Bare bones guitar?

3

357Magnum

New member
Hi all,
I'm interested in an additional axe for a project of mine. I have a specific set of pickups I'd like to use and was wondering if it's possible to buy a guitar minus pickups, strings or other hardware and make away cheaper pricewise.

Brand isn't hugely important to me on this one as long as it's a well built all-Mahogany guitar with a set neck. Have any of you ever inquired about such a thing with any of the better-known companies or custom shops?

Just thought I'd ask on here before firing off emails to all the various manufacturers. Thanks in advance for any forthcoming info.
 
Re: Bare bones guitar?

No major builder/company that sells guitars is going to sell you a guitar w/o pickups.

If you were dealing with a smaller builder in some cases you'd be able to send them the pickups and have a guitar built around them but based on the nature of this post I am assuming that a high dollar custom guitar is not something you're looking for.

Just buy a guitar you want and sell whatever you don't want that comes on the guitar...
 
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Re: Bare bones guitar?

the guy who invented fire said:
No major builder/company that sells guitars is going to sell you a guitar w/o pickups.

If you were dealing with a smaller builder in some cases you'd be able to send them the pickups and have a guitar built around them but based on the nature of this post I am assuming that a high dollar custom guitar is not something you're looking for.

Just buy a guitar you want and sell whatever you don't want that comes on the guitar...
Click to expand...

Yep. Sell them, throw them away, chuck them at referees during sporting events.
 
Re: Bare bones guitar?

the guy who invented fire said:
No major builder/company that sells guitars is going to sell you a guitar w/o pickups.

If you were dealing with a smaller builder in some cases you'd be able to send them the pickups and have a guitar built around them but based on the nature of this post I am assuming that a high dollar custom guitar is not something you're looking for.

Just buy a guitar you want and sell whatever you don't want that comes on the guitar...
Click to expand...

Right on, I think I've decided to just buy a used Mahogany Epiphone LP Studio. I noticed quite a few on Craigslist here in my area going for 200-300$. Should be fine for what I'm doing. I like the LP style bodies anyway. Thanks for the reply.


Matt42 said:
You can occasionally find guitars stripped of hardware on Ebay. They are usually factory blemish models that were returned. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Flam...758?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item2ec34dc256 is one example. Honestly though, you'll likely end up spending just as much as if you bought it out right (that guitar sells for $650 on musiciansfriend), and replaced the pickups.

What pickups are you wanting to use?
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Agreed man. Thanks for the reply. As for the pickups I have been wanting to try a modern PAF pickup along with the BMP-1 Modular Pre Amp in a Mahogany set-neck guitar. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Les Paul type guitar but that's sort of the tone I'm searching for. I'd like to start there and then see just how mean and heavy I can get it to sound with the Pre Amp. A friend of mine has a Duncan Custom 5 he's willing to part with, and I thought that might be perfect pickup to start with in the bridge. I also have a '59N just sitting around here I was going to try in the neck. I'm tone searching. I've got the sound in my head and I'm hoping this sort of combo will get me close to what I'm looking for. I was sitting around listening to some ZZ-Top a while back, stuff from the Eliminator album. It suddenly hit me just how much I love that growling midrange distortion. I'd only like it a little meaner and with more low-end. If you're a ZZ-top fan, songs like TV Dinners, Got me Under Pressure and Thug will give you an idea of what I'm going for. That old song "Ah-Leah" by Donnie Iris has that same sort of tone as well. I'd like to start with something close to that and then see what it sounds like with the Pre Amp in front of it. And if the whole thing ends up a dismal failure then hey, at least I'm not out much money and I'll have a backup guitar.


JOLLY said:
it sounds to me like you're looking for that Gibson Dependable dude on Ebay. However, like Matt said above, before it's over with you'll end up paying just as much as you would have if you'd just bought a new guitar and replaced its pickups.


http://www.ebay.com/sch/gibsondependable/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686
Click to expand...

Thanks alot for pointing that out to me. He's got some cool stuff on there. I'm going to go the used Epiphone route for now but as soon as the wallet thickens up some I'll be looking into that. I've always wanted a real LP.


ImmortalSix said:
PM ErikH --- he got a kit guitar, an SG, that was just the wood. Turned out great.

http://www.erikhansen.net/pgksgjr.php

https://buy.precisionguitarkits.com/
Click to expand...

WOW that SG Jr. is stunning man! He did a helluva job. And thanks for the link to that site I'm looking it over now.
 
Re: Bare bones guitar?

Sorry, just wanted to correct something.

When I mentioned the "Custom 5" pickup I'm planning to use in the bridge, I meant the SH-5 Custom. I noticed on the SD website this morning there is another pickup (SH-14 I think) that is referred to as the "Custom 5". That's not the one I mean. I did take a listen to that SH-14 though and it sounds pretty beastly. But I'd be willing to bet putting the modular pre amp in front of that one would just create a total mudslide. You'd probably have to play Slayer on your clean channel with the volume rolled back to 2 on the guitar. :eyecrazy:
 
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