What's a good, low budget, first guitar kit?

roundthebend

I've got the urge to make stuff, and fancy a 2nd guitar so thought I might pick up a kit to build over winter.
Seen a few things on ebay but don't know what to look out for.

I fancy a Les Paul or Telecaster, humbuckers, minimal woodworking required.

Something like these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GDPRZS-Mahogany-Semi-hollow-body-with-Zebrawood-Veneer-Guitar-DIY-BYO-Kit/163226121228?hash=item260108f40c:g:LC8AAOSwsTVaxRlO
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GDLP710MS-Coban-DIY-Guitar-Kit-SET-IN-Mahogany-Spalted-Maple-Top-EXTRA-STRINGS/153047578009?epid=9020101440&hash=item23a258b599:g:croAAOSwB1Jaw9lF
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DiY-Electric-Guitar-kit-LP-Deluxe-Black-Mahogany/183367521068?hash=item2ab18e532c:g:yqoAAOSwSelbauS2

Roland

Its generally accepted that, in order to keep the price as low as possible, the electrics and metal work will be as cheap as possible. Normally this means that you'll want to replace some or all of the electrics and metal work.

The cheapest kits I've seen with acceptable wood shaping and fretting have been from Thomann, and in the £65 to £85 range unfinished. You can then choose which bits to upgrade. Pickups and pots are the usual targets.

We have been talking about doing another kit build challenge soon. Interested?

paulnb57

If it were me I would buy a Tele body from Guitarbuild and a second hand Squier Tele neck, virtually guaranteed to fit together ok, then source Tele parts as budget allows, you will end up with something much better quality than a cheap kit......

paulnb57

Roland said:

We have been talking about doing another kit build challenge soon. Interested?

Very
Talking on here, have I missed a post? or just chating with mates?

roundthebend

Roland said:

Its generally accepted that, in order to keep the price as low as possible, the electrics and metal work will be as cheap as possible. Normally this means that you'll want to replace some or all of the electrics and metal work.

The cheapest kits I've seen with acceptable wood shaping and fretting have been from Thomann, and in the £65 to £85 range unfinished. You can then choose which bits to upgrade. Pickups and pots are the usual targets.

We have been talking about doing another kit build challenge soon. Interested?

Cool. I wondered about buying a kit with just the wood and then choosing the metal/electrics separately.
I could be interested in the kit build challenge, why not!

Jalapeno

MODS: extra 4 repeat posts deleted

roundthebend

Thanks @Jalapeno ;
For some reason my browser wasn't registering that the post had submitted. Oddly, when I switched to my phone it had my draft message saved ready to post.

Jalapeno

I was going to say a GSP body & neck, but those Thomann kits sound ridiculously cheap.

roundthebend

Seems to be the case. I'll course one and keep an eye out for the challenge thread

Bridgehouse

Jalapeno said:

I was going to say a GSP body & neck, but those Thomann kits sound ridiculously cheap.

Despite the price, I’d still say @GSPBASSES ;as you’ll end up upgrading loads of it so I reckon the GSP option would be cheaper in the long run.

I have gigged with GSP builds I’ve done - they are exceptional and superb value. With the right hardware and electronics they sound and feel like a shop bought one that would cost twice the price... Graham really does build excellent stuff every time.

roundthebend

Bridgehouse said:

Jalapeno said:

I was going to say a GSP body & neck, but those Thomann kits sound ridiculously cheap.

Despite the price, I’d still say @GSPBASSES ;as you’ll end up upgrading loads of it so I reckon the GSP option would be cheaper in the long run.

I have gigged with GSP builds I’ve done - they are exceptional and superb value. With the right hardware and electronics they sound and feel like a shop bought one that would cost twice the price... Graham really does build excellent stuff every time.

Where can I find GSP stock? @GSPBASSES ;

Danielsguitars

buying a body and neck defeats the object of building, thats just sticking parts together

Unless you try from scratch you won't get better, there are alot of tutorials and help on the forums it's worth doing, buying a pre made fretboard makes sense first time the rest is doable imo

i might get a beginner thread going with poopot as i try and show him how to scratch build with not many tools, we'll see though as I've got alot on right now

Bridgehouse

roundthebend said:

Bridgehouse said:

Jalapeno said:

I was going to say a GSP body & neck, but those Thomann kits sound ridiculously cheap.

