Since I can't buy one, I'm making one.

[Myth_Pharoah]

Its been a while since I've craved for a good guitar, and my dad doesn't seem to cave. He doesn't think I need one... but when I say what if I make one? He is ready to put in money... since I'M LEARNING something. I'm happy though. Parents can be wierd sometimes.

I've been guitarring since about 2 years now, and am 19yrs old.

So I read a buncha articles on guys who've made their guitars? I've found information regarding making it. Still is there something I should read before starting? What I need to know?

I've been playing only for about a 2 years and am not that deep in guitar theory, but I know a buncha guitar gods that know everything who can help me out, except building the guitar since they haven't done it.

So what do I need to know? Any links you got?

I had a few question, all these sites meantioned the neck scale...24" something, what does that mean? I read somewhere that it decides how big the size of the fret will be. What is better? I read somewhere that 25.5" is the most standard size. I'm looking for to build a 24 fretter.

I'm gonna try making the body first with crappy local wood, and see if I get it right. If I do I'll go get Mahogany...

What's the most difficult part in building your own guitar?

I have most general tools. My dad kinda owns a factory where a lot of metal tools are there, he said these can be used to cut wood easily enough, and too micrometer accuracy... good enough?

Also, the thing that is scarying me the most right now is the neck. I never understood what truss rods did... any one have a clue?

Also what about the quality? If I get the best wood I can (mahogany) and say dimarzio or EMG pickups, how would the quality match, to say Epiphone? Will I even reach their level in terms of sustain and tone? How much of this depends on the build quality?

I'm going to be doing a explorer copy, so if anyone knows where I can get the explorer dimensions? Or if anyone has one who can get it for me?

Also what's a good place in the US to get parts like a bridge, nuts and such parts of a guitar? I'm gonna have it shipped to a cousin in NJ, who can bring it here when she comes. I'm from India btw.

I know these are a **** load of questions... but I'm a noob and all excited about making a guitar,

[guitar_ed]

Howdy MP,

I would suggest three things to get you started.

1) Read This Thread on mistakes to avoid.

2) Get te Melvyn Hiscock book on building electric guitars.

3) Use the search function on this site to look up topics. Most of your questions will be answered.

Take care,

Guitar Ed

[Phil Mailloux]

have a look at www.stewmac.com They're the best place to buy anything related to guitar making. At the level you're at you definitely need to read a guitar building book. It'll clarify everything. You can choose from a couple of different books on the stewmac site. The best one was already mentioned (Hiscock)

And read every tutorial on the project guitar main site

[Docaroo]

Here's some sites you might find useful:

www.projectguitar.com !!! obvious one..

www.stewmac.com - for many guitar parts and finishing tools

www.warmoth.com - if you don't want to build the neck, you could always get one here...

www.reranch.com - if you get to the finishing stage, here's how to give it a professional looking paint job!

http://www.gsrguitars.co.uk/ - very friendly & helpful guys, can do most things for you from pickguards to headstock decals!!

Hapyp Building!

-Doc

[Brian]

Welcome to the forum Myth_Pharoah

[Myth_Pharoah]

Thanks alot. I'm definatelt getting that the hiscock book.

But what about quality? How much of the tone and sustain depend on build quality? If I get the best wood, and descent pickups?

[Gorecki]

But what about quality? How much of the tone and sustain depend on build quality? If I get the best wood, and descent pickups?

'best' anything around here is pretty much opinion.

The build affects a lot, a poorly built guitar with great parts will likely not be as good as a well built guitar with cheap parts (if there is such a thing).

It's likely your first effort will not be perfect. Premade parts is the simplest to achieve a decent result.

As everyone says...READ READ READ! You'll learn alot before you touch a tool.

good luck....

[Jehle]

As everyone says...READ READ READ!  You'll learn alot before you touch a tool.

And you will also learn alot from what you did wrong the first time.

Keep your fingers attached to your hand at all times.

[Myth_Pharoah]

OK... hmm.

What about bridges? From what I've seen till now, TonPros are the best... but they're a tiny viny bit expensive. Are there any which are cheaper? Something around say $70ish? I looking for a floating tremolo(the one you press up 'n down).

[american_jesus]

i havent built a guitar myself, but i plan to, so dont take my words over anyone elses here.

if you've got all the machines you could need(saws, routers mainly. buffing wheels and sanders are also helpful) you should be OK.

you asked about truss rods, simply put, they bend the neck. tighter it is, the more bowed it is, looser, less bow. there's a channel in the neck where the rod goes, under the fretboard.

for the neck, if you're doing a set neck, and have not worked with carving curves, practice on scrap, a lot, or buy a premade set neck.

and the most important thing i can say(remember this, for as long as you're doing anything) measure twice(or more!), cut once.

[Drak]

My recommendation (and yes, I know you're all fired up, hell, I STILL get all fired up..wouldn't continue to do this if I didn't )

...is to make your first guitar out of Completely -Average- price and quality parts.

Do NOT build your FIRST guitar out of exotic woods and high-dollar parts, if you think having high dollar parts will build you a better guitar, or somehow buy you some insurance towards a better guitar, I think you'll be wasting money and wind up dissapointed.

I'm talking $20.00 bridges, $30.00 tuner set, $15.00 worth of wood for the body...like that.

It has been a RARE day that I've EVER seen someone's FIRST guitar completely kick ass, an extremely rare day, maybe never.

The first one is the 'learner'. The prototype, the one to make some (make that a RACK)

of mistakes on. So use average parts, average woods and save some money for the second one when you MIGHT be ready to assemble a decent guitar.

