1 Topic by conorb (edited by conorb 2011-06-20 05:51:08)

  • Registered: 2010-11-16
  • Posts: 366

Topic: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Today has been a bit drizzly all day so I wasn't able to get outside for photos.

I did, however, open up some windows and try to get as much natural light indoors as I could.

Here are a few general teaser pics:

http://vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%20stu … io-011.jpg
http://vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%20stu … io-008.jpg
http://vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%20stu … io-018.jpg

Full gallery is here: http://vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%20studio/index.html

Should I be concerned at all about the amount of stud sticking out from the body for the tailpiece mounting?

I haven't had too many LP style guitars but I don't remember seeing the studs stick out quite this far.

http://vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%20stu … io-019.jpg

Thanks for checking it out.

conorb

  • Devan
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  • From: Darwin, Australia
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
  • Posts: 1,304

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Some nice photography there conorb! smile  Nice dog too. big_smile

Love the way you got the overcast light to work with that beautiful gold top.  Whole collection had a moody, dark look about it.  Also especially love the colour in the fretboard - that hint of redness is so nice!

JBLP Gold Top #129 - redubbed "#1 in Oz"
  • Registered: 2010-02-01
  • Posts: 175

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

I wouldn't be concerned about it ..but I'm surprised that they don't ship with it screwed all the way to the body and the strings wrapped over the bridge given it's a JB model.

PS. Cool looking guitar hopefully mine will make it to the UK in the next couple of months

  • Seven
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  • From: Republic of Texas
  • Registered: 2011-06-15
  • Posts: 6

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Very nice and the dog is cool too.. I wish they would upgrade the forum so we could post pics in our posts....

  • Registered: 2006-05-08
  • Posts: 1,996

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Sometimes the setup from Gibson USA is not all that hot.  The tailpiece only needs to be up far enough to make sure the string does not contact the back of the bridge.  If there is enough clearance you can crank it down some.

Gibson 60th Anniversary 1959 Les Paul Reissue, Gibson LP Standard Faded CSB, Gibson Gary Moore LP Standard, Epi Joe Bonamassa GT LP, Epi Zakk Wylde LP, Dean Michael Schenker Flying V, Jackson Randy Rhoads V, ESP/LTD George Lynch Kamikaze, EVH Striped Series R/B/W, Fender/Squire John 5 Telecaster, Fender Joe Strummer Relic Telecaster
  • From: Bakersfield
  • Registered: 2011-05-22
  • Posts: 52

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

WOW!! good job on the photo's i like the guard dog watching over the JB Studio, I don't know what it is but i still get excited every time i see these Guitars.

very very nice,
Redeye9

7 Reply by conorb (edited by conorb 2011-06-20 05:50:44)

  • Registered: 2010-11-16
  • Posts: 366

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Thanks for all the positive reinforcement everyone.

We are, in general, an enabling bunch. smile

I think I'm going to restring the guitar and wrap the strings around the tailpiece like the Custom Shop models and I'll work on lowering the tailpiece closer to the body as well.

If I need to I'll take in to my local guitar guy and have him redo the setup.

The guitar plays quite nicely as is but I would rather have the strings top wrapped anyway.

As for the dog, Ruthie, my wife and I adopted her 9 1/2 years ago.  She's a great dog and has been very keen to keep an eye on things.  As she gets a bit older, however, she doesn't hear everything as she once did. smile

I named the Bonaburst after her - Ruthie.  Because like the guitar the dog is brown and tan in the front and black in the back.

http://www.vendettacycles.com/pics/bona … st-017.jpg

conorb

  • From: Las Vegas
  • Registered: 2008-05-21
  • Posts: 857

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Great photographs. It looks like it just needs nylon saddles and to rapped.

Enjoy your new guitar,
Bill

  • From: Bakersfield
  • Registered: 2011-05-22
  • Posts: 52

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Hey Conorb,

Just checking if you setup the Bonastudio (new strings, top wrap) if it turned out good.

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

You can bring down the tailpiece as long as it doesn't bottom out on the edge of the Nashville bridge. ABR-1 bridges are not as wide, so that might help. Or, of course, you can can topwrap - and buy into the voodoo of a locked down tailpiece. cool

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • Registered: 2010-11-16
  • Posts: 366

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

REDEYE9BAND wrote:

Hey Conorb,

Just checking if you setup the Bonastudio (new strings, top wrap) if it turned out good.

