Guitar Building and Modifcation Questions ? Click Here !

27 Apr 2006 16:24 (Edited: 27 Apr 2006 16:24)

See the list of links at the bottom of the page for guitar parts , building supplies , and "do it yourself" guitar kits !

Feel free to drop questions and comments here - this will be an ongoing discussion for sure ! I'll be glad to answer any basic guitar building and modding questions you may have , or post helpful links to info to get your guitar project going on ! I'm sure I will learn stuff in the process myself . All good !!!

If you don't see the questions & comments area on the right , click this [ link ] to bring up this same page again - with an interactive message box !


( This all came about from a comment in my shoutbox . My answer ended up being Way too long to fit there , which gave me the idea to do this instead . So thanks to "LastMastr" ! hahaha look what you started 8 )

LastMastr (22 Apr 2006 21:32)

Thanks for the comment Brainstorm it sure as hell is something i am going to remember....i thought you only modified them..but it turns out you build them..I want to get started..but i am having financial problems..

When i come across money for at least a router and a belt sander...i am going to buy all the other tools like a Hand Saw and Clamps and stuff. but i already have a Power Drill. So yea..but i dont know exactly how to get started. I have a book but i wouldnt know the Easiest 1st route to take...

And thats what i want help with.


Right on ! I assume you want to build guitars completely from scratch , which is a lot of work but totally cool ! If you are still in high school , your school may have a wood shop class . Have a talk with the shop teacher about your interest in building guitars . If you're a good student and show the teacher you are serious , maybe you can take the class and get to use all their cool tools for free ! You might even be able to make your own guitar as a class project for a grade - might be a plan ! Teachers like it when their students take interest , so you may have to build a few bird-houses and book-cases , but if you do well and get in good with them - it will increase your chances greatly of getting to build guitars - on their time with their tools ! ( IMPORTANT NOTE !!! Power tools like saws , drills , routers . soldering tools etc are highly dangerous and can hurt you bad ! Please be careful with power tools and solder - they can hurt you quick and we dont want that - it's not good for your playing ! )

You can probably find a decent bolt-on neck guitar cheap for the neck and other parts , then make a body to fit - in any shape you want . The neck is the hardest part to make , since it has a "truss rod" inside for reinforcement and the frets must be precise in placement and height , but the body is no problem if you have the right tools . Your local guitar shop may even have necks and spare parts , so finding parts for a project should be no problem even if you have to look online . Shop around , ask your friends , and you can find this stuff on the cheap ! ( You can also buy do - it - yourself guitar kits with all parts included - see the links at the bottom of the page for more info on kit guitars ! )

A bolt - on neck guitar is relatively easy to build or modify , it's just a matter of having the right parts . Many necks and bodies are easily interchangeable , and you can often put a nicer neck on a lower quality guitar and really improve it . If you aren't sure if a certain neck & body combination will work together , you can ask the people at your local music store / guitar shop . A good guitar shop can even do some of the more critical measurements and procedures for you . If you ask nicely they may let you watch them work , which is a great way to learn . (This varies of course - some shops are totally cool with this , others will say no way.) My first one in the 70's was an Explorer body - a friend at a music store cut and routed it for me . I took the neck off my old Tele guitar , bolted it on , wired in pickups , and ta da - instant pointy guitar ! Later that year I got into Van Halen and wanted a whammy bar , so I took all that apart and transferred the parts to a Strat body , then after I got a better guitar I returned that neck to the Tele again !

If you'd like to get into guitar building on your own , I would recommend starting with a cheap "project guitar" to experiment with . "Stratocaster" ( "Strat" ) style guitars and parts are widely available . A vast variety of different companies make this basic neck & body style so the quality and measurements can vary quite a bit . Look around and find a good deal on something like a Squier Stratocaster for example - you can get a cheaper model brand new for $100 , and less for a used one ! Ask around - one of your friends may even have something cool to use . The cheaper the better (as long as it's not badly damaged !) The paint job doesn't matter - since you're going to take it completely apart and repaint it anyway !




