Official Luthiers Forum!

Well, for me anyway....
I have decided that I have not rocked out in a very long time, so....
I`m making this

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Having fun building guitars

Very cool Matt and further evidence that there is a lot of interest in electrics here. It's looking great!!!

What are some of the better books or videos on building electrics?
SKIN

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Build Your Own Electric Guitar by Melvyn Hiscock pretty much has electric building covered, I'd say it's all the book you need (I made my first with that as my only resource)

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

So did I Bob. Melvyn's the Man.

yupp me too... Melvyn`s book and the Carvin catalog!

gonna do a fretless Bass too... I`m having fun.

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Having fun building guitars

I like it! Especially the neck through. Keep us posted on the progress!

Matt, thanks for posting.
Always like to see your work, and this one is looking great.
Say, is your neck angled at all? Or is that a flat plane parallel to the face of the body?

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I love the walnut Matt!
Having the laminations in the neck line up with the lines in the body is a neat effect also. It's looking good and I really want to see this when it is finished.

Well done!

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Reguards,

Ken H

Matt, that looks great. Keep us posted. Can't wait to see it finished.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

James,
Not sure you are aware of this, but Robbie O'brien just finished making a new Electric Guitar building DVD in collaboration with Mike Snyder(both from the OLF). LMI is now including this DVD with their solid body electric kits. I just watched it for the first time over the weekend, and thought it was just fantastic. It shows how to build a simple solid body electric guitar and he gives the option to use drills and chisels, or use a router with templates. So you can build one with hand tools if that is all you have. I thought it was very thorough including how to draw your own plans, and it even includes the plans on PDF on the DVD that you can take to Kinko's to print out. They are also coming out with an advanced Electric DVD on how to make a carved top type PRS/Les Paul type guitar that includes instruction on inlaying and carving the top. Anyway, you can get the DVD from LMI or straight from the publisher at http://www.apprenticepublishing.com It will be out there for sale any day now.

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Thanks Steve, I did`nt angle the neck at all, it is on the same plane as the top.
I saw in melvyn`s book that he angled the body "wings" a little but i saw that as optional, and since I`m not really taking this project seriously, I went the easy route.

I have no experience at all with wiring electric guitars. One question I have is about grounding. In the wiring shcematic it says ground to bridge, so i drilled a hole for a wire to run from the controll cavity to the bridge post hole.

Do I need to solder the wire to the bridge post? this step is not coverd in either of the books I have.

thanks in advance,
Matt

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Having fun building guitars

Thanks Steve, I did`nt angle the neck at all, it is on the same plane as the top.
I saw in melvyn`s book that he angled the body "wings" a little but i saw that as optional, and since I`m not really taking this project seriously, I went the easy route.

I have no experience at all with wiring electric guitars. One question I have is about grounding. In the wiring shcematic it says ground to bridge, so i drilled a hole for a wire to run from the controll cavity to the bridge post hole.

Do I need to solder the wire to the bridge post? this step is not coverd in either of the books I have.

thanks in advance,
Matt

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Having fun building guitars

Hey Matt, Nice axe.
As long as your ground wire makes a good contact, soldering may not be nessesary.
You just want all your strings contacting ground.
What pickups are you using? Are they passive?

Wade

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com

Yeah, what Wade said. No, the wire need not be soldered.
Just take off a bit of the insulation, and let the bare wire make solid contact with some part of the metal bridge.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Outstanding! Nice figure in that top!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Thanks... i knew you guys could tell me.
OK so i need to attach it to the bridge post and not the tail piece post, that way it grounds the strings, correct?

I`m using stew mac`s Golden Age extree Hot humbuckers! ( there goes the niehborhood )

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Having fun building guitars

Hey Matt...looking great! It's nice to see someone else temporarily off the registration and taking a walk on the wild side.
I'm just now completing 2 that I actually started years ago and am excited about the projects. I'm expecting to be able to send them out to Joe White for finishing in the next few weeks. Others who have recently posted electrics included John How and Brock. There may have been one or 2 others but I forget who.

Question...is that a complete neck-through? The laminations look identical.

Thanks for posting...and be sure to show the finished product.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Looking good Matt! I'm watching this thread because I have some of the same questions as you...especially the grounding/wiring parts. I picked up Melvyn's book at B&N and have found it very thorough...but I would appreciate a few more diagrams.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Matt,
I think if your tail piece makes contact to the strings, you could ground to that insted.
Metal to metal is the only rule.
Rock on Bro!

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com

Joe, and others...check out this site http://mediawebsource.com/guitar/pickup.htm for info on every manufacturer's pickups and wiring diagrams. It has links to lots more as well.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Thanks gentlemen.... great info.

I`m going to connect to the bridge, that way I know I have contact at the saddles.

JJ, I was definitly inspired by Brock and his awesome Les paul style guitar. And yes mine is a through neck all the way through body style.

I missed John Hows electric, but i bet it was awesome.

Matt

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Having fun building guitars