Hi there, this is my first time posting so I'll give a quick bit of background:
I started using Arduino recently (very recently, last week actually) and have been learning the basics of creating circuits and programming the board. I'm primarily a MaxMSP user which I'm very comfortable in using to create things. I am about to embark on a project for a performance in which I'll play a synthesizer created in MaxMSP using an electric guitar (with pitch-tracking etc.) and wanted to control the synth parameters using a hardware interface integrated with my guitar. This is how I started using Arduino.
So far with my Arduino Duemilanove, a breadboard and various push buttons, potentiometers and an FSR I've got some good control over parameters exactly how I wanted too and I'm very pleased. Info over at the Playground has helped greatly with communication with Max.
The next step I'm not so sure on because I'm pretty inexperienced with circuit boards and electronics etc. (which was why I was recommended Arduino). I'd like some suggestions on creating more permanent circuits, preferably contained mainly within the body of the electric guitar. How can I take my breadboard based circuits to the next level and not have all of the controls crammed tightly onto a breadboard? 
Thanks a lot, I'd appreciate any help or suggestions people could give, so far I'm having a good experience and I'd like to hope it will continue!
and dont hesitate to ask