Getting started...

Les Paul Florentine style guitar build

After successfully building a couple of kits, a Les Paul ( www.lilsguitarproject.blogspot.com ), and a TPCP-60 dual cut away kit ( http://andysguitarkitbuild.blogspot.co.uk ), my brother asked me if I'd build him one too.   Well after completing two kit builds I'm clearly an expert builder... *cough* yeah about that... I thought what the hell I've always like the florentine semi-acoustic Les Pauls so that what I decided I was going to build for him.

Now I don't have a lot of wood working experience and only have a few diy power tools but I do have lots of enthusiasm and a willingness to learn as I go along.

So after a little bit of research I settled on my construction design, downloaded a schematic plan of a '59 Les Paul, found some cheap lumber that I wouldn't mind ruining if it all goes horribly wrong and got started.

 

 

'59 Les Paul schematic on some 12mm ply to make a router template

Construction grade pine with the edges squared off.  Whilst it has been air dried under cover by the lumber company and they recon it's stable, I still chose to store it in my attic at home for 8 months to make sure it's as dry and stable as possible.  I cut and positioned the planks so that the knots are outside the template and will be cut away.  I also lined the grains up opposing each other so that any natural twisting will be resisted by the adjoining plank

I have neither the tools, nor the woodworking experience or confidence to make a neck so I bought this one fairly cheap off eBay.  It's Fender style 25.5" scale length appears to be nice and straight.

The edges were squared off with a hand plane, and prior to gluing the wood I glued in some metal pins about 5mm from the back.  This is to add strength to the joints because I plan to hollow out the body to about 10mm thickness to create the acoustic chamber. I would have used biscuit joints but I don't have a biscuit jointer, a tool to added to my wish list!