Biohazard Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 I'm thinking of having a guitar built for me as I've found a cheap quote, but is there any tutorials that takes you step by step so I could build this guitar, to the same quality as this guy who can do it for me? Or is it not a good idea as a first ever project? thanks for any information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Luthier Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 Or is it not a good idea as a first ever project? Why would building a guitar be a bad first project if you want to build yourself a guitar? Check the tutorial section, if you already haven't. There are separate tutarials for making a neck, making a body, finishing, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickleweaseler Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 In the tutorial section of the site there are tutorials on building guitars. (funny how that works isn't it?) You should read the Melvyn Hiscock book "Make Your Own Electric Guitar" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 or martin koch's "Building Electric Guitars" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted March 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 No but what I want to know is will my first guitar be as good a quality as the one this guy can build for me. Or will it be less quality. If i do it myself, will I save money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 If your very first guitar could come out as nice as one made by a pro luthier, they would all be looking for jobs elsewhere, who would need them? To answer your question honestly, no, I don't think your first guitar would come anywhere near as good a quality as a professionally hand-made one, and you would spend probably 3 times as much to come up with lesser results. I consider round about my 10th try and topping the $1500.00 mark in tools and supplies was approaching true professional quality. ...maybe it was the 15th... ...probably not even there yet, hehehe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted March 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 Ok, i think i'l go for professionally made, it will cost around $1333, i'l make my own at a later point when i feel more confident, or I might find someone round my local area to learn with, there must be luthiers round here somewhere lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 Ok, i think i'l go for professionally made, it will cost around $1333, i'l make my own at a later point when i feel more confident, or I might find someone round my local area to learn with, there must be luthiers round here somewhere lol. i applaud the fact that you are willing to pay the money for a quality instrument...so many would rather just buy the cheap thrown together ones. by the way(and a little off topic,but it will be short)i am building a new neck for my fernandes and i removed the truss rod cover on the old neck to use on the new neck,and i looked in and noticed an off center truss rod,a sloppy rout(what i could see of it)and split wood around the screws that hold the cover on....so much for quality control,eh? i may take the fretboard off and investigate further and post pics...or i could saw it in half to get a crosscut section Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 8, 2004 Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 That kind of thing happens more then most people think Wes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YDoesGodMockMeSo Posted March 8, 2004 Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 Ok, i think i'l go for professionally made, it will cost around $1333, i'l make my own at a later point when i feel more confident, or I might find someone round my local area to learn with, there must be luthiers round here somewhere lol. why not ask people around here? I know some people here make fine instruments and what not. Maybe you can commission them? What kidna guitar did you want? www.rampartguitars.com is relatively cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted March 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 Whatt do you mean by commison them? If anyone is good enough to make a professional luthier quality instrument then you can contact me. I actually got the price wrong its about $1290 I would estimate. Its going to have Tune-O-Matic bridge, Kent Armstrong and Rio Grande pickups, Sperzel heads, Mahogany body, Maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, I'm going to do the electronics myself. Thanks for the advice. I will eventually build my own, but I don't want to build a guitar that I want myself when I can get it luthier quality, it will also be a guitar i adore, I'l build my own when I have more money and not too bothered about it being my main guitar. Hope that made sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted March 8, 2004 Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 Whatt do you mean by commison them? If anyone is good enough to make a professional luthier quality instrument then you can contact me. I actually got the price wrong its about $1290 I would estimate. Its going to have Tune-O-Matic bridge, Kent Armstrong and Rio Grande pickups, Sperzel heads, Mahogany body, Maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, I'm going to do the electronics myself. Thanks for the advice. I will eventually build my own, but I don't want to build a guitar that I want myself when I can get it luthier quality, it will also be a guitar i adore, I'l build my own when I have more money and not too bothered about it being my main guitar. Hope that made sense. I dare say you'll be inundated by people proposing cheaper prices than what you have quoted here, but i would be EXTREMELY careful who you choose, and view their work carefully, well before making a decision. You should not be buying an instrument from someone that cannot supply a guitar for you to play, prior to ordering from them. There are more than a few examples ive heard of, from people that have been propositioned on this board, yet the "luthiers" (and i use that term very lightly) have yet to build a SINGLE guitar. $1290 is cheap for a custom made instrument, be happy with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted March 8, 2004 Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 lol.. got to like Rhoads, cause he tells it like it is. I would never sell a guitar at this point even though mine are turning out pretty good, but I'm still learning alot and want to make really great guitars before I'd sell one. Some people though will sell you a sloppy made guitar in a heartbeat. Doesn't mean they don't care, it's just that they don't know it's not that good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadMojo Posted March 8, 2004 Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 A friend of mine just paid just about $1600 for a Carvin with darn near every option. http://apps.carvin.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ulti...ic;f=1;t=010291 That links to the discussion of it. For a custom/production that's a great value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted March 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 Yeah I think I will go for the custom, although its going to be incomplete because I have specified that I want to do the electronics and finish on my own, once completely finished, even though I would have done hardly any work, would I be able to submit it on here for guitar of the month or something like that, i'l post a pic of it here anyway to let you all know how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 8, 2004 Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 . $1290 is cheap for a custom made instrument, be happy with that. yes it is an extremely good price,but still high enough that you can be fairly confident about the quality any cheaper than that and you take a risk imo...it is tough to make a profit for less than that.... for example...so far i consistently spend $300 to $500 in parts and wood to make mine,and that is not counting tools or time on average most custom instruments are about $500 to $1000 higher than what you are going to pay from what i have seen someone correct me if i am wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 There's no way I'd trust someone to build a guitar for me if I couldn't play some of their other instruments first. I'm thinking of getting an acoustic built for me. I'm building electrics because they are easier, but my passion is really for the organic feel of an acoustic. I'd really like to get into building them, but I don't feel confident enough yet. Devon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_ed Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 Hey Bio, One thing to consider on the buy/build question is how much you want to do your self. I started by purchasing bodies that were already for finishing, and then went from there. I got all the tools and started cutting out my own bodies. Now, I will carve my own bodies, but I will not, ever, build my own necks. There are other people on this site who think nothing of building their own necks. But it is beyond me. I would suggest looking for ideas on the Warmoth site. With a bit of patience and help from the people here, and your friendly local luthier, you can do a fantastic job all by yourself. The pro's are not necessarily the best, but they do get paid for it. Last and most important: Guitar Ed Opinions are like a$$holes. And I just showed you mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted March 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 I'm going to get it built for me, then I will fit the hardware, (pickups, bridge, kill switch, pots etc), and I will do the finish myself, which will be an aluminium sheet metal finish, i have posted a thread about this in the finish section if the forum, I will also do the electronics myself including fitting in a Fuzz circuit, again I have posted a thread about this in the electronics part of the forum, I'l let you all know how it goes. Feel free to add anymore comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 I'm going to get it built for me, then I will fit the hardware, (pickups, bridge, kill switch, pots etc), and I will do the finish myself, which will be an aluminium sheet metal finish, i have posted a thread about this in the finish section if the forum, I will also do the electronics myself including fitting in a Fuzz circuit, again I have posted a thread about this in the electronics part of the forum, I'l let you all know how it goes. Feel free to add anymore comments. So is $1290 including the hardware??? If not, it may not be as well priced as i previously thought. I assumed it was complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted March 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 It includes all the hardware that I will need. Its a good price compared to others I was getting. Apart from the aluminium to go on the body and the electronics, it will be a complete guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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