Explorer Kit (Non-Warmoth)

[Timmsie95]

Well my insomnia kept me up again last night (still haven't slept :tard: ) and I came across a site called Precision Guitar Kits that makes guitar bodies and necks to your specs, with limitation, although there is a "custom" option, where you tell the guy what you want and you work it out. This intrigues me, because they sell mainly set-neck construction guitars, like the explorer.

This also pains me, because I'm about to build a Warmoth strat... but I want a set-neck explorer.

WHAT DO I DO  :help:

I would be getting a mahogany body and neck, with 7 ply binding all around (5 ply on headstock) with a 4A quilt maple top, and an ebony board with block inlays.
Then I would dye it transparent black all over, and finish with high gloss poly on the body and headstock, with a satin poly neck. Gold tune o matic bridge, uncovered humbuckers (probably lace deathbuckers) , black pickguard and pickup rings, gold dome knobs, and gold grover locking tuners.

This sounds amazing, and honestly, I think I'd be happier with it... but I've spent so much time planning out my strat 

 

[mayfly]

Regarding Precision guitar kits - I have one (LP Junior single cut).  It was a great kit and it produced a great guitar - BUT - it's more work that putting together a warmoth:
1 - gluing in that neck is not for the faint of heart.  You get one shot - don't mess it up 
2 - studs don't come installed.  You'll need a clever way of doing that.  Don't forget the ground wire!
3 - Finishing it the way you like is more complex.  They don't have nearly the finishing options as warmoth has.  But I solved this problem the easy way - I just sent it to Tonar.  :headbang:


As far as 'what to do' goes, why not just do both?

 

[Timmsie95]

I'm ready for the work involved, there's quite a bit of woodworking blood in me.

On my current budget, it would take me close to two years to build both.. haha, I'm keeping all of my plans for the strat, if i do go with the explorer. just in case..

 

[dmraco]

I have two precision kits. Top notch all around

 

[Glimmer]

If you still haven't made up your mind, why not retile your bathroom with their stuff:

Once you've wiped away the last bit of grout, you might have come to a decision about the guitar...

:icon_jokercolor:

 

[Timmsie95]

The explorer build will be a bit more money all together, but I think it'll be the first one I do. It should look beautiful...

 

[Timmsie95]

I used my photoshop mojo to make a mockup of what the explorer would look like, and hot damn. I'm in love. I don't need a girlfriend.

Started with this:

And after about two hours of layering photos and cropping and tweaking...

This will be my new baby. (the headstock will be transparent black also, with no logo, and there will be 7 ply binding around the body and neck, and 5 ply binding around the headstock, but this is pretty damn close.) arty07:

 

[stratamania]

Wait what about the string trees...

Seriously though I used to have a US Hamer that I had made in 85, which was essentially a black explorer with a Floyd Rose.  So I am always reminded of it when I see a black explorer.

I can't quite visualise the binding idea but do PGK do quilt tops ?

 

[Timmsie95]

Wait what about the string trees...

Seriously though I used to have a US Hamer that I had made in 85, which was essentially a black explorer with a Floyd Rose.  So I am always reminded of it when I see a black explorer.

I can't quite visualise the binding idea but do PGK do quilt tops ?

:laughing7:

If you've seen the Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul that's got the Custom dressings with a quilt top and transparent black finish, tha's essentially what I'm going for.
They have a 4A Quilt Maple Top option for an extra $385. It's a bit of a steep price, but I'm going all-out on this one. I may have them glue the neck for me, but I have't decided. It's only $50 extra for that.

These are american prices though, which sucks because I'm Canadian (and oddly enough so is the company, but i suppose most of their clients are american...)
the specs I chose will run me about $1300...
it is fairly comparable (price wise) to a warmoth neck and body with premium options, really.

 

[stratamania]

It has the potential to look really good. It's always the options that bump up the prices.