Dennis Waring & . David Raymond ©Make Your Own Electric Guitar and etek Cran DTM Eee ETERNAL SLM ss mE Thomas Randall g Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New YorkIntroduction 4 Guitars Through the Ages 5 Constructing a Six-String Guitar 8 Tools and Materials 9 Explanation of Tools 9 Jigs, Templates, and the Router 72 Wood Lore and Selection 12 Design Considerations ard Preparation 73 Body shape 13 Parts of the Guitar 14 Headstock Design 15 Neck Consideretions #7 Neck/Body Connection Options 19 Neck/Body Angle 19 Bildge Types 20 Creating a Full-Size Patiem 22 The Guitar Body 24 Preparing Wood Stock 24 Making the Pickup/Neck Pocket Master Template 26 Routing Process for Pickups and Neck Pocket 27 Cutting and Shaping the Body 28 Routing the Electronics Compartment 29 Bikdge Plecement 30 [Neck Screw, Ferrule Holes, and Truss Rod Nut Channel 32 Carving the Boy Contours. 32 Neck Pickup Wiring Holes 33 Neck end Headstock 34 Wood Preparation 34 TheNeck 35 TheHeadstock 37 The Fingerboard 39 Preparation 39 Gatling Het Sots 40 Fingetboard inlays 40 ‘Gluing Fingerboard io Neck 41 Fingerboard Atching 42 Instaling Frets, 43 Finishing Frets 44 Fingerboard Side Dols 45 Assemblage 45 Fitting Neck to Body 45 Tuning Mechanisms 46 The Nut 46 Installing Pickups 46 Electronics Compartment Cover 47 Stings and Sep 48 Finishing 48 Sanding 49 Staining 49 Sealing Woods 50 Grain Filer 50. Topcoats 50 Rubbing Out and Polishing 57 Finishing the Fingerboard 51 Wax 51 Constructing a Bass Guitar 52 ‘The Neck 53 ‘Truss Rod and Headstock 54 Fingerboard and inlays 56 Installing Frets 5: ‘The Body 57 Assembling the Body and Routing for Electronics 58 Pideup Cavities 50 Body Roundover and Body Contours 59) fretting 59 Prefinishing 60 Preassembly 60 Setup 60 Appendix 61 Master Drawings for Guitar and Bass 6 Guitar Patterns 62 Bass Patterns 64 Playing the Elect Gultar and Bass 66 Electronics 71 Word and Tone 89 Finishing Options 92 Tool Sharpening 93 Index 96“The guitars probatiy the most pepular musical instrument inthe ‘worl. This remarkable device. wis mary variant forms, has crossed all geographical boundars and fs now played in an enormous Varety ‘of cultura contexts. From Aficen beats 1 Heavy metal, Aslan pop to Fest indian lasskal, Its ongeing, adaprabllty seems mates. In secent decades the electritcation ofthe guitar, especialy Ins solc:oay form, and the dorninance of American popular culture, nave lranstormed musa sensbiltes globally. Offering nearly unlimited ‘tonal variety the electc guitar has become one of the most prominent instruments In jazz, pop, Yack, and world music today, Athough muct has been weiter about the electric guar and its Consiuction, there rernains a linited amount of practical majeriat within reach of the amateur woodworker. This book emphaszes acessiity: clear, methodical step-by-step process resuing in atradive, functional instruments. By using corminon weacwerking, tools easy to-order materials and avaliable resources for nding. lectonic components and ether hardware this volume provides lt the necessary inforruaton forthe aspiring instument maker and those seoking a better understanding of the instrument In adetion to Instructions for bulding a standard f-sningsolkd ‘body model galtar, here are dictions for making an wletrle bass suit. Te guia section contains detalled discussions of major procedures common to both guitar and bass. Options and relerences for futher development and enhancement are feund in the Appendix this book Electre ulters and basses are encetert vehicles for creiivty in boll butding and paying, Every aspect ot thelr design rem the shape 1p the electionic to the material they are made for, ls open to tinkering, Customization, or alt-out revolution. Solt-body elecic Instruments represent a unique arnalgamation, combining the oldest ‘elements of musical instrumentaking knowledge, a “pestor selection, {rom the history of electrenics, stunning visual design, anda capacity to ‘incorporate new ideas. Throughout thelr shart history, these Instruments have benefited fforn the e(forts of innovators representing ‘many diverse backgrounds. Hectrcal engineers, aeraspace technicians, tine woodwockes, artists, and even those seeking cheaper means of ‘mass-production have contributed enormously to the advancement of the electric guitar and bass. The results unique oppertnity fr the bulider’s personal expression or marty levels, ne reason for the constant advancement of eiecrc strngad instrument design isthe accessibility ofthe constniction process. While techinology has made it ore eficult for the averag person to tune their car oF foc household appliances, not to mention build better versions ofthese items, electric guar and basses of the highest qualty continue to be bull by Individuals in home werkshops, These Inctruments use relatively simple, tradtionol, and often okFasionedt technologies to gerierate sounds that continuausly chatlenge ana exe bth players end steners. People seek Lo enter this eld today nave ‘acces to sources thac were undreamied of a decade ago. A lange Variety of tools, hareware, elections, apd wood avalable from a Humber of specialty suppers and the ineemet has brought a revolition Invaccess to imtormation idees, and experiences of instrament makers 4 ail over the werld. This unique eampination af new end old makes ‘hese insraments among the most rewarding pursuits ofthe creative echnical Ancined inawyiaua This book outlines ine process of bulaing an elect gular and bass, The instruments are designed to iltrate the fundamenials of ‘ttc gitar anid bass construction. Stepby-step procedures produce instruments that are straighifonward but of high quality, While many of the steps require daunting precise operations, they are facliate by the use of jigs, patterns, and temrpletes that allow the patent, persistent beginner to produce professional results. Our instrctiors serve as an Introduction to the kinds of shop procedures and problem-solving sis sed by modem instumert makers, ‘The two instruments outined in tis book ullize a combination of traditional and modern design features: They are capabie of a wie range of musical styles, with versal yet accessible electronics and Construction details that have een choéen to enhance tone and Dlayability: However the possblltes (ar desing your own guitar oF bass are almost endless, and the reader should fee fee to explore 36 many options ac possibie to build av instrument that fis persena ‘needs, This book nicudes advice on avaliable woods hardware, lecronis, and possible design variations, Leainirg how these far ‘come together to produce a unigue Instrument fs a feschatng process You can enrich your own insyument-making experience inthe Jollowing ways 1. Read other books and periodicals about instrument making. Go to ‘Your lorery. Send away for further lnformation. Searcy relevant weh sites and chat raoms an the interes 2. Play as many diferent instiuments as possibe to famine yousalt lwith thor designs and features. Seek cut the knowlege and eplrions of players, salespeople, ropalrors. ar! bullets wherever possible There 's a great deat of knowledge available an you wil ind that people are happy to heip when they hear that you are building your own Instrument. 