You can learn a lot just by taking the strings off and disassembling it - the neck is held on by 4 screws , the pickguard by a few smaller screws . Just put the screws in a little box and keep up with any parts you take off . Of course you want to pay attention and make notes or drawings as you go - since you do want to put it all back together again ! You can disassemble the whole thing with a large and small philips screwdriver and a soldering iron to de-solder the output jack and ground-wire - with those three tools , I can have a Strat completely apart in minutes . After you take all the screws out and the parts are in the box , you're ready to sand it a bit and prime and paint it . You can even mess around with the shape if you like - I've seen some interesting Strats where people have filed or cut the body , and even an Ibanez RG550 with little holes drilled all through it ! If you've kept up with all your screws and parts , you should be able to reassemble it all yourself , but if you get stuck - your local guitar shop can help you out .

The most important factor is the "scale length" ! If this isn't correct - the guitar will not tune up or play properly ! The "scale length" of the neck has to be the proper size to match up with the body and bridge . The distance from the nut to twelfth fret determines the distance from the 12th to the bridge - in other words , the 12th fret is the exact center between the nut and bridge . This [ link ] from Warmoth shows typical bridge distance and neck pocket dimensions . Get that right - and the body can be cut any shape you want !

The two most common bolt-on scale lengths are 25 1/2" and 24 3/4" . Here are a couple of examples . Eddie Van Halen's "Frankenstein" guitar is a 25-1/2" scale Charvel built-from-parts Strat that has been through more modifications than Pamela Anderson . Just below is the Epiphone Zakk Wylde , a 24-3/4" Les Paul with a glued in (not bolt-on) neck . Epiphone and many others make bolt-on Les Pauls but I'm using the Zakk for illustration because it looks so cool ! Les Paul copies aren't necessarily always the 24-3/4" scale - always measure from the nut to 12th fret then double that measurement to determine bridge placement before trying any neck as a donor replacement ! The bridge will have screws for "intonation adjustment" , which helps zero in the exact scale length for each string - differences in the size , pitch , and height above the neck ( "action" ) for each string make this necessary for proper tuning ! Also important - the length of the wood-screws that attach the neck ! If the "neck bolts" are too long - they will poke through the fingerboard - not good ! Too short , the neck joint will be weak .



Note on the Van Halen guitar that he has put a humbucker pickup in ! Had he used a pick-guard , it would cover any enlarged routing for the pickups . Some Strats have a rectangular "universal rout" that allows you to use any pickup configuration since the pickguard will cover all the routing anyway .


HUMBUCKER VS. SINGLE-COIL

The difference between single - coil and "humbucker" (double - coil) pickups is one of the more frequent questions I get . The first pickups invented were single-coil . Over the years as radio stations and other sources of electrical interference became more common , the humbucker pickup was developed to solve the problems of buzz from TV , fluorescent & neon lights , and late-night religious broadcasting coming out of the amp .

A humbucker pickup is basically two single coils wired out of phase , which cancels out the radio and other electrical interference that reaches both coils equally , and retains the sound from the strings since they vibrate unequally over the coils . Most humbuckers have the coils side by side , but there are also "stacked" humbuckers and half-width humbuckers to fit in single-coil guitars without cutting out for a full-sized humbucker .

The humbucker pickup has much more output due to the two coils , and a bigger darker sound due to the out-of-phase connection . Typically a single-coil pickup is much brighter by comparison , and more prone to radio and 50-60Hz buzz as well as microphonic squeal feedback . Single-coil sized "stacked" humbuckers help that a lot without sacrificing the single-coil tone , as do side-by-side half-width humbuckers like the Hot Rails or Fast Track which sound more similar to a full-sized humbucker .

To experiment with this , try standing near a TV or conventional CRT computer monitor with your guitar plugged in and turned up ( I haven't tried this with a flat-screen yet ! ) Even if you do have humbucking pickups , you'll probably hear a big hum or buzz that changes as you turn from side to side ! Turning on the distortion will really bring this out ! If your guitar has a 5-way switch with a combination of humbuckers and single-coils , slowly click through the pickup switch positions - if you have a "H-S-S" or "H-S-H" pickup configuration , you'll hear a lot of difference in the buzz as you click from humbuckers to singles . A regular "S-S-S" Strat can sometimes be wired humbucking in the 2 & 4 positions therefore 1 , 3 , and 5 will have more buzz .

