Sing The Body Electric - Building a Parter

[Eben]

Ok, let's talk electric axes, eh?

You know what? I have seen a lot of y'all over the last 5 years write "I'd really like to try making an electric and one of these days..." But we don't see many made, do we? Why is that?

I think I know one big reason: While a real experienced and talented electric builder, (Like our own Todd Lunnenborg fer instance), can crank out self-designed, complex electric bodies and necks and make it look easy, (Not to mention beautiful and deserving of serious GAS), striking out on something like that can be intimidating, especially if you've never built an electric before. Shoot, even experienced acoustic-only builders can get overwhelmed by the thought of doing an electric; there's a lot of stuff there that one hasn't ever necessarily tackled, and that can be worrisome - Though it needn't be!

So I'm gonna do here what you might just consider for yourself as a very reasonable and fun first step, if you're one of those "I'd really like to" folks who still has yet to wade in. In the parlance, it's called a "parts build," which means just what it sounds like. We're gonna build an electric, to our own specs and wants, but we're gonna assemble it from some made-by-other folks parts and then add a hefty dose of our own mojo to make it all come together. We're gonna end up with a way cool, very playable, one-of-a-kind guitar that you can stack up against dang near anything out there, and it's gonna be fun: I'm gonna purposefully make an axe with components from a wide variety of sources and manufacturers. There are several reasons for this:

1. If this is your first electric, you might not want to start out with a one-off highly figured Cocobolo body and African Blackwood neck and BRW fretboard; you might want to build something fairly traditional and straightforward for your first effort.

2. If you decide to go this route, as folks have discussed elsewhere, there are issues with how well things will fit together to make a truly playable, classy axe - I'm here to tell you that you can pick and choose and still make a great guitar.

3. If you don't know, let me assure you of one thing; even if you're making the axe yourself, you can still spend an incredible amount of money on a parts guitar! A very high end self-produced axe can easily cost as much as a fairly high end production axe: This begs a couple of questions:

Do you need to spend that much? The answer is no, and especially not on your first one!

Can you still build a truly kick ass and desirable guitar for relatively little dough? The answer is Yes, and that's what we're gonna do.

So, here's what it's gonna be. I've been jonesin' for a Tele wanna be ever since I sold my '72 Thinline back when for God knows what reason. So I'm gonna make my version of that guitar. It will be a big nod to that axe, but completely my own, in look, sound, etc, and I'm gonna build it all from parts from various and sundry places. I'll do the build thread, as well as speak to where I get parts and why, who's stuff is good, etc, the idea being that we'll explore the whole thing from research to acquisition, building, finishing, etc.

I have already bought the pieces of this, and am waiting for them to arrive. As they do, I'll speak to each piece; where I got it, why I chose that one, what it costs, etc.

E

[Joe Sustaire]

Sounds great Eben, I'll be watching and learnin', whole bunch of ground here!
It's great to have a guide!

Joe

[Dennis Mitchell]

Onward through the fog "O" fearless leader!
Some of us are familiar with what can be done using parts-n-pieces. We just haven't taken the plunge yet. So therefor, we WILL betaking notes!

[BaldEagle55]

Eben,

I am glad you are doing this. I would love to learn about electrics. As you recall, I offered to build you a set of golf clubs in return for building my son an electric. So now I will learn about it.

Thanks again.

Tom

[Eben]

Well cool; glad somebody other than me thinks it's a good idea....

E

[Jim]

Eben,

I've been wanting to build one; even started one with some curly ash. It didn't glue right, so I stopped, but still have the ash. I never had a plan, nor have I the first glimmer of understanding of the electronics.

I'll follow along, and try to buy the parts as I go. I think I bought a neck quite a while ago, and maybe I'll use that after refinishing it.

Whaddya think?

Jim

[Dennis Leahy]

Well cool; glad somebody other than me thinks it's a good idea....

E

I actually have several neck through-the-body electrics started. They fell off the back burner quite a while ago, but someday, some way, I've got to finish them up to justify carefully storing and moving them through several house moves.

So, I may not squeak much, maybe not at all during this thread, but this is info I'll probably refer back to "someday."

Thanks for documenting

Dennis

[Eben]

Hey, it's my pleasure and by all means, Jim - Lets!

Here's a question back for those interested -
I was just gonna build a neck to fit a made-by-others body,
but would it be more helpful to buy a neck from somebody and make 'em all fit well together?
LET ME KNOW!!

E