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About paul wilczynski
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
Anything concerning building, tuning, theory of construction. Specialist in finishing (40 years' experience); extensive knowledge of Rickenbacker instruments of all vintages. Rckenbacker factory connection on personal level; ONLY licensed Rickenbacker luthier in the world.

Experience
Extensive. I build and restore electric and acoustic guitars (steel string and nylon classicals). I build all of Rickenbacker's acoustic instruments in my own shops in San Francisco and Healdsburg, CA. I write two online columns with a total of over 15,000 posts since January, 2005. Google my name or my screen name, "jingle_jangle".

Organizations
American Guild of Luthiers.

Publications
Mostly automotive and hobby (in the past).

Education/Credentials
Manage a University Department (Industrial Design) in SF, also have taught and written design and fabrication classes for almost a decade. Have produced online classes, written curricula, syllabi, etc. Run an online forum for my students (500 in number).

Awards and Honors
Awards won for product, vehicle, and preschool toy design in the past.

Past/Present Clients
Rickenbacker International Corporation, Waterstone Guitars LLC, many Fortune 500 companies before I worked in guitars (I ran a design studio for 22 years). I have hundreds of individual--private party--customers.

   

You are here:  Experts > Music/Performing Arts > Guitar > Guitar Making and Repair

SubjectDate AskedExpert

Aging9/3/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: This might go against everything you believe as a guitar builder but i love the look so i have to ...
  A: Hey, Don! If you've read any of my columns or posts, you would know that I am probably the world's ...
Paints for a eletric bass9/1/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: Where can i find paints near Johson,VT?
  A: Quinn, you don't mention what type of finish you are considering putting on your bass... You have ...
Electric guitar buzz- not fret buzz!8/31/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: My guitar only buzzes when i plug it into an amp. the amp makes a faint buzzing noise, which gets ...
  A: OK, Tim, the V has humbucking pickups--and hot ones they are, too! I'd definitely check the ground ...
Electric guitar buzz- not fret buzz!8/31/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: My guitar only buzzes when i plug it into an amp. the amp makes a faint buzzing noise, which gets ...
  A: Tim. You don't mention the make and model of the guitar, which I need in order to give a definitive ...
Killswitch wiring8/24/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I'm currently building a guitar and just wanted to know how to wire it,I'm using: -Fernades ...
  A: Daniel: All the kill switch needs to do is interrupt the signal to the output jack. Therefore, as I ...
Killswitch wiring8/23/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I'm currently building a guitar and just wanted to know how to wire it,I'm using: -Fernades ...
  A: Daniel, all you'd have to do is use one of your suggested switches (I'd use the cased one as it's ...
Killswitch wiring8/23/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I'm currently building a guitar and just wanted to know how to wire it,I'm using: -Fernades ...
  A: Daniel, I'm not sure why you want or need a kill switch. Is it to prevent battery drain when the ...
Neck feels too thick8/19/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I just bought a PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow. When I first tried it in the store the action felt really ...
  A: Best to shave it down with a woodworker's rasp if you have one. Then you can finish it starting with ...
Neck feels too thick8/19/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I just bought a PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow. When I first tried it in the store the action felt really ...
  A: Gary: Sure, you can shave the neck down on the PRS. First, I'd measure the neck of an instrument ...
noisy Strat8/19/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I have just purchased a new Japanese Fender Strat with Texas Special pickups. I have noticed small ...
  A: Mike. I'd pull the guard and especially check the ground wire running to the bridge--it could be ...
Sycamore !8/16/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: When we use Sycamore as back & sides wood , how will be the voice ? I prefer Rosewood for bright and ...
  A: I can't comment on the difference between these unless I know which species of rosewood we're ...
Guitar neck8/12/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I am a beginner at 70 years old and would like to ask a question. If you hold the guitar sideways ...
  A: David. Let me go back and give you a bit of information on this topic, so you can see for yourself ...
Pickguard for Gibson J-50 acoustic guitar8/7/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: Paul, I have a Gibson J-50 adj. bridge acoustic guitar and need a replacement for the pickguard. ...
  A: Here's what I'd do, if it was missing and I had to make one: Find a good picture of a J-50 in a ...
finish repair on Ric 350-12V638/6/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I have a jet-glo Ric 350-12V63 that has some surface scratches and scuffing, along with some edge ...
  A: Sean: A CV finish can be touched up with either CV or nitro. However, the color coat (black in this ...
tuning problems8/6/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I have a custom built sg which which required a new nut, i have also fitted heavier strings. it ...
  A: Dave, you don't say how heavy the new strings are, but what's happening is that the saddles don't ...
finish repair on Ric 350-12V638/5/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I have a jet-glo Ric 350-12V63 that has some surface scratches and scuffing, along with some edge ...
  A: Sean: You do not say what you need done--is it a refinish? Few luthiers (less than a handful ...
repairing frets on a fender neck8/1/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: My frets on my neck are starting to lift up on the sides of the neck. This neck was very cheap when ...
  A: Sam: Sounds like you've got a Fender replacement aftermarket neck. Whether licensed or not, lots of ...
