# LP Special P90 build



## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

I’m working on this with a friend of mine, Rick, for his build.

I’m trying to teach him what goes on in building a guitar, & only doing the things he isn’t comfortable doing.

He is basically apprenticing under guidance. :lol::lol::lol:

Started April15th, putting the SouthAfrican mahogany blank together.

He purchased the wood from Windsor Plywood in Winnipeg, MB.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Same day as blank glue-up, we went to the shop & started cutting out the neck.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

April 24th, he came over to work on it some more.

I let him play the new LP I finished.












Then we went out to the shop.

Truss rod routed, & backside of headstock thinned to proper thickness.














I thought of a different approach than cutting the thickness of the backside of the headstock.

On my LP, I used my bandsaw. It’s hard to follow a straight line with it.

I placed the front angle of the headstock, face down on the CNC table, used some blocking sideways, the 10 deg angle wedge we cut off the front, and another block further back. A strip of 1/2” plywood across to hold it down firm.












Used a 5/8” end mill in the CNC, set zero on base of CNC. Then we knew when we get close to +0.625 on the CNC, we where close. The rest can be sanded. I used my handheld dongle & ran the X,Y,Z manually.












As the saying goes, “Many ways to skin the cat”.


























After a quick sand on the orbital.













Another evening, we will cut the side profile, & tenon.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

He came back yesterday, & we worked on the rear cavity routes.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Today, we did quite a bit of work.

We flipped the body over, & routed out the pickup cavities, drilled switch & pot holes. Then routed the profile of the body from the blank.




























































I even showed him how to change bits on CNC router, had him “Close G-Code”, “Load G-Code” pick routing file, and “Start Cycle” to route the body.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

While the CNC was routing out the blank, I had him cutting the fret slots on the fingerboard, once I routed the rough radius on the router table.













A little “Opps” on one of the frets. He thought the fret jig was seated in the pin, but it wasn’t. 
We will fill with CA glue, & fret sawdust.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

We finished up the tenon. 













Then I setup the mortise routing template I had made for my LP build. 












Used hot glue gun & scrap wood to hold in position, at the correct 3 deg angle for the LP Special neck angle. 











Zeroed to the flat surface of the body top. 












All ready for the router. 











It took 5 passes, & 2 different lengths of top bearing trim router bits to complete the mortise. I showed Rick how to get the feel of the bit cutting the wood. If too fast, starts to chatter slightly. Slow finesse work. 













We wore ear muffs, masks for the sawdust/chips for everything else. During this operation, we found, the mask caused glasses to fog, & couldn’t see the cut. Had to get right down to see the bit cutting the wood.











Kinda messy. 




































That’s all done


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Next we rounded off the corners of the tenon & dry fit in the mortise. Also round-over on both sides of the body. 




































A happy apprentice! Almost looks like a guitar.


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## SWLABR (Nov 7, 2017)

Can I come over and play? Your house has more toys than mine.

Awesome work!


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

That's awesome thanks for the posts.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

This is great! And what a fun way to spend some time with your friend.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Some more work done last night. 
Fingerboard glued on, & body sanded. 























My apprentice sanding the body. 












































Coming along


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

This evening, flushed the fingerboard to the neck. Radius sanded the fingerboard and experimented with some marker dots. 












































The happy apprentice. 











Experimental dots. 










Might try #6 screws, that will be 1/4” dia heads.


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## elburnando (11 mo ago)

Can't wait to see this completed!


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Today was marker dots, fret slot clean out, final sanding of fingerboard, & fretting.

Had Rick mark all of the dots for drilling.










Drilling the marker dots.










Glued in.










Cleaning out the fret slots after final sanding.










Slight dab of CA glue for the frets.










Pressing them in.





















Nipping off the frets.










Touched the edges down the oscillating sander to flush with fingerboard.










The apprentice is doing well. 

Next will be, bevel fret edges, cut & trim headstock shape, then profile the neck.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Headstock design, and routing tonight. 

