Thanks alot and any help would be awsome!
Building your own guitar
Building your own guitar
I'm interested in building my own guitars and I was wonder'n if anyone on here has ever built one? I'm pretty good at the kind of teedious work it would involve and I have some basic knowledge about it. I was also wonder'n if anyone has any info on different pickup combos and which ones would be best for metal and the warmer sounding ones for like blues and such. I think I can build my own if I take my time and do it right. I have some very cool designs for bodies and some great ideas for the paint schemes. I'm just tired of buy'n em and I've always wanted to build my own. At first I think I'm just going to buy the necks with the square blank headstock and cut it the way I want. I have some Warmouth books but I've never bought anything from them yet, so I don't know about their quality. If anyone know about any other good parts dealers let me know!
Thanks alot and any help would be awsome!
Thanks alot and any help would be awsome!
A person is getting along the road to wisdom when they begin to realize that their opinion is just another opinion !
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lonewolf
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1st, you should decide exactly what you want. Type of wood for body and neck, neck type, bolt-on, neck-thru, pickup configuration...every last detail. As redawg said, www.stewmac.com has most everything you need, as well as www.allparts.com and www.wdmusic.com for hardware. There are a few eBay stores that sell some interesting neck and body parts--just do some searches.
For pickups, I would recommend a pair of Joe Barden Two-Tones so that you can switch between single coil and humbucker. Unfortunately, Joe has stopped making pickups and these now go for $300 and up on eBay.
There is an alternative pickup that is especially good for metal made by Dimarzio called the MultiBucker. This is a pair of their single coil sized humbuckers in one full-sized humbucker (4 rails). The standard configuration is a Chopper with a Fast Track 1. With a 3 way switch you can select each pickup or both pickups in series. The Chopper and FT 1 are Strat sounding pickups, but when you put them in series, it sounds like a Dimarzio Megadrive and is great for metal. Dimarzio will custom make these pickups per your specification thru any authorized Dimarzio dealer. For a neck pickup, you might want a Fast Track 1 and a Cruiser. If you want a slice of Gibson and Fender, a ProTrack does a PAF and mixes well with a Strat-style Cruiser. To see what pickups are available, go to www.dimarzio.com, click "strat" and "hum-canceling strat". Only the rail pickups listed qualify. I don't think you will find the Multi-Bucker on the web site. Its kind of a secret.
For pickups, I would recommend a pair of Joe Barden Two-Tones so that you can switch between single coil and humbucker. Unfortunately, Joe has stopped making pickups and these now go for $300 and up on eBay.
There is an alternative pickup that is especially good for metal made by Dimarzio called the MultiBucker. This is a pair of their single coil sized humbuckers in one full-sized humbucker (4 rails). The standard configuration is a Chopper with a Fast Track 1. With a 3 way switch you can select each pickup or both pickups in series. The Chopper and FT 1 are Strat sounding pickups, but when you put them in series, it sounds like a Dimarzio Megadrive and is great for metal. Dimarzio will custom make these pickups per your specification thru any authorized Dimarzio dealer. For a neck pickup, you might want a Fast Track 1 and a Cruiser. If you want a slice of Gibson and Fender, a ProTrack does a PAF and mixes well with a Strat-style Cruiser. To see what pickups are available, go to www.dimarzio.com, click "strat" and "hum-canceling strat". Only the rail pickups listed qualify. I don't think you will find the Multi-Bucker on the web site. Its kind of a secret.
...Oh, the freedom of the day that yielded to no rule or time...
Thanx guys! I knew you would chime in lonewolf. You seem to have some good knowledge in these matters. The wood I plan to use for my first guitar is a awsome piece of ash and will be designed after my old Ibenez EX. It has a Floyd Rose set up on it (which I hate) two humbuckers and a single coil. It also has a nice neck with the walnut stripe down the back and I was think'n of maybe try'n to use it if I could. The Ibenez is no longer playable and the only reason I ever kept it was that is was acctually autographed by Steve Vai! I work in a wood factory so I can get maple ,ash ,popular, bass, walnut and even some exotics from time to time. I'm going to try the bolt on neck at first since it seems like the easiest to do. The string through bodies are probably my fav but I'm not commited to it yet. I know pretty much exactly what I want as far as hardware and such, it's just that ya can't look at pick ups in the mags or in the shop and know what they sound like. I ordered a Stewart Mac book but it hasn't come yet.
Once again thanx for the info and help! I be sure to let ya know how it's come'n along in the months to come.
Once again thanx for the info and help! I be sure to let ya know how it's come'n along in the months to come.
A person is getting along the road to wisdom when they begin to realize that their opinion is just another opinion !
Check out www.lmii.com for instructionals, parts, and tools. It can be very helpful.
If you want screaming metal pickups, a very popular combination is an EMG 81 in the bridge and an 85 for the neck. Or you could even use 2 81s. Active EMGs are nice because the the pickup will come with the volume and tone pots already wired together, they come with the battery clip, and the leads from the pickup to the comrtols just clip on. They make it very easy to install their pickups.
The EMG HZs are also nice pickups from what I hear. They are passive pickups, so you don't have to mess with a battery if you go this route.
I would definitely check out reviews on Harmony Central to find which pickups give you the best sound that you're looking for.
If you want screaming metal pickups, a very popular combination is an EMG 81 in the bridge and an 85 for the neck. Or you could even use 2 81s. Active EMGs are nice because the the pickup will come with the volume and tone pots already wired together, they come with the battery clip, and the leads from the pickup to the comrtols just clip on. They make it very easy to install their pickups.
The EMG HZs are also nice pickups from what I hear. They are passive pickups, so you don't have to mess with a battery if you go this route.
I would definitely check out reviews on Harmony Central to find which pickups give you the best sound that you're looking for.