3. Research the availabilty of butding materials (soed, ners srngs, fet. Bogh gathering materials eary. Collect relevant catalogues ond sere oway for harto-thid items. Collecting areas may take some time and effor. but you will scover some wood sources ana make valuable connections tn the process. 4, Gather tools as you require them. There is no need to buy ase ot ‘> ne wil benefit from learning to read music from the et standard staf Asa practical matter, most guitarists who play popular styles on the electric ultar rarely need this skill unless they are Involved in studio, Composition, oF theetrical performance stuations. At the very least. you will need to know the riames of the notes at many locations on the fingerboard. The language of musi¢ can be learned without knowing how to read the staff, but learning to read music Is recommended as it opens many doors and facilkates the study of music theory, PLAYING RHYTHM GUITAR Playing rhythm chords on the elective guttar requires the use: of barre chords up and down the entie fingerboard, Much can be done with just & few positions; this section focuses on ‘wo groups oF families of chords, E and A, These chords are essentially the same shapes as the E (major and minor) and A. (major anu minor) choras given in fig 1. Through the use of a shiliig barre postion, every major oF minor chord can pe ound using these shapes, Batre Chords and Embellishments, Progressions For a G# major chord ‘Suppose you are learning a song that calls for a Gé major Chotd. You know from the G scale (Fig 3) that the 3rd fret of the fow E string is the note G, and you know from your ‘general study of music that a sharp (}) indicates raising a pitch by one fret (or halfstep). The lowest Gi note, therefore, an be found at the 4th fret of the low E sting. Because the bass note of the chord is on the E string, you match it to an E Bs fg 3 The GMyor Seale, Two Octaves ‘major shape, with the frst finger barring the 4th fet Fig 4). The barre itself should te Hat goss all of the stings, directly behing the 44 fet This is a GH Major chord. AG ‘mor cord can be constructed at the same Jocation, using an £ minor shape above the barre atthe ath tret. Use fim, even pressure {and do not cench your hand, For a ¢ minar chord Suppose, next. that you are asked to play ac miner chord You know from the C scale ig 2) that the 3rd fret of the A string sounds a low C note. Bacause you are bullding a chord ffom root on the A sting you will choose an A family ( minor) chord shape, With the ei fiat tnger creating a barre atthe 3rd fet. the |. tater fingers form the A minor chord shape | (tN above the bare (ig 5). This Is a C minor chord, for A major family barre chords The ring finger actually harres three strings, while the index finger provides a bass note 6F root note, which names the chord. See (Fig 6}, the C major barre chore, for an example of this family. tis helpful to memorize the names of the notes on the two lowest strings, as they provide locations {or all of the chords, Using this system, you «an find any major or minor chotd you a need Jn many guitar styles it (snot necessary to | “| |) Play a ofthe notes of a bame chord bt instead, focus on the higher or fomer nates. | cr nox hy many rock styles only the three low hoe ro Strings are played, usually with amplifier [_isa rock vic distortion to thicken the sound (Fig 7) tn many other siyles, like soft rock, repgae, ‘and pop muse the higher strings are emphasized (Fig 8), The notes of the chord may be sounded together (as in a reggae “chop” or “skank” guar part) or they may |, be articulated one at a time (an arpeggio for barre chord variation One of the most useful variations of the barre chord is the shuffte thythm, a versatile rock/blues ‘accompaniment patter. The following example comespands to a B flat ™ barre chord location, using the E shape above a 6th fret barre. Place your feft hand first finger at the 6th fret of the low E string, the note B® (a flat is the opposite of a sharp, and Indicales that a pitch should he lowered by ane ‘ted Place the ring finger of the left hand on the A string. th fret Strike these two strings twice with the pick. Stretch the aih finger of the left hand to the tenth fret of the A string while holding the first finger on the tow BD strike these two motes twice, then tit | the ath finger to prepare for the next two pick shuffle move in chord boxes, and it can be moved anywhere on the neck as long as your root noke Is on the EA, of D string. ‘There are many ather ways in which a hasie chord position can be adjusted or altered, creating melodic motion in the chord progression. Many well known songs from the blues ahd rock repertoire include sliding chord clusters in the rhythm gultar part (Stormy Monday, FBone Walker/The Allman Brothers; Memphis, Tenresee.Chuck Berry/Johnny Rivers; Messing with the Kid, Junior Wells’The Blues Brothers). Another means of creating melodic motion is by adding and removing extia noes against the chord, heard, for example. in Pintall Wizard by The Who and in Sugar Magnolia by The Grateful Dead. See Fig 10, p 68, for examples Of each of these approaches. Many of the most effective and interesting 67a if Fe 1S Custer and Suspet ihythm guitar parts in popular music incorporate these or ather modifications of the standard chords. Often this rhythm guitar part becomes the signature sound of the song iselt Songs are bul from sets of chords, often ult primanly from ‘one major scale or key. A chord progression or series of chores may be novel 0 sock, such asthe C majorA minor-F imajor-G major jomula which was popular in the 1950s Ive number the steps of the scale (C major), we can place chords in a key hy number. This technique allows for the transfer of information from one key to another. =I, De aa, etc, the stock progression given above becomes a 1-6-4 5 for -vHiV-V) progression, A variation. the Fvi-V, is played C ‘major—A minor-D minor-G major. in any key, the (,1V, and V ‘chords are major, while the ii, and vi chords are minor (lower case Raman numerals) These basic tools fend themselves to much variation often by switching major and minor chords. Try the 2rxd progression with an A major of D major chord tnstead of the minor for an example ofthis kind of substitution. Altemiately, a chord may be borrowed from another key entirely, creating mare unexpected harmonic motion. Try substituting an A flat major chord for the F major chord in the fist (IvHV.V) progression and listen for the diferent texture, Broadly speaking, jazz chor progressions switch keys of borrow actoss keys much more often than do other popular music structures. Controting sound and sustain of the clectric guitar while playing chords or melodies is often a question of allowing Certain stings to ring out while muting or damping others, To playa ight, percussive chord, the chording (lef hand controls the muting by releasing the pressure from the sitings immediately after the chord ts sounded, Do not lft the singers from the strings, just release the pressure and the notes will quickly die oft. This sets up a squecze-stum-squeezestrurm pattern between the two hands, and produces a ciisp, accurate thythm, The right hand can also serve as a mute by Testing on the strings as they are picked. The heel and paim ‘of