John, let me suggest at least getting Melvyn Hiscock's book and reading it several times through. In addition, read as many "build threads" as you can find, particularly when done by relatively inexperienced builders (watch their problems, what tools they think they need, comments, etc). On that note, here is a thread on my first solid body electric build, I had some experience with acoustics, but this was a scratch built Les Paul clone.
http://acapella.harmony-central.com/sho ... e-Les-Paul