Despite the price, I’d still say @GSPBASSES ;as you’ll end up upgrading loads of it so I reckon the GSP option would be cheaper in the long run.

I have gigged with GSP builds I’ve done - they are exceptional and superb value. With the right hardware and electronics they sound and feel like a shop bought one that would cost twice the price... Graham really does build excellent stuff every time.

Where can I find GSP stock? @GSPBASSES ;

PM him and put your credit card in the freezer 

m_c

Bridgehouse said:

roundthebend said:

Bridgehouse said:

Jalapeno said:

I was going to say a GSP body & neck, but those Thomann kits sound ridiculously cheap.

Despite the price, I’d still say @GSPBASSES ;as you’ll end up upgrading loads of it so I reckon the GSP option would be cheaper in the long run.

I have gigged with GSP builds I’ve done - they are exceptional and superb value. With the right hardware and electronics they sound and feel like a shop bought one that would cost twice the price... Graham really does build excellent stuff every time.

Where can I find GSP stock? @GSPBASSES ;

PM him and put your credit card in the freezer 

If you hide your credit card now, you'll of hopefully forgotten where you hid it by the time GSP gets back from his holiday...

(I got a PM of Graham this morning, saying he'll get back to me about my enquiry next week as he's away for a week)

WezV

customkits said:

buying a body and neck defeats the object of building, thats just sticking parts together

it depends on the objective really.   Think of it as an airfix kit for guitarists.   It can be a fun way to kill some time with a better chance of a successful result than doing it from scratch.  You can choose the level of difficulty you are comfortable with

I agree that building from scratch is more rewarding, but its a daunting concept for those that have never done it before.   A kit can be a good way in.


I still enjoy a kit every so often.  I think its because i spent so long looking at them about 20 years ago.  I do one every so often just for a quick fun project.



A kit will teach you a little bit that helps if you do a full build later... mostly about finishing and set-up.   Modding a kit can teach you a lot more.   Doing a kit and modding it alongside a full build gives a lot of learning opportunities.

My first kit was a tele i did an oil and wax finish on.   Once that was done i started my first full build.  Whilst that was still in progress i hollowed out the telecaster and added a new top.   By the time both those were done i felt ready to start a multi-laminated through neck guitar project.   

WezV

here is my first kit build having its top removed with the simplest of tools - t






You can see the kit tele and new top waiting on the table as my first scratch build gets its finish applied

normula1

Wow, I can't imagine having the eye to remove a top free hand using a saw.

WezV

normula1 said:

Wow, I can't imagine having the eye to remove a top free hand using a saw.

Not something I would ever do again.  The red body was cut out from 2” thick mahogany with a coping saw.   Thankfully I was given an old band saw shortly after and purchased my first router.  The bandsaw is still going strong 

  It helped teach me what tools I really needed

the point is really that for me kits and full builds have always existed alongside each other

FriskyDingo

My first guitar build, which is still ongoing, I got from gear4music. An ash body tele. Everything fit rather well. I've done fret work and neck pocket work and I'm nearly finish. I would recommend that as it's cheap and easy

roundthebend

The things that make me nervous about building a guitar are the bits that require precision measurements, perfect lining up, and careful craft work.

For example:

• getting the neck at the right angle into the body, both length ways so the strings go on the right line across the bridge and pickups, and flat so that the bottom E doesn't have a higher action than the top E or vice versa
  
• getting the fretboard and frets lined up at the correct angle so that tuning and intonation is possible to get right
• general setting up - I've done a few tweaks in the past but it all looks like a fine craft that I don't have the patience for

I would imagine that cutting out and building a body and neck is fairly straight forward if you have a template to follow. I'd cut it rough and then take an incremental approach to finishing it and checking until I was happy. But when it comes to joining the bits together, or routing out pickup holes, or drilling for the bridge I think I'd be terrified of bodging it up.