Looking for advise. Making a DIY electric guitar.

[jade crypt]

Hello,

I am looking to make a DIY electric guitar.

I am open to all advise and constructive criticism.

Here is my current parts list (Will be updated as changed):

1. Unfinished Strat Body: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MKYFJFM/ref=ewc_pr_img_5?
2. Flower unfinished 6 string neck: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BSFBRSL/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?
3. Flower pickguard: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086HB6VTV/ref=ewc_pr_img_4?
4. SSS Artec Alnico 5 Guitar Lipstick Pickups: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B3QFSWLD/ref=ewc_pr_img_3?

Currently looking at a SSS Wiring Kit from Toneshapers, one says it's Modern Wiring whereas the other says Blender Wiring.

Can someone explain to me what the difference is?

SS2: Modern Wiring: https://www.amazon.com/ToneShaper-Guitar-Wiring-Fender-Stratocaster/dp/B00ZO92VSQ/ref=sr_1_1?
SS1: Blender Wiring: https://www.amazon.com/ToneShaper-Guitar-Wiring-Stratocaster-Blender/dp/B00ZO7ANJM/ref=sr_1_3?

[reef ermine]

these holes require additional drilling

this isn't enough

just so you know what to expect

there should either be 6 small holes, or 2 big holes

[reef ermine]

ss1 replaces one tone knob for a blender knob that blends in a pickup into another position

[reef ermine]

this is a 24 fret neck

it will not fit the strat body

and with necks this price

expect dogshit

prepare to fret dress, shim, fix any gluing, refrets, etc

https://www.ebay.com/usr/samsguitarshop
https://www.ebay.com/str/rosserguitars

i can vouch for Rosser guitars, good american made custom bodies

samsguitarshops sells necks that the guy already fret dresses and there is decent wood selection

[jade crypt]

How much should I prepare to spend on a neck? I want to keep this plus a amp within $600

[reef ermine]

you said your budget was 500, i'd take advantage of that for a guitar with truly quality parts that you can have the reassurance on of fitting well and being well built

[reef ermine]

the necks on samsgutiarshop are like 100-150

the bodies are like 150

300 for body and neck, a decent bridge can be had for like 50 bucks, i know some locking tuners for like 20,

nut + string tree is like 20

electronics can be had for around 100

so it'd kinda squeeze your budget

[jade crypt]

I will need to purchase a solder and drill for all this I would imagine.

[reef ermine]

a soldering pen is 14 dollars

and you won't need a power drill if the body itself is pre drilled for its bridge

which is what rosser offers

with multiple options for different types of bridges

even non tremolos

and different types of tremolos with various mounting options to give you more options on what bridge to buy

[jade crypt]

I found a solder kit at $50 with some additional stuff I can use for my other projects.

[reef ermine]

the solder pen i started off with was 14 bucks

valstar or some shit

i built a lot of pickups with it

soldered a lot of guitars

[jade crypt]

How is the customer service and return policy with rossers?

[reef ermine]

it's a one man operation

you can ask him directly or view his policies n shit

i dont see why you'd have issue tho

[jade crypt]

oh okay

[reef ermine]

been doing what he does for a long time

builds full guitars

for the price and what he offers, and his wood selection, its very good value

https://www.instagram.com/rosserguitars/?hl=en

[jade crypt]

I am moving to Alaska in about 3 weeks and some places have a hard time delivering stuff up there and more often then most places stuff gets damaged in transit due to the roads.

[reef ermine]

you can view all of his work here

majority of his stuff is other customer's custom orders for bodies for their own projects

was gonna order from him myself

if transit is an issue

you could probably message him yourself

request something like more durable packaging

but as far as parts goes, within your budget, i reccomend his bodies and the other guys necks

it'd leave not as much money for an amp

but with guitar projects like this, i've always tried to go all out and ensure that what im building is something i can garuantee myself is a keeper

[jade crypt]

By the way, you mentioned I couldn't use the guitar neck I found. Should I be looking for a specific fret count ir?

[reef ermine]

22

and the issue with no name cheapo parts is that there is less garauntee for parts actually fitting

its why i try not to cheap out as much as possible to the lowest denominator shit when it comes to necks

it's a really important part of the guitar

[jade crypt]

Hmmm I hear what you are saying. Just I don't think I can fit those things in and still buy a amp on a stretched budget of $600.

[reef ermine]

on the other hand

be prepared to spend any extra money to repair shortcomings that may come with the amazon neck and bodies

yeah the return thing exists, and you can try returning and buying and repeating that cycle until you get a good one

i've done that with amazon no name parts before

doesn't really help much

i just learned to do my own fret dressing and repairs

but the tools for that also ended up totalling over $200

so you see the dilemma here

[jade crypt]

...

[reef ermine]

on the other hand, you can opt not to do fret dress and whatever, and get a subpar-ish guitar, at which point just buying a guitar is a better option

[jade crypt]

yep I see it alright.

[reef ermine]

but you're in this for the fun aspect im guessing

food for thought

if i were you? Used squier classic vibe SSS

[jade crypt]

I like to make things, so I'd prefer DIY and I have a history of using anything I made a lot more.

[reef ermine]

and then refinish

[jade crypt]

By refinish you mean stripping down the paint and such?

[reef ermine]

yeah

and do whatever pickup sstuff you want

[jade crypt]

Hmmm, not entirely against the idea.

[reef ermine]

at least you have the garauntee of everything being drilled

and a neck that's not fucked

and the parts all fitting

you'd just need to repaint the body

[jade crypt]

Hmm and I suppose I'd still get the experience of taking apart and assembling one.

I am liking this a lot more.

[reef ermine]

thats what i did before building partscaster guitars and shit

my first guitar was a classic vibe squier sss

[jade crypt]

I definitely want to make my own from scratch eventually but I am guessing that needs to wait till I can blow I am guessing $1,000 dollars on parts and or tools.

[reef ermine]

before and after

with some years in between

[jade crypt]

So doing your path:

1. Buy a guitar
2. Buy an amp
3. Buy the pickups I want
4. Buy a solder kit to install the pickups

that sum it up?

[reef ermine]

making your own from parts is easy, just not cost effective in any scenario except being able to buy cheap parts and really knowing how to make them superb through, and also knowing when too cheap is too cheap

[reef ermine]

if you dont want to repaint then y eah

at the same time

dont think new pickups would benefit you much at all

you'd just be doing it for the sake of a project

[jade crypt]

I think based on that I will wait to do a guitar from scratch and go with this path instead to ensure a decent first electric guitar

[reef ermine]

but functionally nothing is different, and the sound may very well be just the same

[jade crypt]

I have these lipstick pickups stuck in my brain.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B3QFSWLD/ref=ewc_title_delete3?smid=ATE2HFHESBWAX&th=1

I have been looking at these

How much do you think I should spend on the guitar?

I will buy pickups, strings, amp, and solder kit.

[reef ermine]

heres some of the ones ive made from scratch parts, if it werent for that first project with the squier, none of these would be quite as nice to play without the experience and mistakes i made at the first project

[reef ermine]

as much as you're willing to

can't really tell you what you should spend

[jade crypt]

I really like the wood floral one