advice?

[Patrick]

I could use a little advice, if some one might have performed this surgery before. I just ordered a set of select MOP finger board trap inlays for my R9. I'm gonna get that plastic nonsense out of there and replace it with some very figured and colorful MOP. Not quite abalone, but real good MOP. How do I get the plastic out?? I don't want to heat the neck and melt the glue. The neck is spot on true and perfect and frets have been Pleked. I'm afraid the heat just might upset the Karma. Aaron suggested drilling a small hole, then stick a small tool in the hole and pop it out. Sounds reasonable. I just though I would run it by you all to see if anyone had done this before. I know that this is a job for a skilled luthier and I don't intend to attempt it myself. But . . . what say you???

[tbonesullivan]

Well... changing out the inlays WILL decrease the value of your R9. That is something to think about. The original 59 had plastic pearloid inlays, and they have been very good about keeping them "vintage spec".

[Patrick]

Well... changing out the inlays WILL decrease the value of your R9. That is something to think about. The original 59 had plastic pearloid inlays, and they have been very good about keeping them "vintage spec".

 

I was under the impression that the original 1959 had real MOP. That's why I was changing them. I have a few Les Paul books with original specs . . . . Beauty of The Burst . . . and . .. Years of Gibson Les Pauls. I should have check them out first.

[tulk1]

Wow, that is one gutsy move to do to such an expensive guitar. And, I don't think there is any way you are going to be able to do that without releveling the fretboard, which means releveling the frets as well. At least that is what I've been told. When I ordered my Stambaugh Custom Tele(ish) I mentioned that I might want to add different inlays later. Chris's reply was to get what I wanted right off. To replace the inlays was described to me as:

 

Remove neck (bolt on, so maybe not true with set neck)

Remove frets

Remove fretboard from neck (if necessary)

Remove inlays (have dots)

Carve the fretboard for new inlays

If fretboard is removed, reattached to neck

Relevel the neck after inserting new inlays, since they probably won't be perfectly level with the wood

Refret and dress

Reattach neck if removed

 

Not saying all this is pertinent to your situation. But Chris sure didn't want to redo an inlay job. And he builds guitars for a living. Do the inlays you ordered come with any instructions? Maybe one of Dan Erlwine's books might help.

[GuitArtMan]

tbonesullivan is correct - original '59 Les Paul had mother of toilet seat, ie. pearloid, ie. plastic inlays. If the neck is true and the frets plek'd - play it and be happy!

[tbonesullivan]

are you sure that they had MOP inlays back then? I know that the headstock veneer was Holly, and the inlay was MOP, but given the relatively low cost of MOP compared to the guitar, I would think if the originals had them, the reissues would as well.

[yoslate]

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-c...id-inlay-2.html

 

Celluloid.... Nice R9? IMHO, you're asking for trouble.... Just let yours shrink and discolor, then you'll have the real thing.

[Patrick]

WOW!!! You gentlemen sure saved me a lot of heartache. After reading your replies, I checked further. Yoslate . . . thanks for the link up. The real '59s used nitrocelluloid, as you all stated. That's why the shrinkage. I was always under the impression that Gibson went with the plastic on the reissues to reduce costs. The difference was in the type of celluloid, the figure and the color. I am cancelling my order from DePaule and Rescue Pearl. I ordered 2 sets of MOP. One for the reissue and one for the clone I'm having built. You guys saved my ass on this one. Thanks!!

[Kuz]

Easy answer.....

 

Sell that R9 for firewood and buy a real LP, a 150!!!!!!!! LOL

[rooster]

Easy answer.....

 

Sell that R9 for firewood and buy a real LP, a 150!!!!!!!! LOL

 

+1.

 

rooster.