Something completely differently stroked

Before the flood

Well, I've finally gotten around to playing with the Vintage Les Paul I bought, and I think it is going to be fun. Not a Jooky thing really, as I'm planning to keep this a bit more trad than that, but still an exercise in pimp-ology, which should prove interesting.

Unless I completely mess it up, in which case it might go in a different direction.

In case you don't remember, what I'm planning to do is remove the sheeny shiny glossy lacquer to give it a more matte, silky finish, kind of like the recent Gibson 'Slash' models.

This is going to take a while using an electric sander with a sort of foam surface - like those green pan scrubbers you get - but will hopefully look loveable afterwards.

Once that is out of the way, I'm going to treat it to some Kluson or Gotoh tuners and nice nickel hardware, which I think look a tad classier than the original gold against the orange bursty colour.

Wiring-wise, I'm thinking the full Jimmy Page jobbie, as I've never tried to do that before and it has a plentitude of options, which will be cool.

Pickups, as ever it will be what I can, err, pickup. I had planned to use some Bare Knuckle 'Peter Green' PGs, but I think I'd like something a bit squealier, but time will tell.

We'll have to see what turns up instead.

Saying that, I've also been meaning to try the IronGear Blues Engine pickups, which I'm told sound as close to an original PAF as anything - despite being dead cheap.

We'll see though...be a while before I have to think about it, I expect.