Guitar kits or not?

DrJustice

I need a cheap guitar for experimentation and customisation.

Looking at the used market in Norway and Sweden, my conclusion is that I might as well get a cheap new guitar, such as a Harley Benton or Epiphone model from Thomann - they'd cost about the same as their used counterparts.

Or I could get a kit. Looking for kits I haver found some examples. Here's some from Thomann: LP style, ST style, LP style. Here's a couple off eBay: an LP style, and this.

The thing with these kits is that they're about thes ame prices as the cheaper ready made guitars, so if it's going to be worth it they should result in better instruments (assembly skills allowing...). Has anybody here got any experience with kits like these? Are they as good or better than similarly priced cheap finished ones? Are there other/better kits available that you know of? Or should I just forget about the kit route?

DJ
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Antimon · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:55 am Post subject:

Hmm - what do you want to rely on for your experimentation? Do you want it to be and/or stay in tune? Do you want good mics?

I'd think that a cheap second hand guitar from a reliable semi-big brand (i.e. not Fender or Gibson) would be best, but I know that Inventor has produced a lot of fun stuff with his Cort (I think it was) - I'm not sure my guess here is better than yours though, Dr J.

To quote Bis:

Inventor · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:23 am Post subject:

DrJustice · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:56 am Post subject:

Antimon · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:08 pm Post subject:

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 2:53 pm Post subject:

My two cents,
If you're tossing up the idea of getting a kit, then your happy to get your hands dirty and learn the mechanics of the guitar anyway. So, why not get a cheap second hand guitar with shonky wiring (you're gonna be completely re-wiring it anyway yeah?) and just make sure it's mechanically sound.
An older second hand one is always better to me, as it's already spent years of being under tension. A brand new kit may age well,..... it may not. You can disassemble it and completely re-finish it anyway. But, in the meantime, you can start your experiments on it as is.
The things to watch for on a second hand one are a virtually flat and un-twisted neck when unstressed. Not too much wear on the frets, they can be re-dressed, but you don't want large dents from string wear. And a solid, clean joint between neck and body (ie, no gaps)
If you want any other tips, let me know.

Oskar · Joined: Jul 29, 2004 Posts: 1751 Location: Norway

Dr J, great question! My first response is, what bliss to headches ratio can you live with, as I foresee a good deal of both.

Some points to consider:

- Buying a cheap and cheerful guitar over the internet; If you're able to do a bit of work on your guitar on your own, go for it, but be advised that not all mail order companies check the quality of the merchandise they dispatch. My personal experience in buying a guitar from Schlagerforlaget in Oslo, where I bought a Squier Affinity Strat in Racing Car Green - it was yet another reason to call them Beklagerforlaget (little inside joke for us Scandinavians there, for the rest of you it might be translated as "The Hit Department" being renamed "The I'm Sorry Department!") - although I realise that other internet shops might not be as careless.

- As for building from a kit, I've heard so many stories, both encouraging and cautionary, that I'm loath to give advice. You might want to check Brandoni Guitars in the UK though, as well as Mighty Mite (makers of good replacemet parts and kits of a Fender-y persuasion). Trevor wilkinson also makes good replacement parts, and he's also made some great instruments in his own right, under the name of Fret King, as well as designing guitars for the Vintage brand, which actually sees some live use from the very fine guitar player Geoff Whitehorn (latterday Procol Harum, Paul Rodgers Band and others).

Personally, if I had the woodworking and soldering ability, I'd probably buy a cheap and cheerful guitar, set it up properly, then decide what parts need replacing.
I'd probs go for one of the following brands:
Vintage - most styles
Cort - some marvellous cheap Strat-a-likes
Squier - good Telecasters, but their Strats aren't much cop, though Inventor might see it differently! Wink

Yamaha - Not their cheapest Pacificas, but the £150-180 Strats are pretty clever guitars - they also make some nifty semi- acoustics at a favourable price
Epiphone - Great guitars, apart from the very cheapest LP.
Gretsch - Not dirt cheap, but their Far East built series provide some nice variations on the LP style, both single and double cut, AND they have those great FilterTron pickups. Instant Malcolm Young!
Danelectro - Great guitars at very good value, as played by Jimmy Page, David Lindley and yours truly. They may need replacement tuners, mind.

Anyway, as I'm not sure of the budget, I might have overshot the mark with the Epis and the Gretsches, as these are usually about £250-400.

Inventor · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:27 am Post subject:

Oskar · Joined: Jul 29, 2004 Posts: 1751 Location: Norway

Btw, my last post shouldn't be seen as advice, as I wouldn't pretend to know enough to comment on all relevant aspects of someone else's purchase, I'd hardly trust me to advice myself! Wink

But I forgot to mention the Ibanez Talman, they're fun guitars and decent players into the bargain.

DrJustice · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:24 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the advice and suggestions folks!

I did not get a kit this time around. I ended up with a very cheap Les Paul clone, a Harley Benton HBL450CS.

I did a lot of reading about kits though, and there is one for me in the future, for sure. Quite a few people seem to like the Saga kits. They're not the cheapest ones, costing more than the Harley Benton I bought. Look here for lots of really nice Saga builds with pictures and user reports.

DJ
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Oskar · Joined: Jul 29, 2004 Posts: 1751 Location: Norway

Congrats! Looks like a cool 'un!

DrJustice · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:56 pm Post subject:

Thanks Oskar! I am waiting for it to be delivered, so it remains to be seen if a guitar costing roughly a tank of gas and a couple of hot dogs is playable and decent sounding. I'm prepared for anything...

BTW, I found two more suppliers of kits :

KM Guitars. Pick your choice of body, neck, pickguard and hardware kit. For around GBP 200 you get the complete kit shipped in a wooden case. I kind of like the concept, but the LP has a one piece body (i.e. no flame tops or anyhting) and a bolt on neck...

Luthier Mercantile International. Not for the faint of heart; the kits consists of high quality wood blanks, hardware and other materials. For budding luthiers only...

It seems that all the decent kits will set you back at least two tanks of gas, a couple of six packs and a stack of frozen pizzas.

DJ
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telstarmagikistferrari · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:36 am Post subject: