SG build plans

[walcen]

Hello to all, I'm Walt and this is my first post. I have built a 59 style Les Paul from scratch and even built and wound my own pickups.

The more I trawl these forums, the more I understand the frustration of the purest builders such as my self facing the constant struggle to find accurate measurements for building guitars such as the coveted 61 sg.

I spent 10 months and hundreds of hours researching to produce a full working CAD of a Brian May red special. And I'm more than happy to make my plans freely available on forums that felicitate the posting of PDF files.

I'm planing an SG standard build but would like to produce an accurate working blue print to build from. If I can gather the required data I will produce a blue print and post it for all to scrutinise.

Things that I need,

Accurate body & head stock shape and dimensions including body thickness.

Scratch plate templates, (all of them) so they can all be added.

The best way I have found to achieve this is to make accurate tracings and then scan them to pdf if possible or jpg and post or email them with one reference measurement.

If any one has an old Sg or knows some one who will let you trace it, do a full body trace on large paper, measure and write down the width at the body and horns, cut the paper in 1/4 so they can be scanned and post them. Any data will be helpful.

Thanks for reading my post

regards

Walt

 

[sgtbeefheart]

Welcome to the forum.

I would hope that you'll get some help here.

If this isn't the place to ask for this, where is?

 

[Biddlin]

Welcome Walt . I'm just a modder, but there are some builders on here that should be able to contribute . Looking forward to your future posts.
Biddlin ;>)/

 

[jcsimons]

Hi Walt, I"m pretty recent around here myself, but have completed a couple of SGs and am starting on 2 more (although I'm a 59 LP guy also). I've been using the benjamin stouffs (sp?) plan that I believe was done about 8 or 10 years ago. I'm not sure if it was taken from a real guitar or not - its certainly not the '61 as it has the neck pocket that comes almost even with top of the horns. It also shows a 2 degree neck angle which I'm pretty sure is just wrong (I'm using 3 degrees on my new ones). I'll be happy to send you any data from that plan - but as I say, I'm not sure of the pedigree.

 

[javamagic]

If you want the definitive '61 SG plans you'll be needing the definitive 1961 SG to trace from.

I'm not sure there is a definite design as when I built my Cipollina SG I took measurements from both my guitars, a '64 Standard and a (possibly older?) Custom, and found them both to be different! I reckon you'll just have to go with an average. Good luck.

 

[walcen]

If you want the definitive '61 SG plans you'll be needing the definitive 1961 SG to trace from.

I'm not sure there is a definite design as when I built my Cipollina SG I took measurements from both my guitars, a '64 Standard and a (possibly older?) Custom, and found them both to be different! I reckon you'll just have to go with an average. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply guys, I have the Benjamin Stouffs (sp?) plans and can clearly see they aren't accurate.

Hi javamagic, If you have a 64 standard I'll gladly except any thing you can give on that and call it a day as it's probably as close as I'll get to a real meccoy.

I can always modify the blue print accordingly as I get more data.

regards

Walt

 

[walcen]

It's a bit hard to upload PDF blue prints with only 19.5 kb file allocation

 

[ludobag]

i have the b stouff plan too but i haven't use it cause
the overall shape of body it too long
i don't want a standard too
i have use the 63 jr pdf don't know of is accuraty but much similare like pics i watch
there is no neck but a neck is 2 straight line from the upper
for the headstock i find a lp headstock then you shake all put the scale and have a plan
not accurate as a real one for sure but if you don't have a real one with a ruler i don't think it is visible only by eyes

 

[walcen]

Hi guys, I took the liberty for drawing up this headstock using some measurements that I found on another thread.

 

[walcen]

Back plate template

Hi guys. Does anyone have any accurate SG control cavity plate template tracings or photo scans including dimensions? And for that matter any SG tracings at all would be appreciated. Thanks,

Walt.

 

[SG John]

There's a link in this thread. The body is too long, but the cavity is close. I've set five SG's from '62 to '69, and a mid- 80's Burny. The horns all match, but the body is 3/4" too long. best to get your hands on an SG for reference.


http://www.everythingsg.com/forum/luthiers-corner/20134-sg-plans.html

I'd also use Catto's headstock drawing before the one on this link.

 

[walcen]

Hey John, Thanks for you reply. But you know what would be really nice?

If someone with an actual early American Gibson SG took some time to remove the scratch plate and control cover, and traced them along with the body and headstock and then scanned the tracings to a jpg file and sent them to me with just one measurement for each tracing, I could easily create an accurate CAD blue print. The process is so simple that I honestly can't imagine why no one has done it yet, especially with such a high demand for accurate drawings by home builders.

Just my humble opinion.

regards

Walt

 

[SG Lou]

Hey John, Thanks for you reply. But you know what would be really nice?

If someone with an actual early American Gibson SG took some time to remove the scratch plate and control cover, and traced them along with the body and headstock and then scanned the tracings to a jpg file and sent them to me with just one measurement for each tracing, I could easily create an accurate CAD blue print. The process is so simple that I honestly can't imagine why no one has done it yet, especially with such a high demand for accurate drawings by home builders.

Just my humble opinion.

regards

Walt

Well, If an early 60's SG ever comes into my shop I will do just that.
I had a 63 EBO Bass in for a fix and took MANY reference shots along with tons of measurements !

 

[walcen]

Well, If an early 60's SG ever comes into my shop I will do just that.
I had a 63 EBO Bass in for a fix and took MANY reference shots along with tons of measurements !

Thanks so much for your offer, I would appreciate it.

I'm a little disillusioned by some members of other forums who claim to want to help, then they dangle garrets under your nose by boasting ownership of early models of various guitars but they wont give you any data like it's some sort of big secret or something.
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It really grinds my gears, you know?




Rant rant rant

regards to all,

Walt

 

[javamagic]

Sorry I haven't been able to help you out. It's not that I'm unwilling, just that I'm separated from my SGs by about 500 miles and a stretch of water. Would love to see some pics of your LP build. :)

 

[walcen]

Sorry I haven't been able to help you out. It's not that I'm unwilling, just that I'm separated from my SGs by about 500 miles and a stretch of water. Would love to see some pics of your LP build. :)

Oh no man please don't take anything personally, nothing I said was intended for anyone here.

I was actually directing my frustrations toward a member of the Red special forum, I've been working on cad plans for an RS for a couple of year now and this guy whom will remain unnamed claims that he owns a Guyton RS and agrees to give me some dimensions and a tracing, Yep, a carrot dangler, but then he doesn't answer any of my pm's or e-mails so I reckon he's full of it and he's lucky I'm not inclined to shoot him down on his own forum, It's a blood pressure thing.

So I needed to have a bit of a vent.

The most frustrating part is that I'm offering to create accurate crystal clear full scale PDF plans and to make them freely available to everyone but I cant achieve that without accurate data.

Thank for your reply guys and kindest regards

Walt

 

[javamagic]

I've been working on cad plans for an RS for a couple of year now and this guy whom will remain unnamed claims that he owns a Guyton RS and agrees to give me some dimensions and a tracing, Yep, a carrot dangler, but then he doesn't answer any of my pm's or e-mails so I reckon he's full of it and he's lucky I'm not inclined to shoot him down on his own forum.

That sounds suspiciously like someone I (sort of) know but I'll not mention his name either.

 

[walcen]

Sorry I haven't been able to help you out. It's not that I'm unwilling, just that I'm separated from my SGs by about 500 miles and a stretch of water. Would love to see some pics of your LP build. :)

Give me some time to resize some pics so that I can post them and I'll put some up, or you can look here

Body building - Page 25