Electric Guitar

[dave traffordParticipant @davetrafford89690]

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.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated

Regards

Dave Trafford

[dave traffordParticipant @davetrafford89690]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

The index of old issues only throws up a Hawian Guitar but that was in 1955.

J

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

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'.

Clive

[Reg RossiterParticipant @regrossiter24538]

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.

Reg

[Reg RossiterParticipant @regrossiter24538]

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.

Reg

[Alan Waddington 2Participant @alanwaddington2]

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.

[Mark P.Participant @markp]

I made the one that was in Everyday Electronics, it would be 72/73 I think.
Mark P.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

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.

Neil

[HacksawParticipant @hacksaw]

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

http://www.sparkspin.co.uk/contents.htm

Why don't my links go blue?

Edited By Hacksaw on 23/11/2016 10:13:09

Edited By Hacksaw on 23/11/2016 10:15:12

[john swift 1Participant @johnswift1]

we need both photos of the guitar and detailed photos of the wiring from Dave Trafford

but it could of been the guitar from Every Day Electronics Nov 72

photo from advert

 

example wiring

 

          John

 

Edited By john swift 1 on 23/11/2016 13:50:09

[dave traffordParticipant @davetrafford89690]

Info from Everyday Electronics looks promising.

I have tracked down a copy of this issue on e bay but unfortunately the Guitar Blueprint is missing.

I have seen a post which mentions the Treble boost and Fuzz box which I remember were built into the Guitar

http://www.chatzones.co.uk/discus/messages/5557/5564.html?1176240963 these posts date back to 2007

Any details of the Blueprint would be greatly appreciated

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

Hacksaw, are you using the insert link icon fourth from right on the bottom row above the edit window?

Martin

[john swift 1Participant @johnswift1]

Hi Dave

without the blue print or detailed photos to be able to reverse engineer your guitar

I can only guess the guitar is wired like this

with this fuzz box built in – circuit found on the net

John

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