Just to get away from any controversy that my blogs seem to create,here is a blog for the many members on 1EE who are guitar aficionados and collectors.Thanks to internet forums on guitars,construction and finishing it is real easy to make your own guitars.ebay has plenty of diy kits for all shapes of guitars.They start around the $180 mark to $300 for the more exotic timbers.With the help of youtube videos on their construction and finishing ,you can really increase your guitar collection for very little outlay.
The electronics are reasonable.I usually install better bridges,whammy bars and electronics/pickups.Although to be truthful the stock standard electronics sound pretty good.I've now built 10 of these kits and they are a challenge to get inspired for a new finish.
Just so I don't annoy Miatch,who seems to have a problem with non-football related posts,I think a future project will be a Parramatta Eels themed guitar.
Here are a few sites to get you started.
ebay-search under DIY electric guitar kits,there are 3 to 4 Australian suppliers.
Stewmac-an American site for all tools,electronics and hardware,although a bit pricey
Seymour Duncan wiring diagrams-a fantastic plethora of easy to follow wiring diagrams for pickup combinations you never knew existed.
RealTone Music- an Australian luthier supplier for better quality parts
ALS ,Australian luthier Supplies- As above
Guitar Fetish, an American supplier who has the best prices for bridges and locking tuners,a real must to help improve any guitar's tuning stability.
If you have any questions about any part of the build ,just type in your question on youtube and there is bound to be a video on it.
I started in 2010 when I nearly lost my fretting hand,for 6 months I couldn't even hold a guitar so rather than despair ,I started building these kits and refinishing guitars I bought cheap off ebay.Give these kits a go.They are addictive ,you wont stop at one.I'll upload a few of mine although I'm not sure how long they will take to load.
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Awesome Tom, great minds think alike, ive done a precision kit of a LP a few years ago, great fun and satisfaction.
I'll have to pick your brain in future as i love a bit of luthier work.
A few weeks ago i just bought a new old stock 2013, gibson 60s tribute gold top LP, mate its got the 60's very thin profile neck, burstbuckers 1 and 2, got it hooked up to a VOX valvetronic modelling amp, its chronic.
just been workin on van halens 'unchained', great song, got the flange on overdrive lol.
Mate your pics are taking for ever to come up, i'll get back to them, but your a man of my own heart if you like building guitars.
Tom, love the double SG bro, killer build.
You must be an old glam rock fan of the 80s like myself, i can tell from your other two choices lol, nice.
Are you finishing them with nitro?
Have you ever looked up tru oil, its for gunstocks but its used to finish some lovely guitars.
All my guitars are finished with the acrylic auto touch-up lacquer spraycans you get from Repco and Autobarn.It is very similar to traditional nitro finishes in that it takes forever to cure.The SG double-neck is mahogany stain and Danish Oil.I love Tru-Oil.All my necks are finished in the stuff.I've currently got 4 kits in the go.My garage is infested with termites and that has really slowed my building.I'm at the wiring stage for all of them,but I just can't be arsed to pull my finger out and finish them.I'm such a guitartard that I've purchased a Les Paul with a spalted maple top to the disgust of my family."How many bloody guitars do you need,you idiot?"
Who cares?The Les Pal will have a yellow top and cherry mahogany back.The neck will be Tru-oil as usual,but for something different ,I'm getting a mate who sprays cars to spray it in 2-pack clear.That should save some waiting time on the usual acrylic clear coats.I usual put on 1 and 1/2 cans of clear and let it cure for a month.
Now you just need a triple necked Steve Vai type guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY8wyKuLY2k
Thanks for your contribution here feces, next time i want to destroy a guitar i'll keep the oid linseed oil in mind LOL.
Something beautiful about them.
+ My sons happy, because at least he plays. Lol
Well done Tom.
Nice one Doc, a guitar is one of the most lovely pieces of art on the planet, its nice you appreciate them even though you dont play.
You ever thought of taking it up?
One of my favs is my red '92 Fender B0ner
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xIlV7im2tR8
That is taken from the start of the movie "It Might Get Loud". You can find most of the movie on Youtube. Worth a watch if you haven't seen it.
Thanks Tom, I was kind of considering this recently. Any tips or tricks you have for the building process?
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