TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Apr 9, 2020 6:05:38 GMT -5
With so much time on my hands, I decided to build a guitar. Rather I should say, assemble a guitar as I have no woodworking/finishing skills or the proper tools to really build one. So I looked into kits from StewMac and Warmoth. I wanted a finished body & neck, so Warmoth had the most options. But by the time I'd picked out the components I wanted, the cost was approaching $1000. My reluctance to spend that kind of money was based on concern that the finished product would be a "meh" guitar, and that I'd never recoup half the money I spent on it.
So I started scouting around online for used parts. A friend sold me a Nashville Tele neck. I found a used Thinline body on eBay. Reverb yielded Lindy Fralin pickups, Gotoh locking tuners & modern bridge assembly. Wiring kit came from ToneShapers.com. Knobs from Stratosphere.
So now I wait till all the components are delivered, I just have to put them all together, just like the plastic models I built by the ton as a kid (without the aroma of Testor's). All for less than $500.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Apr 9, 2020 6:30:08 GMT -5
You did great on the cost of parts, Greg, considering they're top quality.
Keep us posted; we can help you dial in that guitar and get it playing and sounding great.
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TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Apr 9, 2020 7:31:27 GMT -5
The biggest savings were on the body. I don't know the brand, but not made by Fender. I got it for $130 shipped. The neck was $150, pickups $130, bridge assy. $30, wiring kit $40, knobs $15. I still need strap locks and a neck plate, but cost should be minimal. BTW, there were a lot of nice new bodies on eBay at great prices. But they were being shipped from China and at the moment that didn't seem like a good option.
I will indeed be back with questions for y'all.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Apr 9, 2020 8:31:31 GMT -5
My shop has had a couple clients who are perpetually bringing in random stuff from eBay, often from China. We've sent him back home with parts many times because they're so goofed up that he'd pay us three times the cost of it (at least) to make it right. Stuff like neck pockets totally weird, bridge positions in the wrong place, the trem pivot holes not really drilled in any consistent way, and in the case of one of them, it seemed to be a squier body that someone resanded at home and it got all lumpy and weird, so that a pickguard wouldn't even lie flat. The body might be an issue, but at $130 it actually is likely to be way better than the stuff this guy had.
If you're still itching after this or want to try other components, try a few of the Warmoth competitors. USA Custom Guitar, Best Guitar Parts, Musikraft... for a complete guitar they kinda all sit in the same range, but they structure their prices all a bit differently, so component X might be very different from brand to brand. Warmoth is king for finishing, but besides that I'd say they're all comparable for quality. They all have different ways of selecting options, so you might find something more dialed in to what you want from a different seller, too.
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Post by Leftee on Apr 9, 2020 8:42:54 GMT -5
My shop has had a couple clients who are perpetually bringing in random stuff from eBay, often from China. We've sent him back home with parts many times because they're so goofed up that he'd pay us three times the cost of it (at least) to make it right. Stuff like neck pockets totally weird, bridge positions in the wrong place, the trem pivot holes not really drilled in any consistent way, and in the case of one of them, it seemed to be a squier body that someone resanded at home and it got all lumpy and weird, so that a pickguard wouldn't even lie flat. The body might be an issue, but at $130 it actually is likely to be way better than the stuff this guy had. If you're still itching after this or want to try other components, try a few of the Warmoth competitors. USA Custom Guitar, Best Guitar Parts, Musikraft... for a complete guitar they kinda all sit in the same range, but they structure their prices all a bit differently, so component X might be very different from brand to brand. Warmoth is king for finishing, but besides that I'd say they're all comparable for quality. They all have different ways of selecting options, so you might find something more dialed in to what you want from a different seller, too. ^ What funky said...
Last year I built a mutt Strat from a no-name (CHEAP!!!) finished body from Reverb and a Mighty Mite neck. I had to use a 1 degree neck pocket shim, but not in the usual way. I had to shim with the thick end away from the body. The neck pocket was that ill-cut. It was a pretty loose fit, too.
But the guitar sounds and plays great. LOL
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TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Apr 9, 2020 10:39:42 GMT -5
The seller claimed that he had fit both American and Mexican Tele necks on the body and the pocket was a good fit for both. I hope that's true. I don't really want to fiddle around to make a good fit. As I said, I have neither the expertise nor the equipment, or even the interest, in making adjustments to the body or neck. Maybe I'm naive in expecting the pieces to fall into place easily.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Apr 9, 2020 18:46:51 GMT -5
The seller claimed that he had fit both American and Mexican Tele necks on the body and the pocket was a good fit for both. I hope that's true. I don't really want to fiddle around to make a good fit. As I said, I have neither the expertise nor the equipment, or even the interest, in making adjustments to the body or neck. Maybe I'm naive in expecting the pieces to fall into place easily. Yeah, didn't mean to spook you with the horror stories. The stuff I've seen likely cost well below $100, so it is completely plausible that what you have coming will be just fine. |
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Post by LM on Apr 10, 2020 5:30:49 GMT -5
Looking forward to pics!
