Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: WezV on August 16, 2010, 09:46:47 PM

Title: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: WezV on August 16, 2010, 09:46:47 PM
when this arrived it had a rather thick custard/canary yellow refin, a secure but overly visable headstock break and a few other issues, it was decied it should be returned to its original colour

Before (Doesnt really show how'vibrant' the yellow was):
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/1.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/neckjoin.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/headstockfix.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/LPJfrets.jpg)

During:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/nopaint2.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/nopaint4.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/nopaint3.jpg)

Nearly done (need to get some natural light pics - but couldnt wait):
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/ajnr2.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/ajnr1.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/ajnr3.jpg)
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: Stevepage on August 16, 2010, 10:05:54 PM
Excellent job Wez. You turned a guitar I wouldn't look twice at to a guitar that I'd be happy to play.
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: Tellboy on August 16, 2010, 10:18:09 PM
Looks great !
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: Philly Q on August 16, 2010, 10:20:34 PM
Wow!  Looks great!  The only thing is, I almost feel like it needs a relic job now to make it look old again.  :wink:

I see what you mean about the colour - in the second picture it looks like it actually has custard on it.
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: MrBump on August 16, 2010, 10:22:18 PM
Awesome, Wez.
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: Ian Price on August 16, 2010, 10:26:08 PM
Nice. I like! What's the story?
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: WezV on August 16, 2010, 10:28:11 PM
Wow!  Looks great!  The only thing is, I almost feel like it needs a relic job now to make it look old again.  :wink:

i am not so sure, unless its a really great relic it could easily make it seem more like a fake and even devalue it compared to an honestly refinished guitar
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: TheIronBeast on August 16, 2010, 10:32:17 PM
Very fine job you've done there, Wez!

Is this a guitar for yourself, or did you refinish it for a customer?

Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: WezV on August 16, 2010, 10:35:41 PM
Nice. I like! What's the story?

well it sounds great, clearly been played a hell of a lot and mostly well maintained even if the work has not always been cosmetically right- loads of mojo

tuners have been changed once, and then changed back to something more fitting.  Pickup is an early fralin rewind and the volume pot has a early 80's date code but the tone & cap are original, the strap button had been moved to the upper horn and it was decided to leave one there


i wish it was mine!!!
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: FernandoDuarte on August 16, 2010, 10:38:42 PM
Cool! refretted it?
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: WezV on August 16, 2010, 11:33:15 PM
have a look at the 4th pic from the top, the low frets were quite localised but still an issue.... it would seem daft to do all this work and not sort that at the same time
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: dave_mc on August 16, 2010, 11:58:22 PM
I see what you mean about the colour - in the second picture it looks like it actually has custard on it.

so that's what our school was using... :lol:

but yeah that looks great, wez, nice work :)
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: PhilKing on August 16, 2010, 11:59:39 PM
It's one of mine.  It's hiding at the back in this picture (facing the camera, and you can see how much more banana yellow it is than the 2 in the rack):

(http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/philking/DSCF0820-1.jpg)

I bought it from a friend who had sent it for the refin about 12 years ago.  He hated it and found another, and basically gave me this for $250!  The neck is awesome - it is the real 1960 shape.  I had a pickup that Lindy Fralin had rewound for me in the early 90's (I asked him to get a Leslie West tone from it and he succeeded admirably), on another junior, so that one came to this (to replace a Seymour Duncan), and the other junior got the first Pig-90.  So this one always played and sounded great, but looked like arse, so I was going to sell it at the end of last year.  However, with the economy, there were no buyers (that and the fact that it looks like the yellow on warning tape).  So I found an original Gibson 'Les Paul Junior' decal (that I've had for about 20 years!), and had a Gibson decal, and spoke with Wez, and decided to return it to the Junior cherry that it should have been anyway.  I haven't seen it yet, but it looks brilliant in the photos.  If anyone goes round to Wez's place, you should really try it - you'll then know why juniors are so popular!
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: Denim n Leather on August 17, 2010, 01:58:20 AM
It looks great, but ... I liked the yellow!
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: Tellboy on August 17, 2010, 07:44:25 AM
Oh Phil - what a luverly bunch of Lesters you have  :lol:
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: WezV on August 17, 2010, 09:18:27 AM
It looks great, but ... I liked the yellow!

there is always one ;) :P

more pics of the dismantling here for those that like to see such things
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/LPJ/

Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: Philly Q on August 17, 2010, 12:19:55 PM
Wow!  Looks great!  The only thing is, I almost feel like it needs a relic job now to make it look old again.  :wink:

i am not so sure, unless its a really great relic it could easily make it seem more like a fake and even devalue it compared to an honestly refinished guitar

You're right of course, relicing a genuine vintage guitar would be... strange.  And probably would devalue it.  It's just that it's almost too pretty now.

I'm sure Phil doesn't share my obsessive worry about putting that first scratch or ding on a perfectly-finished guitar.
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: ToneMonkey on August 17, 2010, 12:27:30 PM
Phil,

I would have given you $250 for it    PDT_008
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: Mr. Air on August 18, 2010, 02:24:15 PM
Lovely work Wez. The guitar really shines after your treatment.

And PhilKing... What a collection of Les Pauls!!!
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: ToneMonkey on August 18, 2010, 03:32:30 PM
Nice work Wez, looks a million times better (only just been able to see your photos so couldn't say anything before).

Neck plate is still in a envelope in my car BTW.  One day soon it will be in the post  PDT_038
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: PhilKing on August 18, 2010, 07:50:41 PM
And PhilKing... What a collection of Les Pauls!!!

It's changed a little bit since that photo.  The 2 1971 reissues have gone and I have a Will Scott custom, a WezV single cut Junior and a new one arriving soon!
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: HTH AMPS on August 21, 2010, 08:46:26 PM
looks great - I liked the extra guitar-porn shots too.
Title: Re: 1960 les paul junior refin
Post by: Mr. Air on August 23, 2010, 03:39:05 PM
And PhilKing... What a collection of Les Pauls!!!

It's changed a little bit since that photo.  The 2 1971 reissues have gone and I have a Will Scott custom, a WezV single cut Junior and a new one arriving soon!

Let us know, by pictures of course, when the new one arrive. And throw in pics of the Will Scott custom and WezV as well if you haven't already done so  :D