the picking hand dampens all the strings, a siyle of muting used extensively by rock gulterlsts. The pick plays mostly down strokes, MELODY, LEAD, AND RIFFS ‘Aside from thythm playing and chording, electric guitanists are Coten expecied to play melodies, improvise feaas, and fil in ‘with short melodic passages called rif, licks, or breaks. These runs of single notes require mobility on the fingerboard and coordination between the hands, with precise picking and fingering, With one fingering excercise and a few mote scales, a number oF these requirements can be developed quickly 68 Building Mobility and Tecknique First, ty the fingering exercise frequently called the spider, as itresembles a spider crawling up the guitar neck. Place your left hand on the neck, about halfway up. Spread your fingers slightly and cover four frets with four fingers. This is.a basic rest position. Curl the fingers so that all four fingertips are resting on the low E string each in its own fret Press the first finger down and strike the stiing with a downstroke. Press the ext finger down and sisike an upstroke. Press the ting finger dovin, strike @ down stroke, and finish with the fourth finger and an upstroke, Move to the 4 siting and advance one fret tp the neck, repeating the picking pattern. Shift next to the D siring, up one fret, and again play the four note pattem. Continue across all six strings in this manner. Remember to. always use altemating dowr‘up strokes with the pick, creating a smooth flow of notes, This exercise and a descending variation are shown in a chord box end in tablature In Fig 11, To expand your use of the fingerboard, devise Variations of your own, t ene ig 11 Spider Baer For @ universal major scale Eatley, we looked at two open position scales Fg 12 gives a set of fingerings for a universal major scale whieh can be used anywhere on the neck, The starting note names the scale, much asthe low E string provides the naming note for all E family barre chords, This scale starts with the 2nd finger ‘of the left hand, and the example given is an A major scale, Si Starting on the 5th fret of the low E-string, Play the scale ascending and descending, with steady down-up-dowrrup pick strokes, You wil recognize the familiar do-te-mi-(a-so- do pattern. Don't worry about speed yet; t will develop haturally when the hands are better coordinated, Pentatonic (5-tone) sceles are important for blues and rock. _ ialead guitar fines, The minor pentatonic scale, Fig 13, is used ffor blues melody and lends itself easily to elaboration and ‘embellishment. The position given Is for the A minor pentatonic scale, but you can creale any minor pentatonic scale by using the low E string (n the same way that you use itfor the universal major scale to provide a naming nove and slaring place, Place yeur fist inger on any note ch the low E sting and reproduce the fingecings trom Fig 13. The mjor pentatonic scale fs also a useful too! for improving of writing a melody (Fig 14). (The opening ines of Oh Susanna employ a pentatonic scala) All pentatonic scales should be practiced smoothly, with dowh-up-dovin-up pick attack. Hig Major Pertatonic Seale Mar Pergaton Seales ae Idenilfied and grouped by analyzing thelr sequence ff whole steps (two fret distances) and half steps (one fret distances or adjacent notes) Some players favor certain types ‘of scales, thus creating a distinctive and personal sound, For Instance, the late lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, used the major seale and its various modes (alternate scales bult from the major scale) extensively, while Carlos Santana's sound is rooted In the minor scale, Most jazz players make use of a wide range of scales and switch from, ‘one to the otter quite often to accommodate the chenging harmonies within a plece. Jazz players also use unusual allered scales to Create angular ene surprising melodic twists ‘The electric guitar vocabulary contains stock phrases, Feerted to as licks or rifs, from which many songs and Improvised solos are constructed. For blues see ‘wo moves in the key of € given in Fg 15. The first is a stock tumaround or ‘losing phrase, and the second fs the Suzie rif, given in key of A, in Fig 16, and {s clearly within the A pentatonic minor scale set. shown in Fg 13, p 68, A good iff can be moved to 4 new key by shifting i up the fingerboard unt it matches ‘he key of the song being played More advanced techniques As your playing improves, you may wan to incorporate some diferent and more advanced et abd right and techniques. Ceitain styles oF piaying ere virtually defined by the technique lsed by the right hand. For example, chet Atkins is known for a fingerpicking style which does not make use of a standard plectrum. instead, ne uses a thumb pick while the fingers of ‘he right hand pick the treble strings independently of the thump, This stye is strongly associated with The Nashvile Sound and country music in gerieral, Many players use some af the fingers of the right hand while holding a pick in the usual Way; this gives them many options for rong patterns ‘which resemble Chet Atkins’ style picking while etaining the speed and clarity provided by the plecttum. Leo guitar playing makes use of many lelt Hand ticks and {techniques such as bending the strings. When bending a note, the pitch fs smoothly ralsed (rom one note to another, typically a whole step above the inital pitch. To play a basic end, place the ring finger of the let hand on the 8 string at the tenth fret. Tis s the note A. Place the firs and second fingers tently on tive same sting; with al three fingers, push the sting, across the fingerboard until the note matches the sound of the B string fretted at the twelfth fret. Many bends are used in biues, rock, and country guitar playing. and can be combined with stationary notes cn other strings. Other equally important left hanc techniques are the hammeron and its cousin, the pull-off.For both of these, a single pick stroke produces two or more imelouly notes. To play the hammeron, piace the index finger of the left hand anywhere on the fingerboard ang pick that sting, Before the note has a chance to die out, slap the ring finger of the sett hand down on the fingerboard two frets above the first note you played, sounding a new. higher note. The pull-off is just the reverse of the hammeron. Begin with the index and ring —| fingers of the ieft hand both pressing down the same string, two frets apar. strike the string, ‘with the pick and immediately lit the ring | finger, The sounded note vil drop a whole step ¥ | to the note fingered by the index finger A fast flutter sound can be achieved by repeatedly hammering and pulling off in one location, Some advanced rock styles incorporate right hand hammeron and pullott techniques, where the picking hand crosses over to the F165 Suie-a® hey ot A fingerboard to execute the hammering or tapping, These tochniques are widely used and allow a player to perform fast lines without picking every note. PLAYING THE BASS GUITAR Since iis introduction in the 1950s, the electric 69ass (electric bass guitar) has replaced the acoustic upright), bass as the lowest instrument in most popular music ensembies. Although its tuning and role in an ensemble are ‘he same us is