Building A Guitar?

[Suntan Sid]

I know there are a lot of guitar people on here, so what I'd like to know is, does anyone have any experience of making their own solid bodied electric guitar?

I'd like to give it a go, just to see if I can do it.
I do play guitar, but I'm not a collector, nor do I know or care, that much, how the things actually work, I'm more interested in the woodworking aspect of doing it, at the moment.

I've watched more than a few build videos on Youtube, and read a few tutorials so I've an idea of some of the pitfalls.  From what I've seen the major PITA seems to be the alignment and orientation of the neck.

I would like to have a go at making one from scratch but, there are also kits available, does anyone have any experience of these kits, are they any good? From what I've seen, the kits are of variable quality, however some of the defects can be ironed out if you've got the time, patience and tools to do it.

I have done a search of the BCF archives and found one thread on a similar subject, but like all threads anywhere on the internet, about guitars, it soon descended into a "Look at my guitars" fest!

If I had a go at doing it, even if it turned out crap, musically, if it looked good, at least I could hang it on the wall and say "I made that"!

So if anyone's actually built a guitar, from scratch or from a kit, I'd be interested to know how you got on.
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[duhawkz]

Not built one myself but i have looked into it, buying a prebuilt neck and doing the rest yourself seemed to me to be sensible place to start.


I didn't get round to it because by the time I'd biught the tools the materials and everything else i'd have been able to buy a decent guitar.

Let me know how you get on though
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"The guy is a worthless cunt and I honestly believe I would be a slightly happier person if he died." - Chris-Red

[Ayrton]

Check out this guys on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/WillsEasyGuitar

He makes Gelvin guitars, so he knows what he is talking about. He also sells quite an in-depth video series on his website which gives a lot more information than you get anywhere on youtube.

I would stay away from kits. A lot of people say they have issues with holes not being cut in the right positions and things like that. Plus if your just doing it for the woodworking, then a kit does most of the fun parts for you.

edit: This video gives you a good idea of the crap to expect with kits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZe1nuZqspY

[Mark_F]

Have a gander on TDPRI or Mylespaul (guitar forums), they have workshop sections with hundreds of build threads.

The neck (esp the fretboard) is the hardest part, though other technical bits depend on what build you go for (bolt on al-la fender? Gibson glued in? Neck through?).

Bolt on is easiest for a first build, and there are lots of templates around to base your build off. They are a really rewarding thing to build imo.

Oh and don't bother with a kit, they are pretty shit. Buy a decent neck and make your own body. Reasonable pickups can be had cheaply, same with a bridge, pots, caps and machine heads.

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Zero experience in building solid electric guitars, however I have two friends who are luthiers, one fulltime. They make acoustics from raw materials and do repairs. I could ask them if they're willing to offer advice.

Personally I'd be tempted to go on a course albeit to save expense on wasted materials and time. You may already have woodworking skills i.e how tight are your mortise and tenon joints.
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[kramdra]

I made a neck through v shape several years ago. Never finished the fret board as I bought another to play on. (ibanez s270, 1980 model), and lost the motivation to play a couple years after.

https://rs1133.pbsrc.com/albums/m593/Kramdra/P4020045s_zps519e1e49.jpg?w=480&h=480&fit=clip

[hellkat]

A mate of mine in America has been doing that lately.

You could check out what he's been doing, he's originally English but lives in somewhere like Detroit, and is the editor of The Horse, Back Street Choppers (originally known as Iron Horse Magazine): he has made at least two in the last 18 months or so.
And they look pretty cool.

I'm not sure how public his personal profile is, but on my FB friends list, he's David Gregory. I doubt they show up on his Horse BCS listing. Tell him hellkat sent ya to look at his guitar making skills


https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14590512_10154465255176341_7858785533125353774_n.jpg?oh=9d456b3c227cab892f261bd633c72757&oe=5864D8A7
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Suntan Sid]

Thanks for all the replies!

I've just, this minute, finished watching this series of videos:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJzvQFWwO9w

TL:DW

Luthier buys kit, tells you it's faults then gets his apprentice to build it.
It goes a bit off track and the Luthier installs some "XY" midi box gubbins, that I have no clue about.
TBH i didn't see anything in the build that was particularly difficult, using a bit of common sense seems to go along way!

