# My first Guitar building project!



## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

Well my Dad and I are gonna be building our first Guitar and we can't wait. Were making a Les Paul style Guitar and were making it with top of the line Parts and wood. Well first do you reccomend any Body and Neck building sets made with Mahogany for the Neck and Body and a Maple top ? 

Well were using CTS Pots Orange drop caps and Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro 2's for the Pickups with a beautiful Transparent Black finish. Were gonna use the Stop Bar tailpiece and Tun-O-Matic Bridge and Kluson vintage style Tuners.


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## Shark (Jun 10, 2010)

Personally, I've never seen kits that had great quality components. They are probably out there, but I haven't seen them. There are, however, plenty places that sell individual pieces. I recommend: Warmoth and USA Custom Guitars. Not sure if USACG does a LP shape, though. I recommend against Guitar Mill. They months and months to get me a plain ol' Strat body. Then when it came it had huge finish flaws. I sent it back and they redid it, but it's still not as good as I had expected in the first place--and it took nearly a year.

Are you planning on finishing it yourself? If so, how and what with? The finishing is the biggest, toughest part of the whole project, if you are spraying it yourself. I've bought both finished and unfinished bodies and necks.

For parts, it depends on how much you want to spend. At one end of the scale--though certainly not at the bottom--there is StewMac, while at the other end is Callaham Guitars. One thing I love about StewMac; the shipping is _fast_.


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

I was looking at kits and I saw none that were good quality so I thought Members here might. I checked out Warmoth and I was thinking on getting one from there and I wasn't sure if they were good so thanks for the reccomending it. haha I was gonna get my Parts from StewMac I have gotten upgrades from them in the past and they are amazing when it comes to shipping. Thanks for the reply.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

To the OP, Please note:

were = past tense of are
we're = contraction for we are

the apostrophe makes a big difference.









Sorry, one of my pet peeves.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Feel better now ?



mrmatt1972 said:


> To the OP, Please note:
> 
> were = past tense of are
> we're = contraction for we are
> ...


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

mrmatt1972 said:


> To the OP, Please note:
> 
> were = past tense of are
> we're = contraction for we are
> ...


Thanks for your help....


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Don't know of any kits off hand. How much woodworking experience does Dad have?


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

He is good at woodworking.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

An Lp is a big bite for a first project. A Tele is a good start build .. but ... 

Forum member Ajcoholic has a thread here. Have dad read it. Remember that Andrew is a pro woodworker. 

New "AC" Guitar Build Thread - Les Paul Content! - Harmony Central Forums


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

I am thinking about making an original SG or Firebird instead.


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## J S Moore (Feb 18, 2006)

Go here: Eastern Maple Carved Tops and scroll down to "full kits". Best LP kit I have ever seen in my life.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Slash - may I suggest to you, one of the most important thing to decide is to CHOOSE what particular style of guitar you want to build, and then STICK with that.

WHy? Well, a Les Paul, SG and Firebird are all completely different construction styles, and you can't just start one, then decide to switch part way through.

I suggest, if your father has some decent woodworking experience take this path:

- do some research on the topic. Buy a book or two and study the difference say in a neck through (Firebird) VS set neck (Les Paul) design, and how things are done.

- decide what you want to build... and then select the hardware BEFORE you begin.

- draw up a full size plan of your project, and make a lot of notes as you go. SOmetimes the seemingly small measurement will matter. Or figure out if your angles will work on paper before cutting any wood.

Basically take it systematically, one step at a time. Don't worry about how wonderful your finish will look NOW.. that step is many hours away and worry about what is important at the time you need to... ie, dont get too far ahead of yourself (however dont work yourself into a corner either).

I have a bunch of build threads on HC you can look at, as well there are MANY awesome detailed builds on line at the various forums, by other hobby builders.

I do suggest to buy at least one book - the basics are all covered in Melvyn Hiscock's book "Make your Own Electric Guitar".

Good luck!

