Latest ‘53/‘59 Conversion Surprise Uber Flame!

[Jumping@shadows]

Hi all I thought I’d share my latest Conversion project- an issues ‘53 Goldtop devoid of all original parts, top to toe pretty crappy refin and sundry other strikes against it.

I have a full compliment of ‘53 P90s/hardware/electrics etc in my stash so figured I’d refin with correct Crescent Gold powder and pure nitro lacquer, so set about stripping it with a curious eye on the faintly detectable centre seam top..

Here it is mocked up with vintage parts:

https://imgur.com/ABdlF8p

Hold the phone!

https://imgur.com/1s87lG1

The wide bear claw flame on the bass side is truly exceptional, and there’s a full covering of figure over the whole top!

https://imgur.com/bZkhbIc

The stripper highlights the figure, and there’s an awesome chevron lean to the bass side flame which reminds me of Hotlanta and Carmelita.

https://imgur.com/1AbVb0j

Mocked up with conversion parts:

https://imgur.com/9Q72jmy

Needless to say I’ll be pressing on with a full conversion with ‘50s correct humbucker routes, ABR and offset tailpiece, late ‘50s harness and vintage PAF spec pickups, and will shoot an aniline sunburst to fade to a honey/green burst
All in all I expect this to be an absolute show stopper on completion, and will update as I progress, and you can follow me on Instagram under ‘playergradevintage’ for other cool vintage rebuilds and custom makeovers

 

[mdubya]

What you do to these guitars is criminal.

 

[none2low]

Why not a bursted P90 wraptail?

I realize a conversion probably brings better money, but it looks fairly untouched as far as mods go.

 

[nuance97]

What you do to these guitars is criminal.

Dumbest post award Congratulations man

 

[nuance97]

Terrible comparison... what he’s doing here is more like reconstructive surgery on a patient who was horrifically mangled. Not cosmetic surgery on a perfectly healthy man to turn him into that monstrosity

 

[Mike I]

A 3 piece top burst?

It's your guitar for sure, but my vote, if I had one, would be to refin back to gold, and enjoy those awesome P-90's.

However, if you press on with an (ouch) Humbucker conversion, let me know if the P-90's are for sale.

I'd rather you keep them in that guitar, but if you pull em.................

 

[nuance97]

Don't be a clown.

Me being a clown? Ha! “Should be criminal.” Talk about clownish hyperbole! It’s his guitar he paid for. If he wants to strike a match to it - so be it

 

[VictorB]

End the fighting now please, it’s his project, he could slap a Floyd on it if he wanted to.

 

[BKS]

Would look stunning with p90 in there. I love p90, Just a pitty so many get converted to hummies. Nice top.

 

[Oranjeaap]

Ofcourse he can do what he wants, but the moment you post it on a public forum you can expect and must be prepared to face the scrutiny of the public.

To me this is an issue free guitar (meaning structural original) that can be easily restored back to original.
Routing it for humbuckers only takes little extra work and adds a few grand to the asking price I'm sure, so I totally understand the decision.
That being said, from my point of view this is a financial decision and that's just not gonna stroke well with most people here on the forum who like me enjoy all vintage Les Pauls, and not just the bursts.

The guitar will be spectacular I'm sure, but I must admit I'm in the "it's criminal" camp. It's not my wallet so easy for me to say.

I've also learned that the people who do these conversions don't give a shit about any of that so nothing we say will change whats going to happen. So can't wait to see what the guitar will look like when finished.

 

[Archtopanimal]

....................Routing it for humbuckers only takes little extra work and adds a few grand to the asking price I'm sure, so I totally understand the decision...........

But it's all about sexing it up to a Burst finish and getting someone to hand over GBP50k

 

[VictorB]

This would be the route I’d go to be able to buy vintage.

Keep up the good work Yuuki!

 

[LtDave32]

Ofcourse he can do what he wants, but the moment you post it on a public forum you can expect and must be prepared to face the scrutiny of the public.

To me this is an issue free guitar (meaning structural original) that can be easily restored back to original.
Routing it for humbuckers only takes little extra work and adds a few grand to the asking price I'm sure, so I totally understand the decision.
That being said, from my point of view this is a financial decision and that's just not gonna stroke well with most people here on the forum who like me enjoy all vintage Les Pauls, and not just the bursts.

The guitar will be spectacular I'm sure, but I must admit I'm in the "it's criminal" camp. It's not my wallet so easy for me to say.

I've also learned that the people who do these conversions don't give a shit about any of that so nothing we say will change whats going to happen. So can't wait to see what the guitar will look like when finished.

Not if a moderator requests an end to the negativity, which one did.

You are not in charge here, and you do not call the shots on what will fly and what will not.

In this thread, if you cannot say anything constructive, then move along. Big forum. Lot's to see.

 

[moreles]

I'd do what the OP is doing, with no more rationalization than "it's mine, and that's what I want." The notion that there's some historical obligation to treat everything like a museum piece is understandable but just that -- a notion. But there's never going to be a museum of banged up old guitars. Our alien overlords will not arrive and start torturing anyone who ever converted a crapped up LP. What I love about this particular project is probably what others hate: the off-center middle seam, the multipiece top, the absence of book-matching. It will always show exactly what it was (unless someone thinks it's a relic'd Chibson!) and, IMO, will be far more interesting than another "perfect" flamed LP. I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes, and I'm jealous of the owner's opportunity to remake this crapped-up guitar.

 

[d1m1]

I enjoy every single of Yuukis projects. It is the closest you can get to a real burst with out paying 250K. So why not converting some of over 7.000 P90 Goldtops were made between 1952 and 1956, especially if they are not anymore in original condition? I dont understand that negativity. It reminds me to radical vegans which calls you criminal and murder if you drink milk or so. I´ve seen on forums even more obvious negative comments on LP Junior conversions. I mean from 1954 to 1960 there were made around 30.000 Juniors and Specials. So calm down..

 

[Kro64]

The top is great and I love the off center seam . I would not route the top , The p-90s from 52-53 have a drive and clarity no humbucker has. My 52 has figure under the gold but I would never strip it . Good luck

 

[cmjohnson]

3 piece top, off center, off axis seam, and the flame is nothing to write home about.

No, I don't think you're doing the right thing, either. It'd have been much cooler to just try to source original vintage parts and make it what it was than try to make it just another 59 conversion that'll NEVER be right.

You, sir, are a HACK. Thumbs DOWN to you. Please distance yourself from all vintage guitars FOR LIFE. They do not deserve the sad fate they are likely to suffer if you should get your claws on them.

And I do not care what your history is, or your reputation, or the quality of your past work. The fact is that you are destroying a rare original that will now become MORE rare and turning it into an unconvincing conversion to something it was never made as or meant to be, that will impress only newbies and people who lack refined vintage guitar tastes.

 

[Slash'n'Burn]

But it's all about sexing it up to a Burst finish and getting someone to hand over GBP50k

Who would be stupid enough to pay that much when a '53 all original, bar a refinish to the goldtop can be bought for around GBP8k?

 

[jeggz]

I like the idea of turning it into a heavy relic darkback 57 (w/ vintage parts) , so the flame peeks out in the places it should, and the gold hides the things that shouldn’t peek out ( stud fills, off center seams ).

The next conversion I get will be done just like that.

 

[Airplane]

Just give it a burst and put the original parts back in. The top is incredible but routing and drilling would be a shame. P90s and wraptail are really underrated. Playability and tone are 100% better than the usual thing.

Now the damage is done a refin is perfect. Don’t push it too far by destroying the wood!

If it was mine i would think about a cherry top too. Like the Clapton/Harrison Lucy.