Make Your Own Electric Guitar Theft.

[Melvyn Hiscock]

It has come to my attention that copies of my book are being made available as an e-book.

Some people may not see why this is an issue but let me explain.

There were no books available when I learned to make guitars and so I had to learn the hard way. I have spent huge amounts of money learning to do what I do and the results were published first in 1986. It first came out on Blandford Press in 1986 and my yearly royalty was not enough to buy a decent guitar and was never more than £1,000 despite the book selling in huge numbers. I have also answered hundreds, if not thousands, of questions from people who have read the book and none of that time was paid for by anyone other than me. However, I do this happily as I can remember when I was in exactly the same position but with no one to ask.

In 1998 the current edition came out and I am the publisher. For me to set this up I had to get a major loan and put my house as security. I have so far spent several years actually working on the book, invested a huge amount of money and my returns are still not exactly huge. I have considered selling NBS Publications a few times as it is not a profitable business. I am now having to invest money again (money I don't have and have to borrow) to build the company up. There will be some more books out on NBS Publications next year but in the meantime I am having to work very long hours which I am not, at the moment, getting paid for.

Make Your Own Electric Guitar costs about the same as a pretty average guitar pickup. If you are going to make a guitar it is about the cheapest part of the whole process, and the cost of the book has not gone up since it was released. All the increases in paper costs, transport (which I have to cover for trade orders) and storage have all been absorbed by me. It also has thirty years of my life, from learning what I do to te present, wrapped up in it and all the information you need to stop you making some of the mistakes I did in my early years, each one of which will have cost you more than the cost of the book. If you do not think that an investment like that deserves the small return I get then you are not living in the real world.

E-copies are illegal and I will take action against anyone selling or offering them. They are a breach of copyright which is covered in most countries.

If you have any information on copies that may be for sale please do not hesitate to contact me with the details.

Melvyn Hiscock

melvyn@melvynhiscock.com

[Batfink]

Hi Melvyn,

I'm sorry to hear about this. For me personally the 'bible' helped me make sense of the myriad of diuretic shyte that the internet brings forth and i'm sure i'm 100% not alone in saying that the book has probably done more to inspire the amatuer self builder than any other publication bar none. Rest assured if i see anything i'll make you instantly aware of it.

Jem

Nocturne-Guitars

PS: On a personal note i thank you for your recent visit to Dave Dyke - thanks to the efforts of yourself and Mr Goodfellow the joke cupboard is now fully restored and not a moment too soon..... (there's a limit to how many Welsh jokes Wayne can make) .....even though most of them are totally non repeatable on a 'public' forum !

[ToneMonkey]

Melvin,

I've posted on the other guitar forums where I'm a member. I've asked that if they find an e-book to let me know. I'll then pass on the message.

I hate theiving little scrotes

[biliousfrog]

I'm very sorry to hear that. I can't say that I've actually seen any copies myself but I will keep an eye out in the usual places.

I personally can't see why anyone would rather read a scanned copy on a computer screen, or worse a PDA than have the genuine article. It is always within arms reach at my workstation, covered in dried Titebond, solder, coffee stains & various other unidentified marks...I can't say that an e-book would be anywhere near as convenient to use or as forgiving when covered in sawdust & glue...but this is the age of "e-piracy", anything goes, music, software, videos even books. I doubt that many people will see the benefits of downloading the book over the real thing & if they do, & they're serious about building a guitar, I expect that they'll soon want to get the proper book anyway. It's still piracy & it's wrong but I doubt that you have much to fear from these small time crooks.

[SwedishLuthier]

Don't really like people that keep on repeating the same things over and over again, but I couldn’t help myself this time. It is a shame about the moral people show when they steal other people’s property. Now days the copyrights are considered to be Ok to steal, be it a CD, a book of a DVD. Who do they expect to write new book, make new CDs or shoot new films? I’m very sorry for this to happen to you Melvyn, and I will too have ears and eyes open for anyone that try to sell this as an illegal copy.

