NGD: A Special Gibson LP Special

[PixMix]

Couple of months ago, GC was running a sale on these LP Tribute DCs, both Specials and Juniors. I ordered one thinking about a potential refinish project, as many of these I have seen in stores had three or four-piece mismatched bodies and color options are a bit uninteresting. So even before it arrived, I went through my garage to see what sort of spray paints I have and looking for pickguard material options from WD.

When it arrived, it was very obvious I got a floor model with a few minor scratches and dings. After a phone call, I got a partial refund that brought the price down considerably, though I didn't call with that intention. I just wanted a new one since I paid for a new one.

Anyway, I got a pretty one with a two-piece center-seam body, a nice dark rosewood board, and it played and sounded really, really nice. I thought it would be too bad going the opaque refin route, so I did a nice lacquer gloss over the existing color.







Factory finish:




Process:






Chillin with the SG - those are clouds reflecting on the finish

[wproffitt]

Wow!
That looks great! I wish I knew how to do finish work like that, though I need another electric like I need a hole in the head. How is the guitar to play? How are those P90s?

[Larry Mal]

Look great, did you have to do any sort of grain fill or anything, or did you just let the clear coats take care of that?

I really like those guitars, by the way, and the satin finish is my only real complaint. Although it's not much of one.

[burpgun]

Nice guitar! I've got an SG with P90s and it's my go to guitar now. That cherry color is to Gibson as sunburst is to Fender.

[PixMix]

@wproffitt Thanks, I am on the same boat - no need for another guitar! But it played so well and it came with a nicely matched two-piece top, fretboard and fretwork that I just couldn't refuse. These P90s are, for some reason, noticeably less noisy than my other P90 Gibsons. They sound as good as other P90s, but just less noisy. It plays really well too, low action and very easy to play.

@Larry Mal Not the right way to do it, but I just let the lacquer build up to the point it filled the pores, and then built it up some more so I can sand down to a gloss finish. I expect some lacquer sinkage to occur over time, but I will not be bothered by it. I used Minwax clear lacquer (Gloss, red label) from spray cans, I think I used some three cans total.

@burpgun, I agree on the color comment, especially when it comes to SGs and Juniors/Specials, though I almost wished I would be in a position to pick a more unique solid color with a crazy pickguard combo due to body being made of 3-4 pieces of mismatched mahogany, as I had seen it in stores when they first came out.

[Debaser]

Great work. I thought about doing the same, but with grain filling and a thin clear lacquer coat. I ended up liking it as is, and felt I could bang it up with no worries about it.

I also got lucky during that sale, with a nicely matched 2-piece body and a dark rosewood board. Maple neck was quartersawn, and it just plain worked. Desert dry heat meant the frets needed ends needed to filed down but that was it.

I made a single ply tort guard for it, made a pattern and everything. There was a slight flub with this one when I made the screws holes (you can tell by the lower body edge). I can’t decide if I like it, it’s too glossy for the matte finish. Now I wonder is I should go ahead and finish it like yours.

BTW the pickups are great, very little noise as you mentioned, for a P90. I direct mounted mine, not hanging from the pickguard anymore. I traded into a Lollar 50s neck pickup, so that went in for fun, but I’d never replace those pickups otherwise.

[Mechanical Birds]

Sick as hell with that gloss on there, looks rad!

What line is this from specifically? Is it the same as that weird Firebird everyone hated? My friend lost all his shit to addiction and bad choices but if I can snag one of these for a few hundred bucks for him it’d be a nice thing to do

[Larry Mal]

Sick as hell with that gloss on there, looks rad!

What line is this from specifically? Is it the same as that weird Firebird everyone hated? My friend lost all his shit to addiction and bad choices but if I can snag one of these for a few hundred bucks for him it’d be a nice thing to do

They are fairly new, well received, and you can get them for $600-650.

[PixMix]

Sick as hell with that gloss on there, looks rad!

What line is this from specifically? Is it the same as that weird Firebird everyone hated? My friend lost all his shit to addiction and bad choices but if I can snag one of these for a few hundred bucks for him it’d be a nice thing to do

Just like Larry said, they are recent. I think a 2019 series, the actual model name is Les Paul Tribute Special Double Cutaway, and until just very recently they were $599 at GC. I think they were initially priced at $1k.

Great work. I thought about doing the same, but with grain filling and a thin clear lacquer coat. I ended up liking it as is, and felt I could bang it up with no worries about it.

I also got lucky during that sale, with a nicely matched 2-piece body and a dark rosewood board. Maple neck was quartersawn, and it just plain worked. Desert dry heat meant the frets needed ends needed to filed down but that was it.

I made a single ply tort guard for it, made a pattern and everything. There was a slight flub with this one when I made the screws holes (you can tell by the lower body edge). I can’t decide if I like it, it’s too glossy for the matte finish. Now I wonder is I should go ahead and finish it like yours.

BTW the pickups are great, very little noise as you mentioned, for a P90. I direct mounted mine, not hanging from the pickguard anymore. I traded into a Lollar 50s neck pickup, so that went in for fun, but I’d never replace those pickups otherwise.

That's a really nice pickguard, I think it looks really good against the red body and looks quite unique. WD has this pattern already on their website, just so you know. I found this out while waiting for the guitar to arrive.

[Zork]

Why is there a limp spaghetti between the strings of that Jazzmaster?

[JVG]

Why is there a limp spaghetti between the strings of that Jazzmaster?

Why wouldn’t there be?

[Debaser]

Why is there a limp spaghetti between the strings of that Jazzmaster?

Uh, um... yeahh that thing. It’s a ramen noodle.


Kiddin. It’s a piece of buckskin that I wove into the strings to mute the back side bridge ring/overtones. I didn’t tie it, things got messy, I said to hell with It and left it danglin’.

[Maggieo]

What a pair of great looking guitars! I love that gloss finish.

And look at that nice long neck tenon! Top shelf stuff..

[PixMix]

What a pair of great looking guitars! I love that gloss finish.

And look at that nice long neck tenon! Top shelf stuff..

Thank you Mag! The maple neck (I left it as it was) feels very nice too. With maple bering smooth (closed grain), the satin finish feels really nice.

[BoringPostcards]

I guess I am in the minority. I love those cheapo open grain finishes that Gibson does.
I love how it looks and feels.

It looks great with the gloss as well. I love this model. DC Special is a great body shape.