Build No 8 SSCM-1E Les Paul Custom

[McCreed]

Nice. I have that same "inlay" on my Les Paul Tele. They actually look pretty good once they're buried in clear coat.

[stansby40]

Clear coat finished some orange peel and one or two runs to fix. Will wait the obligatory 30 days before wet sanding and polishing.

[jonwhitear]

Clear coat finished some orange peel and one or two runs to fix. Will wait the obligatory 30 days before wet sanding and polishing.

Photos? ;-)

[McCreed]

Clear coat finished some orange peel and one or two runs to fix.

Yeah, OP be a bitch...
I've been spraying with a gun for couple of years now (not long compared to many others) and I still have yet to lay down a perfect finish. At best I've managed to minimise the amount of orange peel compared to what I was getting with rattle cans.
Some say it's inevitable, others say completely avoidable, I don't know who to believe.

However, I take solace when I see a brand new car in a car park that rolled off the assembly line with orange peel.
If you intentionally start looking around, you'll see what I mean and feel better about your own work!

[stansby40]

For johnwhitear here are some photos after clear coating (5 x3 wet coats 20 min between the coats aka Phrozin). Not much to see as orange peel present and the curved les paul body makes the front hard to photo, although a shine is apparent. Oh I ordered a epiphone black rear cover plate without checking and it does not fit!! It may be gibson but I think not so I sprayed the off white kit ones with 4 wet coats of undercoat and 3 x 3 wet coats of satin black. Was going well until some dust blew in ( I was spraying on the floor). I can sand it back later and spray again.

[stansby40]

The guitar is basically finished. Who ever said that a black gloss finish was very difficult to do was right. The slightest imperfection is visible, and they are many slight imperfections. However there is also a very reflective glossy finish to be seen as well. I was going to go with Tonerider pickups but I had quite a few guitars with Toneriders so I went for the Gibson 57 classic PAF's in both neck and bridge. Keeping with the 50's style (solid mahogany body) I used the 57 classic in both positions and wired up the tone controls in the 50's style. Easiest setup I have ever done no need for fret dressing and the gotoh bridge did not need any intonation adjustment when installed. The truss rod needed a slight adjustment and the bone nut needed some slight filing down. Nice to play and I think it sounds good but I am not a Les Paul expert.

[Simon Barden]

That looks great!

Those classic 57s are good pickups. Had some in my 335.

[McCreed]

Nice job Stan!
You always seem to do well on your finishes. I've not done a black gloss before as they just don't do it for me.
In fact, the two black strats I've owned in my lifetime, I refinished other colours!

[Trevor Davies]

Yep, looks great. The gold hardware goes really well.

[nitroburner1000]

The guitar is basically finished. Who ever said that a black gloss finish was very difficult to do was right. The slightest imperfection is visible, and they are many slight imperfections. However there is also a very reflective glossy finish to be seen as well. I was going to go with Tonerider pickups but I had quite a few guitars with Toneriders so I went for the Gibson 57 classic PAF's in both neck and bridge. Keeping with the 50's style (solid mahogany body) I used the 57 classic in both positions and wired up the tone controls in the 50's style. Easiest setup I have ever done no need for fret dressing and the gotoh bridge did not need any intonation adjustment when installed. The truss rod needed a slight adjustment and the bone nut needed some slight filing down. Nice to play and I think it sounds good but I am not a Les Paul expert.

Looks tops, im doing my telecaster black and i hope it comes out half as good.