HELP! First build: Lefty 24.75" scale bolt-on microtonal custom

[ReplicantAI]

Good afternoon everyone,

After searching for the best possible opportunity for days, I believe all of you may be my last resort for such a complicated endeavour.

I am left-handed therefore finding electric guitars can be difficult in general. However, my next project involves finding (or more so building) a left-handed 32-fret microtonal guitar, mimicking the Eastwood Guitars Hi-Flyer Phase 4 MT and the Gizzard Saz (inspired by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard) fretting model; I have attached a picture of this specific guitar in order to display the specific fretting and my desired direction.

Eastwood does not make this guitar as a left-handed model and suggested that I buy the stock neck from them and then find any left-handed guitar with a 24.75" scale length and a bolt-on neck and replace the neck of said guitar. I had originally planned to buy a cheap Epiphone Les Paul SL and replace the neck; however, not only was this model not available in left-handed orientation but it is practically impossible to find any left-handed guitars that are both at 24.75" scale and have a bolt-on neck. In fact, I have not yet found a single one.

Therefore, I am inquiring as to whether I could use Warmoth to build a left-handed 24.75" scale body with the bolt-on neck section so that I could install the Eastwood Gizz Saz neck onto that body and then get a luthier to fine tune the rest? Moreover, would it be easier and/or cheaper to just recreate the entire Hi-Flyer Phase 4 MT as a whole guitar in itself or to focus on the body and buy Eastwood's neck?

I thank you all exponentially for your assistance since this has been an extremely frustrating and difficult experience due to my left-handed orientation. I look forward to your replies and suggestions concerning this arduous project and my very first build of any kind!

 

[TBurst Std]

Ahh as the frets are straight across, not angled,
Why just not get it and put a left handed nut on it and call it a day?
It’s not like they are intonating differently for each string there with the fret placements.

 

[mayfly]

I was thinking the same thing - re-do the nut, move the strap button, re-intonate the bridge, then have the microtonal fun!  Yes the knobs are in the way, but Hendrix didn't let it bother him...

If you are hell-bent-for-leather to get a body for the neck, you'll have to measure the neck heel and compare it to standard strat specs make sure it will work.  Specifically, the distance from the nut to the heel of the neck.  Then I would check the dimensions of the heel to ensure it will work in a standard strat pocket.  Don't forget to measure and check the neck depth at the heel as well.  I note that the fretboard has an angled overhang on it; you'll have to deal with that somehow as well.

Update:  another thought:  it appears that all of the standard frets are there in their standard positions and that the microtonal frets are simply added between them.  The new frets appear fairly evenly spaced from the photo.  If you do some calculations you could probably figure out the exact fret placements.  Then get a left handed standard-tuning guitar and add the additional frets.  Level the frets, and have at it.

 

[Rick]

I've seen those for basses, but for a guitar I couldn't do it ... not enough room for my fingers.

Have you tried googling for replacement microtonal necks, I tried and found at least one company that sells them by mail order. 

 

[ReplicantAI]

I've seen those for basses, but for a guitar I couldn't do it ... not enough room for my fingers.

Have you tried googling for replacement microtonal necks, I tried and found at least one company that sells them by mail order.

Thank you to everyone so far for the suggestions! The issue is not getting the neck, since Eastwood supplies the microtonal bolt-in necks for that guitar, it is finding or building a left-handed 24.75" scale body that can accommodate the bolt-in necks. Otherwise, I would likely just do like Mayfly suggested and buy a lefty guitar and simply add the necessary frets, I was just hoping to stick to the Eastwood neck since it has already been built for that purpose and everything should be "right".

 

[stratamania]

So do you know the specifications of the Eastwood neck heel and if they sell it do they intend to replace anything else other than their own guitars?

 

[ReplicantAI]

So do you know the specifications of the Eastwood neck heel and if they sell it do they intend to replace anything else other than their own guitars?

Unfortunately, I could not get heel measurements from them the first time I tried contacting them but will try again as soon as I can!

 

[BroccoliRob]

i don't get this microtonal stuff man. i can only think in macrotonal. not everybody can have a Honda Civic for a brain, ya know?. i'm just over here workin' with a unicycle for a frontal lobe while gene simmons in a clownsuit pedals