Hello Psalmos Fans!

Thank you guys for being so supportive over the years, it truly has been incredible!

I would like to announce that Psalmos Custom Electric Guitars is closing its doors as a business.  I will continue to build them as time permits, but I will only do this as a hobby.  God has my family and I on a different route that does not include the guitar building business.  I will leave this blogspot up as I know that there are quite a few of you out there that like to frequent it for whatever reasons.  As always, too, if you have any questions, please feel free to email.

Regards and God Bless,
Perry W. Kelly

Various Body Styles of PCEG

Hi all!  I'm posting this in response to quite a few requests to see the various body styles that Psalmos Custom Electric Guitars has to offer.  Scroll down to view and enjoy, and as always if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask!

Ananchel

Defender

Gavreel

Guardian

Israfel

Jophiel

Ramiel

Sentinel

Shepherd

Warrior

Defender Makeover

Yeah, yeah, I know, it's been awhile since my latest update...sorry about that...:(.  Anyway, I gave my repaired Defender to my oldest son.  Repairing the Eddie Van Halen stripe job proved to be VERY tedious and he suggested a single color...blue.   I loved the idea and started the makeover.  Following are the pics from this job.  This is going to be a VERY nice guitar.  Can't wait to get this one completed...Enjoy!

My wife made the suggestion to lose the Logo and just sign the guitars.  I think it adds a wonderful touch!  Stay tuned...I will be assembling this heavy metal beast over the next few months...;).  Also, I needed to make a note here about the finish.  The paint is 8 coats of Rustoleum metallic blue.  This is finished off with about 6 coats of Crystal Clear Enamel.  It has made for a VERY durable finish!

Here we have installed the Tremolo Bridge and both Humbucker Pickups.  Also, I installed the spring claw underneath...(note to self, no more Tremolos!  ugh, I hate them!).

In order to ensure that I have enough wire, I made this template to solder all the electronics before installation.  Someone once asked me why did I put the 3-way switch so far forward, I told them it was because it got it out of the way of the picking action.  I will not do it again, though...

I touched up the fretboard and leveled all the frets using homemade fret rockers.  As you can see, I strung the lower 'E' and tested the fret job.  So far, it sounds great and has a pretty good action...

Here, I have installed the electronics and shielded the cavity.  Let me make a special note here.  Please, for your own sake, make sure all your solder joints are good.  By that I mean check the connections by tugging lightly on each one to make sure they are tight.  Also, check your joints, if any connection is dull in appearance, you make have a cold solder joint and have to re-solder.  I have made all these mistakes in this one guitar alone, just trying to save you guys some trouble out there in Luthier-land.

Well guys, here it is!  Finally finished...phew!  Thanks so much for sticking with me throughout this build.  My goal is to add a video of this guitar in action and I will send an update to Facebook if I am able to do it.  Again, thanks everybody!  God Bless!

Warrior Build

So, I've been commissioned to build a Warrior 24 scale for a friends son and he tells me to make it red and creative.  This is gonna be fun!

I left out most of the construction phase of the guitar because it pretty much follows the Ananchel build.  I encountered some very interesting problems which I am documenting.  I hope this will be helpful.  I apologize in advance for the clarity of the pics.

Completed and sanded.  I love the way the grain patterned out. 

Head-on shot of the guitar body.  notice how it started to bow at the ends?  This was the interesting problem I spoke of.  This will be corrected through a belt sanding process.

Headstock still needs some flattening.

I label the body of the guitar where I need to hit it with the belt sander.

Showing the back where it's starting to separate due to a bad clamp job...ugh!  Now I have to insert kerfs to keep it from bowing any further.  First, I will lay them out with a square and saw them to a depth of 3/8" with a circular saw.

Using craft sticks and wood putty for filler.

Whew!  Now, after all that, I'm ready to start the finishing process.  Remember how my friend said to 'get creative'?  This next pic shows how I added the red paint, but backed off a bit on the top where I simulated quilting.  Yes, I SIMULATED this effect with ripped masking tape and beige spray paint.  I'm sure I'll get calls from Luthiers everywhere about my blasphemy!  I can go into this process too if anyone's interested.

After about 8 coats of laquer...

Sorry, the picture quality kind of sucks...

I learned through the last few steps that I should have raised the grain a little more before I started finishing.  It made for a REAL interesting top pattern, though.

These next pics show the guitar completed following an intensive sanding, repairing and polishing process.  These pics are of a MUCH better quality...enjoy!  Notice how the wood grain pattern pops out from not having the grain raised.  I like it!

Whenever the client secures the donor guitar, I'll begin the modification process...stay tuned!

Gavreel

Here is a glimpse of the next new model from Psalmos.  Introducing the Gavreel, shark fin V design with Hardtail bridge.  6 in line headstock and 24 inch playing scale.  I realize at this point that what I described isn't exactly what is pictrured below.  Sometimes, guitar projects take on a life of their own.

This one is a build for my youngest son, Caleb.  He's VERY anxious to arrive at a final product.

Getting started, here we are clamping the pieces together.  A special thanks to my Dad for giving me the pipe and furniture clamps!  A special note, the furniture clamps came from my grandfather who used to reupholster antique furniture.  These clamps have got to be close to 100 years old!  BEST clamps I've EVER used!

Here I've added the left wing.  Again, I clamped the HECK out of it, therefore it's a very tight glue joint.  You can NEVER have too many clamps.

Here we have the next wing added and, of course, this is Caleb.  He wanted to add the 6 inline headstock because it was more 'pointy', like the guitar body.  Kids use strange words, don't they?

 

Ready for the jigsaw.

 He can't stand it, he's got to rock out before it's even got strings!  He actually DOES have eyes, he's just smiling too broadly...:).

Here we have a shot of the raised hardtail bridge.  No tremolos this time!

The fingerboard is constructed of Red Oak and Abalone inlays are inserted and sanded flat to the surface.

Here is a shot of the truss rod installed.  This one is a 1/4" rod and long nut, VERY beefy!  A note here, everything you see pictured, constructionwise, was purchased from Home Depot.  Do you think they will give me a spot on their next commercial?

I tested the placement of the bridge and neck and it looks like we are spot on!

Now we have added a splash of color.

The white spots are to cover up the dark areas of the Poplar that keep bleeding back through.  After all is said and done, we will have 8 coats of acrylic paint.

...And now we have GRAPHICS!!!

I wish I could have taken a picture of Caleb's face when I told him I dropped his guitar and broke it!

Logo added

...and here we have the 'donor' guitar.  It's a Peavey Rockmaster.  I tested the pickup and all electronics and they work very well, only the jack crackles a little.  That will be taken care of when I transplant the electronics.

...And here we are, after 2 years, finally finished!  Here's the stats:  Hardtail bridge with accompanying aluminum nut.  A single humbucker pickup at the bridge location.  Schaller style keys that have been very good with keeping the D'Addario strings tuned.  This will be the standard that I will follow with all subsequent guitars.

A close up of the finished product.  This guitar is very solidly built and totally SCREAMS!!

Thanks for sticking with the build and God Bless!