First Self Build Questions

asimmd · September 2013

Hi Guys

Just recently retired and I have some time to do things I always wanted to do, but never got round to them.

OK,I am looking a a self build Strat.

I know the specs but I don't know where to get the Body and Neck from.

I have been looking at the Mighty Mite necks and a Guitarbuild body,but I don't know if they are any good.

Yes I know Warmoth are excellent,but not for a first try,I am already concerned about lining up the neck/body - fitting

the trem - cutting the nut,painting etc.

Or would I be better off getting something like an Affinity,and just changing hardware on it to begin with?

I have to start somewhere,but where?

Thanks

Alan

JookyChap · September 2013

Hi Alan

Guitar build and Mighty Mite are fine quality wise, but to be honest, as you suggest, I'd get a beater and upgrade everything on it as you go along to start with as you will always have a base that works, changing one part at a time.

Alternatively, especially if you want to have a go at finishing, there are plenty of kits around of various qualities that don't cost the earth and give you a chance to find out whether it is for you before you lay out a load of dosh on parts (which you will when you come to spec your own.). You can find these all over ebay for < £80 and they should come with everything you need. And can later upgrade if you like.

If you want to spec your own then Guitar Build sell bodies on ebay cheaper than direct, and if you look for BooBoo Guitars on ebay you can pick up their seconds for silly prices (though you'll need to do more sanding.)

For other parts Axesrus and Axetec are good, as are North West Guitars, and you can usually find most things on the Classifieds here too..

It is all quite addictive though

asimmd · September 2013

Hi JookyChap

Many thanks for the reply.

When you say better to get a beater and upgrade as I go,what sort of price would

you have in mind.

I have looked on ebay and there is nothing really "cheap".

Alan

Megii · September 2013

Guitarbuild's stuff is excellent, I am on my 3rd build using one of their bodies. I'd certainly recommend them for a strat body. I built this strat using one of their one-piece swamp ash bodies (my second parts build):

I think there is no right or wrong, and there is something to be said for getting experience upgrading or modifying an existing cheap guitar. However, personally I have actually found it easier in some respects to start with nice clean new parts (if a little more expensive lol). I'd also advise getting a strat body that has the 4 neck bolt holes already drilled, and another thing that helped me was that Guitarbuild had just shallowly drilled/marked the position for the 6 holes for the screws the trem pivots on. If you buy the neck and hardware first, it's possible to send these to Guitarbuild, who will ensure a perfect fit, something well worth thinking about imo. And do remember that part dimensions are not standardised, so do as much research as possible before buying, to make sure things will work together. Axesrus used to sell very good necks for around £100, but their latest stock is considerably more expensive (but very good indeed I assume). I imagine Mighty Mite could be a good bet for the neck. Beware of going too cheap on the bits for the guitar - I once bought a strat neck on ebay for around £60 new - looked good in the picture, but fairly poor wood, badly finished, and the shoddiest fretwork you ever saw. Spent another £40 on one from Axesrus, with a nice ebony fingerboard, and the difference was like night and day. In general, I think the idea with parts building should be to get good value for money, but not to spend as little as possible. Best of luck if you decide to go ahead though - I agree it's highly addictive, and great fun.

ewal · September 2013

Lots of good advice above. I started with a simple Tele copy upgrade - pickups, electrics, tuners, pickguard and bigsby. Then I moved on to a Strat partscaster - cheap body off eBay, stripped back, Lake Placid nitro, P90's + lipstick pups, cheap Affinity neck of eBay. I think I got lucky because the neck fitted the body perfectly, and I ended up with a great player.

After doing the above two projects, I wanted to do more of a complete build, and ended up doing something based on a brand new Toronado body I picked up on eBay - Wudtone finish (tons easier than Nitro), Mojo WRH p'ups, Axetec hardware and electrics, and a neck from North West guitars. It's a cracking guitar!

With every project I think I've learned a bit more, but by doing it progressively none of my mistakes have been too expensive.

Suppliers wise - I can't fault Axetec, Axesrus, or North West Guitars. And Mojo pickups are great if you're after something a bit special.

Good luck.

Ianpdq · September 2013

There is also WD music they are very good http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/

ThePrettyDamned · September 2013

Guitar kits on ebay are probably a fine way to start, though I've never used one.

It's all budget dependant. Frankly, if it's small beans for you to spend 5 or 600 quid on parts, then do it - it will make it a bit easier to get a good guitar, in terms of getting a body and neck that fit perfectly (examples - guitarbuild will match, precision guitar kits canada are flawless from what I hear).

However, there is something fun about getting a guitar for thirty quid off ebay, putting a new trem, nut, pickups, pots and jack and making a bad guitar pretty decent. And sound every bit as good as a £1500 guitar off the shelf. Sorta.

Jooky is a good guy to go to for advice, the guy churns out partscasters like they're going out of fashion! He also uses Woodruffe (?) bodies, which are UK made and VERY cool. I wanna try one of his...

