How to begin?

[gpsbassist]

Hi! I am new to the whole "build your own guitar" universe but as a musician it is something I am very much interested in learning about.
Mind you, you should know I've been playing bass for six years now, but I've only been playing guitar for about a year and a half, so my knowledge of the two instruments are not quite at the same level

So first things first: How do I get started?
Here's what I'm planning to order from the Warmoth website:

BODY:
-Stratocaster Replacement Body
Chambered
Black Korina Body w/Alder Laminate
Rear Pickup Rout (is that going to be a big logistics problem?)
-Pickup Disposition
Strat (Neck)
Strat (Middle)
Humbucker (Bridge)
24 Fret Redisposition
-Bridge
Tremolo Bridge
Should I get a Floyd Rose bridge or should I stick to American Standard tremolo bridge? I'm trying to get a "Pink Floyd meets Van Halen" sort of sound so...
3/4'' Side Jack Hole
4 Bolt Mounting Holes w/Contoured Heel
-Battery Box
Again, not sure... what should I do to get the kind of sound I mentionned earlier?

NECK:
-Stratocaster Replacement Neck
Warmoth Pro Construction
Maple Shaft
Maple Fingerboard
1-11/16'' Nut Width (or should I use 1-5/8''? I have small palms but slightly above average finger length. I also do 45% Chords 55% soloing, most of the time)
Clapton Signature Back Contour
10-16'' Compound Fretboard Radius
24 Frets
No Scalloping (I don't consider scalloping the neck, but I would like to have some feedback from people who tried scalloped necks if possible)
6150 Fret Size
Vintage Style (11/32'') Tuner Holes
White Corian String Nut (I guess if I choose a Floyd Rose bridge, I'd have to pick a Floyd Rose-ready string nut, no?)
4 Bolt Mounting Holes

As for the esthetic parts of the guitar, I'll figure something out once I've figured how to properly assemble it.

At this point I have some questions:
Is what I mentionned even possible? Feel free to correct me, I'm here to learn!
Is there any book/online guide/youtube videos or channels/etc... you could recommand for someone like me with very little knowledge of the technicality and logistics of building a guitar?
Is it even possible for my guitar to sound somewhere between Pink Floyd and Van Halen? (I know these two examples make my musical knowledge seem very shallow but these are the bands that best examplify the sound I am looking for)
What type of wood should I use to get the forementionned sound (if possible)?
Are there any other alternatives if such a sound can't be achieved? Looking for a prog sound with a catchy classic rock feel, not too bluesy, not too modern rock either. Definitely not metal (not that I don't like that genre, mind you, I'm just looking for something else).
What parts am I going to need once I get the body and the neck? (They are not ordered yet, but eventually they will)
Are all these parts available on Warmoth.com?

Anyways, I know I'm asking a lot, but any help would do me a great favor! Thanks in advance!

 

[Mor Paul]

Welcome to the forum, GPSBassist!

So, working down your list...

How do you get started? You order off the website. Use the body builder, or call in if you'd like to talk to a rep.

Black Korina with Alder lam- this is a strange choice. What finish? I'd actually suggest Alder with Black Korina lam if you're after the Floyd/Halen sound.

It's 24 fret reposition, just for when you're looking for it, or calling it in :icon_thumright:

The Floyd/Fender bridge choice is entirely up to you. I'd go by feel for those. Do you use the whammy a lot? That Standard bridge has a lot of travel. I'd go by feel on that. Try some floyds and AS bridges, and choose your favorite.

Battery Box- Maybe not needed.

Help building- Try Guitar Player's Repair Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide-Erlewine/dp/0879302917
Also, just read this forum, and check out this video: http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=16733.0
wax those screws!

For the pickups, 70's spec single coils for the neck and mid are right, and a PAF for the bridge. Dimarzio's 36th Anniversary PAF is a great humbucker. I'll let someone else recommend single coils.

Parts are available from Warmoth.

tuners, tuner screws
string tree (maybe)
strings
neck plate
neck screws
pickguard/pickguard screws (optional)
bridge
springs
trem claw/screws
wire
knobs
potentiometers
switch
output jack
output jack plate
screws (maybe) for jack plate
pickups
pickup screws
foam for under pickups
capacitor
body
neck

 

[riverbluff]

Welcome to the boards.    Just a couple questions/comments

For the body, a black korina body with alder top seems a bit plain to me especially if it is going to be back routed.  The Alder will be kind of boring...  Have you considered a figure maple laminate or even going with a black Korina laminate?  There is no issues at all getting a rear routed body.

