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John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=21005		 Page 1 of 4
Author:  John Watkins [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:06 pm ]
Post subject:  John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
So, I was having a lot of trouble with feedback using acoustic guitars at band rehearsals, so I hatched this idea. It's an inch bigger than a Les Paul in both directions and joins at the 14th for balance. Before tuners, it weighed in at 2.4 lbs. Though the build was rooted in utility, I'm pretty happy with the aesthetic results too. Thanks for looking....
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
That is too cool!!!!! You should offer these bodies in on-line store laughing6-hehe :D laughing6-hehe just kidding laughing6-hehe But if you did it would be cool 8-) :D
Author:  oli-lgw [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
not my type of binding, but the whole guitar looks pretty good!! [:Y:] You use it as an acoustic?

clean work! [clap]
Author:  oli-lgw [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
ooooh I just realized that it's not even a binding and it really is what it looks like... now I like it a lot hehehe :D
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
That is just too cool. Love the box joint top.

Steve
Author:  Mike Franks [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
John, what a cool way to join the top to the sides! It looks like rope binding.

Mike Franks
www.mjfranksguitar.com
Author:  ChuckB [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
Looks great John! Love the fingerjoint top to sides....do you plat it acoustic?

Chuck
Author:  Mark Groza [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
Nice concept! [:Y:] How is it amplifyed?
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
verhoevenc wrote:
Please tell me you did that with a CNC... or you MAY have too much time on your hands lol
Chris


there is little doubt John cut the body and top on CNC. After all that is his buisness :D Still is too cool
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
I want to see the neck joint :D
Author:  Dave Higham [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
Very nice John.

You've been away too long. There are people here now who aren't familiar with your work.

Edit; Michael beat me to it.
Author:  Zach Ehley [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
I've been thinking of doing the exact same thing, except for the CNC part and the box joint. I was thinking of using an OM shape, 14 fret, similar cut out on the body. How deep is the body?
Author:  Hesh [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
I love it!!! Very cool John my friend!!! [:Y:] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]
Author:  JJ Donohue [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
Dude...That's scary beautiful! Nice to see you back in the saddle!
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
That's just way cool, John!
Author:  cphanna [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
What they all said. Heck...I'm not even sure I understand it! But I think it's pretty cool! How does it sound?
Patrick
Author:  Brad Way [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
John...great job. Very cool.
Author:  joe white [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
Awesome John! Reminds me of my Tom Anderson Crowdster. I had the same problem in bands and now I can bury a drummer without a hint of feedback. Are you using an undersaddle PUP? Which one, Baggs Element? I think you should offer these as a kit, I would buy one!
Author:  npalen [ Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
You never cease to amaze me, John.
Nice work!
Author:  John Watkins [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
Thanks for the nice comments, guys. It got it's first test drive last night and I have to call it a resounding success. It cut through like a knife with two other guys on electric guitar and a keyboardist to compete with. It has all of the presence of an acoustic with none of the low-mid boominess. I think it is able to sound like an acoustic because the top is only .08" thick and the braces don't touch it. They're about 1/6" shy, so the whole thing can move except the bridge. The pickup is a b-band undersaddle that I threw in just to test it, but it sounds so good, I think I'm leaving it in.

This thing's really got me thinking about building guitars again. I'm a happy camper. I'll post sound clips over the weekend.
Author:  LanceK [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
John that is just killer man!

Very cool!
Author:  Ziegenfuss [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
I am loving it...how does she sound?
Author:  Bob Garrish [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
John Watkins wrote:
This thing's really got me thinking about building guitars again. I'm a happy camper.


Do it! I'd imagine you've got a long list of neat ideas by now on things that wouldn't have been possible before...and you get great prices on components! [:Y:]
Author:  James Orr [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
That's awesome, John. It reminds me of John Mayes' version, but with your touches. I bet it sounds great.
Author:  rlrhett [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: John Watkins' Acoustic Les Paul
John Watkins wrote:
Thanks for the nice comments, guys. It got it's first test drive last night and I have to call it a resounding success. It cut through like a knife with two other guys on electric guitar and a keyboardist to compete with. It has all of the presence of an acoustic with none of the low-mid boominess. I think it is able to sound like an acoustic because the top is only .08" thick and the braces don't touch it. They're about 1/6" shy, so the whole thing can move except the bridge. The pickup is a b-band undersaddle that I threw in just to test it, but it sounds so good, I think I'm leaving it in.

This thing's really got me thinking about building guitars again. I'm a happy camper. I'll post sound clips over the weekend.



You certainly break a lot of rules there. Couple of questions:

1. When you say you play it acoustically, you don't actually mean acoustic with no amplification, right? You mean you are playing though a transducer pickup rather than a electro-magnetic pickup, or do you really mean acoustic?

2. The bridge doesn't move? How is it possible to have an acoustic guitar and not have the bridge move? The bridge DRIVES the top motion that generates the sound. The bridge is like a speaker magnet and the top like the cone. If you immobilize the speaker magnet you don't make sound. I don't understand :?

3. The top is not braced at all? How do you prevent the strings from ripping the top to shreds if it has no bracing?

Super interesting concept and beautiful execution!
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