bodys together. yes Bodys. I have Fixed The War Beast! Maybe!

I will have updates soon :evilgrin:

Well my final exams of high school Next week For a month ima be out of action but after that there will be ,hopfully, regular Updatres

 

[Crystalord]

Update,

I will do all the Wiring/Cavity work from the back of the guitar to keep it as Aesthetic pleasing as i can.

I have left it 24 hours to dry and here is the result.

The side which will be Carved

the Grain from the top