I would appreciate assistance in locating back issues of Mode Engineer issues published in the early 70's with specific regard to making an electric guitar and the associated wiring/circuit diagrams.
My father made the guitar round about 1974 but it has been collecting dust in its case for about 20 years.
It still looks as good as new but the electrics have died.
Practical Electronics did one in the mid 1960's and another in the mid 1970's, after merging with Everyday Electronics I think. The 1970's one is Hawian type and can be found on t'net. Nothing more than the existance of the earlier one shows up tho'.
I remember this when I was in the second form at grammar school so that would be 1972/73. I think the drawing showed a Gibson Flying V shaped guitar but I made mine a Gibson SG shape. The magazine may well have been Practical Electronics. The circuitry was very simple, 2 pots and a capacitor for each pickup (if I remember correctly, it has been 44 years). If you remove the scratch plate you can probably read the details off the pots if not the capacitors as well. If all else fails an Internet search will soon reveal suitable wiring diagrams.
Actually, giving this a bit more thought, cleaning the pots may be all that is required. Maybe if you post a picture when you open it up, one of the electronics professionals on here can advise you better than me.
When you say the electrics have died, what are the symptoms ? Unusual for guitar electrics to degrade in storage, unless maybe he made the pickups from scratch and the magnets have lost magnetism ? Or have the soldered joints gone green. I’m intrigued.
The electrics of a standard electric guitar are very simple in principle, but they are countless variations in how they can be wired up to give a range of sounds.
If you post the number of pickups (and how many wires they have), the number of potentiometers (volume controls) and a description of any switches, I can sketch out a layout for you.
There used to be a lunatic in Yalding ,Kent ,called Steve Acworth who made guitars , rocking horses and crossbows . I'd just bought a new Stratocaster ,my mate had a test drive, and told me to take it to Acworth Artifacts and get him to set it up low and fast… " Oh he does Ronnie Woods and the Quo's he knows what he's about …."
So i knock on the door , open it a bit "Hello? Anyone there?" and THWACK !! This bolt goes over my head and into the door jamb ….F##k !!
In the darkness this skinny hippie type says "Like my new crossbow ? Just finished it !"
"Mmm great"
Explain that Rick sent me.. I want a brass nut , and set up ,etc
He takes my brand new Strat ,plugs it in , has a twang.. (sounds better than me playing it)
" Mmmm leave it with me it'll be 60 quid"
Then in front of me ,picks up a pair of side cutters ,and cuts through all the strings .. Cripes !
I leave.. I ring Rick , and tell him what he did..
"Oh you're lucky, when he did mine he didn't slacken or take my strings off at all , he just took the neck off with an electric screwdriver ..
It did survive and i've still got it ! Crazy bloke but clever