mnbaseball91
New member
Re: info about a project guitar
I don't quite understand your question.
I don't quite understand your question.
info about a project guitar
- Thread starter Tux789
- Start date
Re: info about a project guitar
Tux... making a guiter from lumber is fun but can be expensive. I can tell you that in the highschool shop i have access to i use the table saws, band saws, planer, jointer, router table, free hand routers, hand drills and drill press's, Drum and disc sanders plus hand sanders to rough out bodies and necks..... You also have to have a pile of clamps for glueing... Once you get past the rough work the specialty tools come into play.... you need all your Fretting Tools, Nut Tools, spray finishing tools, and so on.... You need a a really good long ruler, some good quality squares and short rulers, some quality straight edges....
This can add up quick.... I know for a fact that i spent well over $1500canadian in Stew Mac tools plus wood and supplies to make my first guitar.. easily that much to get started and i had the wood shop stuff to use for free so it can get a lot more expensive.... I don't mean to scare you or anything i say you should get building right away and learn as you go, but you should be aware that making a guitar takes a fair bit of money to get the tools and supplies to do the job... I still borrow nut files from a local repair shop as i have not got a good set for myself yet....
WhoFan
Tux... making a guiter from lumber is fun but can be expensive. I can tell you that in the highschool shop i have access to i use the table saws, band saws, planer, jointer, router table, free hand routers, hand drills and drill press's, Drum and disc sanders plus hand sanders to rough out bodies and necks..... You also have to have a pile of clamps for glueing... Once you get past the rough work the specialty tools come into play.... you need all your Fretting Tools, Nut Tools, spray finishing tools, and so on.... You need a a really good long ruler, some good quality squares and short rulers, some quality straight edges....
This can add up quick.... I know for a fact that i spent well over $1500canadian in Stew Mac tools plus wood and supplies to make my first guitar.. easily that much to get started and i had the wood shop stuff to use for free so it can get a lot more expensive.... I don't mean to scare you or anything i say you should get building right away and learn as you go, but you should be aware that making a guitar takes a fair bit of money to get the tools and supplies to do the job... I still borrow nut files from a local repair shop as i have not got a good set for myself yet....
WhoFan
Re: info about a project guitar
I just finished my first guitar. I totaled up the numbers and I spent $666 on it. Spooky. The biggest $$ pieces were the pickups (three of them), the wood (nice maple billet for top and back, basswood body and maple neck). I probably spent another $100 on specific guitar making tools (nut files, fret crowning file etc.) I already have a pretty complete workshop. I went with new components of very good quality. Could have gone with top top top of the line bits and pieces and probably had twice as much or more in it or gone the ebay route looking for deals on parts and save $100 or more. could easily have saved $100 on wood too but I like the fancy stuff. This was building from scratch other than the fingerboard which was already slotted and radiused but not profiled.
Your results may vary.
I just finished my first guitar. I totaled up the numbers and I spent $666 on it. Spooky. The biggest $$ pieces were the pickups (three of them), the wood (nice maple billet for top and back, basswood body and maple neck). I probably spent another $100 on specific guitar making tools (nut files, fret crowning file etc.) I already have a pretty complete workshop. I went with new components of very good quality. Could have gone with top top top of the line bits and pieces and probably had twice as much or more in it or gone the ebay route looking for deals on parts and save $100 or more. could easily have saved $100 on wood too but I like the fancy stuff. This was building from scratch other than the fingerboard which was already slotted and radiused but not profiled.
Your results may vary.
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: info about a project guitar
Buying parts off eBay or similar: as little as 150-200$ for something decent, but you gotta look hard and pull the trigger fast, and luck is a factor. 3-400 is more realistic, depending on what you´re looking for.
Quality new parts: 800-1500$, dependinf on what exactly, finished/unfinished, such factors
Full blown build from scratch: about 2k sans tools, because you´ll destroy at least 2 guitars in the process of finally making a playable one.
Then of course comes setup to all options, fret dressing and such.... if you haven´t done these before, that´s another 2-400$...
I recommend Dan Erlewine´s "Guitar Player Repair Guide"... the Techs and beginning luthier´s bible.... will teach you everything you need to know but the actual build... but if you know the rest, that´s a "snap together" thing if you´re using parts
Buying parts off eBay or similar: as little as 150-200$ for something decent, but you gotta look hard and pull the trigger fast, and luck is a factor. 3-400 is more realistic, depending on what you´re looking for.
Quality new parts: 800-1500$, dependinf on what exactly, finished/unfinished, such factors
Full blown build from scratch: about 2k sans tools, because you´ll destroy at least 2 guitars in the process of finally making a playable one.
Then of course comes setup to all options, fret dressing and such.... if you haven´t done these before, that´s another 2-400$...
I recommend Dan Erlewine´s "Guitar Player Repair Guide"... the Techs and beginning luthier´s bible.... will teach you everything you need to know but the actual build... but if you know the rest, that´s a "snap together" thing if you´re using parts
Re: info about a project guitar
Ya that book is the bible eh..... love it!!! I bought some of Dan's videos too from the www.stewmac.com site. Don't Fret was interesting. In that video i saw things i know that most repair shops don't do...... Oneday i want Dan's Spray Finnishing vids as well
WhoFan
Zerberus said:Buying parts off eBay or similar: as little as 150-200$ for something decent, but you gotta look hard and pull the trigger fast, and luck is a factor. 3-400 is more realistic, depending on what you´re looking for.
Quality new parts: 800-1500$, dependinf on what exactly, finished/unfinished, such factors
Full blown build from scratch: about 2k sans tools, because you´ll destroy at least 2 guitars in the process of finally making a playable one.
Then of course comes setup to all options, fret dressing and such.... if you haven´t done these before, that´s another 2-400$...
I recommend Dan Erlewine´s "Guitar Player Repair Guide"... the Techs and beginning luthier´s bible.... will teach you everything you need to know but the actual build... but if you know the rest, that´s a "snap together" thing if you´re using parts
Ya that book is the bible eh..... love it!!! I bought some of Dan's videos too from the www.stewmac.com site. Don't Fret was interesting. In that video i saw things i know that most repair shops don't do...... Oneday i want Dan's Spray Finnishing vids as well
WhoFan
Merodack
New member
Re: info about a project guitar
I'd say try to make a guitar from ebay spare parts first, that should raise quite a few important practical issues and will provide you with valuable experience if you then decide to build one from lumber. I just finished building something with a Firebird like body and Strat style parts for just under $200
and I was relieved not to have spent more before I knew what I was doing. I'm pleased with the end result, but given my limeted technical expertise (and free time) I wouldn't envisage starting anything from scratch.
I'd say try to make a guitar from ebay spare parts first, that should raise quite a few important practical issues and will provide you with valuable experience if you then decide to build one from lumber. I just finished building something with a Firebird like body and Strat style parts for just under $200
and I was relieved not to have spent more before I knew what I was doing. I'm pleased with the end result, but given my limeted technical expertise (and free time) I wouldn't envisage starting anything from scratch.
Tux789
Medicated Cryptologist
Re: info about a project guitar
:11: DUDE WHERE DID YOU GET THAT BODY??
THATS TIGHT
Merodack said:I'd say try to make a guitar from ebay spare parts first, that should raise quite a few important practical issues and will provide you with valuable experience if you then decide to build one from lumber. I just finished building something with a Firebird like body and Strat style parts for just under $200
and I was relieved not to have spent more before I knew what I was doing. I'm pleased with the end result, but given my limeted technical expertise (and free time) I wouldn't envisage starting anything from scratch.
:11: DUDE WHERE DID YOU GET THAT BODY??
THATS TIGHT
Merodack
New member
Re: info about a project guitar
Got it on ebay.com for about $30, it had a badly applied purple metallic finish, filled holes for a TOM bridge and a stupidly routed humbucker cavity (hence the pickguard). I was initially wary about the unorthodox cutaway, but it's actually no bad thing, as that's one heavy slab of wood.
At about the same time there was a guy selling properly cut and routed Firebird bodies for about $100, I think... Warmorth also do them. Someone's selling a Thunderbird bass in pieces on ebay this week, by the way.
ThanksTux789 said:
Got it on ebay.com for about $30, it had a badly applied purple metallic finish, filled holes for a TOM bridge and a stupidly routed humbucker cavity (hence the pickguard). I was initially wary about the unorthodox cutaway, but it's actually no bad thing, as that's one heavy slab of wood.At about the same time there was a guy selling properly cut and routed Firebird bodies for about $100, I think... Warmorth also do them. Someone's selling a Thunderbird bass in pieces on ebay this week, by the way.
Tux789
Medicated Cryptologist
Re: info about a project guitar
cool thanks for the info if you hear about any other cool bodies let me knowMerodack said:Thanks
At about the same time there was a guy selling properly cut and routed Firebird bodies for about $100, I think... Warmorth also do them. Someone's selling a Thunderbird bass in pieces on ebay this week, by the way.