Might give it a whirl over winter!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[Suntan Sid]

Should have said, I've already watched a couple of the videos mentioned.

I think what i'll do is, buy a kit, see how that goes, then maybe start from scratch.
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[P.addy]

My first 'built' one was an imported Warmoth set up from America.

The building of it is piss, but making stuff yourself would be proper interesting to see.

[Jayy]

Wish I had the skills to do this or the time but instead of a guitar, I'd make a custom PC desk and put the components in it.

[hellkat]

I was just flicking through my mate David's FB page (see above) to see more of the photos of his guitar builds, and its pretty cool: He's even been helping his teenage stepdaughter to build one.

In the Guitar Projects photo album, there are lots of really basic pieces of guitar-body shaped wood that need sanding and varnishing, then decorating, and then all the frets need trimming or cutting, headstocks redesigned, etc., he has a really fascinating gallery of guitar-building photos. Even to me its interesting.

I dunno if you're much for FB, Mr Suntan, but I really would recommend you at least "follow" David, if you are able (he also has Twitter but the guitars don't seem to show up there).
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[stinkwheel]

From my limited experience of fine woodwork, one lesson I have learned is to use hand tools.

Power tools are just a way of messing things up more quickly. If you mess things up nice and slowly with hand tools, you stand a chance of noticing before it's unrecoverable.

If you're working with laminating and glueing wood, you can't have too many clamps and you can't clamp them too hard.
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[dydey90]

My brother built one a few years ago for a school project, but I think he used a pre-built neck and fretboard and just cut out a traditional fender shaped body from a block of pine.

I think as far as power tools go, you'll need a Dremel or a router at least to cut neat indentations for the pickups and the neck fixtures.
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[mkjackary]

Most of it is fairly simple. The hard bits are cutting the nut and leveling the frets/dressing the frets. That will make or break the feel of the guitar.

The nut you can get away with buying a tusq pre cut one and then just sanding the base until you have the right action, but the fretwork should really be done by a professional if you can afford it.

Sometimes the necks you buy don't need that much doing, other times they need regretting before you have ever played a note!

Over on thefretboard a year or so ago we did a "Harley Benton kit challenge" with fucking brilliant results, I highly suggest you check it out mate. There are a load of reviews of the kits on there and the pros and cons etc.

[Suntan Sid]

The tools I don't have, at the moment, are the specialised fret files and something for shaping the fretboard accurately, although I have a cunning plan on how to make one of the latter!

I will have a go at doing something but I can't start it until January!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[stinkwheel]

[Snodvan]

You could always try it another way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9-ltPsbw9g&feature=youtu.be

Snod
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[Shinigami]

i've a telecaster made from a cheap kit, it play surprisingly decent, the pickups that came along are cheapy but actually usable, may switch them out at some point but haven't been arsed to yet.

I stained the wood black on mine then laquered over the stain with clear.

i'll see if i can find a pic

https://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y109/Stevie_J/1960011_10152652398575810_7602279789496883677_n_zps19uphjrq.jpg

https://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y109/Stevie_J/11102747_10152649792675810_6322363451996405504_n_zps1jquvzre.jpg

I cut the headstock to shape with a jiggsaw
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"Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

May as well post this here Sid.

Madinter · Wood for music is the place to go.

When I mentioned you were building a solid body electric he said this:

African Mahogany.
Don't dismiss buying a pre-built neck.
Don't scrimp on the hardware, especially the pickups.
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[Motorhate]

[DrDonnyBrago]

I thought about doing this too, for the woodworking (I don't even like music).

I'd probably have bought the neck and made the body, but do consider the type of cut you want for the timber. I came to the conclusion that the neck should be made from quarter sawn as it is stronger and moves more predictably. It doesn't seem to matter too much for the body, so consider flat sawn because the grain can look really nice when profiled.

[Jayy]

You just need a spade mate and you're good: https://youtu.be/V9-ltPsbw9g

[Suntan Sid]

Thanks for all the info.

If any one's tried and failed and wants to off load any specialist fret files etc. let me know and we could do a deal!

As I said I'm, probably, going to go for a LP stlye kit, as a taster then follow on from that!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"