Trying to build a first guitar

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Ryan Michka
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:21 pm

Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Ryan Michka »

Hey all. I am a college student on a budget but I would like to build a solid body electric to fill some of the free time I have. I have done a lot of research, on this website and others, looking into materials, parts, and processes for making a guitar.

I have looked at various retailers but also recently on ebay for parts costs. I was wondering first of all if it is worth it to buy parts from china, which seem to be abundant and dirt cheap on ebay. My only concern is that they are from China, and that I will get really crappy stuff. Opinions?

I understand that this is a relatively expensive project but as an architecture student I have access to a pretty amazing support shop with just about any tool and saw you could need, so buying tools isnt really a factor in the cost.

I guess what I am asking is:

Where do most people get their parts
where is the best place to buy wood
should I avoid anything from China
what are some tips for buying parts as far as what to get(brand/quality wise)


Thanks
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Hans Bezemer
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Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Hans Bezemer »

Ryan,

You can make your project as expensive as you want. There are guitars build from pieces of wood taken out of the garbage can to very rare exotic woods.
This also applies for hardware.

I have build a very playable guitar with low budget wood (plywood and Meranti) and cheap hardware.

My own experience is that my first build was more of a study object than a state-of-the-art product.

But whatever wood / hardware you choose: Have fun with building and keep us updated!

Hans
Gordon Bellerose
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Location: Edmonton AB. Canada

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Gordon Bellerose »

Are you looking to build the guitar from scratch, or buy the body, neck and parts?
Either way, you can't go too far wrong with Guitar Fetish. (GFS)
They sell pretty good bodies and necks. They also have parts, including bridges, pickups. tuners, and all you need, fairly inexpensively.
I buy tuners there, and they are nice.
Check them out.
I need your help. I can't possibly make all the mistakes myself!
Ryan Michka
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:21 pm

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Ryan Michka »

Im looking to build everything from scratch because I have access to the tools and it doesnt really feel like making a guitar to me if I just put a bunch of parts together.

Thanks for the help
John Sonksen
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Location: Portland, OR

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by John Sonksen »

Ryan Michka wrote:Im looking to build everything from scratch because I have access to the tools and it doesnt really feel like making a guitar to me if I just put a bunch of parts together.

Thanks for the help
I built my first one from scratch, it's totally possible but it can also be really, really hard. I have thought about how it may have benefited me to assemble a guitar out of premade parts just to get an easy understanding of how they go together. Of course how difficult it'll be to make has a lot to do with what kind of guitar you want to make. If I could go back and do my first over again I'd probably go with a tele or a strat, and not a double cut les paul with a carved top. (of course I'd still build the one I did, I just think it'd be easier after making a more simple guitar)
Ryan Michka
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Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:21 pm

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Ryan Michka »

Ya my plan is to keep it relatively simple. I already have a Les Paul and also a knock off strat so I want to make a tele. (but not a clone)
Warren May
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Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:00 pm

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Warren May »

A Tele or other slab style guitar is a good choice for your first one and they have a real cool factor. I love the look of the bridge, neck pickup. pickguard and control plate. You can find pretty good hardware on ebay for reasonable prices but don't go too cheap. I've found the really cheap tuners are sometimes, well, really cheap tuners. The bridge saddles on some of the cheap ones are pot metal. You can get some decent sounding pickups, however, pretty cheap for the Tele. I've used DragonFire and GuitarFetish which are decent for ceramic magnets.

There are several pretty decent choices for hardware if you want to spend a little more. Warmoth, StewMac, LMII, AllParts, WD, GuitarElectronics all have some markup but are good to deal with since you can get almost all you need from them.

As far as wood, you might try your local hardwood yard. They may not have swamp ash or alder but you can make a really nice guitar out of wood they will have. The companies already mentioned will sell you a guitar-sized blank. Ebay is a hit or miss...some of those have not been well seasoned so they may not be build ready. Salvaged wood is a good possibility. Depends on what you want to spend but the local folks usually have poplar which will make a decent guitar if you hand pick a good blank.
Gordon Bellerose
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Location: Edmonton AB. Canada

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Gordon Bellerose »

With the info in your first post I wasn't sure which way you were going.
As one of the above replies said, Stewmac sells good stuff reasonably priced.
I've used their Parsons Street pickups in one of my builds and thought they were good.
I also buy from a few other suppliers, mostly GFS, & Wdmusic.
I need your help. I can't possibly make all the mistakes myself!
Steve Graves
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Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 5:05 pm

