Musty Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 Alright, I'm going start my first guitar project. This is the first time I'm making my own guitar, Thinking about doing a strat, in Swamp ash.. Is there anything I have to know before starting? Thanks! (Sorry if it isn't in the right forum!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 Alright, I'm going start my first guitar project. This is the first time I'm making my own guitar, Thinking about doing a strat, in Swamp ash.. Is there anything I have to know before starting? Thanks! (Sorry if it isn't in the right forum!) ← Read everything on the main site. The be all and end all is scale length. It dictates everything about the guitar. Draw a complete plan to scale before starting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musty Posted October 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 Is there a tutorial, on making plans or some sort? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 Guitarfrenzy's website Strat tutorial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoSo_Spencer Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 (edited) Is there a tutorial, on making plans or some sort? ← dont think so Just Draw EVERYTHING to scale.. all the different angles (side,top,front,back) List all the parts (harware) you need... Work out an order in which to do things... and dont get tempted to skip a step and then go back to it later...which can cause many problems READ this STRAT and follow that order..... (just realised that this got posted aswell) meh....thats all i could think of.... hope it all goes good..... **EDIT** if you need help just ask dont go ahead and do something you are doubting will work **EDIT** Edited October 1, 2005 by ZoSo_Spencer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musty Posted October 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 Is there anywhere I can get a plan similar to this, for free? =/ I'm trying to go low on costs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 Low on costs hardware is gonna cost you a lot more than a decent plan. There is one on my website for autocad, its basic but its free. Donate to this website and it has plans for cad as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 You should realise, most of the time, it will cost just as much, if not more, to build a guitar than to buy one. I spent $1k on my first project and $2k on my second. Although, I have expensive taste. Just be aware that if you want quality parts, you'll have to pay quality part prices. One site that sells many, many parts at very reasonable prices is www.universaljems.com . peace, russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n8rofwyo Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 You've been getting some golden advice here. A good full scale plan will save you much more money than it will cost you - not to mention getting better odds of finishing a decent instrument. The odds of pulling an Oddboy out of your hat right out of the gates is pretty slim. I started building guitars because I couldn't afford the one I wanted. When #1 was done I had spent more on it than the one I wanted from the music store. But it was damn fun, so here I sit looking over PG for pointers on how to do it better! Welcome to the forum and good luck in your build. Nate Robinson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 yup, like garhan said, it's gunna cost you WAY over the $350 it'd take to buy a decent strat on musiciansfriend to build one. With all the parts, tools, time, etc. It's gunna cost you WAY more to build it than to buy it. In my opinion, you build to make something you CANNOT buy. If you want a pre-existing product.... just buy it?? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musty Posted October 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 I'm not sure what to do, I want to make a custom one, that fits my needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n8rofwyo Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 No one is trying to discourage you, it's just that for most of us here this is playing monday morning quarterback. The reasons we started doing this aren't generally the reasons we continue to do it. Being able to produce a one off custom instrument, as well as enjoying doing it are probably the most common reasons for building around here. The downside is that most of us don't save much money building our own guitars (the amatuers anyway, there are a select few pros that really turn out some amazing stuff, though I have no idea what their profit margins are.) Nate Robinson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 Well, I don't necessarily agree that it'll cost you more to build (unless you factor in time spent building of course). Depends on how far you want to go with it, I suppose. Garenhan is an extreme --I doubt there are many others here who have dropped two grand on their project guitar! But Garenhan's a luthier-in-training, that makes a big difference. At the other end of the scale, it helps to be a scavenger... Hardware is hardware, and it costs what it costs. If you have specific pieces you want --that you'd put on any strat you bought anyway-- then you have to take that into consideration. Another big factor that's easy to overlook --finishing the guitar. That is one of the most expensive parts of guitar projects for me --on my tele mod (carvecaster), the finish cost me close to 80 euros --the only single part of the guitar that cost more was the neck. So I agree with the others-- if you're going to build a guitar, there's really no point in building something that's readily available elsewhere. Buy a strat body and modify it the way you want it. I personally love a good mod project --there's a kind of snobbism going the rounds here, where it's not a 'project' unless you build it all yourself-- including the pickguard screws. But a mod of an existing guitar takes a lot of work and planning in its own right and is a great way to get started in all of this. Depends on how much prior woodworking experience you have, what kind of tools you own or have access to, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 It would help to know what you want "customized". Scale length? String spacing? Body shape? Finish? Electronics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 I'm with Idch on the 'costs' issue. Ignoring the cost of tools, I got all the materials together for a Swamp Ash strat and a tele for under 550 bucks, and that includes international shipping for some of the stuff. The place I saved most on was the pickups (GFS, because for the price, they looked good, and reviewed well. My guess is they're at least on par, if not better than most budget guitar stock pickups). Hardware's nickel, but good quality (locking schallers/gotoh wilkinson for the strat, gotohs for the tele). It's the tools that are the big fat startup cost. If you plan on building more than one instrument, remember they're a one-off investment, and remember to buy-as-you-go. You don't need huge amounts of tooling to make a solidbody electric, after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musty Posted October 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 Well, I got pretty much the tools needed, But do I really need these frets press and these little knifes @ Stew Mac? I mean.. I could probably find something that does the exact same thing, that I didn't pay 5$/knife.. Ill also look in the Tele model.. and maybe combine/modify the models, to have something that represents me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 'knives'? Which StewMac 'knives' you talking about? You really don't need a fret press. Millions of perfectly good fret jobs have been done with a hammer (soft-blow, plastic or leather faced helps. Tap, don't beat). Might take a little bit more practice, might require a bit more dressing if you have at the frets too hard. You can make your own holder for the SM fret cauls, or make your own, I suppose. I dunno, I don't derive huge amounts of pelasure from building tempaltes and jigs. They're necessary evils, and when it makes economic sense to buy, I buy instead of make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 You will be hard pressed to build a guitar for less than lets say a middle to low end commercial guitar (lets say $700 or less models). Your first guitar will cost more because you are learning and have to get tools and build your skills. After you have tools and have built up good skills. Not to mention have figured out the proper prices to pay for materials (and I am not talking about bargain hunting or cheap quality parts). Then it will be very possible to make a historic or build in high end features of some very expensive instruments, or build total custom instruments to your designs. You really need to look at it as a hobby. Do not focus on trying to build for cheaper than you can buy. Your first will take time and money(investment). It will be loads of fun, and you will be planning a second and third before you are done with #1. Have fun and enjoy the learning process, and the guitar building community. We are all learning just like you. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 (edited) Garenhan's a luthier-in-training I'm fatter...sorry, flattered. Emphasis on the "in-training," right? I wanted to add something else. I really didn't need to buy that many tools for my builds. My shop was equipped with all of the power tools I need(...I still want more though ). All I bought was some nut slotting files/saws, a fret leveling file, the stewmac fret press caul, and some router bits. One important thing to know is: you can get good parts affordably. They aren't free, but there are brands out there that aren't as well known as others and, as a result, sell cheaper parts. Unfortunately, I have an avarice for schaller hardware and high end pickups. peace, russ PS someday, someone will spell my last name right. it's just a matter of time. Edited October 1, 2005 by thegarehanman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 PS someday, someone will spell my last name right. it's just a matter of time. ← You can always change it you know. Jones, for example. Pretty catchy, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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