Best guitar build? What do you think?

[hudsonhawk]

So new to the custom guitar build world, I'm learning a lot already about the differences types of wood and pick ups can make on the over all sound. I have played strats and teles and sgs and les pauls, but to no masterful degree. I do know a little here and there, but what I want is a guitar of my own.

I'm a lefty, I play punk rock, acoustic country folk, 70's style rock n roll, hell I'm a fan of the Cure. I want a guitar that can hit every genre well, highs that resonate and sustain that does what its supposed to, enough power to get the warm that the emotional stuff that be covered, but the hot heat of an sg and the crunch of a jacked up strat can make.

What are your opinions? All ideas accepted, because I can always mod and paint over.

 

[stubhead]

Above anything else, I'd say you have to have a powerful humbucker at the bridge, with a series/parallel/split switch. If the neck single coil tone is important - SRV and Eric Johnson have it, Jimmie Page and Steve Morse don't; the shining best example is "Little Wing", Hendrix's or SRV's - then you have to use a single-coil width pickup at the neck, even if it's a stacked or dual-rail HB electronically. There are things about the width of the string sample that make it improbable for a wide pickup to sound like a narrow one and vice-versa. Depends on how picky you wanna get. I find separate volume and tone controls to be essential to duplicate the tones I want (or at least come close), other people like simple controls.

Rather than just say "punk rock, acoustic country folk, 70's style rock n roll, hell I'm a fan of the Cure" - pick out three specific tones that pin you to the wall, and try to find out what made 'em - amps & stomps, too.
And you can "play punk rock" with just about anything, I think.  :dontknow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wotUs41HTY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjY4yt_xrJ4

 

[Tempest]

As Stubby said, most of your tone is gonna come from the pickup selection.  You sound like you're looking for some diverse tones there.  Have you ever heard of Seymour Duncan P-rails?  That might be up your alley.  The body shape and neck selections are more about how the guitar is going to feel than anything else, choose what looks good and/or is comfortable to you!

Good luck

 

[Jusatele]

Jon 5 plays metal on a tele
OK now tell me you have to have a certain style guitar for a certain Genre after that
it is like stated, pickup choice
I mean Ted plays a Birdland

 

[greywolf]

+1 on the pickup selection making the difference , not to short change the contributions from the wood end .

My first from scratch build had the same ideals , an All in One  that would combine the best of my Les Paul, Strat and Tele .  .. Tall order .  Luckily I got pretty close to the hitting it with a Benedetto PAF neck, Gibson P94 mid and Harmonic Designs Z90 30% overwound for the bridge.
It is so versatile it has been my main axe for years.

  My latest project , now with 13 years of experience is similar  PRS Dragon II neck , Di Marzio Virtual P90 mid and Tone Zone P90 in the bridge , all with Series/Parallel and Split modes and an EMG SPC mid boost .   

Listen closely to what works for you, and mix and match accordingly .  Good luck with the adventure

 

[KaiserSoze]

Of course, you must leave yourself open to the subsequent builds you will be mysteriously drawn to do.  Sorry dude, but its like a drug...

And I vote for a black korina tele with a single, mini-hum, hum configuration and a Wilkinson trem.  Or you could just wait for my next build and I'll tell you how it is.  :icon_tongue:

 

[Johnny]

First off, I probably have no business even commenting on this.  Not because I've probably had one to many scotches tonight but rather because I've learned I don't know much about pickups.  What I can say is that I have a Tom Anderson with an HSS configuration. I thought it was great because I could get that nice hot humbucker sound but still clean it up with the single coils.  Now I have a Warmoth Strat with EMG-SAs.  I really have a problem playing any of my other guitars because the thing really sounds great. All the others just sound muddy to me now (all humbuckers at the bridge).

So, maybe StubHead is right with his suggestion of being able to split the bridge pickup (it certainly sounds like a good approach to me), but I think the truth is you can only go so far with one guitar. I now want something with P90s because I just know its a whole different sound.  KaiserSoze is right. Leave something for you next build. As soon as you finish this one you'll be planning your next.

 

[JCizzle]

First off, I probably have no business even commenting on this.  Not because I've probably had one to many scotches tonight

:laughing7: ccasion14:

 

[Alfang]

I can't believe we are still posting for an OP that has One post,  Nothing against new guys, but this one disapeared after ONE post

 

[Rickgrxbass]

I can't believe we are still posting for an OP that has One post,  Nothing against new guys, but this one disapeared after ONE post

True enough; he wasn't even subjected to the typical n00b flaming.


We must me slipping, guys.  :doh:

 

[hudsonhawk]

These have all been great ideas. I'm currently looking through the posts and looking up parts so thanks everyone, I'm probably going to have to just mix and match until I'm satisfied, but so far this has been way more helpful than talking to the guys at Guitar Center haha.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

These have all been great ideas. I'm currently looking through the posts and looking up parts so thanks everyone, I'm probably going to have to just mix and match until I'm satisfied, but so far this has been way more helpful than talking to the guys at Guitar Center haha.

What kind of help were you expecting from "Guitar Sucker?"  :laughing11: