Niccolai said

[orig][quote]

Martins said	[orig][quote]
When I said I wanted a bright sounding guitar, I didn't want one as bright as maple. I still want some degree of warmth to the sound.

Then go with maple neck and alder or mahogany wings.

Swamp ash is not really a fun wood to work with.

and yea, bolt on would be easiest, but neckthrough isn't impossible.

I gotta warn you though, building a guitar isn't away to save money. After using buying all the woods, parts, and most basic tools you're looking at a quiality guitar's price range.

Let's face it, you're gonna need to buy a neck blank. you won't have the tools and skill to make one from scratch, it just can't be done. A Maple neck blank with wenge or pau fingerboard will run you at least 200 bucks.

A set of tuners will run you 60-80 bucks

frets and fret pliars, 30 bucks.

Your body planks will be around 80 dollars or more depending on the wood you get. Less if you get something like poplar, more if you get something like ash and even more if you go for something figured.

the cheapest you're gonna get a tuneomatic bridge for is 30 bucks, and that's crappy quality. a tonepros or gotoh one will run you 60 bucks easy

pickups are anyware from 80 to 200 bucks.

then you got all the odds and ends, sandpaper, aliphetic resin, stranded wire, potentiometer, input jack, strap buttons, for god knows how much

If you want the guitar painted and finished that will be way more money.
for a poly finish I wouldn't do it any cheaper then 200 bucks and thats if you did all the prep work. more for a nitro finish. and that's nothing compared to what actual painters charge. Mike learn fetches like 600 for just a bolt on body.

You're in over 600 bucks now, and that's ESP 400 series territory.