larger predecossor, the electric bass’ ease of amplification and overall playability made it an instant success ivhen the original Fender models were offered to the public in the eaily 1950s. Bass players adapted quickly to the, fechniques used on the electric instrument end guitar players ‘easily switched over to bass, The sheer lengih of the bass neck, however, demens that players shif their left Hand positions quite often, as only a few notes are available in any ne location, ‘There are many right hand techniques forthe electric hass. Many prominent rock players use a pick, such as Paul McCartney, Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead}, and Carol Kaye (one of the most recorded studio musicians of the 1960s and 19703) ‘The pick produces a punchy, bright, clear tone with a lot of definition of the pitch and rhythm. Many players, such as James Jamerson of Motown Records, Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn of Stax Records, John Entwhistle of The Who, and Chuck Rainey {another influentia|stucio musician), developed a “two finger~ approach, Using mostly (Or exclusively) the fist two fingers of ‘he right hand, this style results ina thicker tone thar the: pick, and fas less attack. Starting in the 1970s, a new set of advanced techniques became popular through the rise of ‘unk and other felated forms of music, These techniques involve a varety of right hand slaps, thumb and finger “pops” [very aggressive plucking), and the snapping sound of the strings bouncing off of the frets. trecommend the standard, ‘wo finger approach for the beginner. Scale Studies tor Bass ‘Most of the scale study in this chapter applies to the bass guitar and the tablature and chord boxes can easily be read ‘on the bass. However, most instructional methods present imoterial in the bass clef. For several reasons, reading music on the bass is generally easier than reading music on the jultar, ist, the bass part usually proceeds one note at @ time, without crowing in a lot of fast notes or chord clusters. Second, hass parts tend to e somewhat repetitive Doth melodically anc rhythmically, so once you have:tead the thst few phrases the rest is easy. Thire, bass parts by thelr very nalure ate supporting other, more complex lines, and tend to, be witten rather sparsely and simply. To begin a bass scale study. start with Fig 2 (the C major scale) and review the corresponding section at the beginning Of this chapter, The fist six notes of the scale will be easy to locate on the bass, because the low four strings of the guitar are tuned to the same notes as the bass, albeit in a higher register Finish the scale by playing the Bon the ath fret of the G string and the C at the Sih fret. similarly (Fig 3) the G major scale, 5 easy to transfer to the bass. Play the scale as ‘written; when you reach the open G string, stop and begin the descent. of even greater use wil be the universal major Scale (Fig 12), This set of fingerings can be shitted anywhere Con the neck to produce any desired major scale, For the bass, 70 play only the notes indicated for the lowest three strings of the guitar. These fingerings can be shifted across to an A string root ang stil produce a major scale. Practice all of these scales ascending and descending, keeping a steady 1-2-1-2 picking pattern in the right hand. Bass players generally “map out chords, There are many ways to do this and they are offen specific to a certain style ‘The following examples are played against @ C chord, using the notes of the C major scale (C,D, fF, G, A, B, O, Because the language of music uses numbers as well as feters, think of the nole E as the 3rd note of the scale, the G as the 5th, etc. tn this manner, patterns are transferred to new keys, retaining the numeric information even when the fetter frames oj the notes (in a different key) have changed. Example 1 Use only frst note of scale (root or tonic) and Sth (Cand G). Pay 1st deat on the Cal the 31d fret of the A string, Play 2nd beat on the G at Sth fret of D stiing. For contrast, substitute a Jow G at the 3rd fret of the tow & string, Repeat the pattern, altemating € and G, for a simple country oF folk bass line for aC chord, the root and 5th, You can apply this, pattern to any chord root and its fifth Example 2 Use the root, 3rd, and Sth (C, FG), Locate these on ‘C major scale (universal scale fingerings oF € scale Fig 2). With ‘steady beat and 1-2-12 picking. play the patiern C, E, G, E, CE G Ean arpegio for the C major chord. Slightly moditied, this pattern is used in Letin American and Caribbpean music, break up the thythm by using syncopation, uneven beats and rhythms. Try patterns in otter keys by playing them in verlous Jocations on the neck ‘A piopulsive bass line that complements and supports the chords of a song ts cteated by various combinations of scales, arpeggios, and connecting notes. In blues and rock styles, the ‘majar scale may be less emphasizad than the pentatonic minor and major scales (Fig 13 and 14). When transferring these scales to the bass, remember that the scale has only five notes, and the sixth note concludes the scale by ‘duplicating the first note in the next higher register. A simple pattern bullt from the A minor pentatonic might use only the A(t fret of the D sting), the E (2th fret of the A string), and the G (Sth fret of the D string) fo support an A chord, A fepeating sequence such as A-A-E-GA will help you create your own patierns or locate those played by others, Bass lines prope’ the music from one chord to the next, Suppose vou have been supporting a C choid with one of the imple figures outlined above and you know that in four beals the chord will change to F major. You cout lead up to the F note by playing one beat on C one beat on D, one beat ‘nD sharp (frst fet ofthe D sving) and one beat on €. These {oU: notes fill the four beats and lead clearly up to the F where you would begin your next figure, Acquiring these basic maves and vocabulary will help you ask the right questions. Keep playing, Keep leaming, Ask other players for ther help.One of the best things about building your own efectric guitar ‘or bass isthe ability to custom design the electionics, This allows you to determine not only the kinds of sounds the pultar wil make, but how they are accessed and how many sifferent tones it wil nave, You may put the volume knob ‘wherever you'd tke, choose the way you switch between sounds, and generally make an instrument that fits the way you make music. Ifthe thought of ‘designing electronics seems intimidating, you'll be happy to know that these kinds of circuits are among the easiest and most intuive to work on, Electric insituments work on a few basic electronic Principles. After these are understood, youll be amazed at ‘what you can do with your guitar’s sound The “electric” parts of your new instrument give it its voice, ‘They transform the motion of the vibrating strings into the lecirical signal that leaves the output jack tn doing. so, the ekctronics add a degree of ‘color’ of their awn, shaping the Few sound of strings and wood in subtle or powerful ways This [s important on an electric guitar or bass becouse these Instruments are designed very differently than their acoustic cousins. Acoustic stringed