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returntothepit >> discuss >> I want to build my own guitar. Help. by Martins on Jul 1,2008 11:47pm
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toggletoggle post by Martins   at Jul 1,2008 11:47pm
So, I want to build my own guitar for shits, giggles, and because I think I can make a good guitar for less than if I bought it.

I want it to be thin as possible (maybe 1.5 inches. 1.25 would be even sweeter) with two humbuckers (standard neck and bridge), one volume pot, with a tune-o-matic bridge and a tail-piece. I want to do neck-through (or set neck...are they different?) and I want it to be bright enough that kicks ass and the highs shine but warm enough that it's brutal as hell.

I was thinking a Pau Ferro or Wenge fretboard and a Swamp Ash body but I'm not really sure where to go from there. I want a transparent finish on the body after so I don't want the neck-through looking retarded on the body. I've heard of hidden neck-throughs that Warwick does but I don't know how that will hold up with the thinness I'm thinking of.

Where do I start?



toggletoggle post by Niccolai   at Jul 2,2008 12:00am
You don't be able to get that thickness on the whole body of the guitar, you won't get a whole lot of tone and stability is an issue, especially if you want to go neck through.

I'd go two inches and slope the wings of the guitar down like the ibanez S series.

Ash would be alright, but if you want something bright I'd recomend maple or poplar(poplar isn't the best wood in the world, but a good piece will be as bright as maple and much easier to tool)

Set necks and neckthroughs are different and relatively hard to make with little experience.

That perticular bridge type and neck construction your after is tricky to build because on neck angle and headstock tilt, unless you wanted to recess the bridge.

There's so much work and detail involved in making a guitar that i couldn't even touch down on where to start (don't let that hold you back though, you should definately do it.)


I recomend reading this at least a couple times.

http://mcs.acidpit.org/viewtopic.php?t=1188

that will tell you everything you need to know. after that it's just practice and elbow grease.



toggletoggle post by Martins   at Jul 2,2008 12:06am
2 inches. Really? Shit. I was just thinking along the lines of Parker and the Black Machines. I just want an easy project (in terms of building a guitar) that would sound good. I would probably order the neck from Warmoth or SoulMate guitars to make that whole part of it easier. I also forgot to mention that I wanted a toggle-switch.

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.

I don't know. I guess if it's gonna be hard as hell, I can just keep saving up money for a really nice guitar



toggletoggle post by archaeon at Jul 2,2008 12:12am
Sounds dumb but you might want to jackson about this, He was on some guitar building project thing until he got kicked out until he got booted from school. Probably knows something.



toggletoggle post by blue  at Jul 2,2008 12:29am
Martins said[orig][quote]
I just want an easy project (in terms of building a guitar) that would sound good.


dont go neck through for your first. start small.



toggletoggle post by Martins   at Jul 2,2008 12:31am
Bolt-on? I've just always had a disdain for bolt-ons. Everyone I've played didn't feel or sound right. I have a friend that's made 3 neck-throughs already and he says it isn't that hard. My main problem is that I want the guitar as thin as possible without sacrificing all that other good shit. I just wanna try out a nice thin and light guitar.



toggletoggle post by blue  at Jul 2,2008 1:00am
thin + light will often translate into lack of tone. be careful.



toggletoggle post by Martins   at Jul 2,2008 1:03am
True but I'm not looking for a tone monster...just a pretty good guitar that is worth more than what building it would cost.



toggletoggle post by the_reverend   at Jul 2,2008 7:31am
tissue box, rubber bands, broom stick.



toggletoggle post by Niccolai   at Jul 2,2008 8:31am edited Jul 2,2008 9:15am
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.




toggletoggle post by corpus_colostomy at Jul 2,2008 8:46am
thinking about making a 'frankenstrat' of my own.
not really building from the ground up, rather converting an old cream colored american strat via routing the bridge, throwin in a floyd and routing the bridge p.u., to throw in an emg 60.
yank the singel coils out and leave em gaping.
sleeper axes own.



toggletoggle post by Niccolai   at Jul 2,2008 8:48am
corpus_colostomy said[orig][quote]
thinking about making a 'frankenstrat' of my own.
not really building from the ground up, rather converting an old cream colored american strat via routing the bridge, throwin in a floyd and routing the bridge p.u., to throw in an emg 60.
yank the singel coils out and leave em gaping.
sleeper axes own.


you probably would't be able to get a floyd on there.



toggletoggle post by corpus_colostomy at Jul 2,2008 8:49am
thats what most people who have no idea tell me.
explain why...



toggletoggle post by Niccolai   at Jul 2,2008 8:52am
neck angle.

But I guess if you wanted to shave the neck and make a shim you could.


and the face of the strat is pretty well routed out, to add another cavity on the backside of the guitar would be rough on tone and stability.


be a man and throw a kahler in that bitch.



toggletoggle post by Joshtruction   at Jul 2,2008 8:53am
If you have a router of don't care about the looks and use a chisel and hammer, you can get a floyd on there no problem!









Buy shit from warmoth for your first build to get a feel for it!!!



toggletoggle post by Joshtruction   at Jul 2,2008 8:53am
Niccolai said[orig][quote]
neck angle.

But I guess if you wanted to shave the neck and make a shim you could.


and the face of the strat is pretty well routed out, to add another cavity on the backside of the guitar would be rough on tone and stability.


be a man and throw a kahler in that bitch.


Neck angle on a strat is fine for a floyd



toggletoggle post by corpus_colostomy at Jul 2,2008 8:56am edited Jul 2,2008 8:58am
i wont have an issue with getting a floyd in. ;) but i appreciate your expertise and concern. warmoth is awesome--love those necks but its all a bit pricey.
i am grabbing blues ibanez seven string as well so...with CIM and tour, money will be TIGHT.



toggletoggle post by Martins   at Jul 2,2008 10:53am
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.


Well, fuck.

I was going to buy a premade neck from Warmoth or Soulmate Guitars. No way am I going to carve my own neck and install frets. This would just be a slow fun project.

I'm prepared to spend about 600-700 dollars as long as the end product doesn't blow. Like I said, I have a friend that's made 3 guitars himself and he already has the tools and the knowledge. I have most of the tools too. My grandfather was a carpenter and all his stuff is in my basement. I would be doing the body stuff and finish myself though I'd probably buy a body blank with the routes all taken care of because I'm a lazy son of a bitch. I have some experience with finishing/painting...just not guitars. Haha.

I think this could just be a fun way to spend my free time. I'm going to have a ton of it coming up so I want to use it.



toggletoggle post by blue  at Jul 2,2008 1:22pm
well then just ebay those parts up.



toggletoggle post by Martins_nli at Jul 2,2008 1:23pm
Ebay is a modern miracle.



toggletoggle post by ernie at Jul 3,2008 1:56am
its really easy. buy a neck-through neck on ebay cutout the wing shapes and glue them to the sides. route out some holes for the pickups using templates from http://www.stewmac.com/ install hardware and learn to solder. the hard part is having all the right tools. dont freak out if you fuck up, its easy to fix or change it later. ive made a couple guitars my advice is pay attention to the scale length and make sure you install the bridge in the right spot or else youll never get it intonated right. heres mine
dont buy a neck from warmoth they are so over priced its rediculous. just type luthier in ebay and youll be swamped with more shit to ever need



toggletoggle post by Martins   at Jul 3,2008 2:07pm
That guitar kicks ass and the neckthrough isn't as defined as I thought it was going to be. That's basically the look I want. I'm going to do some research before I do anything drastic.



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