newbie wanting to build a rhoads V

[guitardeam0n]

Hello everyone,

Im pretty new to guitar building so please dont mind me if i ask any stupid questions. Mty dad recently got alot of wood working tools and ive always wanted to build my own 'custom' guitar. Ive always wanted a rhoads neck thru with a locking trem but that would be around 1500 which i dont have. Ive heard its ALOT cheaper to build a guitar yourself so thats what im out to do.

This might sound crazy but i want a 7 string, 5 peice neck thru, 24 fret, quilt top w/ locking trem rhoads.

I just dont know where to start, so could someone please head me off in the correct direction? Thanks alot.

[westhemann]

read around on the site...including pinned topics...there are any number of subjects covered including maple tops and neck thrus

but for that kind of guitar it will still cost around $500 or so

[Nalo1022]

yes ands thats assuming youve got all the tools

[skibum5545]

I have heard that tops on neck-thrus can be difficult, especially around the neck/fretboard area. I've always liked the look of a top on the wings but not on the "neck-thru" part.

Sounds perfectly doable, however. Have you considered using a neck thru neck blank from either stewmac or carvin? It might make life easier if it is your first build.

[Curtis P]

Hi

I am just completing my rhoads V

I too used a 5 peice, bolt on though, 22 fret with cherry body and ash neck

points of advice, get plans somewhere, i drew mine by hand how I figured it would be fine the way i did it, it wasnt, get some plans somewhere, even if it costs you like 25 bucks or whatever, its well worth it, or if you could get a rhoads V body to trace that would work too, just get an outline first, it will help ALOT

by the way, that sounds like a KILLER guitar

Curtis

[skibum5545]

One thing I forgot to add:

You wanted the 5 piece laminate, and I have HEARD (I haven't checked this with carvin) that you can get whatever mods that come on their custom shop necks on the kit necks too. The 5 piece laminate mods are:

5 Piece Laminated Neck Option 

5H - 5 piece mahogany neck with two maple stripes   50.00

5K - 5 piece laminated koa neck with two maple stripes    75.00

5M - 5 piece laminated maple neck with two koa stripes    50.00

5MW - 5 piece laminated maple neck with 2 walnut stripes    50.00

[westhemann]

I have heard that tops on neck-thrus can be difficult, especially around the neck/fretboard area.

i cover that in my pinned topic...it is very easy,especially on a rhoads v,which is not a drop top,as mine is

[guitardeam0n]

Well actually i was thinking of going with koa wood then giving it a tung oil finish.

Where could i get the plans for the rhoads CC?

I posted some stuff about the custom necks on the carvin boards. Do you think the blank headstocks will be big enough for a jackson style headstock?

And what exactly is a 'drop top'

Thanks.

[goth_fiend]

a drop top if im not mistaken is just a slab of wood that is glued to the top of the body as opposed to being carved (excuse the bad analagy im a lityle punkindrublik)

[westhemann]

a drop top if im not mistaken is just a slab of wood that is glued to the top of the body as opposed to being carved (excuse the bad analagy im a lityle punkindrublik)

not exactly....a drop top is a guitar top which is bent to conform to the contour of the armrest