Snork Posted November 24, 2003 Report Share Posted November 24, 2003 I was recently obsessing over the JEM FP. But recently i looked at the website for the jem and saw that it was built out of like basswood. Nothing special. Not the best pups in the world either. Can someone give me the breakdown of one of these guitars? Sound/ playability...etc. I was thinking of building a solid bubinga guitar with a deeep tenon neck w/ a braz. rose fing. board and 2 burstbucker pickups. What do you think i should do? Spend 750 on the jem or build this guitar for about 400? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted November 24, 2003 Report Share Posted November 24, 2003 it might be difficult to build that guitar for less than $400. If I could get a jem77fp for $750 i probably would. (too bad i just bought skis ) just my 2 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedy McFeely Posted November 24, 2003 Report Share Posted November 24, 2003 the jem is a high quality guitar. it may be made of "not so special" woods, but it is a quality piece. ibanez takes time to make sure it's japanise sig models are top notch. i have a 77fp from 1988, the first year, and it is still an awesome inturment, sounds great, and plays incredible. things like pick ups can be changed, but bare in mind that the pick ups are dimarzios, not cheap ibanez v series pick ups. the jem has many unique features, like the monkey grip, lions claw trem route, and the 77 has an awesome material top, and back. i agree with cannuck, if you can get a 77fp for 750, get it, if you don't like it, they sell for over 1000 on ebay all of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SprocketBoy Posted November 24, 2003 Report Share Posted November 24, 2003 Ditto with canuck & speedy the Jem series is top notch, One of hoshinos pride and joys ....if you've found a Jem77/FP for 750 i'd jump on it .....thats a good deal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snork Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 But what about a feature laden kick ass wood home built guitar? Is it too risky? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 But what about a feature laden kick ass wood home built guitar? Is it too risky? if you are capable then go for it.you can build it for $400 pretty easy,but the bubinga will be hard to find in the quantity you want for that budget.as this is a building forum i always say it is better to build than buy.use alder for the body.great tonewood and you can get enough for the body for about $20.alder also will not become misshapen around the trem inserts. if you don't want to build the neck try ed roman(i know but he sells them used...if you have a better place don't be shy)he has a used neck department that with a refret could be a good start. if you want to build the neck enough maple for a neck will run about $30.if you don't like maple may i suggest bocote?a bit more expensive i think but really strong and stable and needs no finish(but i would suggest tung oil...makes a great feeling neck.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snork Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 alder over bubinga? Are you sure? What about a really nice wood for a 2 piece body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snork Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 nah i dont think so about teh alder. I like the bubinga wood. Its almost like brazilian rosewood. So i think ill just sort of make the back out of it. Maybe a quilted maple top. still debating the top. Bubinga is a nice wood. Has a tight grain unlike maple, so i like that for the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 not over bubinga...instead of bubinga.alder is MUCH easier to work with,bubinga is tough stuff and is really heavy.alder is super light.alder has a great well balanced tone and is much,much cheaper. but that is just my opinion. is this going to be your first build?because bubinga would be a super tough first build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 maple has a much tighter grain than bubinga.almost as many pores in bubinga as mahogany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 but by all means do what makes you happy.but if you want to contour bubinga,you are going to need somje serious power sanding equipment,unless you are built like ahhnold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snork Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 crap. well i dont think i'll have to contour the back too much. I think. Ill probably use something like quilted maple for the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 could someone tell me how you build a guitar like that for $400? material, pickups, trem, nut, tuners, etc etc etc, I don't know how you'd build it nicely for $750 even! Building guitars for way cheap is possible, but you don't get much, you want an edge trem, new you're into it for $220 alone! Pickups are $180, there's your $400 already with no wood even bought let alone cut. I'd buy the FP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 It is very much possible... but like you said; once you're going to use a tremolo unit then you can add at least 200 bucks up to the price. But if you'd use a TOM bridge and string thru body, 2 dimarzio's (burstbuckers are freaking expensive), gotoh tuners, and all the wood needed I think you can go under the 400 bucks limit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 Make a jem wit an OFR...under 400? yOU BET. Quality? You bet. I will pull this off, I love a good challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roli Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 Build your own thing, mate. No one else will sound like you, look like you, and if you don't make bad mistakes, you'll easily forget any mass produced 'wonders'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 your prices in canada must be high ,jeremy.an edge trem i can get for $180 and dimarzio's are around $70 or less a piece. alder at my local supplier like a said i can get enough for a body for around$20 and enough maple for the neck for about the same. so that's around $320 so far.and really i was thinking original floyd,which would be about $150. i don't know about all this talk of mop and bubinga...i wouldn't put that on a guitar meant to be inexpensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 btw so far i am only in about $250 on my carved top...and all i have left to buy is an emg 85 and some paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 oh and also btw i spent $600 on my v....because i bought the carvin neck and the tone pros tom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 Ai. But you don't have to fork out on tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 Ai. But you don't have to fork out on tools. yes i did...but i am not counting that because the price per guitar goes down the longer the tools last Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snork Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 i buy my shiz off of ebay. it really shaves costs down significantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted November 25, 2003 Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 Make a jem wit an OFR...under 400? yOU BET. Quality? You bet. I will pull this off, I love a good challenge. i really reeally REALLY doubt you will be able to build a guitar with the same specs for that little Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snork Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2003 ebay my dear friend...every misers dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DividedByJames Posted November 26, 2003 Report Share Posted November 26, 2003 snork, IMO if you want exactly the same thing, then I'd just buy it. I keep finding that out when I put together my "kit" guitars (from Stew Mac/Warmoth/etc.). I often find it is slight cheaper in the long run to fork out the cash for the real deal. Especially if you want it identical and the guitar is not a standard shape (ie. Tele or Strat). Plus if you lose interest in it the real deal has resale value greater than your custom. Now if you want something totally custom (ie. multi-wood tops, better tonewood, hardtail, etc.) I say either build it yourself if you are skilled and have the tools. If you are lacking in either department, I say find a decent builder that will do it for cheap. Rampart Guitars does them moderately cheap and they give multiple options. I haven't purchased from them, but I got a quote for a custom Roswell Rhoads (that I never did) in lacewood for just over $200 (prices for routing is separate). At their prices a solid bubinga body would be $105+18(contours)+15(3 pickups)+50(trem/other routs)~$190. Not bad since I've seen the basswood ones advertised for like $200 on the web. But the original question was for a FP (Floral pattern)...were you going to duplicate the flower print too? And lastly a Edge tremolo starting at $9.99 on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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