Build #1: Electronics... EMG \m/

So, a very special piece of this build arrived yesterday, the pickups.

EMG Boxes

The pickups I went with are the custom metal shop EMG H4 and H4A passive humbuckers with black chrome finish.  These pickups also came with a solderless wiring kit, pots, and cable jack... these will be a breeze to install.

These pickups are a passive equivalent of the active 81/60 combo that artists like Metallica and Slayer used.

Why EMG?  Because they are the backbone of the metal genre.

Here's a review of EMGs from a legend.

Build #1: Back to the project.

Now that the craziness of work has settled down, for the most part, I am finally able to get back to thinking about how I want to build this guitar.

My goal is to have a headstock design chosen by the end of the month.  In order to build the guitar, I need to shape the headstock, because doing this with the neck attached to the body would be next to impossible.

So, given the designs I posted in my previous post, which seems like ages ago, I have narrowed down to three to use as an inspiration.

The Paul Reed Smith style

The ESP/LTD flag style

The Dean Hardtail style

I know that this guitar is a Les Paul style guitar, and not going with the open book Gibson/Epiphone style headstock can be considered sacrilegious by some Les Paul purists, I really do like unorthodox stylings (why else would I be going with a hot rod engine orange color?)

I want something that looks powerful, looks metal, and looks cool.  So, using the above three as an influence, I hope I'll come up with some cool options, that you guys can vote on.

Rock on.

Build #1: Well, lookee here

Paint has arrived. (well earlier today, but my schedule has been quite goofy lately)

Now, I just need to pick up some other finishing supplies, shape the headstock, set the neck, paint and assemble.

No big deal.

Updates coming soon.

Build #1: Headstock shapes

Well, as I mentioned in my previous post, the next major detail to work out before assembling the guitar is:  how to shape the headstock.


There are plenty of options.  I can go with a traditional Gibson / Epiphone look:

Or something like this:

Or this:

Or this:

Or this:

So many options, what do you guys think?

Build #1: More parts arrive and headstock design ideas.

So I've gotten some more parts over the last couple days, here are the highlights:

Black Tune-o-Matic Bridge

Guitar Straps

Some strings

Headstock Signature decal

Locking tuners

Black pickup rings

Now,  as you can see in that last photo, the headstock on this kit hasn't been shaped.  This is something I have to decide on.  I could go with the traditional Gibson/Epiphone Les Paul "Open Book" headstock design:

Or I could go with something a bit more unorthodox.  

If anyone has a suggestion or idea, please let me know.

Anyways, back to work, the big roll out starts Monday.

Build 1: Feels like Christmas morning...

Well, I got the kit today.

Unfortunately, my work schedule is going to prevent me from working on it until the end of the month, most likely.

But, I will be updating as more stuff arrives.


I received two boxes today.

Box 1:  Misc. Odds and Ends (potentiometers, switch plate, cable jack, wood glue, copper tape, wood filler, etc)

Box 2:  The guitar itself :)

The rest of the stuff will be arriving over the next few days. I should have everything in hand, short of some of the finishing supplies by end of next week. But since I'll be busier than heck with a phone roll-out at work, I won't be spending much time with this until the following week.

Also, if anyone wants some chrome humbuckers, bridge, or tuning keys, I'll sell them to ya cheap :)

Thats it for now.  Back to work.  BTW, Nightwish Sucks.

Build #1: Details finalized.

Well, earlier I posted about the color, and trying to figure out what color I wanted to go with, and a decision has been reached.


I'd like to thank everyone who gave me feedback, specifically Etheridge, Renken, Anuta, Becky, Emilie, and Jenn.  The feedback really helped confirm my gut feeling.


So, without further adue,


Drumroll please....




























And the lucky winner is?  Engine Block Orange.  (specifically Dodge's "Header Orange", see below).

Dodge Challenger in Header Orange

I also am having a headstock decal made (for $3, why not?).  So on the headstock of the finalized guitar, you'll see this:

I am really looking forward to getting started on this.  Its going to be a lot of fun, and hopefully I'll end up with a high quality axe.

Build #1: Color....

Okay.  So the only question mark with this current build is: What f'ing color am I going to go with?

I've narrowed it down to a few different choices.  If you have a strong preference, please let me know.


Option 1:  Sapphire Blue

Option 2: Emerald Green

Option 3:  Engine Block Orange

Option 4: School Bus Yellow

Decisions, decisions, decisions....

Build #1 - Full Metal Les Paul

Well, for quite some time now, I've been wanting to delve into building a guitar.

For my birthday this year, I requested gift cards from Amazon, StewMac and a couple other guitar part / supply shops and received a couple of sizable certs from the family.

So, with gift certificates in hand, there was much debate about what build I would start with.  It came down between two classic designs: an Explorer style guitar and a Les Paul style guitar.  Choosing between the two was quite a challenge.  However, availability actually forced me to choose.  The Explorer style guitar kit that I was looking at is sold out until July, meaning, Les Paul it is!

At the end of the day, neither one was a bad choice, and both would produce an awesome heavy metal instrument, so as of Thursaday (5/30/13) I have ordered the parts kit for build #1: a Les Paul.

Some of my most inspirational metal guitarists play Les Pauls.

To name a few:

James Hetfield - Metallica

Matt Heafy - Trivium

Jimmy Page - Led Zepplin

Not really a personal inspiration, but the old man and Bubbles (TPB) would approve:

Alex Lifeson - Rush

Anyways, obviously, the Les Paul style is at the heart of the music I love, and so, starting off with this classic seems like a natural start.

So on to it:


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The build:

Gibson Les Paul Style guitar (http://bit.ly/15r516U)
EMG H4 & H4A Pickups - Black Chrome - (http://bit.ly/11a6QjC & http://bit.ly/11jsLZN) *Tone samples: http://www.emgpickups.com/videos/emgtv/27/215

500K-ohm pots (Pro quality)
Grover locking tuners - black
Tune-o-matic bridge - black

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The kit comes with chrome hardware and white pickup rings & a pick guard.  All of this is getting scrapped.

I for one, HATE pick guards on Les Paul style guitars.  So that is going to be scrapped.  As for the hardware / pickup rings, I am going with black instead of chrome.  Those of you who know me, know that I also HATE a mirror chrome finished anything.  So, going with black hardware will suit this build much better.

I am kicking a couple color options around.  It'll likely be a black body / neck / headstock, but for the top, I'm kicking around a couple of colors... Emerald Green, Engine block Orange,  Sapphire blue, or school bus yellow... obviously, the color is going to be bright.

This thing is going to be a full fledged metal machine with the EMG pickups 500K-ohm pots, and set neck... but I'm hoping it'll also perform well in other areas, as Les Pauls tend to lend themselves well to all sorts of genres.

In any event, stay tuned, as I will be posting many photos and such of the build progress.