instiuments rely on a hollaw box to ‘ransfoim the strings’ vibrations into att movement and to shape the resulting sound by emphasizing some frequencies over others, Electric instruments do the opposite: thelr solid bodies are designed fo avoid Interacting with the air so that they can be amplified to a much {ouder level before they produce feedback The result is a body which Interacts with tho strings very differently, reflecting back much of the strings energy {0 produce more sustained! notes with’ broader, latter frequency range. The less-colored tone is harmonically fich, with a mote extended high and low end than an acoustic Instrument, but this flatness tends to make it less musical, it i however, an excellent place to start PICKUPS Pickups do the job of changing the vibrations of the strings into electricity, Asa string moves hack and forth, the pickup Produces an electrical current in a pair of wires, which reverses direction each time the string does. Wher this Curent is amplified and fed into a speaker, the speaker's cone Moves in and out asa copy of the vibrating string, Teproducing its sound, Much of what gives a pickup its sonic Personality is the way it responds to different requencles of the strings: vibrations. Some frequencies wil cause the pickup {0 produce a stronger current than others, emphasizing those frequencies in the sound we hear This is similar to what happens in an acoustic gullar’s body, anc Is an Important part of the Instrument’ tone. Choosing @ pickup for your new guitar or bass is a very impertant consideration, Fortunately, today’s market is full of excellent choices, Several standardized pickup shapes have evolved which are produced by many diferent manufacturers ‘Once you've chosen an overall pickup type (Stratocaster style single coil, humbucker. jazz bass, etc) you can sill choose from many cifferent-sounding models. People have tinkered vuith pickups since the first electric Instruments appeaied, and ver the decades have come up with countless variations, ach with unique voices and capabilities. At the same time, the almost universal appeal of the electric guitar and bass has Dyought about an enormous amount of tonal exploration on the part of players, creating a huge vocabuiary of tones. Finding the sounds that work for you can be a lifelong Process, but the resources available to today’s builder make it a very enjoyable and rewarding one, ‘Most of the pickups used today are magnetic pickups. These were used on the earliest production electric instruments and have not changed much since their early development, especially when compared to the rest ofthe electronics world Magnetic pickups produce the tones we most closely associate with electric guitars and basses. The variety of tones {hat this includes speaks volumes for the versatility anc adaptabiity ofthese pickups. Magnetic pickups are actually quite simple devices. A basic ‘one consists of a small magnet with a very long, very thin, piece of wire coited around it. When the magnet Is placed hear a vibrating metal string, its magnetic field couples to the string and vibrates with it around the magnet, moving back ‘end forth through the coll of wite. This causes @ small fectrical current to move with # along the wire, emerging, at the two ends as the signal. While this describes a very basic pickup, the most advanced ones aren't much more complicated. The complexity in pickup design comes from the ‘ays in which these few components affect the tone of the signal they produce, through the materials they ere made of, thelr physical configuration, and countless small details which all contribute to the sound in some way. While this could te the subject of another book, all you really need to know to gel started is a familiarity with the main pickup styles and what makes them sound the way they do. PICKUP STYLES Single-coll Pickups Single-coll pickups ‘see drawing. p 72) were the first kind of magnetic plekups developed, and are the simplest and easiest to manufacture, Their excellent sound, inherent in their 71sinypity, 16 not easy to reproduce ‘eh peer, mare comple YH. signs. Over the years single-cols have produced mary of the most soughitaiter tones in both guitars anid basses, and thelt vesatiity and ‘expressive power Keep this radio-age design atthe forefront of modem music. ‘There are many different models ot single-col pickups, with vastly different tones, but for the most part thelr sound Is characterized by a clear and focused veble, a tight, well defined bass, and @ dynamic responsiveness to subtleties of picking style, Their overall tone is \ocal and somewhat bright, To many guitar players they seem ‘thin’, but Single Coit Pickup complimenting their warmth and Jona commentty ‘The most commen ype a single coll pickup for guitars is the one used In Fender Stratocasters Fig 1}, The poputarty of tis gutar 2 Telecaster Pickups: bridge (ef. neck (miele). ona Stratocaster pica ght) ince tts introduction in 1954 has this tone has some advantages that soe Atoppate —— Bpdepece cot aren't always apparent on first Booctom plate ouput whe Drodulced 8 huge area ee hearing, Played by itset a guitar with single coils doesnt always fll out the low end like a bassier one ‘would, but in a band or in a mix this seme tone “sits” beautifully ‘with other instruments, cutting through without the muddiness thai many guitarists mistake for a powerful sound. Another consiveration is that single-coils were designed when the only amplifiers available were small tube models that werent very loud, so they sound the way they are Intended to when theyre played through a tube amp with the volume up to at least 4 or 5, where the tone starts to fi out. At very low settings, a tube amp will 14922 Bass and stratccaster sound undercriven and thin, and often a player will ution 2 guitar through a powerful modern amp set at 2 or 1 resulting in an anemi fone and the choice of a thicker sounding gultar. Try single colls through e small tube arnp that you can turn up, and you'll understand what theyre about Jn a bass, single-coll pickups sound punchy and erticulate, with 2 low end that is clear and tight but not exaggerated. As in guitar, single coils in a bass produce tones that usually ‘work well In.a mix standing out by not conflicting with other instruments. They also match very well with tube amplifiers, R ‘eplacement pickups. Some ate designed as high-quality reproductions of the best vintage Fender models, wile ‘thers offer alternative tones that may be used in the ‘original pickup locations. The umber oF tonal options available for ths style of pickup make it an attractive holee to build with, and many guitar companies make models which use at east one of this type of pickup, Another popular Configuration is that ofthe Fender Telecaster, whose tio pickups ate shaped diferenty from one another, unlike the Stratocaster three identical pickups (Fig 2). While the range ‘{ models available in Tele styles 1s not as great as In the Stal format there are stil many to choose from. ‘Another style of pickup that has seen a recent revival in Popularity &s the Gibson P-80, a large single-coll with a thicket, more powerful tone than the traditional Fender types. Mos P 90 types currently produced are designed around