Saga Guitar Kits

[Bugs]

Hello folks,

I'm here because somebody I know from another board invited me.

I have played acoustic guitar for a long time, and write my own songs.

I'm planning on doing some recording and need to play electric also.

Not having a lot of money, I opted the cheap way out. I bought a Saga

Telecaster kit on ebay for 99.95. I'm waiting for it'd delivery as I write this.

I know you get what you pay for, I'm just wondering if I should have held

onto my 100 bucks. Is there any redeeming qualities to this kit? The idea of

building a guitar has always interested me, and I thought that this might be a

good place to start. I've read some good things about Saga, but only from

people selling them. I figure that if I like the way it plays, I'll upgrade to better

components.

Your comment and opinions are welcome.

Thank you,

Bugs.

[GregP]

There are redeeming qualities to almost anything, if you look at it the right way. Let's put it this way:

For $100, you might get a playable guitar! You will likely need to learn a few things to do to make it even more playable, which is a valuable experience.

OR, for $100, you might get a disaster which you are never able to bring to a satisfactory level. You will notice the neck pocket gaps, how badly the frets need recrowning and polishing, how the routes are not located in the right spots, etc. Now, I'm not saying that'll be the case. But if it IS, the experience of building it will still teach you stuff. That's $100 not entirely badly spent.

Greg

[al heeley]

If you want to have a go at building a guitar, then this is a good place to start.

But if you're main motive is to get a cheap playable electric guitar then I'd spend the money on an ebay squier tele or similar.

There's bound to be some extra expense with tools you may need to finish the job properly.

Now you've bought the kit, I'm sure you will really enjoy building it and there is something special about playing an instrument you made yourself.

There's some real talent and experience on this board so I'm sure you'll get loads of help whenever you need advice.

[Bugs]

There are redeeming qualities to almost anything, if you look at it the right way. Let's put it this way:

For $100, you might get a playable guitar! You will likely need to learn a few things to do to make it even more playable, which is a valuable experience.

OR, for $100, you might get a disaster which you are never able to bring to a satisfactory level. You will notice the neck pocket gaps, how badly the frets need recrowning and polishing, how the routes are not located in the right spots, etc. Now, I'm not saying that'll be the case. But if it IS, the experience of building it will still teach you stuff. That's $100 not entirely badly spent.

Greg

Thanks Greg,

That's a good way to look at it. Most of what you said, I have already considered. My main concern is that it will be a turd right out of the box! I would rather have it be my fault. I've contacted a few people from ebay who have also purchased this kit, and they say that it is a pretty good guitar that plays well, sounds good, and has decent pickups. Even "twangs" like a Tele. Rowdy sent me this link to a web site explaining how to build this particular kit. http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/kitbuild.html I'm not looking a a miracle, just something I can play that will make me happy, and something I can pass down to my kid when he is ready to start. If nothing else, it'll be good for slide playing or at the very least, wall decoration.

If you want to have a go at building a guitar, then this is a good place to start.

But if you're main motive is to get a cheap playable electric guitar then I'd spend the money on an ebay squier tele or similar.

There's bound to be some extra expense with tools you may need to finish the job properly.

Now you've bought the kit, I'm sure you will really enjoy building it and there is something special about playing an instrument you made yourself.

There's some real talent and experience on this board so I'm sure you'll get loads of help whenever you need advice.

[Bugs]

If you want to have a go at building a guitar, then this is a good place to start.

But if you're main motive is to get a cheap playable electric guitar then I'd spend the money on an ebay squier tele or similar.

There's bound to be some extra expense with tools you may need to finish the job properly.

Now you've bought the kit, I'm sure you will really enjoy building it and there is something special about playing an instrument you made yourself.

There's some real talent and experience on this board so I'm sure you'll get loads of help whenever you need advice.

I hear ya. The kit says it has everything needed, other than a phillips screw driver, and If I need anything else, I have plenty of tools, or know somebody who does. That should not be a problem. I just wanted a cheap, playable guitar, that I built. Plus, $100. 00 bucks is about all I can spare at this time.

[Bugs]

Hello folks,

I'm here because somebody I know from another board invited me.

I have played acoustic guitar for a long time, and write my own songs.

I'm planning on doing some recording and need to play electric also.

Not having a lot of money, I opted the cheap way out. I bought a Saga

Telecaster kit on ebay for 99.95. I'm waiting for it'd delivery as I write this.

I know you get what you pay for, I'm just wondering if I should have held

onto my 100 bucks. Is there any redeeming qualities to this kit? The idea of

building a guitar has always interested me, and I thought that this might be a

good place to start. I've read some good things about Saga, but only from

people selling them. I figure that if I like the way it plays, I'll upgrade to better

components.

Your comment and opinions are welcome.

Thank you,

Bugs.

Reviews on the Saga TC-10 guitar kit. http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...Saga/TC-10/10/1 Makes me feel better and confirmed what I suspected I will eventually have to do. This could work out well.

[rahimiiii]

A word with saga kits... I had the strat kit twice and both times, neck pocket is too shallow or neck is too thick. If you bolt it on out of the box the neck sits so high that the guitar is unplayable... so you will either need to deepen the neck pocket (hard without a router) or shave the heel until the line between the rosewood and the maple is flush with the pickguard on the body. That means you have to shave off at least 1/8 inch of wood from the back of the neck heel. I measure out what I need to cut and get at it with a wood chisel and hand planes, and finish it off with sandpapers.

[Chris Hopkins]

I've got the PRS kit. I tried to fit the neck to the body as a pre-assembly test and I'm gonna have to sand a little bit from the neck pocket to get a good fit.

I'm going to blog my experiences of building it and will post the link when I get started.

[Bugs]

I've got the PRS kit. I tried to fit the neck to the body as a pre-assembly test and I'm gonna have to sand a little bit from the neck pocket to get a good fit.

I'm going to blog my experiences of building it and will post the link when I get started.

My guitar kit came yesterday. I think I have a good one. The neck is straight and the fret bars are smooth and uniform.

I too will also blog my build on "My Space"...if anybody cares.

Thanks for your help guys.

[Simmessa]

Well I personally had a very good experience with these kits (I own 3), my main guitar is a Saga LP style kit and I think I couldn't do without it...

Please bear in mind that:

I changed tuners to sperzels (the included tuners weren't ideal, but not as crappy as everyone thinks)

I changed the pots, cause mine were so bad you couldn't even put the volume to zero!!!

If anyone here's interested I run a blog on my website, where I tell my personal experience:

http://www.simmessa.com/blog/?page_id=29

oh, and I also have a wiki about SAGA (and other brands) guitar kits:

http://www.simmessa.com/wiki

Bye!

Simmessa.