Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

WoodGrain67

WoodGrain67

New member
OK, so EVH released the $900 Striped series MIM guitars. Not that I'm going to do it, but I wondered how cheaply one could make their own that didn't suck. Here's my hypothetical list - critique it, rip the flaws, expose ignorance - I'm cool with it. And yes, everybody knows that the tone is in EVH's fingers and he could make Jack White's one-string-thing from "It Might Get Loud" sound just like Runnin' with the Devil, post studio, any ole day.

TK Custom Guitars Ash Franky Body - $140
TK Custom Guitars Maple Strat neck - $150
(I picked TKCG over Mighty-Mite or anything else just because I want to...)

Floyd Rose Special chrome - $77.50
GFS Chrome Gotoh-style tuners - $25 (who cares when a locking nut is involved?)
GFS VEH Pickup - $35
CTS Pot, jack, and wire: $20
Tru-Oil for neck - $10
Krylon Paints (yes, its nasty crap that will never fully cure) - ~$25
Estimated combined shipping and incidental BS: $70

Total: $552.50

So I finished typing this and well... actually when I see the numbers, I think, meh?
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

I'd rather use a Ping Floyd than the Special.
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

Gah, that licensed crud is horrendous. And, ping, SERIOUSLY???

Why pay such prices FOR THAT?!? MIM maple neck used, $100. Strat body routed for floyd & bridge hum, $100-ish. Pickup: A8 Pearly Gates, $100 (look it up on youtube, some dude made one, and daaaaamn is that thing convincing or what). Or, if you don't want the hassle, a Smits Ultra 7T (super 70 clone) or Smits Chainsaw (that builder's take on A8 humbuckers), also both $100. If it's just a basic volume, salvage it somewhere.

And search around for a used LoPro Edge for $100 or so, or some other higher-end, flat, and indestructible old Ibanez Floyd. Waaaay more durable & better than even OFR, forget the knockoffs.

...that's $400, with half of it pretty expensive optional hi-end choices. Possibly, go up to MIJ maple neck instead or also (probably bumping neck spending to $200). Might also drop the locking nut for a roller nut + locking tuner combo ($50-75). Or pop in a Blackout BMP preamp knob instead of the volume ($50) for a nice boost (heard it won't work with 2-conductor pups like the Super 70 or its clone though).
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

To the OP: Do you always work for free? Because you`re valuing dozens of hours of time at zero. If I (or any other pro) were to asssemble and finish the guitar with the parts you provided, the Fender suddenly becomes even cheaper than it already is in comparison.

If so, you can come over anytime and do basic sanding work for me :laugh2:

Also, 900$ is MSRP, which nobody has ever paid in the hiostory of any industry. Street price will probably be around 700.

And BTW, you`res missing features that cost money, like the d-tuna.... just because you don`t necessarily want them doesn`t mean the have no bearing on the price ;)

I actually did a huge write-up about this exact train of thought/ common misconception (That you can always "build it yourself for less") a few years ago. Apparently, it was an entirely wasted effort. :(
 
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Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

Lake Placid Blues said:
For a better cheap paint use duplicolor type car touch up paints.
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I made a VH knock off about 25 years ago, I was working in an office furniture spray painting business at the time. I gave it a free paintjob out of left over pots of epoxy (I purposely made sure I had plenty of red when I got to mix some up because it was a rare color for the work) It was the toughest paint job I have ever seen on a guitar.
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

Zerberus, yeah you got me there, guy. I was looking at it from a hobbyist stance where the time spent is a form of fulfillment.

I'm not too bad at sanding...:D
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

The "thing" that Jack White assembles at the beginning of "It Might Get Loud" is called a diddley bow. Some members of this forum will be of the opinion that it would have sounded waaaaaaay better if only Jack had swapped out the magnets in the pickup or finished it in nitro-cellulose rather than fresh air.

