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'56 GoldTop in pictures

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Technical Specifications

Body mahogany
Carved Top Alder
Neck mahogany
Fingerboard Rosewood
2 Pickups Alnico-V P90s
Binding neck and body
Chromed Hardware
Nut width1,68", scale 24,75"
weight 8,27 lbs (3,75 kg)

Amazingly the back color is Dark Cherry, an unusual colour for a '56Goldtop which came for most of them with light brown or allgold backs..

the junction between the two massive pieces of wood of the body can be seen on this picture
The stock cavity covers are cream whereas original ones are brown for clear backs and black for light ones.

Gibson Les Paul covers do not fit on this guitar

Back covers come from Guitarfetish-Store for about $10 -shipping to France inclued

Modern Epiphone serial numbers are built following this way

I = *plant
02 = year (one or two figures)
10 = month
2530 =ordinal number

Stock Tuners are Kluson reproductions with a weak gearing 12:1 I changed them for Gotoh Vintage Keystone-style tuner of 16:1. (Cost $ 35)

You need to change the post and use these sold with the tuners, Epiphone ones being to narrow.

*Plants:

DW = DeaWon (China)
EA = Gibson/QuingDao (China)
EE = Gibson/QuingDao (China)
I = Saein (Korea)
MC = Muse (China)
R = Peerless (Korea)
S = Samick (Korea)
SJ = SaeJung (China)
U = Unsung (Korea)

and

B stands for Bohêmia Musico-Delicia (Czech Republic)

I changed the chromed Epiphone ABR (TuneOMactic)for a Gotoh 3958 (made for an archtop) and so I did the tailpiece with an Alu StopBar Gotoh 5740-N. Both are Nickeled and of a better craftmanship.(Cost $ 60)

Gotoh bushes are to thin do not fit so I kept Epiphone stock.

I had to reshape the stopbar bushings removing their rings

Zigzagged poles (following Dan Erweline recommendations) can be seen.

Another view of the tuneomatic and of the tailpiece

For the TOM I had the choice between a model keeping large bushings (Gotoh 1511-N), an ABR1 clone (Gotoh 0167-N) but my choice went to a more modern model destinated to an archtop guitar ( Gotoh 3958)

Many things can be seen here:
-New "switchcraft" jack (cost $ 3)

The stock plate was fixed of through . I put a new home made one larger to hide the original holes.I also changed the pots and their knobs. Potentiomètres are 500 KOhm (cost $ 12). I also added Knob Position Indicators (Cost $ 4)
I finally found engraved figurereflector knobsJ (Cost $ 10 - GreggRogers Guitars).

The first thing I changed was the Toggle switch. I change it first for a Stewmac one
(Cost $ 12 + $ 1.25 for its knob) then for a Switchcraft more acurate to the Gibson specifications.($15)

But like for the CTS pots, holes must be rebored to accept Switchcraft deep thread round nickel nut (allpart ref:ep 4923-001).

I changed the ring with a more accurate Gibson one (cream and gold)

Here a close-up picture of the three-part neck

Close up of the switch and the strap lock

I changed the knob with an amber one even if the rule seems to be gold knob controls cream switch knob.

I put Schallers straplocks (Cost $ 13) instead of stock strap buttons.I had to fill holes with toothpick to screw the new buttons with their Schaller narrower screws

I changed the toogle ring for a stewmac one.

A two-screw Gibson bell cover. Set with a $1 tap washer.(rubber tap seal)

How I did it

My guitar spending its night in its flight-case SKB -56 (old model bought on a special offer for $ 50)
If you look sharply you can see a Gibson-Lewy's strap given by the shop keeper (Blanc Music Ajaccio)

The modified tailpiece bushing.

Over wrapping, tThe best way to keep sustain without abandoning the playability.

.

SETUP
Gibson Brite Wires 10 - 46

Action (taken at the 12th fret)
(with a capo at first fret)
      Bass             1/16" (~ 1.5 mm)
     Treble          3/64" (~ 1.25mm)
PU hight (Pole piece )

    Neck             1/16" (~ 1.5 mm)
    Bridge          3/32" (~ 2.5 mm)