AJC

PS please don't be critical of my spelling and/or grammar


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

100% agree with AJC. I owned Melvyn Hiscocks book for over a decade before I did my build. Set yourself up for something that is realistically obtainable. A bolt on neck would be the easiest start. Then, when you have a guitar in your hands, that plays, it will be inspiration for the next. Well, that is my plan anyway. Trying to figure out what the next one is going to be now.


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

I do want to make a Les Paul the sound on those beauties are what I really love, That is my original idea and that is what I am sticking with and I already have my hardware picked out and did before I posted this thread.


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## Shark (Jun 10, 2010)

J S Moore said:


> Go here: Eastern Maple Carved Tops and scroll down to "full kits". Best LP kit I have ever seen in my life.


Brazilian rosewood fretboard on a kit guitar! Wow!


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

That kit is just.... Beautiful


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## mwcarl (Jan 25, 2010)

That kit is WAY too expensive. As a first project do something cheaper so you can experiment/screw-up (and you will) without kicking yourself too much. Anyone thinking of building a guitar (kit or otherwise) should not expect a really nice guitar the first time around. I see a lot of people making that mistake.

If your dad is good with woodworking and you have access to reasonable tools, I'd just build the thing yourself instead of using a kit. More rewarding than simply slapping a kit together, but you may disagree.


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

I know it's too expensive I just wanted to say it is beautiful.  Also is Push Pull Pots and Orange drop caps a good mix?


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

That "kit" leaves gluing in the neck and the face veneer from the looks of it. You dont get to shape anything, done get to fret, or inlay, etc. WHat fun is that?

Building guitars should be about the joy of taking planks of wood, and shaping them into a playable instrument. Learning how to finesse a fretboard and fine tune a bunch of wood and hardware into a nicely playable instrument, IMO.

If you want a LP, I would say go fo it. Certainly a Tele will be easier to start, but it will depend upon how much woodworking experience you and your dad have, how much patience you have and how well you want to do things. Thats the most important thing.. you have to do things RIGHT. Not say "oh I spent enough time on that allready, lets go on to the next step" - you have to keep at each step until it is correct. 

In terms of the type of caps and pots, it really doesnt matter. P/P pots are great if you want to coil cut or something, but otherwise they dont have anything to do with the pots. 

AJC


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

mrmatt1972 said:


> To the OP, Please note:
> 
> were = past tense of are
> we're = contraction for we are
> ...


This is somewhat related:


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

haha, ajcholic I agree.


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## CSOL (Nov 29, 2010)

Good luck, ssp!

I love the diy ambition. Warmoth is a great place to start - their parts are very nice. I've helped students put their kits together in the past and they turned out nice. They were all unfinished parts - i'm not sure what the finishes are like on their parts, but the raw wood parts are very nice. If you're ever looking to develop your skills further, I work at the Canadian School of Lutherie. We're always running courses. You can check out our website at Canadian School of Lutherie. If you have any questions on this forum, I'd be more than happy to help.

-Jeremy


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

On Warmoth I am building a custom body and it is asking me if I want Mounting holes is that for a bolt on neck if so should I ask for no Mountign holes?


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## blacktooth (Jul 3, 2010)

I think all the warmoth stuff is bolt on... probably the mounting holes are for the bridge. i could be wrong though


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

Damn..... Do you guys know any places where I can design a Neck and bodywith good quality material and not bolt on


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

You make your neckpocket tight and glue the neck...


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

So I can just glue the neck in even if it is bolt on? Thats what I got from your post...


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

That is what that is yes..


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

mrmatt1972 said:


> To the OP, Please note:
> 
> were = past tense of are
> we're = contraction for we are
> ...


Proper spelling, punctuation, etc. is becoming a lost art. I'm glad to see someone who realizes it's important if you want to be understood properly.


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## Slash'sSnakepit (Aug 23, 2010)

I'm a Teenager i've been tex messaging people so often I guess the bad grammar sort of molded into my head.


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