Ten Year Les Paul Custom Restoration Project

Looking better...
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Why would I need this.....
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Here is a picture of the new plastic lip I made out of a strip of plastic I got from that black plastic roof vent thingie. I still have to do the one on the bottom.
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Yummy, Yummy, Yummy Nitrocellulose.......

Since the nitrocellulose lacquer is toxic, I spray it outside and wear a mask. I sprayed clear coat #4 today and when I went out to check on it, I first though a bird dropping landed on it. Then I looked closer and saw little footprints on the guitar. Then I realized that one of the little mice that live out behind the house was having lunch. Now here is one they don't have on the Setwart MacDonald site!

It looks like I can probably sand a little and shoot some more clear over this, but I will see tomorrow when it dries.
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I just went over it with some Testors Silver enamel. The logo is actually almost chrome, so it is not an exact match, but it is close enough for this project. If I were re-doing the tolex and making a spray template with computer graphics, etc, then I would try some of that 'chrome' paint that Eastwood sells.

 

Up to coat number 8 of clear. This stuff goes on real thin so 10 coats is really just the minumum for a novice to prevent sanding through to the color. Remember the color is a tint that is proportional to twice the thickness of that color layer. Since it is translucent, the light goes through it twice. Once on the way to the wood, then back through it again after reflecting off the wood. The bottom line is that, for example, if one sands through one-half of the tinted layer, the result is that area is now FOUR times lighter. So, sand throughs can really ruin this type of finish. So I'm going to go at least to 10 coats.
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I had the PAF/Super Distortion combo on my '72 Les Paul for many years (that was my first 'real' guitar and I still have it). I wanted a change, so a few years ago I DID go back to the Gibson pickups on that one, so I was thinking I would go back to the Dimarzios on this '76.
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For the last few clear coats I wanted it to flow out nice so my final sanding would not be as difficult. So I added 'retarder' to the mix. This worked great, however, the way it works is that it just makes is slower to dry.

Well...bugs got into the paint. I was not too concerned at the time, I figured I would just sand them off after the paint dired.

Well... that was not the case. Somehow the bugs 'sank' deep into the previous clear coats (I guess the retarder softened the prior coats). I wound up making huge sanding grooves getting the bugs out.

The white specs in the picture are these gnats that were out that day that I shot the last clear coats.

Now I am in the process of re-doing the back of the guitar.

There was one bug on the front of the guitar but I was smarter that time. I picked the bug out with a pin then filled the hole with a drop of clear lacquer. It is still a pain, but I don't have to redo the whole top.
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You had to ask...here is the thread: http://www.rcairboats.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=812
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Forgot about this one, just squeezed it in between the Les Paul and the airboat. It's pretty much completed: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=29267
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I have not been able to work because of the malpractice insurance crisis. Tort reform was recently passed in our state and it starting to have an effect as I just got an insurance quote I can live with, so I hope to be working again by December.

As I recall in 2003 I was contemplating a large Citabria model plane with a 2 cylinder engine. Due to the insurance premium that year, I could not afford it as the engine alone was about $600. I paid $90,000 out of pocket that year to the malpractice insurance co. for the privilage of being able to operate. The irony was that I saw a full sized Citabria for sale with an asking price of $90,000. So I'm working my a** off with solo 24/7 coverage for a year and I can't even afford a model plane, but I essentially bought a FULL SIZED plane for the insurance company with out of pocket money. Our state has a 'department of insurance' or and I complained to them about my insurance premium and they said their job was to make shure the insurance companies make a profit.

Makes me want to move to Iran or some military dictatorship where they are more straight forward about the situation; someplace where I can just operate under gunpoint without pay.

 

That guitar looks great whith the cream trim and pickups.

The decal on the back was only during part of the "Norliin" era. They stamped the serial number in the early 70s and the late 70s but in between they used the decal. So, it is rare but not nesccesarily desirable. Kind of like the trim: Chrome, which was only placed on a 'custom' druing the this era, otherwise all customs had gold trim. Again it is rare but not nesccessrily desirable or more valuable.

Two 'good' things during the Norlin era were the shielding in the cavities (including a fancy shielded 1/4 inch jack) and the change to the more modern "Nashville" bridge which the current guitars have.

I think the Norlin era was from 1969 to 1984, so technically your guitar also fall in that time frame. However, they didn't make big changes to the Les Paul until about 1975.

So, after 1975 the guitars can be found with:
Multi layer body (more than two layers, frequently a thin layer between the top and body)
Cavity shielding
Decal instead of wood stamp for serial number
Chrome instead of gold on some Les Paul customs
Nashville bridge

It does not seem like there is a lot of useful info on the 'net regarding Norlin Era guitars. It seem as if they are all lumped into one category. Infact, there are many changes in the Les Paul from 1969 to 1983. What we need it a good book that breaks these guitars down by year, rather than lumping everything together. I have a book on "American Guitars" and "Gibson Guitars" and both hardly even mention the Norlin era.

 

This is from the US Trademark registration search engine:

Goods and Services IC 015. US 036. G & S: Electronic Sound Pickup for Guitars. FIRST USE: 19740200. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19740200
Mark Drawing Code (2) DESIGN ONLY
Design Search Code 22.01.25 - Batons, orchestra conductor's; Bows, violin; Conductor's wands, batons; Drumsticks (musical instrument); Harmonicas; Instrument cases (musical); Music stands; Picks, guitar; Wands, conductors' and magicians'
26.11.27 - Oblongs not used as carriers for words, letters or designs
Serial Number 73150505
Filing Date December 1, 1977
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition June 23, 1981
Registration Number 1169205
Registration Date September 15, 1981
Owner (REGISTRANT) DiMarzio Musical Instrument Pickups, Inc. CORPORATION NEW YORK 643 Bay St. Staten Island NEW YORK 10304
(LAST LISTED OWNER) DIMARZIO, INC. CORPORATION BY ASSIGNMENT NEW YORK 1338 RICHMOND TERRACE PO BOX 100387 STATEN ISLAND NEW YORK 10310

Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Description of Mark The mark comprises the double design representation of an electronic sound pickup for guitars, which is disclaimed apart from the mark as shown. AND IS LINED FOR THE COLOR YELLOW WHICH RESEMBLES THE DISTINCTIVE SHADE OF CREAM.
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL-2(F)
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20010928.
Renewal 1ST RENEWAL 20010928
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

 

The guitar is finally finished. Just in time for Christmas. Pictures to follow.

 

I did fix up the guitar's original case, but since the guitar now looks brand new, I thought it deserved a brand new case
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