Girouard Electric Tenor Guitar

[Ed Goist]

I am very excited that I am currently working with Max Girouard on a custom electric tenor guitar build.

We've gotten far enough into the plan and design for this instrument that I'm now comfortable starting this thread with a listing of the instrument's specs, Max's drawing of the design, a pic of Max's plywood work-up of the instrument, and a pic of the Mahogany he'll be using for the build.

As the build unfolds, Max and I will post updates here. I'm really excited about this project!

Here are our working specs:

The Girouard 'Mojo-4TG' (a solid-bodied Electric Tenor Guitar)
* Tuned GDAE one octave lower than a mandolin (will be able to accommodate CGDA and other tunings as well)
* Design: A classic symmetrical, double-cutaway electric guitar-like design. A Girouard original design, loosely inspired by the Gibson Joan Jett Melody Maker guitar.
* Body: Mahogany
* Neck: Mahogany
* Neck Profile: A slim-profile "Modern C" shape, with a low profile thickness of about .780" at the 1st fret
* Neck reinforcement: Traditional truss rod plus 2 carbon fiber stiffeners
* Scale: 22.875" (58.1 cm)
* Fretboard wood: Indian Rosewood or Ebony
* Fretboard radius: 10"
* Nut width: ~1.25" (32 mm), string spacing 1" (25.4 mm)
* Strings: Nickle plated - gauges: 42W - 30W - 20p - 13p
* Hardware: Chrome
- Bridge/Tailpiece design: Gibson-style tune-o-matic radiused saddle & bridge with 'stop bar' tailpiece.
- Tuners: Grover sealed individual [Midsize Rotomatics (18:1)]
- Side-mounted output jack
- Two strap buttons
* Electronics: one Seymour Duncan SCR-1N 'Cool Rails' for Strat Humbucker pick-up (wired for parallel/series/single-coil operation)
- Pick-Up location: mounted closer to neck than bridge, at the "theoretical 24th fret"
* Controls:
- a coil-splitting switch (a 3 position toggle [series humbucking/split/parallel humbucking])
- volume & tone controls.
* Frets: Large/Tall (80 X 50)
* Coloring & Finish: A glossy Bright White in a water-based lacquer (KTM-9 waterbased lacquer with ColorTone white liquid pigment), with a 3-ply (b/w/b) black pickguard

Design Drawing


Plywood work-up of instrument (next to a Girouard A-style mandolin for perspective)


Mahogany for the build

[djweiss]

Looks cool, Ed...Make it a 5 string and I'm sold!

[Soundfarmer Pete]

Looks good Ed....always liked Melody Makers!
Just a thought.......since the drawing shows a full scratchplate, I wonder whether its worth asking Max to rout a cavity so that you could add another pickup at a later date (just in case the neck pickup alone is too boomy)....just a thought!

[thistle3585]

Looks good Ed....always liked Melody Makers!
Just a thought.......since the drawing shows a full scratchplate, I wonder whether its worth asking Max to rout a cavity so that you could add another pickup at a later date (just in case the neck pickup alone is too boomy)....just a thought!

Good idea Pete. By the way, are you making any tenor or OM pickups?

Very nice looking instrument Ed. I'm anxious to see it when its done. I'm working on one myself.

[Soundfarmer Pete]

Good idea Pete. By the way, are you making any tenor or OM pickups?

Hi Andrew.....yes, I`m making tenor and OM pickups.....I`ve two tenors on the bench at the moment - looks like they`re getting popular!

[George R. Lane]

Oh Ed, Ed, Ed.
Why must you keep coming up with great ideas for mandolins and now Tenors.
Just be sure to make a video of when you get it.

[Ed Goist]

Here's an update:
Max has attached and mostly shaped the neck.
The fretboard has been attached, and the frets installed.
It's starting to look like an electric tenor guitar.
The complete album for the build can be seen here.

[JEStanek]

You've got it bad, Ed.... real bad. Have fun!

Jamie

[Jayyj]

Always thought the later wide horn Melody Maker was one of Gibson's most underrated body styles - you're a man of good taste! Can't wait to see the results.

[Ed Goist]

Initial assembly by Max (check out the great job Lauri did on the bright white finish!)

[rico mando]

looks awesome

[JEStanek]

What are you going to do when Neko Case breaks in your house to steal it? That looks very nice, Ed. Max and Lauri are making a name for themselves.

Jamie

[Soundfarmer Pete]

Very tasty!

[mrmando]

What are you going to do when Neko Case breaks in your house to steal it?

If I know Ed, he's already invited Neko to come play it any time she wants to.

[Ed Goist]

What are you going to do when Neko Case breaks in your house to steal it?...snip...

If I know Ed, he's already invited Neko to come play it any time she wants to.

Well, maybe we'll find out what Neko thinks about it. I'll keep you posted. (BTW, she re-tweeted pics of my Gretsch when I sent those to her a few months back)...

[Ed Goist]

Well, maybe we'll find out what Neko thinks about it...snip...

Well, there we go!

[JEStanek]

That's a stitch and I'm jealous.

Jamie

[Charles E.]

Thats worth having it built alone. Looks great Ed!

[Chinn]

Super cool Ed. Very jealous on many levels!!!!

[mrmando]

I predict a sudden upswing in custom tenor builds and new Twitter accounts among single American males between ages 8 and 88.

[Ed Goist]

The Mojo is ready to come home!

[rico mando]

Love It Bro ! I will trade my cream coloured Eastwood for it !

[rico mando]

Hand made Canadian Amp ED http://ecure.eastwoodguitars.com/osc...roducts_id=125

[Tom Wright]

It's a handsome item, Ed. I note that Max gave you a large shielded cavity, so you can add that treble pickup later if you decide you miss it.

[Ed Goist]

I spent several wonderful hours playing 'The Mojo' today!

She's even more impressive in person than in the photos. Great fit and finish, excellent hardware, and a very good set-up by Max. Also, the Tune-O-Matic bridge makes fine tuning of the action a breeze.

What a wonderful instrument! Thanks to Max & Lauri of Girouard Mandolins for building such a great instrument.

Oh, and thanks to Seymour Duncan for making their Cool Rails for Strat pickup a flat-out Rock and Electric Blues Banshee! The Cool Rails with the three-way switch makes for a diverse and impressive tonal palate. Position 1 [parallel] is similar to a Telecaster with both PUPs engaged, while position 2 [split] is like a single-coil on a Strat, and position 3 [series, traditional humbucker] packs a huge Gibson-style classic humbucker wallop!

I am one happy customer.