Best book(s) on electric guitar design and build?

OnTheRopes

TTony said:

WezV said:

Melvyn Hiscock’s book. 

That's @melvynhiscock !

I prefer to watch rather than read - just easier for my brain to make sense of it.  Mark Bailey has some online courses at
https://guitarmaking.co.uk/ which are proper professional standard courses.

I like the look of the mark Bailey course, though that is a bit further down the line.

Kalimna

Whilst acoustic, not electric, I find the Cumpiano/Natelson book to be fantastic - extremely good on the 'why' as well as the 'how'.
MH's books are written with a fine sense of humour too, something absent from others. Pretty rubbish book quality though (the book itself, not the content) - pages keep falling out...
I dont know the Baileys online course, but can vouch for his real-life courses.
The Robert O'Brien online courses are excellent and can be purchased in chunks - very well presented but a little light on design. Well worth checking out though.

Adam

impmann

+1 for Hiscock and +1 for Adrian Legg's book of wiring stuff. I got both out of my local library when I was about 14 and had them on renewal for months...

Both brilliant - and so f*cking what if they are black and white images.

WezV

Kalimna said:

Whilst acoustic, not electric, I find the Cumpiano/Natelson book to be fantastic - extremely good on the 'why' as well as the 'how'.
MH's books are written with a fine sense of humour too, something absent from others. Pretty rubbish book quality though (the book itself, not the content) - pages keep falling out...

Mine is nearly 20 years old, well abused and never lost a page - i think you may have got unlucky with the quality of yours.

I must admit, the Cumpiano/Natelson book is one that bored me to tears.   Its a great step by step guide, maybe i should revisit it.  its a hefty old thing, certainly the most detailed of the acoustic books

Kalimna

Maybe it was just bad luck, but i wouldnt let falling pages prevent me from recommending it
There is apparently a new edition of Cumpiano in the works, so that might address some of the issues with it too.

Adam

OnTheRopes

Just revived this post to say I am about to order a couple of books, does anyone know if there is much difference between the 1986 edition and the 2003 of the Hiscock book? I can get a copy of the former for under £20 but the 2003 edition is £40 used

WezV

The later version is much better, although its from 1998 not 2003.

Have you checked a local library - mine had the original version in at one point.   I purchased the 2nd edition on a whim in 1999 and I thoroughly blame it for my obsession

Roland

Why not buy it directly from Melvyn, and get an autographed copy. You can contact him through his web site, which also included a phone number. http://www.melvynhiscock.com

WezV

I believe a new edition was on the cards, but he has had a few health issues in the last few years and I don’t know if that changed his plans.  He is on Facebook so you can contact him there if needed

OnTheRopes

WezV said:

The later version is much better, although its from 1998 not 2003.

Have you checked a local library - mine had the original version in at one point.   I purchased the 2nd edition on a whim in 1999 and I thoroughly blame it for my obsession

Thanks all, a good idea that @Roland ;

WEzV I said 20013 as that's what it says here :

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Guitar-Hiscock-Melvyn-Paperback/dp/B00M0NEFFG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1520359539&sr=8-5&keywords=melvyn+hiscock

but I see all the other ads with the same cover say 1998

OnTheRopes

Okay I have just noticed that Leonardo Lospennato has 2 books:
Electric Guitar and Bass Design
Electric Guitar & Bass making and marketing

If I was to buy into this would you suggest one over the other or both seeing as one appears to be design and the other is build etc?  The 32nd is quite expensive though.