Epi V-Style Project | Part 1

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This project is a work in progress, and involves mating the neck from an Epi ES-300 with a Legit Guitar Kits V-style body. What this particular client wants is basically a V-style with a pickguard, a Wilkinson M Series Stacked P90, a volume control, and Bigsby-style vibrato tailpiece.

 

Epi ES-300

Legit Guitar Kits V-Style Body

Vibrato Tailpiece

Wilkinson M Series Stacked P90

A number of modifications need to be carried out on the body before finish is applied. These include plugging existing strings-through body channels and bridge bushing holes, lengthening the bridge pickup cavity to fit the P90; and drilling new bushing holes for the bridge and vibrato tailpiece.

 

Holes Plugged - Front of Body

Holes Plugged - Back of Body

Holes also have to be drilled for neck plate and neck attachment, while existing screw holes in the neck heel need to be plugged and re-drilled. The client has chosen a rather attractive black and gold neck plate with a snarling tiger motif.    

 

Existing Neck Heel Screw Holes Plugged

Test Fitting the Neck Plate

Neck Pocket and Mounting Screws

You might have noticed by now that the hardware and electronics layout on this guitar is quite unlike any production model Gibson or Epiphone Flying V. As such, ordering an off-the-shelf pickguard is definitely out of the question. The custom black pickguard you see below is the result of three long days of careful measuring, sawing, cutting, drilling, filing; and lots of sanding. Its outline is based on that of a 1967 Gibson Flying V.

 

Handmade Black Pickguard

With modifications to the body complete, it's time for final sanding, pore filling and finishing. For this project, the body has been sanded to 400 grit and the pores filled with StewMac ColorTone Clear Grain Filler. There's no need to stain the body as the grain filler itself has darkened the wood somewhat. For the clear coat, I've chosen Samurai 1/128 Clear.

 

Body After Final Coat of Clear