Are you going with active pickups?  If you are looking for a VH type tone I would recommend passive pickups?  If going passive then no real need for a battery box.

Can got either way with a trem.  I perfer a floyd over the fender as it is a lock trem system.  Your trem choice will affect your tuner choice.  If you deside to go with a fender trem I would recomend locking tuners rather then vintage tuners.  Also if you go with the fender trem I would recommend the graphit nut vs the corian nut.

As far as extra parts go you'll need the following:
Neck plate (look in the boards here for DangerousR6, he does some great custom pieces)
Neck screws (mack sure you get the contoured heel set if you go with a contoured heel on the guitar)
Pots for the vol/tone control
knobs for the vol and tone
switch for pickup selection
Jack for input
jack plate
pickup rings
tuners
wire
capacitor for the electronics
pickups of course

With the right pickup combination you can get about any sound you want.  Tons of choice on pickups is the real problem...
I have been partial to Bare Knuckle Pickups out of the UK

Hope this helps...

Bill

 

[Mor Paul]

Ah, pickup rings. There's two main ways to mount pickups on a rear-routed body. There is direct mount, where the pickups are screwed into wood, with foam under the pickups, and there's pickup rings, where there is a surround that is screwed into the top of the body, and that surround is holding the pickup.

Van Halen used direct mounting, btw.

 

[iamdavidmorris]

Another good book:

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Own-Electric-Guitar/dp/0953104907/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308669710&sr=1-1

It goes well beyond the scope of assembling a guitar.  It's more about building one from lumber, but it's an interesting read, and covers all the bases.  It also has a lot of pretty pictures.  :icon_thumright:

 

[ironeddie]

Another good book:

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Own-Electric-Guitar/dp/0953104907/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308669710&sr=1-1

It goes well beyond the scope of assembling a guitar.  It's more about building one from lumber, but it's an interesting read, and covers all the bases.  It also has a lot of pretty pictures.   :icon_thumright:

I have this book and it is awesome.  I highly recommend it. 

 

[drewfx]

If you decide to go for a Fender trem, get an LSR nut and locking tuners. And use bullet-type strings for best tuning stability.

Lots of us here will recommend SS frets as a must have.

You might think about whether the top frets are going to be accessible enough on a Strat body that you will actually use them. Some people/styles demand 24 frets, but other people never really use them even if there.

The body top is so thin on non-carved-top bodies that it's really for looks only, so forget about sound and get something pretty. And if you can find pretty much what you want in the Showcase, you can save a bit of money, especially if it's already had the finish applied.

If you're thinking of "modern" Pink Floyd, meaning after Dave switched to active EMG PU's in his strat, you're going to have a hard time combining that with a VH style passive HB. You could buffer a passive HB to combine it with the actives, but Eddie was always about the PU going straight into the amp with almost nothing in between. So if it were me, I'd go for passive strat PU's with whatever VH-style HB you like in the bridge.

On a rear routed body, you don't necessarily need a battery box even with active electronics unless you're intending on putting lots of stuff in the control cavity. The battery box makes it easier to change batteries, but unless you forget to unplug things, occasionally unscrewing a few screws on the back is not a big deal.

 

[AutoBat]

I'd suggest locking tuners if you go with the Fender bridge, and LSR or graph tech tusq xl nut.
Oh, and: Stainless steel frets, you want them.

 

[nexrex]

I'd suggest locking tuners if you go with the Fender bridge, and LSR or graph tech tusq xl nut.
Oh, and: Stainless steel frets, you want them.

+1 Fenders standard strat bridge is a nightmare. I would suggest you go with the above, but swap this with a wilkinson VS-100

 

[NLD09]

I'd suggest locking tuners if you go with the Fender bridge, and LSR or graph tech tusq xl nut.
Oh, and: Stainless steel frets, you want them.

Definitely get the stainless steel frets. I really regret not getting them on my favorite neck. I've ended up ordering a new one to replace it now that i've worn my frets way down.

