Another Gibson acoustic in for a setup. Note how low the saddle extends out of the bridge. This guy is just about ready for a neck reset.
![2003 Gibson Hummingbird [4.7 lbs] :: setup](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53dfcee2e4b0c0da377c65c7/1487711179266-OF1NXV9ULHME1T625LCE/20160929_2003_Gibson_Hummingbird_bench.jpg)
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![1964 Gibson J-50 [4.3 lbs] :: setup](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53dfcee2e4b0c0da377c65c7/1487710997694-03W3F3P3XKFBS0SLMANN/20160929_1964_Gibson_J-50_bench.jpg)
A 1960s Gibson J-50 in for a setup. Note the super thick pickguard on these.
![New archtop pickguard :: 1933 Gibson L-12 [4.9 lbs]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53dfcee2e4b0c0da377c65c7/1484371952220-KGC3GQ63OXSSNKAX5IR9/20160902_1933_Gibson_L12_bench.jpg)
A gorgeous 1933 Gibson L-12 archtop in for a new pickguard. The guard was supplied by the customer without any hardware so I needed to source the appropriate parts. I did not want to drill any new holes so I used the same mounting points on the guitar. Gibson neck mounted some of these but this one was anchored in the top. First I made a wooden spacer and found an old slotted brass screw that looked right.
The tricky part of this installation is finding the best elevation over the top. Too close to the top and you will not be able to mount a floating pickup in the future. Too high and the guard interferes with your right hand. Another consideration is the angle in which the guard gradually falls away as you move from the strings towards the lower bout. This is more of a cosmetic thing that just looks good or odd.
Note that I had to add spacers to both ends of the bracket to get the angles right. There is even a little piece of leather on the bracket spacer where it comes in contact with the body binding.
![Mini to full size humbucker conversion :: 2012 Gibson Les Paul Studio 70's Tribute [9.0 lbs]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53dfcee2e4b0c0da377c65c7/1479272532485-IZUVUSRA46P7EHY4XP40/20160828_2012_Gibson_70s_RI_gold_hb.jpg)
A local player wasn't digging these mini humbuckers and wanted to install full size humbuckers in his Gibson 1970's Tribute Les Paul Studio. This involves enlarging both pickup cavities with a router. I used a straightedge to guide my cuts.
Next is installing corner blocks in order to mount the pickup rings.
The player supplied a Gibson PAF for the neck and a WCR Icebreaker for the bridge. New cream pickup rings were fit to the top before the pickups could be mounted. Making the solder connections at the pots finished off the mini to full size humbucker conversion.
![2010 Gibson Les Paul Studio [7.9 lbs] :: switch issues](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53dfcee2e4b0c0da377c65c7/1475113924681-2GPYL3QK9ONWBDMNA92C/20160819_2010_Gibson_Les_Paul_Studio_bench.jpg)
A nice little Les Paul Studio in for a bone new nut and some switching issues. The toggle switch had been replaced and the solder connections were rather poor. This style switch is designed to break the connection as opposed to making a connection. The pickups would cut in and out and there was no neck-only position. The neck position was not properly kicking away the bridge pickup connection so the contacts needed to be physically adjusted to allow the neck-only pickup.