the original sound of these pickups, although some variations are available, so if you choose to build with these excellent pickups, you will stil have some options later, just not as many as with the more common Fender styles,‘van es Pickups for these basses were hard to find only : ago. If you're building one, be sure to choose he proper polepiece layout for your sting | oF which have bladerype magnets that are giifo reach the cutsce strings sensing the strings vibrations, the coll acts as an stay electromagnetic signals like the ones ‘eatby fluorescent lights or amplifier 15 This s heard as hum, aften at the 6Ohz yg a clear tone or are ina relatively quiet place j speaking) but if you'e near e computer monitor, Sf. or your amp, the hum produced by a single- worse, as these tend to compress the signal ols in the quiet the notes. almost 0s Seth Lover an he Gibson company, an innovative to this problem, He found cos We Used, each peste dreton, the produced by one was a ‘Of the other. or out of phase with it, and the two. aaele ach other ow, However, i the magnets in were of opposite polarity, having thelr north and reversed, the sting signal from each coll would + producing fre sound ofthe string ut not [3 4 Humburcking pickup Gibson release¢ its humbucking pickup in 1957, iad fly secured the patent on the Invention. As ly Hlumbuckers had a label on the bottom reading 3 Jazz Bass pickups: Standard (ef), blade dlepiece Nursbucker frica),ipstick tube “Pat, Appl. For.” Since then, these early Humbuckets, and the many replacement pickups designed to capture thelr warm, musical tone, have been known as Patent Appiled For pickups ‘or more commoniy, PAFs (Fig 4). ‘While the Humbucker solved the problem of noky ‘guitars, I brought about some other changes as well, The Humbucker produced a different lone than its singio-collea prececessors, darker sounding, with a powerful low end and filled-out midrange, but less of the sparkling treble was a departure from the bright. dynamic tone of the Fenders, and even darker than the pickup largely replaced, Gibson's P-90. This kept it from replacing single coils, whose tone had become an Integral part of many kinds of popular music by that point. Ginson's arched:top holowbodys with Humbuckers ‘were culckly adopted by jazz guitarists, but it wasn't until the late 1960s that the mainstream caught up with Mr, Lovers invention, That was when the souind of overdriven tube amps staried to pervade rock and roll, and guitarists found that the Humbucker’s thick tone and higner output allowed them to diive amps harder, ‘Today, humbucker style pickups are avallable in all kinds of, tones, The shape of the original PAF has become the standard, ancl using this type of pickup in your guitar gives Yyou access to hundreds of models, There are also mink humbuckers, used on Gibson's Fitebird guitars and on some Les Paul models, and several manufacturers make versions of these. The Greteh company made an interesting litle humbucker called the Fikertron. tts bright, stingy tone was: perfect for rockabilly but fits a wide range of musical siyles i you re looking for something diferent. These have seen a bit of a comeback, having been reissued by Gretch and a few small independent pickup makers. Humbuckers were soon found in basses. Leo Fender designed one for his single-pickup Precision Bass, dodging Gibson's patent by having each coll cover only ‘two strings, This pickup became a standard for bass tone, with a full, warm hass.and round treble. Pickups of this type are made my most of the major pickup ‘manufacturers, rivaling the Jazz bass style in the number of models available. n the 1970s, Mr. Fenider established another standard with the humbucker he made for the Music ‘Man basses, These have a thick aggressive lone that has ‘been favored by staprstyle bassits, among others. and many versions af this pickup have appeared in the last few years Several other forms of bass humbucker are available, but there lant a single standard that has emerged aside from the Precision bass (or Pobass) shape. A versatile configuration which became popular in the 1880s isthe P4 combination, a BPass pickup supplemented with a Jazz-bass style pickup in more apparent in a coil that is wider and more flattened the bridge position (Fg 5). The soapbar shape we chose for is one of the main differences between a Stratocaster pickyp our bass is made by several and the squatter Telecaster bridge pickup, whose tone has companies, mostly in faitly “hie more midrange. The P-90 is very wide, making for ay 4 types of tone, and is an especially thick tone that retains the clarity of a singiewoll excellent choice for those eocnga modem sour ‘A big reason for the thicker sound and higher ouput of humbuckers is that their tivo cols are usually connected in Single-coll pickups cen be made © | series, or in a row (ee drawing below). This means tha to be hum-cancelling when two resistance in each coll adds together to make the resistant are used together, by having of the whole pickup, Conversely, when coils are combined in one of the pickups be reverse 5 py combination ‘parallel, the resuiting resistance is half that of each col aloe wound, reverse polarity, or RW/RP ‘and the fone i correspondingly brighter, Ths is respons In this configuration, the two pickups work like the two coils for the sounds you hear on a Stratocaster in the saccnd of a humbucker, with thei signals combining to cancel each other's hum. Most new Stratocaster-style pickup sets comme with the middie pickup RW/RP, and Jazz Bass, Telecaster, anc P-90 sets will have one pickup wound this way. When a RW/RP pickup is used by itself, it wil sound the same as a normally wound pickup, hum and all, While this arrangement doesn't solve the hum problem altogether, it provides the player with at least some hum-cancelling tones for use in electronically noisy environments. PICKUP VARIATIONS ‘Almost every part of a pickup has an effect on its tone. The complex interactions between components are largely responsible for the ich tonality of magnetic plekups, and Seis comets ‘make for almost infinite tonal possibiles, One of the most important parts of a pickup’s tone Is the wire used in its coll, Pickup wire is halr-thin, and. thousands ol turns ace requited to produce a usably strong signal. The current that a coll generates isa result of, believe itor not, reslstanice to current In is wire. The more resistance the magnetic field has to push against, the stronger a signal it develops, This means that if you use a more resistive kine af whe, oF mare turns of t, you produce a louder output: However, this wil also cause a change of tone, The resonant peak. or frequency thal is most pronounced, 5 yelecaster neck pickup, with 7 Lipstick tube pickup, 471K call moves lower, thickening the sound and 782 tilohuns col resistance resstance attenuating the treble. Pickups are often measured by their resistance to a DC current (what you get when you test with a voltiohm meter. This measurement ghes a very rough indkation of how much output the pickup aiehae has, but s mosly useful for comparing pickups tak have the hunk aa same type of wire magnets etc. as these factors also affect insere output fig 6, 7,8) ‘The shape of a coll also determines its