Building a guitar - help

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 7:15 pm

So I think I'd like to build my own guitar - from scratch, as opposed to assembling parts purchased at Warmoth or StewMac...

I have a Charvel superstrat that I love the neck on and a Les Paul that I love the set neck feel of and I'd like to build the best of both worlds into an instrument I can pass on to one of my sons later in life (ideally I'd like to build one for each of them, but I think I'll keep the dream small to start with).

So what I'd like to know is what books/videos would be best to learn the basics? I've built things before, but never something like a guitar. I realize that shape the neck will be difficult but I'm confident I can handle it.

I'd like it to be a set neck axe and I'm also wondering about having an angled headstock (both the Charvel and the Gibson have angled headstocks)...

Any and all advice is welcomed.

frank · Post by **frank** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 1:40 am

no ideas. just wishing you luck. make a step-by-step thread out of it so we can follow along paul.

Sarab · Post by **Sarab** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 1:48 am

Good luck, Paul!
Can't wait to see how it goes.

Post by **Stiltzkin** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:15 am

take what guitars you have and make cardboard blueprints
out of the ... then you go to ProjectGuitar.com

then take pictures and show us

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:09 pm

frank wrote:no ideas. just wishing you luck. make a step-by-step thread out of it so we can follow along paul.

Due to financial constraints, this project is in planning stage and may take a while to complete... once I have a specific plan I'll start a thread.

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:14 pm

http://www.warmoth.com/supplies/supplie ... tion=books
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_plans.html

I'd say there's some pretty neat books there. Pretty much takes you through the whole process of building a guitar!

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:45 am

I've been watching Dan Erlewine's DVD called Maintenance and Setup for Guitar and Bass and it is fantastic. It's not getting me any closer to building my own guitar, but it is so well produced I'd recommend that everyone who plays guitar should check it out.

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:44 pm

I found an excellent book at the local library called Make Your Own Electric Guitar and Bass by Dennis Waring and David Raymond. It explains how to build an electric guitar completely from scratch including how to build a truss rod.

The guitar built in this book is a Strat type and I want to build a V, I believe, so I'd have to change things up a bit. The bass built in the book is a neck-thru, so I'm leaning towards that idea as well...

Post by **Stiltzkin** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:14 am

i'd build the body myself, but I don't know about the neck ...
seems kinda hard

Post by **skezza** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:33 am

the part where you have to oval it perfectly otherwise it doesnt feel right

?