My newest completed build... (NGD Content)

[tigereyelaser]

I bought the parts for this build during an insomnia fueled buying spree on the Bay. I did everything but mount the neck to the body as I have neither the technical ability or knowhow. I like the ease with which the Fender bolt-on platform assembles. You just need to put everything together, just make sure it fits first, LOL...

[AJ6stringsting]

Congrats !!!!

I've been ordering guitar parts in the last few years and many of my home assembled guitars are better than my big brand off the rack guitars.One thing for sure, the next guitar you assemble or build will be better !!!!

[WRGKMC]

Good deal. That's the way you learn to do the work. I got into it long before the internet was around. I used to run a business out of my truck buying used guitars at flea markets then fixing them up for resale. Never made much money at it but it was something I liked doing. Of course the quality of the guitars you'd come across were pretty bad. Necks were all twisted up from being in strung up in someone's closet for decades and allot of the work consisted of getting necks straight and fixing up the electronics.

 

Building guitars today has never been easier or cheaper and you can score some great deals if you are patient and buy cheap. Most of the tools you need to use can be bought cheap as well. There are some good books you can buy too.

 

Here's a few I recommend. You can learn allot from these. Well worth the price of a few packs of strings because you'll easily save that in maintenance costs and repair work.

 

 

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Music-Sales-Complete-Guitar-Repair-901231-i1433008.gc?source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=CKv7l9rKrsACFWoR7Aod7mgAWQ&kwid=productads-plaid^76869387884-sku^901231@ADL4GC-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^44639487282

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide/dp/0879309210

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/books-sheet-music-media/music-sales-guitar-electronics-for-musicians-book?source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=CObH5O_LrsACFaVZ7AodliIAVw&kwid=productads-plaid^57307728907-sku^901247000000000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^30431781387

 

You also want to seek out sites on the net that have tricks you can learn. Stu Mac has many articles on repairs http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/

[tigereyelaser]

Thank you WRGKMC, those books should be a valuable resource to me I have some books in my guitar repair/setup/building library but it never hurts to have more! Soon I'll have GBAS which is Guitar Book GAS.

[WRGKMC]

The whole key is having a plan and thinking it through before you begin. Having good tools and access to professional supplies is the other item. Back when I first started I didn't have Luthier tools and couldn't do some of the work really well. Things like Nut and crowning files or even fret wire could only be bought through music stores and even then they wanted to do the work and wouldn't let you buy them. (tools of the trade)

 

I let one guy re-fret an old Mosrite neck for me. He did such a crappy job I made him sell me fret wire and a file and I redid it myself. I wound up doing a pretty good job, even though it didn't look as good as it should. After my second or third fret job, I started getting much better. After that I worked part time for a master craftsmen at a local shop. I was a wiz at electronics so I did that mostly, but I'd get to work along side him and learn the trade well enough. Now I just do it for my own builds.

 

Books can help you see what's involved then it just takes experience doing it. You wind up developing your own little trade secrets based on necessity and trail an error as you go along. You may want to buy a few cheap $10 necks and bodies off EBay. Learn to re-fret and refinish them. If you botch them up then there's no big loss. You simply rack it up to the cost of an education.