Rick wanted the Gibsonish look, but altered. After 2 different template routes, he liked the second design. 
Much like the Gibson shape, but more of a crown than a moustache. 










Trimmed on the router. 






















Drew the side profile on the neck, & cut that on the bandsaw. 











Still a bit thick, but some carving room. 











The Happy Apprentice. 























Side dots & neck carve next.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Very very enlightening. I went back and didn't see the fret slots cutting. I think that would be one of my scare.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Awesome,... Season 1,... Episode 2.
Say,... when can I book my time slot for a custom build with guidance by the Master Crafter?,... I should be in northwestern Ontario this summer to visit friends and do some fishing on Lake of the Woods,... and a little 🎸 playing.

Soooooo,... what are the 2022 rates,... lol.

Seriously though,... can't get enough of watching these A-1 custom builds.

Is part of the magic the







_*?*_


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Midnight Rider said:


> Awesome,... Season 1,... Episode 2.
> Say,... when can I book my time slot for a custom build with guidance by the Master Crafter?,... I should be in northwestern Ontario this summer to visit friends and do some fishing on Lake of the Woods,... and a little 🎸 playing.
> 
> Soooooo,... what are the 2022 rates,... lol.
> ...


Only one after the work is finished. 🤣🤣🤣


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Tonight we installed fret dots, drilled a hole from neck pickup cavity to bridge pickup cavity for wiring. Added wedges under fingerboard to fill void to match up with the body, beveled fret ends, and also did the neck carve.


Used a a 12” bit from the neck pocket through neck pickup route, to bridge pickup route?











Came out in perfect line with bridge pickup hole to rear control cavity hole.










Small mahogany wedges at 3 deg angle to match proper neck angle. Cut wider, and longer, sanded flush with side and end of fingerboard. 






















Filled gap perfectly.






















Now the neck carve.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

The apprentice doing his neck carve.


Roughing things out with the Shinto rasp/knife.











































Now onto the wide emery to rough sand and round.





















Just over the 0.84”-0.92”





















Neck & fingerboard wedge joint looking nice.












Our next session will be refining the heel, the volute, then gluing the neck to the body.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

More sculpting of the neck. 
















































From this,











To this,










Ready to glue it on. 













































Wait for the glue to dry. 

Another evening prepping for the finish work.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

What glue do you use for that neck joint?


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

MarkM said:


> What glue do you use for that neck joint?


Titebond III


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Last night I had Rick do some fretwork.





















A little bevel on the corner of the body, to make a nicer transition to the upper frets. A bit more final sanding of the joint are before any finishing can be done.











Hanging out with the Birdseye LP.











Rick is on a week long holiday, so we won’t have any posts until he is back.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Well, my buddy Rick took it home & did the grain-fill & final sanding. 

Last evening he came over & I sprayed a couple sealer coats of lacquer. 























The neck grain has a bit of figuring. 

































This aft, I had time to mask & give the headstock some colour. Rick wanted to show the grain, so he didn’t grain-fill the face of the headstock. 





















It’ll shine up with the next bunch of coats of clear nitro lacquer, early next week.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

A light sanding, wipe down, and sprayed 3 more coats of nitro this evening.

Got Rick on the spray gun to do the larger, flat areas.

























Coming along nice. 

Pics of guitar in daylight tomorrow.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Tonight, we came up with some waterslide headstock decals, an sprayed 3 more coats of nitro. 






















Ricks last name Smith, hence the “Smitty” 

Turned out better than I was hoping.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

After 7 coats of nitro. 
























































A level sand, and then more coats.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

3 more coats of 60/40 nitro/thinner.
Poor lighting in the basement. 












































The Happy Apprentice. 










Waiting for pickups to arrive.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

Curious what pups he is putting in?


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

MarkM said:


> Curious what pups he is putting in?


Rainville P90s.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Looookin' good !


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## valcotone (May 5, 2006)

Looking forward to how the project “wraps” up!