tone. Interference besween the windings results in a loss of treble frequerices, 74positon which combine two oF the pickups In happens on two humbucker guitar when ‘together, Creative use of series ant tions can broaden the range of an tant part of pickup design isthe choice of pickuns, lke Vinlage Fenders, use polepieces sising which are individual magnets in the form extending between the coll windings. Other # one or two bar magnets on the bottom of the Syaghetism being conducted to the string by non: Ipokpeces corBisting of e metal cylinder or a ates allowing each to be Individually height ra balanced vounie between strings: This same malso be made with a single wide polepiece running, h ol the stings sometimes called a “blade.” This the magnet to cover the entire string area, gadrong signal even whien the strings are pulled e They ate also useful with norrstandard numbers ngs eechic mandolins, etc material also makes a difference. Meny pickups smade-ofainico, an alloy using aluminum, nickel here iisname, This alloy has many vartations, Galle ainco lot alnico V, each having a slightly pe and strength of magnetic feld. Another npickupsis ceramic, a less expensive material denied with a somewhat brittle tone, although “hen a pickup isnt designed well arqund the {linportant factor ia magnet’s sound is the strength le fe, and the way that it interacts with the agels exert a pull on the string tse the sting vibrates, This extra pull aften leads to as ofthe notes attack, al tne expense of some utisnt necessarily a bad thing, and is part of the {avored vintage pickups. In extreme cases, a ind, Ths fs quite audible with vintage Sirotocaster are adjusts 100 close to the strings, They have magne, and if you play the bass strings on the ol heer the ghost notes quite well, Some this part ofthe charm of a vintage nt Many newer pickups are designed with softer alc felds which alow te strings to vibrate more freely, sing sista ard harmonic accuracy. eo thestings without overly affecting sing ‘players may experiment win the aiterent tones produced at various pickup heights. In general, pickups placed ‘dose to the strings will Nave a louder output (naturally, more ‘veble and deep bess, and greater response to dynamics ~ overall punchier sound. As the pickup Is adjusted farther from the stting, the tone starts to softer and become somewhat rounder and warmer. Thoughtéul adjustment of each pickup ia an instrument will allow for fine-tuning of the sounds of pickup combinations If you are one of those Stratocaster players who lever uses the middle pickup alone, try adjusting it to fine-tune the reck‘midole and bndge-midale combinations. You may even want to angle the middle pickup to have different tones in the treble and bass strings in these combinations. t(s worth spending some time exploring the possibilities, just remember to readjust pickup heights if you change the string height at the bridge, or with a truss rod adjusiment tn the years since Fender humbuckers became the norm, many companies have ased singlecolls and Gibsorrbased emerged to make pickups to fl these models (Fig 9). 11 the process, the amount of sonic experimentation nas been staggering. and in recent years the plekup Industry has seen something ot a renaissance. in the 19905, many sma manufacturers entered the marketplace, offering mostly high quality pickups and innovative designs. & result was to drive up the 9 Pickups to fi Stratocaster type: Jevel of quay throughout stondand Stratocaster le) the industry. The internet has helped quite @ bit, making more information available to playérs, designers, and builders: One can now choose from many types of humbuckers that fit into Strat or Jazz Bass pickup holes or ‘humhuicker with blade potenieces (middle), ipstick tube pickup (ght) single-colls to fit in humbucker holes, with tones that cover the ground between both types. Many pickups are designed a alternatives to the vintage tones, offering broader frequency response and @ more accurate image of the sound Of the instrument itself, These have been especially popular in asses, where they allow greater depth and articulation, ‘One of the holy grails of pickup design has been to make a hunveancelling pickup that retains the tone of a single-coil. It has been very hatd to do, although pickup makers have tree for quite a while, The problem is that any time you have more than one coll, an interaction occurs that removes some of the clarity, focus and alr of the single coil Recently, several companies have released models that improve on the earlier 15atiempis, but all of these have fallen short except one. chils Kinmae’s strat pickups are among the best available. with a tone strikingly close to the best old Fenders, yot are at least as Qulet as most fullsizod humbuckers. Its hard to overstate what a historical achievement this is, especially coming at a time when computers have brought so much recording power to musicians, Normal single-colls are almost useless anywhere hear a computer monitor, and even today single-coil pickups remain an indispensibie part of many players’ sound. At the time of this wilting Mr. Kirman has released models for Telecasters, and is reportecly developing Jazz ass pickups and 90s, ACTIVE ELECTRONICS ‘Active systems utilize a small preamplifier in the instruments circuitry, usually powered by one or more vot batteries, Tals enables the instrument to drive tong cords of chains of ettects without loss of tone ar excessive noise. Powerful tone-contiol circuits may he included on the Instrument itself, and are especially useful in live situations. When individual pickups are mixed actively, ach with its own preamp, they do so in a tonally neutral ‘way, without the colorations of parallel and series connections. Active guitars anu basses may be plugged directly into most mixing boards, recorders, and computer soundcards without external preemplifcation, producing a dry tone, uncolored by conventional amplification, which responds well to effects, equalization, and digital processing, Aciive circuits have some drawbacks es well. The required batteries are inconvenient, and as they run down. the tone af the instrument may lose dynamic range and get ‘noisy. I is expensive to make good-sounding electronics which are small, and active systems often have a somewhat grainy, bile sound, Many ofthe advantages of active systems are available through other means; low- Capacitance cables give passive instruments clarity and delintion, and many modern amplifies feature powerful ‘one-shaping circuits accessible with foatswitches, Creative wiring in passive crculiy can produce tones which are often more interesting than those obtainable through the basic bass, middle, and treble knobs found on active cesigns, which usually duplicate controls already found on ampiliers IF you choose to install active electronics in your instrument, they will come vith insiructions for the necessary wiring. IIs best 1 purchase the system before you finalize your design so thal you can allocate the space necessary for the circuit boards, battery, and controls. PIEZO PICKUPS These offer an interesting tonal alternative. They are usually mounted within special made bridge saddles. These work 76 ‘uch like small microphones, ampliying