I have SOME small understanding if those things happen with a book like the Jason Lollar pickup winding book. It is out of print and Lollar has clearly stated that he is not going to reprint it or have it available as an E-book. But the right thing for Lollar to do would to publish it as a free download document. But with your book, that is widely available and really affordable…

Shame on the thieves that live among us.

[Mattia]

Damn, that sucks. I've seen Martin Koch's eBook around on download here and there (thankfully swiftly removed by whatever forum hosts were responsible), but that's a real risk with existing eBooks anyway.

Melvyn's book should be on every builder's bookshelf, as it's worth its weight in Brazilian Rosewood and More.

[pmarlin]

I keep my book next to my bed and read it before I go to sleep. I am thinking of buying another one to keep out in the shop where it can get dirty.

[westhemann]

i have my very own copy,i bought it when i first got into this hobby,along with bob flexner's finishing book.

in my opinion if a person is too lazy or ignorant to purchase a cheap book in the proper manner,they will never cut it as a guitar builder.

but i feel the same way about cd or dvd piracy...most especially music cds...how is a band or a person supposed to be able to survive and be artistic when they also have to keep a full time job in an unrelated industry to make ends meet,just because nobody wants to buy anything anymore

[Rick500]

Sorry to hear this. I'll keep an eye out.

"Make Your Own Electric Guitar" is one of the first books I bought when I got into this hobby, and the one I first and most-often refer to.

[Petrol]

This saddens me.

I haven't even statrted to make my own guitar yet, I bought a copy of the book a few months ago from amazon and have read it from cover to cover several times, and it further irritates me to all the other piracy going on at the moment.

Ou of all the people I know, only about 1 in 20 of us buy our music- and then those that don't wonder why there's such a mainstream shortage of bands they like. Peoples stupidity to pirate stuff and expect people to be interested in supplying them something for nothing infuriates me. It is real crime, and whilst in most cases lowering EMI's turnover isn't gonna hurt most, if it eventually leads to job cuts or less artists of certain genres being signed as some are more heavily pirated than others, then what's the point?

Ultimately, people need to think of the consequence before they act and have some moral principles. If I see a link to this "e-book" anywhere I'll PM you on the forum, so that action can be taken. Sorry to hear, I hope things sort themselves out.

P.S. On a lighter note, are you able to divulge any details of possible future publications coming out on NBS, or at least whether they will be related to "How to make your own electric guitar?"

[MCH]

I have a question that I was wondering about. Do Libraries pay extra fees for their books in order to loan them out to the general public?

just curious.

[ryema22]

If it's any comfort, e-copies of your book don't appear to be circulating through any bittorrent search engines i know of or usenet groups. So hopefully it isn't being downloaded en-masse. If I come across it I'll be sure to report back.

I also echo the previous sentiments. Your book was a great aid in getting me started, and I would hope anyone legitimately interested in picking up the craft would take the time to buy the book and absorb what it has to teach.

[Carl762]

Shame to hear about that. Just had to straighten out my banking, after somebody hacked me last week.

Well, I'm brand new here, I have contributed to this great board, and I've been needing a book to read before I ask any meaningful questions here, so I just ordered your book from Stewart-MacDonald. It'll be dog-eared before you know it.

[ToddW]

MCH,

Libraries own their copy. Like you, they can loan it out to anyone they like. They can't copy it and loan out or sell copies.

Melvin,

I am really sorry you're having to go through this. I've been reading and re-reading parts of your book for months, and got a huge kick out of finding you here when I signed up.

Google was going to try and do this for books out of print and people got justifiably mad. It would take away any incentive for a publisher to put the book back into print even on a limited basis. You're dealing with it on a book that is still in print!

Hope you get lots of money from who ever sells copies of your book.

Todd

[WezV]

I had a brain fart earlier while doing a set-up on a 28 year old Yamaha SG2000s. This happens to me sometimes when doing set-ups.

I couldnt remember which way the saddle goes when setting the intonation - its like those times when your really are not sure how to spell a word you write everyday, or is that just me!

Anyway - the penultimate paragraph on page 183 saved me yet again.

Cheers!

[GregP]

Libraries in Canada log circulation of each and every book and a royalty is generated. It never amounts to much (I've worked alongside an author as a book editor, and personally saw the royalty cheque), but nor is the author completely screwed.

THIS, however, completely screws Melvyn. Like many others here, BYOEG was one of the first books I got. I actually bought the Koch eBook, as well, and while it is a fine book I prefer (as another member has already stated) flipping through actual pages of an actual book.

I also haven't come across the book, and I'm not likely to. But I'll keep it in the back of my mind.

Greg

[MCH]

Libraries in Canada log circulation of each and every book and a royalty is generated. It never amounts to much (I've worked alongside an author as a book editor, and personally saw the royalty cheque), but nor is the author completely screwed.

Greg

My curiosity is satisfied. I figured the author should get something out of this large loaning pool.

thx

[Carl762]

It's time to get tough on copyright infringements, as well as ID Theft crimes here in the U.S.

Melvyn, I know a good patent/copyright attorney.

Man, I wish I would have spent the extra for overnight shipping, because I can't wait to get the book.

I've been bitten by the bug.

c

[Melvyn Hiscock]

I have a question that I was wondering about. Do Libraries pay extra fees for their books in order to loan them out to the general public?

just curious.

In the UK there is a small fund made available from the government that is divided up between all the book laons with the upper limit capped so that JK Rowling doesn't get all the money. My yearly amound from libraries in the UK for MYOEG and the two aviation books I wrote would just about pay for a good Indian meal and a few beers for four people!

I ain't getting rich.

MH

[Setch]

Sorry to hear about this Melvyn, I'll also spread the word on any relevant forums I am a member of.

In the past we have had users on here request scans of your book, and they've always been sent away with a flea in their ear. Rest assured that will continue to be the forum policy, and anyone attempting to distribute your book via this forum will be swiftly banned, and their details passed onto you.

Thanks again for the book!

[erikbojerik]

I'll echo what others have said; if it weren't for you Melvyn and your book, I don't think I'd be doing this...and certainly not as well as I get by at the moment. I too will spread the word and keep an eye out, I think its the least we can do to repay you in some small way.

My yearly amound from libraries in the UK for MYOEG and the two aviation books I wrote would just about pay for a good Indian meal and a few beers for four people!

I ain't getting rich.

MH

True enough, but I'm a firm believer in a higher ground and a greater reward for those who practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty!

[HuntinDoug]

Melvin,

Your book was the first book I bought on building. It has helped me greatly, and I still have it. I understand your frustration…. A few years ago I went through a similar situation with a non guitar related design that was blatantly copyright theft. I threw a lot of money to lawyers that ended up doing nothing but cash my checks. It left me with a bad taste.

I hope that you are able to stop these thieves. I’m sure you’ll have the full cooperation of this forums members. Best of luck.

[Chartier]

Hi Melvyn, yes E-copies are pretty lame since this is your work and no one else, actually I bought you book on the march30th it should arrive 11-18 I bought it from amazon, I heard this was the best book out their so I bought it can't wait to see how it's made. And keep up the work and sew those e copiers

[MCH]

would just about pay for a good Indian meal and a few beers for four people!

MH

Well look on the bright side; that in it self is worth more than gold. Memories are priceless.

[Chartier]

I seen a couple post on this topic about illegal music download wich I disproove to but I also aprove in a certain form, see it this way.

Say your friend told you about a band and he say's you should check it out well you don't want to by the album since you don't know if it is a waste of money. So then the person just goes to a downloader thing (like napster) wich before you didn't had to pay and download 1 or 2 song if you like go by the album. If not delete them, but people don't use is this way so it's retarted but as far as a illegal book... comon *** will people sell illegal chips and coca cola in a few years? This book is considered as the BIBLE to guitar builder, would you steal the bible on the internet? no? why not? then get 24$ and you get 300 pages (about) shipping/handeling and I bet that Melvyn dosnt even make 20$ of that 24$ and this is his way of living so they should stop stealing and start buying. Like everyone say's : If you dont have 24$ to buy a book then you don't have $ to make a guitar