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Steve Graves »

Ryan,
I am a retired architecture and industrial design guy who now builds guitars etc. If you are looking into making and designing musical instruments that's one matter. If you are thinking of a project that would serve multi-purposes such as stretching your design talents along with building a cool guitar then that's another. I would say focus your intents. If it is true that you have a lot of time to fill in your education then you need to go to another school. The guitar however can be and has been the, for along time ,the darling project of young designers. Here's my idea for you. Go at this project as you would the ultimate architecture job. Commission yourself to build a working guitar but use what you are learning in architecture as your guide. Think bridges, string tension, acoustics, new materials and design as if you had no boundaries other than building the next MOMA or designing the next Brooklyn Bridge. Take advantage of your so-called free time and stretch your skills without caring about cost and effect.
On the other hand if you are just into building your first guitar. Buy a kit and learn all you can about the many choices to be made in building a guitar from available parts and others knowledge.
Steve Graves
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Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Steve Graves »

Tools don't make the Man.
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Barry Daniels
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Location: The Woodlands, Texas

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Barry Daniels »

No, man makes the tools.
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Ryan Michka
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Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:21 pm

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Ryan Michka »

Thanks for all of the comments!

IN saying that I want a project to fill my free time. I am am not suggesting that I will spent hours a day building this thing because I have nothing else to do. I am working on architecture 7 days a week, as you probably are familiar with Steve. I just want this to be a project that I can work on for a long time. If this project takes a year or two that's fine with me. If I can build a full neck by summer, or maybe the end of summer I would be happy.

I see people around me just crash and burn because they spend every waking minute working and then get no sleep to back it up. Everyone needs to know when to stop working and just get a hobby or project to take their mind off of everything.

Thanks again guys.
Steve Graves
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Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Steve Graves »

Building instruments is the best Yoga I do. Enjoy
Dave Locher
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Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Dave Locher »

"Are you looking to build the guitar from scratch, or buy the body, neck and parts?
Either way, you can't go too far wrong with Guitar Fetish. (GFS)
They sell pretty good bodies and necks. They also have parts, including bridges, pickups. tuners, and all you need, fairly inexpensively.
I buy tuners there, and they are nice.
Check them out."

Holy cow, I cannot believe their prices! If I had found them before I started my scratch-built guitar I probably would have bought a neck from them and just built the body.
Does anyone on here have experience with their necks and/or bodies? I'd really like to know for future reference.
Eric Baack
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Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 4:28 pm

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Eric Baack »

I'm really loving the GFS crunchy pat pickups in my PRS clone. Their sperzel style locking tuners are spiffy too. I got one that was defective and they replaced it no questions asked.

I probably wouldn't get my potentiometers from china again (ebay), they do seem a bit shoddy and may get replaced at some point.

A carved top Tele would be pretty cool, maybe even a neck through body type..... but I digress.

I actually found some decent curly maple at Lowes and Menards has a few philipine mahogany (luan) with some cool figure. I actually found a piece of hickory at menards with some intense curl! Otherwise, if you want fancy boards there are lots of places online including ebay. There are some amazing looking pieces of figured walnut up there now.
Ryan Michka
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Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:21 pm

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Ryan Michka »

At this point in the game I have the neck almost completely done. The tru oil finish is going to be curing for the next few days and then I can polish it and install the tuners and string trees.

I've bought parts from all over but noting has come from China. The quality just isn't there and I would rather spend a few extra bucks to get something that will actually last.

My next step is obviously to get wood for the body. I like the look of swamp ash with either a tru oil or clear coat finish. Im not exactly sure where I can get wood for it though. There are loads of places online, but where can I get reasonably priced swamp ash?

As a note, I also looked into Pine as a possible body type. I know there are some potential pitfalls with using such a soft wood but I was wondering what you all think about it.
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Hans Bezemer
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Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Hans Bezemer »

Ryan,

Good that you've started building!
Do you have some pictures of your neck?
Ryan Michka
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Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:21 pm

Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Ryan Michka »

Here are some pictures taken with my phone camera.
Attachments
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Hans Bezemer
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Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Hans Bezemer »

Nice, I like your headstock!
Warren May
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Re: Trying to build a first guitar

Post by Warren May »

Looks good and I like the striping on the headstock.
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