Painting a guitar (body and pickguard) without disassembling it7/24/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I'd be very grateful if you could help me with something I'd like to do. I hope you'll understand ...
  A: There's an amusing and ironic conflict taking shape here. The conflict is that George's ...
Painting a guitar (body and pickguard) without disassembling it7/23/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I'd be very grateful if you could help me with something I'd like to do. I hope you'll understand ...
  A: George painted this guitar with a bunch of odd paints that were laying around the house...including ...
Small Crack along the Neck/Body Seem.7/22/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I recently started guitar and bought a 25 year old guitar that is an Martin copy for 20$. Turns out ...
  A: Able: This is almost certainly a stress crack in the finish. This area--the neck heel-to-body ...
odd overtone7/21/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: Paul, My question concerns what sounds almost like a chorusing effect on the high E string of a ...
  A: Matt: You don't mention whether this shows up when the guitar is played unplugged, plugged in, or ...
repair a small tight top crack7/21/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I just bought a Baby Taylor which has a small (about 2.5 inch) tight top crack, along the grain, ...
  A: Cyanoacrylate (CA or "Super Glue" is a godsend to any hobbyist or professional with a tough gluing ...
Les Paul custom Build7/19/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I am a novice builder trying my hand at a Les Paul Custom. I am doing it with a flat top. The ...
  A: Paul: Yes, that ground wire must be run before setting the posts for the stop tail. So the hole ...
Suspect clear finish!7/18/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I have a 30 year old black coloured Guild S 300-D electric guitar. I gig and practice with it it ...
  A: Brice, I don't have any experience with this model of Guild, despite its popularity, but I will ...
sg jr neck7/18/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: is it possible to turn a gibson 4 bolt neck into a sg jr set neck by adding a piece of mahogany to ...
  A: Hey, Rich... It's entirely possible, but I'd question what you'd gain. The neck joint on a ...
Les Paul custom Build7/18/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I am a novice builder trying my hand at a Les Paul Custom. I am doing it with a flat top. The ...
  A: Paul, I don't see an email address here, so I'll have to answer publicly, which is OK because it ...
construction of neck7/17/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: it's my first time building an electric guitar neck so tell me if i've got this right, it the ...
  A: You've got it mostly correct--I'd insert the inlays right after routing their recesses, but before ...
bridges7/16/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I wanted to ask a few questions. So here's the first: 1. Is there a way to change the bridge on ...
  A: Black is the easiest color to touch up after all the routing necessary to put a Floyd on it. So ...
bridges7/16/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I wanted to ask a few questions. So here's the first: 1. Is there a way to change the bridge on ...
  A: Well, you still didn't mention what type of guitar you have...is this the Yamaha? Putting a Floyd ...
bridges7/15/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I wanted to ask a few questions. So here's the first: 1. Is there a way to change the bridge on ...
  A: Daniel. Your first question had me puzzled until I read the second one. I thought, "what kind of ...
Fingerboard Dryness7/7/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I bought an Allparts Strat neck (wich i regret so much, should have bought the fender!) with jumbo ...
  A: Use the same 000 steel wool on the back on the neck. Rub in the long direction along the neck. This ...
Fingerboard Dryness7/7/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I bought an Allparts Strat neck (wich i regret so much, should have bought the fender!) with jumbo ...
  A: You could do a few different things to make this fretboard right. Here are two: First method: Clean ...
need help with whamy7/6/2008Chris Jaster
  Q: my guitar is an Ibanez I have had problems with puting it on after the springs broke I have new ...
  A: I assume that this is a floyd rose style trem. You'll want to set the spring tension so that the ...
Cracked spruce top7/5/2008Chris Jaster
  Q: I have been build a Stewmac ooo kit. All going well until I had to leave the body due to work. I ...
  A: Hey James perhaps I should be more specific here. Thin cyano would be best I suggest you check out ...
Guitar Binding7/1/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: Is it possible to add binding to an already finished guitar and if so any ideas where I could find ...
  A: Hunter: There's always a way to do something like this. But how feasible it would be, would depend ...
neck sanding6/30/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I accidently droped my Fender Strat putting two indentations on the neck about 1/32" deep.and 3/8" ...
  A: Michael... You'll have to sort of feel your way through this one with regards to time...just be ...
neck sanding6/30/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I accidently droped my Fender Strat putting two indentations on the neck about 1/32" deep.and 3/8" ...
  A: Michael! The Mexican Strats do, indeed, have a finish on the neck; it's a matte polyester varnish. ...
problem when tuning6/19/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: i just yesterday installed new pickups in my yamaha RGX312. after completeing that task i decided it ...
  A: Good guess--the strings are the first place I'd look, Dan. You've undoubtedly changed the balance of ...
Neck and body scale6/15/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: How can I attach a 25.5 Ibanez style neck to a body designed for a 24.75 scale? Thanks!
  A: Kyle! Here are the basics. It's all pretty simple geometry, once you think of it. First, we'll ...
Regarding pick ups6/12/2008paul wilczynski
  Q: I have 2 guitars that i am having the same problem with. Basically when i flip the pick up selector ...
  A: Asian guitars, both. The electronics in these are usually suspect. Asian cost-cutting takes its ...

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