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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 11:31 am 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 8:43 am
Posts: 1700
Thinking of getting an electric kit for my boy for Christmas . Where is a good quality kit offered? Probably. A stray style
Thanks


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 11:33 am 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 8:43 am
Posts: 1700
I suppose posting in the kit area makes more sense
Sorry


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:20 pm 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:09 pm
Posts: 870
Location: Cowichan Valley, BC, Canada
First name: Conor
Last Name: Searl
City: Duncan
State: British Columbia
Zip/Postal Code: V9L 2E5
Country: Canada
Status: Semi-pro
Stew Mac always seems to have sales on their kits, but I've never seen one in person. I've put a few kits together from a company called "Solo" guitars. I've had guitar students bring in kits they've put together from pitbull guitars I think? And I've seen other random internet kits in person. They all look like they come form the same place. Those are probably all in the sub $300 price range. As far as quality is concerned I guess it depends on your expectations. Everything works, and fits together well, and if you're a novice guitarist the end result will be a guitar that you had fun putting together and probably stacks up against a Squier or inexpensive Epiphone.

The only problem I ever had was with a "Solo" jaguar style kit. The bridge was in the wrong place, so much so that I couldn't live with it.


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:33 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:20 am
Posts: 5924
You might ask on the MIMF. They have a section devoted to building electric guitars and basses, so that group may have some good information also.


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:40 pm 
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Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:50 pm
Posts: 729
Location: United States
First name: John
Last Name: Lewis
City: Newnan
State: Georgia
Zip/Postal Code: 30265
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
If you want a good "cheap" kit the Stewmac kit is nice - it's a step up from the Saga stuff. It's on sale for $150. If you want a kit this is a no brainer. https://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Supplies/Instrument_Kits/Guitar_Kits/Electric_Guitar_Kits/S-Style_Electric_Guitar_Kit.html

If you want a great body and neck, that you can add your own parts to make a superb instrument, then go to USA custom guitars. I did a tele style electric that way and got an amazing guitar. It cost me over a grand total this way, so this probably isn't what you are looking for. It's worth the trip to the website to see what they do anyway. https://www.usacustomguitars.com/

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 1:29 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5743
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Warmoth....

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 7:37 pm 
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Joined: Sat May 17, 2008 1:11 pm
Posts: 2335
Location: Spokane, Washington
First name: Pat
Last Name: Foster
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
My son and I built a tele-type guitar a few years ago during his senior year in HS. We built it from scratch, so he got to experience the whole process, and I’m glad we did, for the extra time we spent together and a deeper understanding for him and me, since I’d never built an electric. We went fairly high end, most parts from Warmoth with Fralin pups.

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 7:43 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:46 pm
Posts: 2124
First name: Freeman
Last Name: Keller
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
If you can build an acoustic guitar you and your son together can build an electric guitar. If you don't want to make the neck and body buy them from Warmoth and build a parts caster. The few "kits" I've looked at are largely garbage - you'll end up replacing pups and tuners and doing fretwork anyway so why buy stuff that he'll just throw away.

There have been a number of father-son build threads over at TDPRI - there is always a real sense of pride when the guitar is done.


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 8:52 pm 
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Joined: Sun May 19, 2013 10:22 am
Posts: 727
First name: Brian
Last Name: McDonald
City: Okanagan Centre
State: British Columbia
Zip/Postal Code: V4V2H6
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
There are some excellent kits from precision, but you will pay for them.
I made 2 LP copies, full carve, not too difficult and quite satisfying,but the most frustrating part was determining all the correct electronic bits.
I won’t do that again. The electronics are more expensive than a set of nice wood.

https://precisionguitarkits.com/

Should you decide to do a LP, my advice is to chamber it.
Excellent info at Mylespaul, luthiers corner


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 28, 2019 5:34 am 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 12:17 pm
Posts: 1161
City: Escondido
State: CA
Zip/Postal Code: 92029
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Kit bodies tend to be either overpriced or poor quality. Making the body of a solid body guitar takes minimal tools or woodworking skills. Just watch some YouTube and you can see yahoos making guitar bodies out of just about anything in a day or two.

Necks are a little more specialized. Nothing that can’t be done with a few specialized tools and some modest skills. But I can completely understand deciding to skip that step. Fortunately, you can get high quality necks from a variety of sources. If you don’t buy an overpriced body, you can splurge on a neck from Warmouth, for example. Your money will be much better spent.

Kit electronics are universally crap. Definitely source your own.


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