 

[animal control]

I bought a chambered strat body from the showcase, and they told me they couldn't put a battery box in it because it was chambered. But as has already been said, there is lots of room for a battery in the control cavity.

I can't remember the thread this is being discussed in, but you might check out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqLfllURlo8

I found it informative as a first-time builder.

 

[iamdavidmorris]

If you're very brave, you could cut your own battery box.  I didn't know that, but if I end up ordering a chambered body anytime soon, that's certainly what I'll do.

 

[Cagey]

Battery boxes are fastened in place from the outside using a flange that's molded as part of the box, so I'm not sure why Warmoth wouldn't cut a chambered body for one. You don't need anything behind the box; it forms its own enclosure. Maybe it's an old rule from back when battery boxes weren't boxes, but simply doors to a routed cavity. I'll bet if you called them, they'd do it, but the online body builder hasn't been updated. In any event, there are a bunch of them here to pore over.

And while I'm at it here...

• Stainless frets are a must-have
• Wilkinson vibratos are the best vibrato bridge solutions
• LSR nuts will keep your tuning honest even with heavy wanking
• Alder is a bad top over an exotic, but not a bad body if you're going to have a solid color finish

 

[stubhead]

I Quadruple Super-Extra Deluxe second the notion - get Dan Erlewine's book "Complete Guitar Player Repair Guide" FIRST (concurrent with the wait). Read the whole book, or at least go over all the setup, wiring, finishing, fretwork tips - in other words, read the whole book. :toothy12: You will then be able to make a very accurate assessment of where your skills match up with the process and where you might want help. Only you really know what sort of tool use, woodworking, repair and guitar maintenance skills you already have, and reading THAT book will let you focus your questions real specifically, which is a pretty darn fine way to get specific answers around here.

Sometimes.

Unless the Florbzoodles are arising in the seventh quadrant... Beware....

 

[reluctant-builder]

Partial aside, but what's so great about stainless steel frets?

I'm not being confrontational, just genuinely curious. Thanks.

 

[bagman67]

SS frets are much harder than the nickel/silver variety, and so wear longer.  Because they are so hard, they can be finished to a high shine, as a result of which they also provide less drag when you bend the strings.  Many find them easier to play on.

 

[Cagey]

Partial aside, but what's so great about stainless steel frets?

They wear much longer than nickel-steel frets
They're super-slick - it's like playing on glass
Those benefits don't come with any cost in tone

On the downside, many guitar techs will charge substantially more to work on them, if they'll do it at all. SS frets are very hard, so they'll wear out files and cutters much faster than nickel-steel frets do. Since guitar-specific files aren't cheap, you don't want to hurt them if you can avoid it. However, you can buy diamond files that'll take the abuse, so it's not as big an issue as some would have you believe. That's what I use, and I don't have any trouble with wear. Why a pro shop wouldn't use those files as a matter of course, even on nickel-steel frets, is beyond me. Cheap tools are poor economy, as you have to replace them frequently. A good tool costs more up front, but in the long run it's almost always less expensive.

 

[stubhead]

You can do anything with the 3M wet/dry abrasive papers that you can do with diamond tools, you just have to think about the process a bit more. The "stainless steel" used for frets is actually pretty easy to shape; obviously it's still softer than the steel used in strings. I've gotten completely away from using any toothy tool on frets, because the size and shape of fret ends is almost an invitation for file teeth "chatter." I mentioned this to an old guy who'd been working on instruments for decades, thinking I had invented something, and he said he had never used even a toothed crowning file. You just have be sure you're protecting the surrounding areas well, and think about where your cast-off material is going.

 

[Tipperman]

Personally I prefer the standard vintage 6-point trem. I know I'm going to get tommy gunned for saying that, but I really prefer it for a vibrato system. If you get a good one and mount it flush with the body, it works fine for light note accentuation. Or in my case, heavy whammy use in a solo now and then. Not Floyd heavy, but yeah. I'd personally recommend the Callaham 6 point Vintage trem.

Ok Cagey, open fire.  :laughing11:

 

[Cagey]

You're the one who has to pay for and live with it. If you have a high frustration tolerance, I'm sure you'll be just fine.