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Well, finally got back to it after each of us where on holidays, then each of us & spouses got the “C -Positive”. Although from different sources in the area.
We are all fine.

Tonight, we painted cavities with conductive shielding, installed tuners, pots, switch, switch cavity cover & oiled the fingerboard.
Still waiting for custom Rainville pickups.


































Starting to look like a guitar.


Next will be fitting the nut, machine a pick guard, truss rod cover, and rear cavity cover. Then wait for pickups.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

Where does on source the conductive shielding?


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Moodivarius said:


> Well, finally got back to it after each of us where on holidays, then each of us & spouses got the “C -Positive”. Although from different sources in the area.
> We are all fine.


Good to hear the "C-Positive" was mild and you are all doing fine,... I've had that crap twice already.
How's the fishing been up that way this year,... thinking of visiting some friends up that way and doing some fall Musky and Walleye fishing.

Guitar is looking great,...as usual.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

MarkM said:


> Where does on source the conductive shielding?


Amazon

Electric Guitar Conductive Shielding Paint RF-IE50 1 Liter


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Midnight Rider said:


> Good to hear the "C-Positive" was mild and you are all doing fine,... I've had that crap twice already.
> How's the fishing been up that way this year,... thinking of visiting some friends up that way and doing some fall Musky and Walleye fishing.
> 
> Guitar is looking great,...as usual.


Fishing has been slow. 
Extremely high water everywhere, record on LOTW. Changed fishing in our area.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

I’m heading out to Lake of the woods area to do some camping and fishing the last week of August. Haven’t been there since my honeymoon 34 years ago, knocked my wife up with twins There!


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Another evening progress. 


Designed a pick guard in Aspire, & routed out of MDF for test fit. 











Routed the pick guard, a rear cavity control cover, & a truss rod cover, out of 3-ply material. 





















2-way taped the pick guard on for now. 





















Truss rod cover. 











Pics aren’t the best, but can see what we have done.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Getting close now man.

That is looking really sharp, even with the blurry pics


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

This evening, we got together to work on the electronics.
We decided to get a cheap set of Fleor Alnico 5 P90s from Amazon, for now. 
Once the custom Rainville’s, show up, we will change out. 





















We plugged into the amp, got some noise. Switch wiring backwards, no ground on switch yet, Vol & Tone all work. 





















Next get-together, will hopefully finish everything up.
The few wiring issues, polish fretboard, install nut, strings, & setup. 

Almost there.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Moodivarius said:


> We decided to get a cheap set of Fleor Alnico 5 P90s from Amazon, for now.
> Once the custom Rainville’s, show up, we will change out.


Dangerous game, some of those cheap P90 can sound great.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Got together this evening to make it a playable axe.
99% done.

Had to install nut. First sanded a bunch off the bottom & bring nut height down to correct height. String guitar, adjust bridge height, switch wires on pickup selector switch, so it coordinated with pickups properly.

Still a couple tweaks the next time we get together. Ground on the pickup selector switch, and adjust pickup height. Need to stretch springs & maybe get slightly longer screws for the bridge.

Here is a pics & videos some videos of Rick playing it.
My youngest son accompanying him on another Moodivarius Tele we built a few years back.






























He seems to really like it


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Moodivarius said:


> Got together this evening to make it a playable axe.
> 99% done.
> 
> Had to install nut. First sanded a bunch off the bottom & bring nut height down to correct height. String guitar, adjust bridge height, switch wires on pickup selector switch, so it coordinated with pickups properly.
> ...


That's with the cheap P90 set ? Sounds just great !


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

That is fantastic.

I don't know how I missed it, but the "Smitty" on the headstock brings me infinite joy.


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

BGood said:


> That's with the cheap P90 set ? Sounds just great !


Yes


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## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Pickup selector switch grounded, & bridge pickup raised.












Switching between bridge & neck pickups. 







Some noodling. 







That’s a wrap!


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Well done gentlemen. You tell Smitty I love it!!

I bet the guy loves the thing!


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