ThePrettyDamned · September 2013

This is perfect :P

Jooky, take note. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/worlds-most-horrible-green-guitar-project-/281169130852?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4176fc7564

JookyChap · September 2013

Gah - don't show me things like that, I'm trying to go straight..

re. the Woodroffe bodies, they are cool but often need a lot of work - neck pockets and pickup routings etc - so maybe not for a first try...

jd0272 · September 2013

Member GSPBasses on here did me a cracking Tele body.

historyisjunk · September 2013

I'm NOT an expert & hope none of this comes over like I think I am; there's lots on here built far more than me, but some of this might be useful. None of it is intended to put you off.

Certainly don't want to slag all guitar kits, & you'd probably notice the duds, but I'd look very carefully, from what I can tell at least one I saw didn't seem to have the right dimensions/proportions- so you could put a load of effort in & end up disappointed. I've also seen at least one where the head stock was just a paddle & you had to cut it to Strat/Tele/whatever shape, so to start with you need to own, or have access to the real thing to trace the shape & then fret/band saw it...

Personally, I'd say go for a good model Squier or a Mex Strat, rather than an Affinity if you're going for upgrading something; fret wear aside, the tattier the better.

What Megii said about sending a neck & bridge to Guitarbuild makes a lot of sense & I'd totally agree on getting a body with the holes for the neck bolts pre drilled- same with trem screws, many have these already.

Regarding MightyMite stuff, I found Gavin at Axecaster great to deal with. He measured neck heels for me before sending & accepted returns with no argument.

The NorthWest Guitars necks come with the nuts pre-cut.

Guitarbuild seconds seem excellent from the one I got. As Jooky said their BooBoo stuff looks great value too if you don't mind finishing the contours, which shouldn't be too bad.

Be prepared to do a bit of fettling with scratchplates to get them just right round the neck & on a Strat that curve round the inside of the bottom horn (I've seen several real Fenders where this isn't right). Just take lots of time & keep testing the fit.
Oh, & always fit the scratchplate when the neck is on rather than trying to line up round the neck pocket.

Do shell out a bit of money on a few decent extra tools if you haven't got them- you don't need many. E.g a long shank Philips No2 driver for the trem claw screws & adjusting the intonation screws on the bridge- much better than trying to use a regular screw driver at an angle. Also, if you can afford it, a long drill bit for drilling the trem claw holes. Alternatively, perhaps Guitarbuild might do this for you, or a joinery shop. You'd hope it wouldn't cost much...
Good to get at least one of those trigger clamps with rubber/soft plastic protection on the jaws- good for holding the neck in the pocket. Like this- http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/trigger-clamp ; (no endorsement from me, but they look OK)
And possibly a digital caliper so you can measure the inside of neck pockets & heels, think mine came from Lidl, I've managed without though.

One last observation- some might tell you different, but even genuine Fender bodies, necks & scratchplates aren't all perfectly interchangeable. In my limited experience they will fit together, but some fit better than others. i.e some necks will have quite a bit of play in the pocket, others will be bang on (not had one too tight though); some genuine scratch plates will need work too.

Do give building or modding a try, it can be frustrating at times, but well worth it in the end & you can end up with something excellent & the satisfaction of having made it. Even supposing you messed something up beyond what you thought you could fix, chances are someone on here can advise how to fix it, or you could probably still sell it in the classifieds.

asimmd · September 2013

Thanks for all the advice everyone,it is appreciated.

I am having difficulty finding a suitable neck at the moment,both Gavin and Northwest Guitars are waiting for stock.

Both expecting delivery in October.

I have already asked Phil at Guitarbuild if I can send the neck and he said yes.I even have someone who will

spray the body for me,as it will be difficult for me to do that.

Very frustrating all this waiting around,I don't want to just buy something for the sake of buying it,what I get has to be right for me.

Looks like a long wait,still gives me time to gather a few more tools.

Alan

Megii · September 2013

Obviously it's what's right for you Alan, but I have never regretted going to Guitarbuild for the bodies I've used in builds - I think that's a smart move, as is sending the neck to them to get a perfect fit. I wish they sold finished, fretted necks as well (they do have decent unfretted ones) - perhaps that will be something that happens in the future. One piece of advice I didn't give before, but I'll say it now, given you comment about waiting - it's just part of the game with parts building, so don't be in a rush, and accept from the outset that the process of getting your guitar vision into reality, will take a fair old while (in my experience at least a couple of months, generally more like 3 or more). You are in fact doing the right thing by spending time considering what you want, where to get it from, how the process will work (e.g. sending the neck to guitarbuild) and what order things will happen in, what tools you will need etc.. Might sound daft, but actually these early "waiting" stages aren't wasted time, and do make a difference to the final result. So I think you're absolutely right to be fussy, and not just buy the first neck you see on ebay. Best of luck with the build!

asimmd · September 2013

Hi Megii

Thank you for the comments,the advice I have been given here is excellent,and I have learnt a lot just reading the posts.

There are a couple of necks on ebay at the moment,but all need something doing to them which is beyond my

skill level at the moment.

I still keep looking for a Squier on ebay,I am going to start with a ready playable guitar,and change the hardware on

it to gold,this is while I am waiting for a neck to arrive,then the real fun will start.

Alan

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