guitarchunk

First thing to do is to start reading, looking. This site is pretty good, but the Hickock book is a much better and concise introduction to what you're facing. After you've read through that, you'll be able to use this site more efficiently. It's going to help a lot to gain a little patience--depending on your previous woodworking skills, there's a real learning curve involved here. From your questions, I'm guessing you're pretty new at all of this (someone with woodworking experience knows how to take measurements!). So you're going to have to learn how to use the various tools involved as well. That takes time, there are no shortcuts. Plan on going through a lot of scrap. And it's best to plan on screwing up your first build. For someone with no previous woodworking experience, attempting a from-scratch build is a rather steep first project --I'd recommend working on a mod first. That'll also give you experience refinishing. See above. A question comes to mind: If you have the guitar you want to build, why would you want to build it? Best to build something you don't have. On the other hand, in my own experience, it's best to MODIFY a guitar you already have --including reshaping the body, if you feel like doing that. It's a great way to get your feet wet. But since the neck pocket and bridge placement are already done for you, you can concentrate your learning process on less vital parts of the guitar. Oh yeah, and don't let the other guys' grumpy (eh-hem!) responses to throw you--people here are EXTREMELY helpful (and especially all of the guys who have already replied to your post)-- IF (and that's a BIG IF) you show that you're committed to doing your own research, work etc. ← Thanks guys for your help and info,i have currently just purchased the book that has been mentioned and i had to order it from the states as iam from new zealand,so hopefully this will help alot and pin point all the guidlines,also i do think i will try a mod on my ibanez rg maple neck as the neck is worn down,would it be best to buy a already made rg neck and just replace it or just replace the fretboard?

Is anyone here able to help me from scratch,the first things to do when building a electric guitar things iam unsure about are wood thickness and sizes for the neck,body and heastock,alsodo you just trace around a shape of a guitar you like to use as a template? Iam also unsure how you get the measurments in for the neck joiunt on the body and pickup spacing on the body,also the bridge. Is it best to measure from a guitar you have or what ?