Gear4music LA Electric Guitar Kit

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SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
edited November 2018 in Making & Modding
I'm thinking about building a Strat from a kit and am considering the Gear4music LA

Has anyone on here built one? How close is the body shape to a real strat? How good is the neck? Should I just replace all the hardware or is anything worth keeping?

Or is there a better kit for similar price?


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Comments

  • Is there a reason to buy hardware which you intend to replace before using it?

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  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4159
    I’d just buy a secondhand Squier tbh, unless you want to use it as a test bed for your own skills at assembly and setup etc
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8591
    Steve922 said:

    Is there a reason to buy hardware which you intend to replace before using it?

    There are several reasons. Kits are a convenient way of learning to make a guitar because all the parts come in one box. You can choose to replace individual components with something different, and learn in the process. 

    Kits are designed to a price point. It’s generally the electrical components which are the least reliable: switches, pots and jack sockets. Replacing these is a practical thing to do.

    Is it more cost effective to buy all of the parts yourself? Well, that depends on your knowledge level, and how much of the kit you replace. It’s true that you’ll often be able to buy a finished guitar as cheaply as a modified kit, particularly second hand. What you can’t buy is the experience of making it.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • Steve922 said:

    Is there a reason to buy hardware which you intend to replace before using it?

    I'm guessing that at a price point of £69.99 the hardware supplied will be very low quality. I'm hoping that with CNC machined wood parts that the body and neck should be fairly usable.

    sweepy said:
    I’d just buy a secondhand Squier tbh, unless you want to use it as a test bed for your own skills at assembly and setup etc
    I had thought about that but part of the experience for me will be about about using nitrocellulose and I suspect most bodies and necks are polyurethane.

    I suppose I could completely strip the body and neck but feel I may do more harm than good: )

    Roland said:
    Steve922 said:

    Is there a reason to buy hardware which you intend to replace before using it?

    There are several reasons. Kits are a convenient way of learning to make a guitar because all the parts come in one box. You can choose to replace individual components with something different, and learn in the process. 

    Kits are designed to a price point. It’s generally the electrical components which are the least reliable: switches, pots and jack sockets. Replacing these is a practical thing to do.

    Is it more cost effective to buy all of the parts yourself? Well, that depends on your knowledge level, and how much of the kit you replace. It’s true that you’ll often be able to buy a finished guitar as cheaply as a modified kit, particularly second hand. What you can’t buy is the experience of making it.

    Yep, you sum it up better than I can: ) 
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  • guitarcookie1guitarcookie1 Frets: 461
    edited November 2018
    I built the 12-string version last year - the body & neck were tidily made, well routed and sanded ready for finish (saying that, the first one had to be returned for a replacement because the neck was warped and the finger board didn't fit).

    Used the bridge, tuners, jack plate and neck plate but used alternatives from my parts-bin for the rest.

    I enjoy the process of putting together a kit (don't have the time, tools or space to start from scratch unfortunately).

    https://i.imgur.com/UJ8Dvax.jpg

    https://i.imgur.com/NeBpM8O.jpg

    https://i.imgur.com/1UsRaOZ.jpg

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  • Paul7926Paul7926 Frets: 227
    I asked a similar question recently and got some good answers.  Have a quick read and see if any of it helps you too.

    http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/143504/guitar-kits-for-the-complete-noob
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  • I built the 12-string version last year - the body & neck were tidily made, well routed and sanded ready for finish (saying that, the first one had to be returned for a replacement because the neck was warped and the finger board didn't fit).

    Used the bridge, tuners, jack plate and neck plate but used alternatives from my parts-bin for the rest.

    I enjoy the process of putting together a kit (don't have the time, tools or space to start from scratch unfortunately).

    https://i.imgur.com/UJ8Dvax.jpg

    https://i.imgur.com/NeBpM8O.jpg

    https://i.imgur.com/1UsRaOZ.jpg

    Mixed experiences there... but all ended happy. 

    Paul7926 said:
    I asked a similar question recently and got some good answers.  Have a quick read and see if any of it helps you too.

    http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/143504/guitar-kits-for-the-complete-noob
    Thanks, I hadn't seen that thread it covers the same points and leads nicely in to other threads. Thanks: )
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  • I purchased the knoxville from gear4music in August. I would 100% recommend it.
    It was my first build and I did make mistakes along the way but I got to try out loads of ideas, practice soldering which I only ever done once before in my life. 
    I've put locking tuners, new bridge, nut and two pickups on it and it's now a beast. 

    Just get ready to do a lot of sanding and if you replace any hardware try and make sure the holes for drilling line up
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