info about a project guitar

Tux789

Tux789

Medicated Cryptologist
i am kind of the DIY type of guy and was wondering some things about starting a project guitar
1. how much does one typically cost for a good one
2. what materials would i need
3. what kind of equipment would i need access to
4. what are your experiences on project guitars

thanks
 
Re: info about a project guitar

1: on a full guitar, expect something around $1.1k
2: wood for starters .. fretwire, guitar hardware etc etc
3: depends on if you want to build the WHOLE guitar from a piece of wood. then you need sandpaper, a router, press drill, belt sander. basically a while woodshop. if you buy a guitar body and neck, you just need to assemble it and finish it, make the fretwork perfet. that you just need some space, some tools and that's basically it.
4: apart of laying out some ideas and outlines, nothing yet haha =P but i'm looking at refinishing my old SG

you really should do a lot of in depth research on all of the fields on building a guitar
here's a link to a thread on a nother forum, where the guy goes through all the processes of building a guitar from scratch
http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=9113 ... you may have to go back to page1 lol
 
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Re: info about a project guitar

Davey said:
on a full guitar, expect something around $1.1k
thats everything combined
Click to expand...

at once or over a period of time (if so how long?)
 
Re: info about a project guitar

Tux789 said:
at once or over a period of time (if so how long?)
Click to expand...
reread the post.. edited it


no, that is the thing with building your own guitar. its not at all like you go into a store and have to shell out such money at the instant.

its like that.. you buy the wood .. then if its a premade body, you start finishing it.. if its already finished, you buy the smaller parts one at a time, depending on how much money you can spend at the moment, of course you can go and buy everything at the same time, but the beauty of it is puting it together over time and watch it grow =)
 
Re: info about a project guitar

Tux789 said:
thanks any more info would be helpful
Click to expand...
any more info than the link i put there, i can not give. sorry

wait for Zerberus and the other resident luthiers
 
Re: info about a project guitar

1. how much does one typically cost for a good one
I'd say it varies, depending on your country, the parts you select (quality, details like chrome or gold, number of parts...), the kind of wood...

For my project I'm figuring on (exagerated
TonePros Metric Locking Tune-o-matic (large posts) 65$

Set of Schallers 15$

Fret wire 12$

From Stew Mac
Binding 6$ But it depends on how much you need, if at all.

a couple of 500k pots with push-pull 9$ each

Caps, you might need some but you might get one or two for free. A dozen go for 5$

Strat jack plate 8$ a jack can go to 17$

couple of speed knobs 4$ each

SD p90, don't know how much but around here it sells for 150 €

some stuff, most likelly something important is missing at this point but the basics are here. Some 100 should get you started. Note I didn't factor in the pup (can't precise the price) nor the woods and tools (my dad is a carpenter so I don't have that expense).

2. what materials would i need
Do you have a workshop? If you want a project from scratch get one, if you want to piece together a project get a few tools as you go.

3. what kind of equipment would i need access to
Start small. No power tools if you don't have any expierence and try to farm out as much as you can if dyou on't have abilities with dangerous equipment. True might take some fun out of it but it's addicting and you'll have other chances

4. what are your experiences on project guitars
I've spent the last 5 years doing the research and decided to start this year with a beater guitar (an idea that has been modified to some extent by the input from this forum). You want to have a very clear idea of what you want, what pitfalls you might expect, so read, read, read. Get His****'s (funny how the man who's name can be mistake for His Sexual Organ is censored), Dan Earlwine's... any book with a guitar on it's cover. Visit the Musical Instrument Makers Frum (www.mimf.com), visit the Vault, project guitar, frank ford's...

Consider buying a yard sale special and frankenstein it in order to learn.
 
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Re: info about a project guitar

I'd suggest starting out gradually. Building a guitar from wood blanks is not a trivial pursuit...

Have you done a complete setup on several guitars? Re-wired one from scratch? Shaped & cut a new nut? Replaced tuning machines, etc.? If so, buying parts and assembling a guitar will be fun and rewarding! Here are some useful links:

USA Custom Guitars for bodies & necks. You have to get them finished elsewhere, but they have a close working relationship with Roxy Finishing

Warmoth Guitar Products for bodies, necks, and most hardware. Warmoth does polyurethane finishing in-house. Their prices on bridges, tuners, etc. are usually very competitive.

