I have been playing guitar for 35+ years, most of which as a full time professional. I started my guitar playing career with a guitar that I bought from a junk shop in the early 70's. It had no name on the head but it appealed to me at the time as it only cost me £8. I was quick to progress on the instrument and realised the guitars short comings. Having little money at the time I decided to make a silk purse from a sows ear. The guitar neck was thick and chunky, so I shaved it slim with a spokeshave. I replaced the pickups with 2 John Birch Hyperflux G humbuckers and a set of 3 John Birch Strat pickups, all mounted on a home designed coverplate made of black perspex. I replaced the bridge, machine heads and electrics, which I wired into two separate jack sockets as I found the outputs of the two pickup types better to be kept separate. I sprayed the guitar White using car paint and hey presto, I had not only got myself a playable instrument but I had made a very early and important introductory step into guitar construction. The neck and body of the guitar was mahogany (which was luck rather than choice) and it sounded great. I used this guitar for about 15 years on stage until, eventually after breaking the head off it 3 times and wearing the frets into the fret board, I decided I needed a new one. I never knew the original make of the guitar until about 10 years ago, which was when I discovered it was Tiesco. I have since re-fretted the guitar but never performed with it since.

Because of my early tinkering, I have never been frightened of attempting work on guitars and have done much in the way of fretwork and customing for local guitarists. I have recently started to do this work on a commercial basis and although I have tackled a number of aspects of guitar work, I have never built one from scratch (never had the time really). I have had no formal training in guitar building but I am a great learner from examples of others and the use of common sense. I am looking into this forum for little pearls of wisdom in one or two grey areas that I may have, due to my lack of formal training.

Thanking you all in advance,

Martin.

Hi Martin,

I'd love to see the old girl! I picked up an old "Audition" Woolworths special from a junk shop when I was in my teens and although I wasn't as pro-active as you, I did give it two resprays, a new scratchbuilt bone nut, some new (albeit cheap)electics, and a handmade copper scratchplate. It's still a plank but ok for slide.
I'm just starting work on my first electric solid body (Les Paul shape) before I get to work on a couplke of acoustics I've got planned.
There are a couple of good books on guitar making that I'd recommend:
Make Your Own Electric Guitar by Melvyn Hiscock (Paperback - Oct 1998)
Build Your Own Electric Guitar: Complete Instructions and Full-Size Plans (can't remember who that's by)
The both have some very useful details even down to creating the initial design and router templates.

Good luck!

Hi (sorry I don't know your name),

I have the original version of Melvin Hiscock's book (1986 version), which is much the same as the second version that you have, its just the electronic section in the later chapters of yours is of later gear. I don't know if I am able to post a photo of my old guitar on this site, but after I have finished this note I will give it a try. Nice to hear from you.

Martin.

Can't seem to post anymore pictures.

That looks very professionally finished from here. Tonal variety must be awsome with that pickup combination!