Thanks for checking in; no I haven't gotten to that project yet.

I was up in Seattle all weekend for a friends bday party.

Hopefully this week though as I definitely need to get it done.

conorb

12 Reply by Sjmckean (edited by Sjmckean 2011-06-27 19:18:02)

  • From: Chesapeake, VA
  • Registered: 2010-12-05
  • Posts: 76

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Those are some excellent photos!  I have o Studio JBLP, but yours looks better!  I gotta learn to take photos like that, mine are your standard pics.  Your's could be guitar porn!

2011 Gibson Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Studio Gold Top, 2010 Epi Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Gold Top, 2010 Epi Les Paul Standard '57 Gold Top, 2010 Epi Les Paul Standard Honey Burst (autographed by Joe Bonamassa), 2006 Epi Les Paul Classic Quilt top, 2004 Eric Clapton Strat, 1989 First wife
  • From: Chesapeake, VA
  • Registered: 2010-12-05
  • Posts: 76

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

NPB_EST.1979 wrote:

You can bring down the tailpiece as long as it doesn't bottom out on the edge of the Nashville bridge. ABR-1 bridges are not as wide, so that might help. Or, of course, you can can topwrap - and buy into the voodoo of a locked down tailpiece. cool

Hey all, be carefull locking down too much.  Make sure there is a tiny bit of room between the stop bar and the body left.  I top wound and screwed the stop bar down.  The next time I changed strings, I found that the bottom of the stop bar had been in contact with the body and had actually caused some of my varnish to "lift".  Almost looks like an air bubble around the posts now, but you wouldn't know until the stop bar is removed.  When top wrapping, it pulls the back of the stop tail up and forces the front down.  Please make sure you raise the stop tail just enough so it doesn't "dig in" to the body.

2011 Gibson Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Studio Gold Top, 2010 Epi Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Gold Top, 2010 Epi Les Paul Standard '57 Gold Top, 2010 Epi Les Paul Standard Honey Burst (autographed by Joe Bonamassa), 2006 Epi Les Paul Classic Quilt top, 2004 Eric Clapton Strat, 1989 First wife
  • Registered: 2010-11-16
  • Posts: 366

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Sjmckean wrote:

Those are some excellent photos!  I have o Studio JBLP, but yours looks better!  I gotta learn to take photos like that, mine are your standard

Use natural light.  Don't take the photos in direct sunlight because it will cause too much glare off of reflective surfaces.  (I'm generalizing of course)

If you don't have a lot of light then use a tripod to steady the camera.  A tripod definitely helps though in low light situations.

I used a Canon 30D with the cheapie (Canon plastic) 50mm lens and I did them hand-held with the camera in Program mode and shooting in RAW format.  I then did some sorting and cropping in Adobe Lightroom and exported them as you see them - 8x12 (original aspect ratio) at 72dpi.

conorb

15 Reply by conorb (edited by conorb 2011-06-29 14:09:58)

  • Registered: 2010-11-16
  • Posts: 366

Re: Pictures of the new JB LP Studio Goldtop

Okay, I've re-wrapped the strings going with a top wrap method and I must say that I like the look better (getting the tailpiece down closer helps) and the guitar "feels" a bit easier to play.

Before the strings felt like 11's even though they were 10's and now it actually feels like it's got 10's on it.  So I would say playability is a bit improved.

This was a first for me; not owning Les Paul types of guitars before or guitars without locking tuners I was a bit confused about getting the string properly threaded through the tuning nuts - hopefully that won't slip now that I've got it finished.  We'll see. smile  I'm sure there's a tried and true technique that I should probably learn for doing this in the future but suffice to say it seems to be working alright.  The explanation of stringing Gibson's in my Erlewine book wasn't overly clear and the pictures were lacking.

I took Sjmckean's advice and didn't turn the tailpiece all the way down but left everything up about a turn to allow the tailpiece a bit of room between the underside of the tailpiece and the body.

Before pics: (as received)

http://www.vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%2 … io-004.jpg
http://www.vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%2 … io-009.jpg
http://www.vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%2 … io-019.jpg

After: (lowered tailpiece and top wrapped)

http://www.vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%2 … io-020.jpg
http://www.vendettacycles.com/pics/jb%2 … io-021.jpg

Thanks,

conorb