Hypothetically, it is possible to pick and mix a bunch of mail order parts to assemble into one's own personal ideal guitar. Usually, it helps to have some idea of what each component contributes to the whole before choosing.

Yes, there is a certain satisfaction to being able to point to something and say, "I made that." The flip side to this is that you will never be able to sell "that" for anywhere near the money that you spent on it.

This might explain why a good many members of this forum tend to buy pre-owned instruments that are three quarters of the spec that they desire then change pickups and hardware to complete the necessary changes.
 
Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

Zerberus said:
To the OP: Do you always work for free? Because you`re valuing dozens of hours of time at zero. If I (or any other pro) were to asssemble and finish the guitar with the parts you provided, the Fender suddenly becomes even cheaper than it already is in comparison.

If so, you can come over anytime and do basic sanding work for me :laugh2:

Also, 900$ is MSRP, which nobody has ever paid in the hiostory of any industry. Street price will probably be around 700.

And BTW, you`res missing features that cost money, like the d-tuna.... just because you don`t necessarily want them doesn`t mean the have no bearing on the price ;)

I actually did a huge write-up about this exact train of thought/ common misconception (That you can always "build it yourself for less") a few years ago. Apparently, it was an entirely wasted effort. :(
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MSRP is actually 1199, street price is 899.

Like Zerberus pointed out, time is money. I have enough leftover parts to make several guitars that will sound and play just like this guitar. Sure I can do an EVH paint job myself, but it will take a very long time, won't come out nice, and that's time I could've spent playing and enjoying the guitar.

Some people here are comparing it to a cheap $300 LTD, which it isn't. At its price it's comparable to a Charvel Pro Mod, and everyone thought the prices on those were great
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

Duplicolor is good stuff. Covers in less coats, and cures fairly fast and hard. It's also less likely to run than a lot of other spray paints. I have never used it in situation where I needed to sand it, so that aspect I can not comment on.
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

Adieu said:
Gah, that licensed crud is horrendous. And, ping, SERIOUSLY???
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Can I have more caps and question marks, please?
I stand by my opinion that Ping is a good choice on a budget. The most lucky people get them for under 50 bucks.

Adieu said:
And search around for a used LoPro Edge for $100 or so, or some other higher-end, flat, and indestructible old Ibanez Floyd.
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Indestructible Ibanez Floyds are made by unicorns. That's one thing. The other one is no kind of a LoPro bridge ever does belong on a Frankenstrat.

Adieu said:
Waaaay more durable & better than even OFR, forget the knockoffs.
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Excuse me, but you are talking BS again. The Ibanez bridges are "Gotoh made knockoff licensed crud" themselves, lol.
The early ones, Edge original and LoPro's are great trems on their own but they are licensed under Floyd Rose patents, built by Gotoh to a spec resembling the Schaller (cast baseplate), sound nothing like the OFR, and can't hold a candle to the eighties original floyds as far as durability goes. The OFR is an all-around-solid steel construction with a brass sustain block. Which is why some of them still look new after 25 years, some show worn plating but I've never seen one break apart.

Adieu said:
Or pop in a Blackout BMP preamp knob instead of the volume ($50) for a nice boost (heard it won't work with 2-conductor pups like the Super 70 or its clone though).
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The BMP does not belong on a Frankie style guitar, either, I am afraid. The good news is, converting any humbucker to 4-conductor is possible.
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

WoodGrain67 said:
OK, so EVH released the $900 Striped series MIM guitars. Not that I'm going to do it, but I wondered how cheaply one could make their own that didn't suck. Here's my hypothetical list - critique it, rip the flaws, expose ignorance - I'm cool with it. And yes, everybody knows that the tone is in EVH's fingers and he could make Jack White's one-string-thing from "It Might Get Loud" sound just like Runnin' with the Devil, post studio, any ole day.

Total: $552.50

So I finished typing this and well... actually when I see the numbers, I think, meh?
Click to expand...