Re: info about a project guitar
To make a guitar by hand from scratch, you need a lot of special fixtures, unless you use a CNC machine. That's what the manufacturers are using nowadays. Only the custom shops still use the fixtures and make the body by hand. It is way beyond regular carpentry if you want to build a semi hollow body one. Of course, it is much easier if you want to build a flying V with a bolted on neck. You probably need a planer, a joiner, a biscuit joiner, a band saw, a router, preferable a plunge router, a drill press, a hand drill, an orbital sander and a lot of other hand tools just to make the solid body. As for the neck, you may need a leathe, a gun drill, a hand planer, a shaper, a sabre saw and a lot more hand tools on top of the previous ones. The tools alone will cost a few thousand dollars, and any mistake in using this tools may cost you the whole guitar. And then there is the finishing and assembly. I think you will be much better off just go buy the parts and assemble them together.
To make a guitar by hand from scratch, you need a lot of special fixtures, unless you use a CNC machine. That's what the manufacturers are using nowadays. Only the custom shops still use the fixtures and make the body by hand. It is way beyond regular carpentry if you want to build a semi hollow body one. Of course, it is much easier if you want to build a flying V with a bolted on neck. You probably need a planer, a joiner, a biscuit joiner, a band saw, a router, preferable a plunge router, a drill press, a hand drill, an orbital sander and a lot of other hand tools just to make the solid body. As for the neck, you may need a leathe, a gun drill, a hand planer, a shaper, a sabre saw and a lot more hand tools on top of the previous ones. The tools alone will cost a few thousand dollars, and any mistake in using this tools may cost you the whole guitar. And then there is the finishing and assembly. I think you will be much better off just go buy the parts and assemble them together.
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G
Guest
Guest
Re: info about a project guitar
One thing I haven't seen adressed and that raised the red flag when Amateur spoke about CNC's and routers.
Don't forget, more important than damage to the guitar due to a mistake with the tools/machinery is damage to yourself. Check out makeyourownguitar.com, Martin Koch has a set of questions and a nice speech addressing this.
If you don't have the tools and the experience with them start with something small. A tele or a V might get you what you want, make small variations in design, wood, pups and other points and you'll have a good guitar for whatever you want and it will still be your guitar.
What are you thinking of doing? Shape, pups, woods, hardware the whole list.
Make sure you need everthing you want. When I started out I wanted two motherbuckers (don't ask... just don't ask), the ability to split/series/parallel, an EMG afterburner, neckthrough... a metal head's dream guitar. Then I figured I only wanted it to be loaded and I realised I'm a bit more simple than that and that some choices had some bad effects. Not to mention all that stuff would have cost me a king's ransom.
Bottom line, figure out what you want, if you need it, if you can do it and most of all be safe. Shoot for a good quality first guitar but be prepared for it to suck and use it as a learning platform. If it really sucks, open up a swiming pool in it and use it to test pup positions as some do, that way you always win.
One thing I haven't seen adressed and that raised the red flag when Amateur spoke about CNC's and routers.
Don't forget, more important than damage to the guitar due to a mistake with the tools/machinery is damage to yourself. Check out makeyourownguitar.com, Martin Koch has a set of questions and a nice speech addressing this.
If you don't have the tools and the experience with them start with something small. A tele or a V might get you what you want, make small variations in design, wood, pups and other points and you'll have a good guitar for whatever you want and it will still be your guitar.
What are you thinking of doing? Shape, pups, woods, hardware the whole list.
Make sure you need everthing you want. When I started out I wanted two motherbuckers (don't ask... just don't ask), the ability to split/series/parallel, an EMG afterburner, neckthrough... a metal head's dream guitar. Then I figured I only wanted it to be loaded and I realised I'm a bit more simple than that and that some choices had some bad effects. Not to mention all that stuff would have cost me a king's ransom.
Bottom line, figure out what you want, if you need it, if you can do it and most of all be safe. Shoot for a good quality first guitar but be prepared for it to suck and use it as a learning platform. If it really sucks, open up a swiming pool in it and use it to test pup positions as some do, that way you always win.
Re: info about a project guitar
It's just a personal preference. You can do the tongue and groove or some other method if you want to join two pieces of plank to make the body. I prefer to use a lathe to round out the neck because it is much faster and more accurate.WhoFan said:
