Only a Luthier knows for sure....
 

Could someone tell me what degree of angel the neck is at on a Les Paul. It looks like maybe fifteen or so?

Assuming you mean the headstock angle, I think it's 17 degrees.

No, not the head stock. If you look down at the body, you'll notice the neck is back at a slight angle. I guess it's because of the string elevation between the nut and the bridge.

The neck angle is approx 4.5 degrees. The headstock angle is 17 degrees. These measurements are taken from the blueprints available at Stew-Mac.

Considering the source, that's probably right. Thanks for the info..........JB

That's the blueprints.
Add or subtract 3 or 4 degrees on the actual guitars.
Remember, this is Gibson now. ;)

Very good point, Jeff!

I made a wedged cradle that holds the body at the 4.5 deg. under a safety planer. Keeps them rather consistent.

Not sure what you mean Jeff. The Gibsons I have own where pretty descent guitars.

It's a joke.
Gibson's have a reputation for being so-so when it comes to quality control and knowing what the left and right hands are doing.

I own a Gibson also. Great guitar.

Interesting story re; Les Paul's from over at the old Gibson LP forum, about 8 years ago.

Folks had noted for some time that the LP's Gibson was turning out seemed to be off a bit on the specs compared to the "classic" ones from the 50's/60's.
Pickup position relative to pickguard a bit off, tone knob position, etc.
When one of Gibson's production managers was asked why that was, he noted they couldn't find the plans for the original LP design.

Turns out that there was a book about LP's out at that time that had reproductions of the original LP blueprints on the inner and outer covers.
Then there was the question about retro-engineering.

You take the good with the silly/bad with Gibson.

Interesting story! I'll bet every old time guitar company has some funny and odd stories to tell.............I guess I'll go with the 4.5 degrees, it sure looks good.........thanks for the help.....JB

I own 3 gibsons and used to own 2 more. All are great guitars except that there isn't a symetrical thing about them. I'm not saying that these are gross defects just little things.

Examples:
Pole pieces not lined up under the strings -neither are the pick ups and bezels
bridges moved to the left,
tail pieces moved to the right,
head stock inlays crooked,
scale length not quite right,
tuner holes not evenly spaced,
binding thicker on one side than the other side
nut slots not symetrical.
tuners mounted crookedly

Don't get me wrong here I really love Gibsons and would like to own more.


JayB: Depending on what year you are trying to copy, the neck may or may not have a volute, and Gibson used a couple of different neck profiles also.

Gibson's are like your favorite quirky aunt.
You love them anyway.