Zerberus said:
Also, 900$ is MSRP, which nobody has ever paid in the hiostory of any industry.

Street price will probably be around 700.


:(
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Hold on . . . not so fast !

I wish i could get it for 700-750 'out-the-door'.

If the MRSP is 900 . . . i can bet my *ss, we (over here) are gonna pay close to $1100.00 USD 'out-the-door'.

I kid you not !!!
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

Thread to Mr. Philtrum!

:chairfall
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

vinta9e said:
I'd rather use a Ping Floyd than the Special.
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ROFLMAO?

Ping makes the Ping Floyd, which was discontinued about 5 years ago. Or, to be more factually correct, it was renamed the FRT-1000 for OEM sales and the Floyd Rose Special for aftermarket sale. It was only referred to as the Ping floyd during the initial pphase where Floyd Rose wanted to see if the quality was up to par or not.

All 3 of these trems, as well as 90% of the OEM Branded trems like the EVH trem, are made from the exact same parts by the exact same people on the exact same assenbly line.

All 3 are the exact same ****ing thing, and to believe otherwise is to stay willfully ignorant of the truth.
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

No, not that one, Zerb. I meant the one found on some Deans and Peaveys, or made for GFS and Graph Tech. It's slightly different from anything bearing the Floyd Rose logo.
 
Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

Ah, that may be @ PV + Dean. Do you no which ones by any chance so that I can actually take a look at the trem?

The Graphtech Floyd is a made by Gotoh, not Ping, and Graphtech will tell you that straight up if you ask.

The normal GFS trem sttill looks to be a takeuchi-made gotoh knockoff from the design aspects, though the butt end of the baseplate is a bit too square.... at that price however, I highly doubt it`s quality would convince me to use it for any significant timeframe, as is the case with every trem takeuchi has ever produced (TRS, Lo Pro TRS, TRS II, JT-580 series, SRT-100, TRS-101, et.al)

The GFS "Fastloader" on the other hand is the same bottom of the barrel POS single locking trem that has turned people off of Floyds since 1987 and is still used by some "custom" shops.

Lookintg at those, I actually just realized again why I hate GFS with such a passion, apart from their constant, willful infringement on other`s IP.... SPIN, lots of it, with at best questionable factual content. All for the sole purpose of selling cheap crap and poutright ripoffs. The real loser is the customer. ;)
 
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Re: Hypothetical: Build a Cheap but Playable Frankenstien?

crusty philtrum said:
Ping Floyd are great. Love that Darg Side Of The Moon album.
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Haha, I like your sense of humour, crusty :yourock:

There you go: http://www.guitarfetish.com/NEW-Heavy-Duty-Dual-Locking-Floyd-Rose-Trem-BRASSSTEEL_p_518.html

That's the one I thought of, GFS calls it the "Super Heavy Duty Floyd". Apart from Peavey, Dean, and Aria, I just found out Yamaha was another user.

As for Graphtech, you're probably right about them being made by Gotoh. Still, the LB63 bears more resemblance to the design above rather than the Gotoh 1996 (the sharp baseplate corner radius, the flat-top saddles, the fine tuners) plus has a P.W. lettering engraved into the block, which is what got me confused.

As for Takeuchi, I don't find their original trems that bad. Here's why:

Takeuchi13.jpg

Takeuchi14.jpg


A little surface plating wear and tear is acceptable on a 25 year old trem, in my book. The blades are still in good shape (though the posts went fubar). All threads solid, and a good fit. Not a single stripped thread, sheared screw, burnished saddle, frozen or rattling fine tuner. The string lock blocks are L-shaped so they are a little less eager to jump out, which is nice because looking for one of those on a dark grey carpet in a poorly lit rehearsal room is not quite as entertaining as it may seem.

When I eventually swapped the TRS for an OFR, I was a bit surprised the old one did not even sound that much worse. :fing2:

The Takeuchi knockoffs however... :flush:
 
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