Building a metal axe

[David Katauskas]

I'm considering building another git for metal. After searching around, it seems that getting all of the component will cost much more than buying a guitar.

Question : does it make sense to buy a guitar with all of the component that I want, then swap out the body for a body that I will make?

Example:

Tuners : 80
Neck : 250
Fixed Bridge : 120
Pickups : 200
Misc Elec (pots, plug, switches) : 50
Misc (knobs, pickup guards, strap holders) : 50

Parts Total : $750
Nice Guitar Donor : $450

These numbers seem about right...don't they? If so, that's a savings of $300 going the 'donor' route.

What are your thoughts?

 

[David Katauskas]

Anyone?

 

[Gonny]

I'd say you really need to compare the quality of the parts you were planning on buying to those on the donor guitar. Is the donor neck as nice as the $250 one you were planning on buying, for example? If not, is it worth the price savings to you for the cheaper neck on the donor? Same thing for all the other parts.

 

[Sirnothingness]

You want a fixed bridge for metal? I'd probably just go out and find a used ESP or Ibanez with floyd rose on it.

 

[cephus]

Donor!

Don't most guitar players have a whole drawer full of crap they took off of other guitars? I built a recyclocaster from parts in the garage and it sounds great. Unique, but not wheezy or cheap-sounding. I like the idea of taking some donor stuff and then spending $$$ on a nice neck. Donor necks tend to have worn out frets and, if they sat around unstrung for a while, can be hard to set up.

Here's a link to a couple pics of my homemade main stage axe.

http://www.peaveyt60.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=672&PN=1

Boocephus
Squandering My Intellectual Property for your Entertainment
http://boocephus.blogspot.com

 

[apl]

I'm considering building another git for metal.

Check out Carvin's kits and necks. They have lots of options that aren't listed. You can order necks (through or bolt on) in several woods, several fingerboards, several fretboard woods, different fretwires, different headstocks and different radii. Same for body woods.

 

[Fenderville]

Check out Carvin's kits and necks. They have lots of options that aren't listed. You can order necks (through or bolt on) in several woods, several fingerboards, several fretboard woods, different fretwires, different headstocks and different radii. Same for body woods.

I was wondering when you were going to let your secret out of the bag....

 

[apl]

I was wondering when you were going to let your secret out of the bag....

If it wasn't a secret, I could shut up.

 

[Fenderville]

If it wasn't a secret, I could shut up.

 

[apl]

Carvin's not very well known, almost a secret.

 

[David Katauskas]

Thanks for the info. That Carvin stuff looks promising.

 

[apl]

Thanks for the info. That Carvin stuff looks promising.

They have a bbs with more helpful advice than you can shake a stick at. There are tons of options that aren't listed.