Custom Epiphone SG Special rebuild

JudasVigilante

I don't start many build diaries due to my lack of expertise, other than the Harley Benton challenge a while back. But here goes. 
Here goes:
The story goes that about 2 years ago I bought a cheap SG body on ebay that someone had wood filled and sanded and started to build a guitar with but for whatever reason gave up and sold the body. It was originally the standard SG cherry red, with lots of the paint sanded off. It was pretty smooth so after a finishing sanding and sitting around for a long long time I decided recently to make a start.
I don't have the best photos at the minute but I'll go into more detail and these will get better as I didn't intend doing a diary.
The body was undercoated in white and then various layers.The design was then applied over several weeks and about 20 coats of nitrocellulose lacquer was added. The paint on the guitar is Acrylic artists paint btw. Here are images of the guitar after painting.







I have a couple more photos of the guitar with neck added, which I will upload later today. But for now Its a sunday morning and I gotta run my girlfriend home after a night of debauchery. My mind is kinda jaded shall we say. I'll add more stuff later, but please be aware I don't have the skills of the likes of @Andyjr1515 and others who helped me out. More later, thanks.

JudasVigilante

I have a couple of more pics now that I have time. The neck was one I purchased from Amazon.co.uk, one of the few places I could find a neck for les paul / sg. I think it's a Kmise or something like that. (Pics below)

The neck was not drilled and I used the method of stringing 1st and 6th strings and lining upo with body as well as measuring the scale length. A big thank you goes to @Andyjr1515 for helping me out here as this was the first time out of the 7 or 8 I've built before, that I had to do this. 









The neck was held in place with g clamp and drilled and screwed together with 6 screws and bushings as I couldn't once again find neck plate for les paul or sg. The bushings and screws came from Axetec but an unusual problem arose in that the 6 screws were too long. had I of used them they would have come through the fretboard! Unusual. I went to local hardware shop and got screws that were similair thread but half inch shorter. All now seems well. Next step is that I have a couple of parts ordered. Straplocks, trussrod cover and some minor parts. The neck seems ok for first attempt. Buzz on low E at 1st fret and action is pretty high but these haven't been set yet. Just wanted to get it straight to start off with. Thats were I am at at the moment. Pickups and electrics and switch, knobs and jack to be ordered this week. That should be the bulk of it,. Leaving just full setup and soldering. Thank you to anyone who has helped me out on here by sharing their wisdom and expertise. No idea what I would do without you guys and gals who are so kind and helpful. It is much, much appreciated. 

JudasVigilante

Oh yeah, decals will have to be done too, I have some decal paper and scratchplate and back cavity cover will have to be either sourced or material cut. Might leave it without a scratchplate. Thoughts on this anyone?

Adam_MD

That’s a full on project you’re certainly braver than me.  Looks like a jigsaw.

id go for a clear or black scratchplate with that.  

Corvus

Hats off for doing something different.
Reckon the neck could take some colour on it, something to blend it more with the body? Not that you see it from the front.

Andyjr1515

It's what my father would have called a bobby- dazzler!

Looks great

JudasVigilante

@Adam_MD A clear scratchplate, maybe as well, a clear control cavity cover! genius Adam! I was gonna go for black but I think clear now may be the way to go thanks to you. Cheers for that. Thanks.
@Corvus I'd love to put a design or colour on the neck but I've never painted a neck. Not sure if I could get a silky smooth finish with artists acrylics. Theres a bit of raised texture to the body. The plan was to leave black and sort of tie in with the black on the body and black hardware. maybe thats an idea I could incorporate into another build.....a painted neck. How cool would that be?
@Andyjr1515 Thanks Andy. It certainly has a distinctive look. Truss rod cover arrived today as well as black straplocks. maybe get them fitted tomorrow, but not truss rod cover. I don't think theres much point fitting that until neck has been adjusted. Action is high, But no fret buzz except for low E on 1st fret. Get to work on that soon. 

Thanks everyone for taking an interest and commenting. Much appreciated. Cheers.

JudasVigilante

Straplocks arrived this morning. Just have time to get them fitted.

JudasVigilante

Silver / Chrome truss rod cover added. And wiring kit arrived from Axetec this morning, but I haven't had time to open yet.  Just to order pickups a the start of next week. Think I'm going for Wilkinson HOT humbuckers. Any thoughts?

paulnb57

Iron Gear Blues Engines are good value....

prowla

I think it needs a few more holes in the neck heel!

(Usually the strap button is on one of the 4 neck screws.)

JudasVigilante

@paulnb57 ; cheers for the heads up on iron gear. Never used them but know of their reputation. In my price range too. I'm a big fan of wilkinsons, well, in my strats and teles and p90's in a jazzmaster. Cheers mate.

@prowla all my other sg's are set neck, so I wasn't aware of that. Thanks man, I'll know for next time. The reason there are 6 screws and bushings is because the neck joint er, could be better shall we say. The previous owner of the body messed it up partly and I finished it, whilst trying to fix it. Thinmk it shouldn't move much now! But yeah I see your reason for the laughter!!!! Cheers mate.

prowla

:-) It looks a fun project!

BTW, I've got an Iron Gear pickup (a Tesla Shark, no less!) on a partscaster; it's pretty good and they've not expensive.

sawyer

Blues engine pickups sound great!used them on a couple of builds. Think the neck would of originally had a neck plate? Could be worth finding a replacement. 

Andyjr1515

What was the final decision on pickups?

johnl

Another vote for the Blues Engine - have one in an LP and it sounds great.

JudasVigilante

Hi Guys and gals. Sorry for my lack of updates this past couple of weeks. Pulled ligaments in my back. Still in lot of pain and have to take it easy. A friend sold me Wilkinson Hot Hb's (a pair) pretty cheap and new too. So thank you all for the tips and advice and recommendations for the blues engines etc. There'll be another HB build soon and I'll try some of those next time. I have the bridge, saddle and knobs etc fitted and I soldered it all up, not being able to find a proper wiring diagram for Sg special. (2 Hb's, 1 vol, 1 tone) it's incorrectly done and thus I have to do again from scratch. I thought I saw one on Seymour Duncans comprehensive site, but when I went back to reference it this morning it seems to have gone. If anyone knows how to wire this properly I need help and could do with some form of diagram or instructions. A couple of photos below.

JudasVigilante

JudasVigilante

JudasVigilante

Need help with wiring diagram for sg special just to emphasise that!!!! lol Does anyone know if I could use aluminium sheeting for control cavity plate? I have some and may try and buff it and spray black. I'm not sure what the implications of a metal cover are for interference etc, but I have a stack of copper tape I can apply to the inside of it. I'd just like to thank each and every one of you for your interest and help and advice. This is only my 8th or 9th build and by no means an expert. Without you all and your much deeper wealth of knowledge this would be a lot, lot harder. Thanks once again so much.

JudasVigilante

I've just found an explanation, not a diagram, on the web and I've drawn this diagram from it. If anyone can verify that this is correct before I waste more time, I'd really appreciate it. Sorry for lack of colouring pens!!! Cheers.