GFS Les Paul build

matocaster · Post by **matocaster** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:20 am

Hello all! GFS put out a ALL MAHOGANY Les Paul kit for $180 so I figured I would pick one up and build a Goldtop for fun. I was actually blown away by how good this kit is, blows the saga stuff out of the water. This is a full Mahogany kit, no bolt on, it's actually a set neck routed the same way Gibson does it. Here we go!

Plays and sounds great! I used GFS Fat Pat's rather than the cheap-o's that came with the kit.

the isaac eaton · Post by **the isaac eaton** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:23 am

looks really really good!!! Do a demo!

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:54 am

looks BAD ASS!!!!!

got any shots of you cutting the headstock?

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 4:58 pm

Wow that looks amazing. How much was the total build cost? I would straight up copy this guitar. It looksSO GOOD.
And did you use rerance's goldtop?

Post by **Mike** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 5:14 pm

You've done a cracking job there, nice one.

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 6:31 pm

Mad skillz

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 6:35 pm

welcome back matt!
dig the guitar, love what you've done to it. you are a true master of making guitars look lush.

matocaster · Post by **matocaster** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:49 pm

Thank you so much everyone!!! I'll break down the build cost for y'all

All the parts I got from GFS

kit....................................................$180 (the kit comes with all the parts you need but some of the stuff is kida chinsy)
GFS Fat Pats......................................$60
Upgraded tuners (green Gibson style)..$30
Roller tune-o-matic Bridge..................$25
Guitar re-ranch goldtop nito................$18

Total build cost..................................$313.00

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:47 pm

Wow, that's a really good deal.

How are the frets and shit?
I've been wanting to get stuff to do fretwork because I find that most of my problems with playability in cheap axes is the frets, they're not smooth and shit.

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:50 pm

i want to make marc bolan and mick ronson tribute les paulz.

also,
could you give information on setting the neck?
do you have to set your own pitch and shit? i would easily fuck that up.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:19 pm

did it come pre-bound? i can't tell by the pic alone.
that looks pretty rocking, and for a great price, i have seen some saga stuff that was really really great for the price.
obviously 313 is a great price for a kit guitar at completetion.
is the fretboard binding gibby style with hidden ends?

mickie08 · Post by **mickie08** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:29 pm

body and neck are bound already

matocaster · Post by **matocaster** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:59 pm

Yup they come pre-bound. Gibson paints their guitars with the binding already installed like this kit, they have "Scrapers" that scrape the paint off the binding, one thing I learned when I took the Gibson tour in Nashville. You do have to set the pitch and thats really easy to do, just install your bridge and run a string over it and up to the nut, then just shim until it looks right. If your a little off on the pitch no biggie you can adjust your bridge height to compensate. The frets are great! I didn't have to do any work on them.

chisa · Post by **chisa** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:03 am

looks excellent! clips?

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 3:45 am

Great job, it looks fantastic. I've been dying to try one of those or the SG.

matocaster · Post by **matocaster** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:46 am

Yeah I was thinking of getting the SG kit as well just for fun, I was thinking of going one of two ways white with gold hardware and 3 humbuckers (like Gibson did a bit back in the day) or cherry stain with P-90's

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:16 pm

White with three P-90's.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:29 pm

BacchusPaul wrote:White with three P-90's.

that's sounds fuckin brill. do love 3 pickup sg's.

matocaster · Post by **matocaster** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:25 pm

ooohhhh very nice! Thats a fantastic idea!

Pullover · Post by **Pullover** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:51 am

yes! White SG with 3 p-90s! ...and gold hardware.