The Guitar ReRanch Between "ReRanch 101" and the user forum there, you can learn everything you need to know about finishing a guitar with nitrocellulose lacquer (and other finishes too). Great resource, great guys, but I'd recommend letting someone else finish the first project unless you already have experience with finishing woodwork.

Musical Instrument Makers Forum If you register as a member (free unless you want to contribute), you get access to the Library plus the ongoing forum. Fantastic resource, but beware that these are professional luthiers with egos to match their skill (i.e. not very tolerant of novices)

Books (yeah, paper books):
Guitar Player Repair Guide by Dan Erlewine (you need this anyway)
Make Your Own Electric Guitar by Melvin Hisc0ck
Guitar Electronics for Musicians by Donald Brosnac (need this too)

Plus Black Rose Customs for Seymour Duncan pickups ;)

All I got time for right now

Chip
 
Re: info about a project guitar

I've seen people put together decent guitars for as little as $150. My Warmoth that I finished myself (and am currently refinishing ;) ) ran me over $1250.

I really think you should try to finish it yourself. If you don't, how much work are you actually doing? You'll save yourself a bunch of money and learn a lot in the process. If it doesn't come out quite right, sand it off and try again.
 
Re: info about a project guitar

I normally buy parts over a period of a year or so so the cost does not seem that bad... I'll buy pickups one month, bridge another, and so on.... Then stick it together myself..... For a kit type guitar i think you need a drill.... some rulers.. and some nut files and a soldering iron... and maybe some fret dressing stuff as some/most new necks need a minor dress before you install them. Can't really think of much else besides a great tuner for the set up adjustments....

If making a guitar from Lumber you will need a lot more..... I work at a highschool and i can use the schools wood shop for making my own guitars..... They have all the big heavy duty planers and drum sanders and router tables i would ever need.... Kind of cool! I hate doing the finnishing work!!! That i have to do at home in the back yard during the summer... stinky messy stuff. Just for finishing work you need a ton of gear... compressor, spray guns, water filter for the compressor so no water/oil ends up on the guitar finnish... sanding and buffing equipment.... ya it's interesting! Love the wood working-hate finnishing!

WhoFan
 
Re: info about a project guitar

^I get everything I use for finishing either in rattle cans or with those Prevail reloadable aerosol sprayers. For buffing I use one of those stewmac drill pads. Cheap and effective.
 
Re: info about a project guitar

mnbaseball91 said:
^I get everything I use for finishing either in rattle cans or with those Prevail reloadable aerosol sprayers. For buffing I use one of those stewmac drill pads. Cheap and effective.
Click to expand...

Ya i've gone that way before too... Made a strat body out of poplar and i used spray cans on her to give her a gold finnish... I used car paint and it was too thin... The stuff that you can load into a spray gun has much more solids to it.... But you are right spray cans can work. Saddly here in Canada we can not order the Nitro spray cans from the States or any sprays for that matter. so i have to try and buy local

WhoFan
 
Re: info about a project guitar

Yeah, it helps to splurge for the good stuff. Can they really not ground ship it to Canada?
 
Re: info about a project guitar

Tux789, are you talking about a Warmoth type of project guitar or, a 100% built by you kind of job? The Warmoth can be done for the $800-$1300 range in most circumstances. The complete DIY, you may want to take out a mortguage! I have spent easily, well we are not going to go there! Its ALOT of money!!!!! Most of that has went to very high quality machines and tools!
 
Re: info about a project guitar

mnbaseball91 said:
Yeah, it helps to splurge for the good stuff. Can they really not ground ship it to Canada?
Click to expand...

No one will ship me flamable spray goods across the border......
 
Re: info about a project guitar

theodie said:
Tux789, are you talking about a Warmoth type of project guitar or, a 100% built by you kind of job? The Warmoth can be done for the $800-$1300 range in most circumstances. The complete DIY, you may want to take out a mortguage! I have spent easily, well we are not going to go there! Its ALOT of money!!!!! Most of that has went to very high quality machines and tools!
Click to expand...
i was thinking of using a shop with most f the required tools at least the tools i know to be used for this kind of stuff
 
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