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Potvin Guitars
Potvin Guitars
Potvin Guitars
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Potvin Guitars is me, Mike Potvin. I'm a one-man shop building electric guitars full-time since 2008. I love all things vintage, and have a bit of an obsession with muscle cars. I like to build guitars inspired by vintage classics, but I also have some original designs that I'm really proud of. I also have a line of guitar building templates and jigs that I make available to other builders (pro and hobbyist).
Комментарии
@KPNJ3470
@KPNJ3470 13 дней назад
Question - my golf club has an old prominent pine coming down - one that caused much frustration for many golfers !. A friend of mine is a professional guitar player and also a golfer. He wants to make a guitar body from the line. It will likely involved epoxy voids etc. what is your thought on pine (soft) as guitar body wood ?
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 13 дней назад
There's nothing wrong with using pine for a body. As you said, it's a soft wood, so be prepared for it to get dinged up easily. One thing to keep in mind is that you won't be able to just slice up a freshly cut tree and make a guitar. It'll require years of air drying and/or some time in a kiln before it's usable. Good luck!
@kanjinha
@kanjinha 15 дней назад
best video on the topic, thanks
@doglegsteve8363
@doglegsteve8363 Месяц назад
brilliant job - just what I need at the moment - thank you !
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars Месяц назад
Glad it helped!
@fastheartmartvideos
@fastheartmartvideos 3 месяца назад
Thanks for this helpful video! I almost bought a baritone telecaster neck for my StratAcoustic and now I know it will not work. I will look for a stratocaster baritone neck now that I know.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 3 месяца назад
You're welcome, I'm glad it helped!
@ande047
@ande047 3 месяца назад
Thanks Mike! I was just about to pull the trigger on some 3M 9740 tape but came across your video. You just saved me $20! That 3M is pricey and I’m not gonna indulge in the stewmac prices for theirs. Oh I also want to thank you for making the fender toronado template. That was actually my first build using your template and it come out great!
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 3 месяца назад
I'm glad to hear you liked the templates and that your build turned out great! Let me know how you like the tape when you try it 👍
@devincomiskey3482
@devincomiskey3482 4 месяца назад
Nice to see a face with the name, finally! What the heck is that machine with the Dilbert doll on it???
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 4 месяца назад
Dilbert is watching over the CNC producing guitar templates! 😛
@JohnAdams-xc5yk
@JohnAdams-xc5yk 4 месяца назад
I put telecaster necks on Stratocaster bodies but i buy new body that is hard tail, route the pocket to fit telecaster
@christopherhall5315
@christopherhall5315 4 месяца назад
Nice work, Mike. I was impressed by how you locked the unit in place with the piece in the back. Very clever and necessary I would imagine. Another great video, thanks!
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 4 месяца назад
Thanks! Sometimes the easiest solutions are the best 😉
@paulwaldrop
@paulwaldrop 5 месяцев назад
Looking good. Like the french cleat approach and how you secured it to the table.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 5 месяцев назад
Thanks! I work in a tiny/packed shop, so the flexibility of being able to remove it is super-handy 👍
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 5 месяцев назад
If you need Guitar-Building Templates , I have full sets for 135+ models store.potvinguitars.com
@doglegsteve8363
@doglegsteve8363 Месяц назад
@@PotvinGuitars thank you - I’ll take a look.
@lynguist
@lynguist 5 месяцев назад
very valuable tips, much appreciated, thank you !
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 5 месяцев назад
Awesome, I'm glad you found it useful 👍
@thehendar
@thehendar 5 месяцев назад
Excellent video with clear concise information. The T and S jig really illustrates the concept in simple empirical analysis. Thanks. Not arguing any point but I have a T neck on S ‘ocasta and although saddles had to be moved toward nut I was able to intonate it..plays well sounds nice but not the belle of the ball. I know I shouldn’t say this…I still want to square them shoulders in the pocket to make the neck snug up in there!
@Tommy712rus
@Tommy712rus 5 месяцев назад
I was just about to buy tele neck for strat... wanted more thick neck 😄 Thanks
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 5 месяцев назад
Tele necks aren't thicker than Strat necks. You can either one with a thicker profile :)
@Tommy712rus
@Tommy712rus 5 месяцев назад
@@PotvinGuitars well i mean spot where you grip it
@Splash_Gordon
@Splash_Gordon 6 месяцев назад
Just a top notch video. Quick, illustrative and informative.
@bobholst874
@bobholst874 6 месяцев назад
You can change to spring loaded Speaker terminals unless you were more permanently mount caps. I like the speaker terminals because I can swap in different values for side-by-side comparison of the caps when you've narrowed your preferences.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 6 месяцев назад
That's a great tip, thanks!
