anyone had a 'build your own' guitar kit?

strumjoughlamps

how you get on?

looking for a cheapo strat but wondering if my £75-£100 budget might be better spent on a self build.

GuitarMonkey

You are financially better buying a Squier Stratocaster in my opinion, although building from a kit can be fun.

TTony

Have to agree with Mr G Monkey.

It's always going to be cheaper to buy something that's been mass produced, rather than building it yourself.  

You will never get the same prices on the components as the mass producer does.  You also have to think about whether you'll need to buy any extra tools, particularly for stuff like fret levelling & polishing - even if you buy a ready-fretted neck, the odds are that it'll still need a fair bit of fettling. Then think about the materials and costs of finishing it.

Better still, in terms of VFM, to buy something s/h.

However, if you want something oddball, or if you're after a bit of a hobby, want to learn some new skills, and to really understand how to set-up a guitar to work as you want it to ... then building is the way to go, and a ready-to-go kit is a nice safe entry point.

Just don't do it because you think it'll be cheaper.  

strumjoughlamps

I can get a Yamaha 112 for the same money as a cheap Squier... whaddya reckon? never had a Yamaha but always read good things about them through their whole range.

horse

strumjoughlamps said:

I can get a Yamaha 112 for the same money as a cheap Squier... whaddya reckon? never had a Yamaha but always read good things about them through their whole range.

I would go for the yamaha, but worth trying anything out first if you can - there's usually plenty of both around.

GuitarMonkey

Pacificas do have quite a narrow nut so best try one first.

suspiciousminds

I did a tele kit which i had last xmas.
Tbh, i thoroughly enjoyed doing it.

close2u

get a Vintage V6 for that if you search around

strumjoughlamps

suspiciousminds said:

I did a tele kit which i had last xmas.
Tbh, i thoroughly enjoyed doing it.

yeah have gone for the strat kit for xmas, I don't NEED a guitar so the fun in building and tweaking will be where its at and if its half playable at the end of it then its a bonus.