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Post by LTB on Apr 14, 2020 18:52:36 GMT -5
I too was considering build of a DIY Kit guitar but like you, by the time I added up all the things I wanted it was about $795. I did not want to invest that much into a first time kit not knowing how it would turn out.
Definately post photos when complete!
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TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Apr 16, 2020 6:46:05 GMT -5
Got all the components, including a 4 way switch kit. That's when the problem began. After I got it all wired up and ready to test, I noticed that the switch lever would not move past position 1. Stupidly, I forced it and broke off one of the little fingers inside. Ok, my bad, but the guy at the place I bought the kit from replaced the switch at no charge to me. Very good, yes? Again, soldered it all up and tested the output by tapping on pickup with small screwdriver. Got response in all positions, except that in first position which is supposed to be bridge pu only, I was getting signal from neck pickup as well. Double, triple checked wiring, made one correction, and THEN, the switch lever stuck again just like the first switch. I don't think that two fails can be my fault. I'm going to call my guy today and ask that he replace the 4 way with the traditional 3 way switch.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Apr 16, 2020 8:45:06 GMT -5
Yeah, sounds like there's an issue with the switch, perhaps caused by incompatibility with the control plate. The four-way switches I've used all seem to have a slightly longer throw than a typical three-way. In a few instances I've had to use a flat jeweler's file to add a slight chamfer to each end of the switch slot in the plate to allow the blade to travel to its stops at each extreme. It's a hassle, but worth the extra effort.
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Post by LM on Apr 16, 2020 8:51:31 GMT -5
I may have missed it but is the switch a Switchcraft or other quality brand?
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TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Apr 17, 2020 6:49:33 GMT -5
I've looked closely at the switches and found that problem is not the switches themselves, it's my awful soldering job. On both switches, I managed to have solder run down the length of the connector and foul up the mechanical parts. I've ordered a 3 way switch, maybe I won't muck that one up because it has fewer connection points.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Apr 17, 2020 11:15:39 GMT -5
Greg, try this:
Use the soldering stick to 'tin' the solder tabs on the switch before you go near them with any wires. You want the tabs the be lightly coated...not filled in with a blob of solder. Next, strip the plastic insulation from the wires (or push back the cloth) so there's 3/8" of bare wire sticking out. heat each stripped section with the stick and apply solder so the wires are silver...no blobs.
Assembling the wires to the switch is a cinch. Hook up all wires to the solder tabs: poke them through the little hole in the tab. Do all wires to the switch, and keep it steady so the wires stay in there.
Now touch the soldering stick to the tab/wires for a second or three. The heat will re-flow the solder on the wires and the tab and make the join. You can ad just a dot of fresh solder if necessary to fill the little hole in the tab.
This is a really simple way to do neat, tidy soldering.
Here's a pretty good rundown on tinning and re-flow:
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TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Apr 20, 2020 8:29:14 GMT -5
It' done! Looks good, I think. I had some malfunctions with installing the wiring. Screwed up two switches with my bad soldering, but I finally got it on the third try. The Lindy Fralin Split Rails are phenomenal! Real Tele bark and bite and NO NOISE! Even at high gain settings, these pickups are dead quiet. Just what I wanted! The overall cost was about $500. Got the body and pickups used, so saved some there. The body is a generic made-in-china no-brand, and it had some dings here and there, but it does look nice. photos.google.com/search/_tra_/photo/AF1QipPdELvbrXl64xgh9BamQ82eTh-ZMxaMGZUTqIR8 |
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Apr 20, 2020 11:34:44 GMT -5
Greg! Linky no worky!
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TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Apr 21, 2020 6:31:54 GMT -5
Geno, I tried imgbb. Worked for awhile, then the last times I tried to log on, it rejected my name/pw for no apparent reason. I'm a bit suspicious (with good reason), thinking maybe my account had been hijacked, so I didn't reset the pw, I just walked away (figuratively). I'll try again.
I went back and deleted the second account just now, so I think I'm good with imgbb.
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TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Apr 21, 2020 6:38:44 GMT -5
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TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
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Post by TBird on Apr 21, 2020 10:34:43 GMT -5
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