@garycox3205
@garycox3205 6 месяцев назад
Mike, do you have a video on your tune o matic bridge template, just got in mail today but not instructions.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 6 месяцев назад
Hey Gary, Position the template correctly for your scale length, then tap a 1/8" brad point drill through each of the 4 holes to mark the post locations. Then remove the template and drill with the correct size brad point drill bit for your particular posts.
@yikelu
@yikelu 7 месяцев назад
Super Strat and Tuxedo Tele are my favorites for sure.
@jeffhowell5625
@jeffhowell5625 7 месяцев назад
Great tips Mike thanks
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 7 месяцев назад
Thanks Jeff! \
@TheDogPa
@TheDogPa 7 месяцев назад
Slap on some duct tape, some super glue, or shove in some wedges and your student bolty can indeed use the wrong neck...lol! Or you could get a job and buy a good guitar, or get the right neck.
@leadonc1976
@leadonc1976 7 месяцев назад
Great Job Mike. Thanks for answering my questions about truss rods. Very helpful. As well the tips on using locator pins through the fret slots when gluing up the fretboard is a great idea. Thanks Sheldon
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 7 месяцев назад
Thanks for your question Sheldon! I'm glad you found some useful tips too 🎸👍
@averydeadhorse
@averydeadhorse 7 месяцев назад
The builds look great 👍 Do you think you could do a video on how to use the carve top jigs? Will there be a set of carve top jigs for a 335 style at some point?
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 7 месяцев назад
The LP carve guides are fairly straight forward- route around each template from largest to smallest to form a stair-step / pyramid. Them smooth out the steps with whatever tools you have (orbital sander, chisels, sandpaper, scraper etc). The 335 carve is not as well documented as the LP, so unfortunately I don't have any measurements to work from :)
@andresberrelleza9813
@andresberrelleza9813 7 месяцев назад
I only have 1 screwdriver. Think I could make it through?
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 7 месяцев назад
Well... 😀
@oheare
@oheare 7 месяцев назад
Well done, Mike! AS you know, I've done teaching and stuff. As well, I was a technical trainer and training developer for some time. I think you did well.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 7 месяцев назад
Thanks! I have fun hearing what everyone is working on 👍
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 7 месяцев назад
If you'd like me to answer your guitar building questions Live, jump on my email list so I can tell you when the next Livestream takes place! potvinguitars.com/subscribe/
@markhammer643
@markhammer643 7 месяцев назад
Greetings from a fellow Ottawan. How the heck did I not know you had a RU-vid channel all these years? Why settle for one tone cap? I like to use something I got from Craig Anderton over 40 years ago: a bidirectional tone pot. Tone pot wiper goes to volume input lug, and each outside lug of the tone pot goes to ground through a different-value cap. I like to use a "standard" value cap (generally .022uf) on one side, and something about 1/5 to 1/4 that value on the other side (e.g., 4700pf). Because this constitutes what is effectively two tone pots in parallel, that requires hiking up the pot resistance. I use 1meg linear. When set to its midpoint, it becomes two 500k tone controls set to full treble (i.e., negligible cut). I would be nice if someone made a 1M linear pot with a centre detente, so you could rotate until you feel the little click, but alas, I've never seen one in the wild. But quite honestly, almost any position 40 degrees or so away from either end tends to be bright enough. The lower/smaller cap side provides a nice "rounding" of the tone, and can introduce a bit of a resonant shift. I like to describe it as "sanding off the edges". This stands in contrast to the dulling effect of the cap in the other direction. One of the perks is that all tonal changes are accomplished in half the rotation normally required by a conventional tone control. This makes it ideal for those who like to use "pinky wah" (producing a wah-like treble swell by quickly rotating the tone control). Rotary switches are great for many things. I made a little gadget for selecting the optimal current-limiting resistor for LEDS illumination. LEDs vary in how efficient and bright they are. What may be a suitable resistance for making an old-school red LED bright enough may result in a newer superbright one being blindingly bright. So, I have a little jig with a 12-position switch and a range of resistors from around 1k5 up to 18k. A 9V battery plugs into it and the LED gets inserted into a socket. I start from the highest resistance value, and work my way down until get a brightness that's suitable. What counts as "suitable" depends not only on the LED's brightness, but the background against which it will be seen. An LED against a dark background can afford to be a little dimmer, while one against a white or light background needs to be a little brighter. Handy little thing.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 7 месяцев назад
Hey! The LED / Resistor chooser is a great idea. I'm going to put one on my electronics To-Do list 👍🙂
@markhammer643
@markhammer643 7 месяцев назад
@@PotvinGuitarsThanks. It probably won't identify the *exact* resistance, but if, for instance, 4k7 is a little too bright and the next switch position of 6k8 isn't bright enough, that will provide an idea of what possible standard value will be optimal. It was something I found necessary because of a parts drawer chock full of different LEDs from different eras. A person could always use a pot, I suppose, and measure the pot resistance when you hit the sweet spot, but this is less cumbersome because one can know, in advance, according to switch position. Of course, choosing a cap *absolutely* requires a switch!
@jeremyshort2718
@jeremyshort2718 7 месяцев назад
Can these be used for left handed builds?
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 7 месяцев назад
Yes! For the occasional lefty, you can just flip the templates over. If you're left-handed, and you only build left-handed models, just get in touch by email and I can make you a dedicated left-handed set 👍🎸
@renaldroy5462
@renaldroy5462 8 месяцев назад
Very helpful
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
Awesome, thanks for watching 🎸
@GNARGNARHEAD
@GNARGNARHEAD 8 месяцев назад
thanks, very helpful 👍
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
No problem, glad it was helpful!
@TeamUltraSlow
@TeamUltraSlow 8 месяцев назад
Thanks for this, Mike. Well-presented and informative. The static overlays/screen shots were awesome for later use to easily see some information you want to revisit. Looking forward to whatever else you put out.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
Thanks for watching, I'm glad it was helpful!
@blb2388
@blb2388 8 месяцев назад
That was great, Mike. I would welcome any other videos/Q&A sessions you could offer. Maybe some discussion about building necks from scratch?
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
Neck building is a bigger topic, but that's a great idea! I'm gathering up questions from my email subscribers for a future Neck Building Q&A.
@christopherhall5315
@christopherhall5315 8 месяцев назад
The thing that I am taking away is taking a smaller bite while routing the body perimeter. And I will make sure to sand right up to the line, leaving only a small amount for the router to remove. Very well done, Mike. Thank you!
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
Thanks for watching, Chris! Yes, leaving as little work as possible for the router is the goal 👍
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
If you'd like me to answer your guitar building questions Live, jump on my email list so I can tell you when the next Livestream takes place! potvinguitars.com/subscribe/
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
Scott White - I saw your message in the chat just now about using an oscillating edge sander before routing. That's a great idea if you didn't quite get close enough to the line when you did the rough cut of the body on your bandsaw. The goal is always to leave as little work as possible for the router to do.
@leadonc1976
@leadonc1976 8 месяцев назад
Hey Mike. Thanks for the video, sorry I couldn’t be there for the live. Great information on router techniques and help with the neck angle info. Sheldon B.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
No worries Sheldon, maybe you can catch the next one. Thanks for watching! 👍
@jackwilson3875
@jackwilson3875 8 месяцев назад
All the routing info was super helpful. Time to buy some cheap wood and give it a go. Thanks Mike.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
Thanks for watching! And yes, build up your chops on "cheap wood" and then have a go at something extra-fancy(tm) 😛
@riconadjar6221
@riconadjar6221 8 месяцев назад
Hi, could you sand down the corners of the body to flatten the bottom of the pocket? Thanks
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
If you mean can you sand the corners of a Strat neck pocket to turn it into a Tele neck pocket, then no that wouldn't be possible. You could use a Tele neck pocket template and router to do it though.
@brucemyers5463
@brucemyers5463 8 месяцев назад
I would name it the "flex capasitor".
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 8 месяцев назад
To be honest, I almost always call it either the "Flux Capacitor" (apologies to Doc Brown), or the "Capacitor Thingy" 😛
@scottwhite4711
@scottwhite4711 9 месяцев назад
Great tips Mike. Thanks a million!
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
You bet! Thanks for watching 🙂
@djpenton779
@djpenton779 9 месяцев назад
I had pretty much given up on double sided tape until I tried Mike's recommendation. It is excellent tape, no more sticky residue. Pretty expensive, so I still use masking tape and CA glue for non-critical things. Although spectape tears off easily, I still prefer a big tape dispenser that holds the double sided tape and a roll of binding tape. This allows me to grab sections of tape with one hand. Thanks Mike!
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
A tape dispenser definitely makes life much easier 👍
@jakejanzen7609
@jakejanzen7609 9 месяцев назад
Enjoyed your video. My sanding tip is to lightly water mist the wood, let it dry and sand with high grit. Probably a well known tip.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
I'm glad you liked it! That's a great tip for raising the grain when you're getting ready to apply a finish 👍
@omarmoran3097
@omarmoran3097 6 месяцев назад
​@@PotvinGuitars I am going to build a 5 string bass guitar sadly I had no luck till I came across your page. There isn't 5 string templates. I can only find 4 string templates. I will be ordering a template here soon.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 6 месяцев назад
@omarmoran3097 🙂 store.potvinguitars.com/bass-sets-5-string/
@davidreineke1758
@davidreineke1758 9 месяцев назад
To attach sandpaper to the blocks or leveling beams I use a "repositioning" spray adhesive made by 3M. It's designed for photo albums or scrap books where items may need to be moved. It holds the paper in place but can be easily peeled off and replaced. If there is residue left rubbing alcohol or similar cleans it right up.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
Cool David, thanks for the tip!
@unibuzzer
@unibuzzer 9 месяцев назад
I sanded my tele neck to fit my strat body because I like the tele headstock look, and wanted a hybrid zombie guitar. . . I know. Vanity
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
Mixing and matching is great fun 👍 Build what you like!
@ricrowley8244
@ricrowley8244 9 месяцев назад
Good tip. Still have not started that first guitar, ( a box of your templates are staring at me from the corner) but we canoe building folks can appreciate sandpaper hacks. Also a Red Green fan, so spare the duct tape....
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
Canoe building! I've always had this crazy idea that I'd love to build a Chris-Craft style boat... but then I'd have a boat stuck in my shop!
@christopherhall5315
@christopherhall5315 9 месяцев назад
Nice video, Mike. I like the duct tape on the sandpaper tip. I'm going to give it a try this weekend. The spray glue is another that I will try. Thanks, Mike!!
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
Thanks! That's awesome, let me know how it goes 👍
@christopherhall5315
@christopherhall5315 9 месяцев назад
Followup: I will say that the duct tape on the back of the sandpaper is a brillant tip! I was making a speaker cabinet this weekend and I gave it a try while rounding over the edges. The paper did not rip in the middle and it seemed to do a bit of a better job than the sandpaper alone. Thanks for the tip!
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
Nice! I find that "collecting" tiny little improvements like this over time adds up to big improvements in the guitars I build 👍
@atomicc10
@atomicc10 9 месяцев назад
Duct tape- The Handyman's secret weapon!
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
Yes! I should make a Mythbusters-style video where I make a guitar entirely out of duct tape 😛
@donculig2525
@donculig2525 9 месяцев назад
Loving these videos! Good production too
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
Thanks, I'm glad you like the videos! I'll be sure to pass on your production value comment to Mrs. Potvin Guitars, that's all her magic :)
@djpenton779
@djpenton779 9 месяцев назад
Thanks Mike. What is your opinion of random orbital sanders? The first electric guitar I made was covered in swirls from my sander; my aging eyesight didn't spot the pigtails until the finish was several coats deep. I now sand by hand. Guitars don't have enough area to sand for me to risk using a power tool. Keep these tips coming, very useful.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
Orbital sanders can absolutely leave tiny swirls if you have a heavy hand or don't work through enough grits. On a project like a guitar where you're probably going for a mirror smooth finish, they can be really visible. A dual action sander can solve the problem. A DA sander usually makes the same small circular movements as an orbital sander while simultaneously also moving in a larger eccentric circle. The dual motions do a better job, but I've only ever seen them as air-powered so you'll need an air compressor large enough to run a fairly "hungry" air tool. If I'm only working on one body I'll also consider hand sanding as opposed to breaking out my DA. The large block you see me holding in the video is exactly what I use in that case :)
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
If you need *Guitar-Building Templates* , I have full sets for 135+ models store.potvinguitars.com
@christopherguzzi1316
@christopherguzzi1316 9 месяцев назад
If you know what you're doing, it would be easier and quicker to modify the Tele neck to fit the Strat pocket rather than selling and buying the "right" neck. Plus, some people want a Tele neck on a Strat body because it is interesting.
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
You're right- if you have the know-how, skills and equipment, it is possible. I'm not saying you *can't* make it work, or that you *shouldn't* . I'm just pointing out that this is literally a case of "making a square peg fit into a round hole".
@CaptainFantastic222
@CaptainFantastic222 9 месяцев назад
Does the Gibson SG template have the details for the body contours? Do they include the cavity depths?
@PotvinGuitars
@PotvinGuitars 9 месяцев назад
The contours are engraved on the body template so you can take measurements. Cavity depths are dependent on the hardware you're using, but if you have any questions after getting started just email me, I'm happy to help 👍