Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi all,
Well I'm new here as well as to guitar making. I did not realize when I joined the forum that it seems to be an "acoustic" primarily oriented forum. Does any body make electrics on the site? Believe me, I do want to make my own acoustic guitar(s) but figured that an electric would be easier for a first guitar,thus making the frustration factor lower and I hope to learn "some" skills that may carry over to acoustic building someday. I love both instruments dearly. I have been playing guitar for around 30 years and have more than I need according to my wife! "Why another guitar?" (she's always asking me!)
Just saying hello to all and I hope to share some info and gain some knowledge.
Mark Laura,
Atlantic Highlands,NJ

Hey Mark!!   

I build electrics too. Most are customizations of common styles, but yep... I build them. There are a few other guys here who build electics too.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

WOOOO go electric builders! I've been sticking with solid bodies until I get more space to attack acoustics, tons of stuff on the go and nothing near finished (I have a walnut topped strat and a maple prs comin along though) Too busy peddling my wares to spend quality time in the shop.

John Mayes and John How also build electrics.. THere are more but my mind is blank at the moment.

Welcome to the forum.

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CVT Inc.
A tour of our shop (Somewhat outdated)
My Personal eBay profile. BCWoodBug

Don't forget Mattia, he builds the electrics too.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

You can toss me in that basket too!

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

I build electrics to.
john hall
blues creek guitars

Thanks for the responses folks! It's nice to be here. I am also a MIMF "member". There is alot of info. there. This forum seems to be more close knit and alot of info. as well. I like that. I am way under many of you as far as skills and experience. Gotta start sometime I guess. I'm 45 yrs. old and figure "what the hey" I've always wanted to do this and now is as good as any! I would love to see some of your work and when I get my guitar at some level of completeness I will include pics or a link to see them. My shop is very small as Jason seems to have the same problem as I do. Just not enough room right now!
Thanks!
Mark Laura

Welcome to the forum Mark and to the great world of luthiery. Never be afraid to ask even the most basic question, there's literally thousands of years experience here, just waiting to help. Don't forget, stock up on a few sets of mahogany, you will want to build an acoustic and you may as well build the best!

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Mark,

Welcome! I build electrics too. Mainly Fender style ones, but I got some
plans to make a neck through les paul style... I also make stage acoustic/
electric, acoustics, and ukes.

Welcome to the family.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

I build and play classical but like to also play Electrics...no always an archtop playing Jazz but on occassion can "shred" with the rest of them...My son is 16 so his friends freak when I ask if I can sit in and then rip some metal riffs...it shatters their perceptions of what kind of music that an "over 40" old guy can play

Hi Mark, welcome. I just started making acoustics, but I play the heck out of my two strats.
Doug

Yep, I'm mostly an electric builder. My newfound passion's for acoustics (musically and in terms of construction), but I'm far more familiar with electric guitars.

The MIMF's library has a fantastic amount of info, though, and a nice gallery of people's instruments, both of which are a must-read in my book. Where you want to start your discussion/ask your questions is up to you :-)

Thanks again for the responces.It's a nice place here. I am reading my butt off here looking at all the present posts and past posts and have learned much already from this forum.
Mattia- I hope to gain some knowledge from you (and the others as well)I have spent many hours on the MIMF site and have learned and have seen many, many great projects and guitars coming from people from all over. I would love to see some of your work as well. Do you have any pics over there? I'll look for some today. I have looked here at the builders that are on this forum and WHEW!!!!! You guys are putting out some beautiful guitars! WOW is all I have to say! I built an electric guitar with a friend years ago, he still plays it, and it still sounds great. Now it's my time and we shall see...
John Hall...don't be surprised if you don't get an order from me in the future for one of your kits, they look great for me! Time, time, time! The 10 year old daughter and the 17 month old daughter are keeping me extra busy right now. But hey...this is what life is about, isn't it. Again I really like the "tone" of this forum and appreciate and look foward to reading the threads and "stealing" all you folks know about your craft!
Mark

We're here to help and encourage!

I've got a few pictures of my first few guitars in the MIMF library, one of my latest electric (and first acoustic) probably still in the queue to be added. Someday I'll be getting my website together enough to present all the pictures I have of various guitars' construction processes, but for now, if you're interested, browse through the following directories:

Mostly my two first acoustics, except files starting with 'guitar' and 'pat', which are set neck electrics.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~mvalente/guitarpics/

Mostly more pics of the latest electric (filenames starting with pat, generally) here:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~mvalente/guitarpics3/

First few files (obvious names, at this point) are pictures of the finished electric, posted them here as well so a search should turn them up if you want some text to go with them. Also the construction pics on the 'on hold for the past month and a half after 2 weeks of pretty intensive building' strat+tele project I started in May:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~mvalente/guitarpics4/

Scrap left over from other projects guitars:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~mvalente/guitarpics2/scrap_mini1.jpg
http://www.xs4all.nl/~mvalente/guitarpics2/travel_scrap1.jpg

Will that do ya for a little while?