the sound you ‘would hear with your ear against the surface of the instrument. The resulting sound is simllarto an acoustic instrument, and may be blended with magnetic pickups 10 produce unique tones, Players often send the piezo's signet 4 separate ample to create stereo etfedts, oF to layer two {otally different sounds. OUR PICKUP CHOICE For our guitar we chose Schaller humbuckers. They are very goad medium priced pickups designed after the classle Gibson PAF i Uke the Gibsons, they respond well when played clean 0 dbtal and have a versatile sound that works in any musical syle Un many higher-output humbuckers, thelr sound has detail, clay dynamics. The wiring we designed for the guitar further enhal Versatility with tunable single-coil tones and a convenient pickiq blending system, ‘The pickups we chose for our bass are made by the Lane Poor Ml Company of Fall River, Massachusetts, They feature a very cleat high fidelity tone with a warm bui detailed sound, and are hun cancelling, Combining the best of active and passive tones, Lane. Poor pickisps have @ somewhat lower oulput than most passive lypes, akhough it i ample for everything but everdriving jov-gal tube amps. The uncolored sound of these pickups means that equalization may be needed to achieve a desired tone, but ter 0 much tonal content, detail, and clarity that equalization and ‘amplifier circuits respond very well, creating many sonic poss are an excellent choice. We ve used! models HB 3.950 and Si 39 for bridge and neck positions, respectively. STRING SPREAD AND PICKUP POLEPIECES Thaltionally, Fender guar bridges are slightly wider 2%sin between the ouside strings, then Gibson bridges Tueo mailc and others), which measure 2%e in. The pickups {or these guitars have correspondingly spaced poiepeces Th ‘means thal, for instance, when using a Gioson type (humbucking) pickup with a Ferder-spaced bridge: the out strings wil be slightly wide of the pickup's palepieces, and sound quieter than the other stings, ‘To compensate for this, many companies make humbuckers, with wider polepiere spacings, and Fender-hased bridges, avaitable which are narrower, usually somewhere in the nicdle of the two traditional spacings, Bridges are also available which have sadcles that are adjustable for sting: spacing, For cur guitar, we chose a bridge and pickups fall in the middle range. When choosing your components, sure to take this into account, remembering that the stings eet closer together as they get fariher fram the bridge.PICKUP PLACEMENT The location of a pickup in relation to the stings is an important part of how it sounds Pickups placed near the ‘ridge of the instrument sound very brighi, shi those nearer the neck are bassler, This Is because of the way that a string Wibrates when it's played. ___ Astring’s length and tension determine the frequency, or pitch, at which it vibrates. This piteh is called the fundamental, the frequency generated by the full length of the string, However, strings also vibrate in fractions of thelr length, ‘called naimonics (below) Harmonics are multiples of the fundamental frequency, and give @ string its rich, complex Sze aS zim {se hiamonie —— # x « String Maemo sound (called timbre). If you pick a string exacly at Its center {the 12th fret of an open stig) you will hear mostly the fundamental, The sound is bassy and round. As you pick. closer to the bridge, you will hear more of the harmonics, and the sound is brighter, A pickup senses a narrow section of the stiing's engi, and its tone will onty contain the vibrations which occur at that area of the sing. Pickups near the bridge sense a lage ratio of the string’s harmonics, and less of the fundamental, resuting ina bright tone. Pickups nearer the neck have a | strong fundamental content and are raturelly basset. i Because the string has a wider range of movement at is center than near iis ends, neck piclups sense a stronger signal than bridge pickups. f two pickups of equal output are used, the neck pickup needs to be adjusted farther from the strings than the bridge pickup for the two to have equal ‘volume, Otten a pickup with a higher output is used in the bridge position to compensate for this. and many pickup | __TModels come in neck and bridge versions with compensated outputs | When laying out your insirument, its possible ta do some fine-tuning with sight adjustments to pickup location, This is. especially rue ofthe bridge pickup, where a eifference of Vs in will have a noticeable sonic effect. you find that bridge pickups are unusably bright, place yours slighty farther irom the bridge than normal. When measuring pickup placement on an esting instrument, be sure thai the scale lengih matches the one you intend fo use oF else compensate accordingly. KNOBS AND SWITCHES PLACEMENT ‘One of the most common complaints about the Fender Stratocaster concerns the placement of lis volume knob and pickup selector switch, Both are directly in the path of the: picking hand, and many players accidently knock them to an rinlended setiing. Other players, usually those with-a lighter touch, find the locations of these controls convenient for ‘making rapid adjustments. This Is especially true of players who keep thetr ite finger on the volume knob to “swe the note ater it is picked. (n placing your components, you may duplicate those found 6 a familiar instrument, or design a layout which fits your own preferences. Usually, itis best fo locate knobs and switches where they are accessible, but out of the way of flying picks and fingers. You might also consider the visual impact of the components en the body shape. ‘Once you have finalized the layout adjust the shape ofthe electronics compartment accordingly. Be sure to leave room forthe ouput jack (uth plug in place) you thnk you mey want to moldy your elecrontcs by adding additonal swltes or knobs ot alter cate, provice space for ese as well. tis Wve 10 leave ample room around potentiometers, sothat | they become loose end spin in their mounting holes, they won't contact the compartment’s shielding or other components OTHER ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS AND WIRING How to Solder Soktering requires care, patlence, ard timing, but its not aiicutt 1o master, and many builders find it very enjoyable. It You have never soldered beiore, take some time to practice by soldering together scraps of wire or old components fetter yet. get some experience on an inexpensive instrument before working on anything irreplaceable, tke a vintage sulkar. Fortunately, the electronic parts in an electric instrument are relatively inexpensive, and itis hard to actually ruin anything with bad soldering technique as long as you take the precautions mentioned here. Before working inside of an electronics compartment, always ‘mask ofthe surface of the instrument with cardboard ot several sheets of thick paper itis not uncommon for smalt blobs of hot solder to spatter ar drip of of a soldering iron, and they dont get afong well with wood oF firishes, Similarly, avoid contacting the metal parts of a soldering in to, anything that shouldn't be burned, such as the sides of your Glectronics compartment. its very easy to be focused on ‘what you are soidering and suddenly smell burning wood. 77