Would you buy your own 16-year-old son a Viper for his first car when he has -never- taken driving lesson number one yet?

I say this because you need the right attitude going in to LEARN. Your head has to be right. If you buy fancy parts and high dollar woods, thinking you're gonna come out of this with some ass-whipping stellar guitar, you will be so worried about screwing something up, your mind will not be free to relax, enjoy, and learn, with no real fear of screwing something up if you do. Your EXPECTATIONS will be set so HIGH, that you will be removing most of the FUN out of the whole thing.

Keep it CHEAP, keep it FUN, and keep your HEAD RIGHT so you go thru this process of learning with a good attitude, even if you freaking DESTROY your first attempt, you will not let that piss you off, cuz you didn't SPEND a whole lot on it in the first place.

Keep your EXPECTATIONS of your first project somewhere south of the clouds and set firmly in reality. With the questions you're asking, you are starting out at ROCK BOTTOM, so don't expect to come out of your first shot with a complete winner, rather, expect to come out of your first one with KNOWLEDGE of how to build a guitar, THAT is a reasonable expectation, and if you wind up topping that, then hats off to you, you done better than good for your first one.

I have spaked.

[frank falbo]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but at 19 yrs old AND having never built a guitar before, I would recommend you buy a neck. Whether it's a neck through like Carvin or a bolt neck, I just can't see the Hiscock book taking you from zero to hero on your first build. I say "at 19" but it's really not your age. I was building great guitars at 19 and I have several of them still. But they really weren't my "first" of anything. In other words, the first body I made was already after I had mastered pickup and tremolo routing, and after I knew how to work with wood (partially thanks to woodshop class in High School) The first neck I made was after I had already done highly successful truss rod & fretboard replacements, and dozens of refrets, beginning with simple fret levels before that. And I didn't make an acoustic until I had done bridge reglues, bracing repairs, and neck resets.

Building a guitar is fun and rewarding, but it's also heartbreaking if you spend all this time on it and you can't stop it from fretting out unless the action is high because your "first neck" has tension and leveling issues. You make a gorgeous guitar that you can't really play. Or since you haven't mastered neck shaping it doesn't feel good to your hand. I'm just trying to save you some grief with some wisdom of years of building. I'm not trying to rain on your parade. If anything, I'm trying to make your experience more joyous and rewarding.

[Myth_Pharoah]

I on the other hand thought I was a little 'young' for building the guitar... never mind that.

hey drak, where do you get these $30 bridges and stuff? Any sites? I live in India, so I'm pretty sure you don't know any shop here.

You got MSN?

[litchfield]

You are right in the heart of it all

Gotoh is a cheap brand of good quality. Any cheap Korean part is what he refers to.

PS. I have MSN

[Hotrock]

Why not go to a second hand shop and buy a knackered old guitar to practice on. It'll give you all the hardware and a neck. You can build the body to fit that neck and then a few months later, if you're feeling brave, build a new neck to fit the new body.

Personally I would say that if you want to build the neck then have a go. I really didn't find it too difficult - don't get me wrong, it's hard to do but it's not just for the pros. Saying that though, I've only built 1 neck and people like Frank Falbo are talking from experience, so I'd listen to them before me

Good luck however you decide to do it.

[Myth_Pharoah]

I added ya litchfield, and drak I added you on Yahoo, if its ok.

I thought of that too, but then, I might as well go for descent hardware, right? I mean if I make a better guitar later, I can just move it on there... I just have a feeling that this will be my first guitar and the last, since my dad won't be keen on building another one and financing it. And just so you know, its very hard to get part time jobs, and if we do get them they pay like $100 a month. :o

[Jehle]

Why not go to a second hand shop and buy a knackered old guitar to practice on. It'll give you all the hardware and a neck. You can build the body to fit that neck and then a few months later, if you're feeling brave, build a new neck to fit the new body.

Personally I would say that if you want to build the neck then have a go. I really didn't find it too difficult - don't get me wrong, it's hard to do but it's not just for the pros. Saying that though, I've only built 1 neck and people like Frank Falbo are talking from experience, so I'd listen to them before me

Good luck however you decide to do it.

That's what I did many years ago. I would get $30 pawnshop guitars and mutate them. All the parts where there and I could change things out without worrying about ruining an expensive guitar.

Good suggestion.

[Hotrock]

If you think your skint now then wait until you're living with a woman

Gotta agree with Litch on the Gotoh stuff. Thats what I'm using and I'm more than impressed with the quality.

[Curtis P]

I also second GOTOH

I used alot of there parts on my guitar, and I am EXTREMELY impressed by the quality

for tuning pegs, i highley recomend GOTOH mini's

Curtis

[Gorecki]

That's what I did many years ago. I would get $30 pawnshop guitars and mutate them. All the parts where there and I could change things out without worrying about ruining an expensive guitar.

Good suggestion.

Yep, I'm doing that now. Just bought a $71 brand new strat clone off eBay that I expect to make fretless for fun and learning purposes. If I screw it up, so what, got a spare neck for $15 and parts for some other freakish idea I'm sure I'll come up with.

All this while still trying to finish my first build. Wish the temps would cool down around here before winter.

Brian

[Dr. Jabsco]

I hear ya on the temps!!!

right now its 98* and humid as hell out there, latley ive been waiting till night fall to work on my bass (my shop is with out AC)

[Jehle]

I feel your pain with the humidity. Yesterday, 110* heat index. Yuck.

I'm lucky if I can work for 5 minutes with it like that outside. I've been working inside and making a mess in the house instead. It's nice, but I have to vacuum the whole house when I'm done.