Hi Mark and welcome to the forum.

Since you mentioned that you are new to building, I would recommend as a good starter reference for building electrics Melvyn Hiscock's book, Make Your Own Electric Guitar. I have a copy, and I found it to be quite thorough. It's worth the price.

Good luck, and share pictures of the build too.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Greetings Mark and welcome!
Mostly I have made flattops, archtops nylon strings and mandolins. I have also made 2 electrics,both set neck types.
I really enjoyed making them.
I will try to post a picture of one of them.
I plan on making some more electrics,but then again I plan a lot of things!!
Good luck,
Brad

Mattia! You have humbled and overwhelmed me with your generosity in sharing your "world" with me/us! Thanks so much! Very very cool stuff!(enough exclamation points?)Your inlay work, design,etc. is really nice stuff. I did see your black guitar on the MIMF site! That is an equally excellent guitar. Thanks again for sharing! The pics are inspiring to me.

Mike - I did purchase the Melvyn book. It is an unbeleivable help and did clarify alot of questions I had and gave me the ability to feel comfortable enough to start my project. Thankyou for the advice.

Brad and everyone else - thanks again for making me feel at home here!

Hi Mark...sounds like you are off on the right foot. Gathering knowledge first then putting it into action. Here you have the advantage of a lot of great guitar builders to learn from. I wasn't fortunate enough to have the great advice of these guys when I started in 1990. I learned the hard way...trial and error. Studying the structure of older guitars produced by Gibson / Fender and many others. I guess you could say I too learned from the best. So, just wanted to welcome you to the OLF as the others have and I am a newbie to this site as well. I enjoy reading the threads and seeing all the great guitars these guys are building. It's been a few years since I built any guitars but, I've built numerous electric and acoustics. I've uploaded a photo of one of my electric designs. It's kind of a cross between a Les Paul (carved top) and an older strat shape. Guess their influences show in my design. Good luck in your new endeavors and don't be afraid to explore new ground.

[QUOTE=Brazilwood] Hi Mark...sounds like you are off on the right foot. Gathering knowledge first then putting it into action. Here you have the advantage of a lot of great guitar builders to learn from. I wasn't fortunate enough to have the great advice of these guys when I started in 1990. I learned the hard way...trial and error. Studying the structure of older guitars produced by Gibson / Fender and many others. I guess you could say I too learned from the best. So, just wanted to welcome you to the OLF as the others have and I am a newbie to this site as well. I enjoy reading the threads and seeing all the great guitars these guys are building. It's been a few years since I built any guitars but, I've built numerous electric and acoustics. I've uploaded a photo of one of my electric designs. It's kind of a cross between a Les Paul (carved top) and an older strat shape. Guess their influences show in my design. Good luck in your new endeavors and don't be afraid to explore new ground. [/QUOTE]
Brazil,
WOW! that is a cool design. My guitar is kind of on the same thought. When I learned to play, my brother had this beautiful early 60' Gibson, SG. This is the guitar I pretty much learned to play on. ( he sold it without asking me first! I LOVED that guitar! Mine is kind of a tribute to that guitar. My love is for telecasters. I have a 1976 thats in pretty good shape still.I had other ones over the years....I am incorporating alot of gibson/fender traits into this guitar. It will have a bolt on neck, six degree tilted headstock (gibson like, mahogany,pau ferro fretboard w/abalone dot inlays), mahogany body that resembles a kind of SG,Tele, Strat look! I'm laboring about what kind of top to put on it,wood wise that is. I'm searching and bothering Bob at RC Tonewoods right now for that, thanks to OLF. Great prices/product, and Bob responded to me right away! Great customer service if you ask me! The guitar will have simple electronics.i don't like to play with too many knobs and switches. i.e. one volume one tone and a pickup selector. Maybe a phase switch, maybe not. I want to put maybe a light cherry red tint into the finish. The old sg was cherry red.Your guitar is really great. When I opened the forum and saw the guitar, my immediate reaction was "WOW"! Between you and Mattia...I have a big job ahead of me, thats for sure! Thanks for the kind words and hopefully soon I can post some progress pics! Baby's crying gotta go! Thanks again for posting the pic! You should be proud. I bet it sounds good too huh?
MarkMark Laura38583.8573958333