There are a wide variety of replacement pickups to fit your guitar without modification but get more the kind of sound you want . I play metal but still need diverse sounds so I use my favorite , the Bill Lawrence L500XL as my bridge ( lead ) pickup in most of my guitars , and usually a darker-sounding Dimarzio neck pickup . The L500XL is very high output and has a crunchy bright sound when distorted , but is also brighter than a lot of single-coils are when clean . The Duncan SH-13 "Dimebucker" is a replica of the L500XL and is almost as good but is higher in price . Either of these will turn a humbucker guitar into a serious harmonic squeal monster ! For single-coils I use the Lawrence L250 or Dimarzio HS3 and the occasional Hot Rails . For Strat players , half-size humbuckers like the Hot Rails will give you a dramatic difference in your sound for hard rock stuff without cutting the guitar for a larger pickup . There are a lot of choices from mild-sounding pickups to very agressive metal-only pickups . Check out the "Custom Parts" links below for pickup websites !

More on humbucker and single-coil pickups here : [ link ] [ link ]



"stacked" humbucker for Strat-style


"Hot Rail" half-width humbucker for Strat-style


"Dimebucker" full-size humbucker , copy of Lawrence L500XL


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5 - WAY PICKUP SELECTOR
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I also get questions a lot about the how and why of the pickups and selector switch .

The Ibanez Jem , 550 and many other H-S-H (Humbucker - Single - Humbucker) guitars use a new 5 - way 4 - pole switch that "splits" the humbucker into a single-coil in the 2 & 4 positions . This gives a better "strat" sound in the 2 & 4 positions by making the humbuckers more equal in tone and volume to the softer quieter single-coil middle pickup . Otherwise - positions 1 & 5 are full humbucker . It's a very versatile setup !



Position 1 - Neck pickup
Position 2 - Neck (Bridge side coil only) and Middle
Position 3 - Middle pickup
Position 4 - Middle and Bridge (Neck side coil only)
Position 5 - Bridge pickup

In most of my guitars , especially the Jem and 550s , I use a deep bassy neck pickup and a very bright bridge pickup to make the changes between even more exaggerated . I am constantly changing the pickup selector and volume controls in mid-song to get the proper sound for the moment - having the right sound at the right time is every bit as important as what you play . With my typical setup , position 1 is bassy and blurry , very un-trebly . Position 2 is similar but has a subtle treble edge from adding the middle pickup , which by itself has a soft nondescript sound at position 3 . Position 4 is a more aggressive version of the prettier # 2 , not subtle at all since it has half the bridge humbucker in there - # 4 is the twangy odd Dire Straits-ish "strat" sound . Of course position 5 rips , full humbucker , very bright , harmonic squealies and feedback , definitely the most fun place to be .

More pickup switching illustrations and explanations later !


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HAND SCALLOPED STRAT FINGERBOARD
==============================


A "scalloped" fingerboard is scooped in between each fret , giving the effect of very tall frets and much better grip for bending . When done properly , each dip should be of equal depth , which gives the illusion that the narrower ones at the higher frets go deeper . Ritchie Blackmore , Yngwie Malmsteen , Neil Zaza , and many others play this style of neck .

I have seen some really bad scallop jobs - one of the most common mistakes I've seen is filing too deep and damaging the inlay dots , sometimes even exposing the truss rod ! The mechanoreceptors in the human finger are very sensitive to touch and can detect variances of a few thousands of an inch , so the scallops don't have to be very deep at all to feel extremely obvious .

-=RkR=-'s [ link ] Strat turned out really nice . I did all of it by hand with a series of different sized files and improvised sanding blocks , taping up the frets to avoid damaging them if I slipped . I went through almost a whole roll of masking tape since this involved taping off a new area for every step of the process . We decided to go for a scallop depth roughly equal to the height of the frets , so I did a line of masking tape along the edge of the fingerboard to mark the depth of the pilot cuts for the files to follow .






[b]( Note - all the inlays are intact ! )

Both of us have been playing partially scalloped guitars for many years but this is the first time I had done a full scallop job at every fret . ( I did my Kramer V from the 10th fret up , our Jems have the last 4 frets done , and he did his Warlock to match . ) [ link ] [ link ] [ link ]

The key to doing this right is patience - it took about three weeks but we were more concerned with accuracy not speed . With this much filing and sanding your hands get tired so it's much better to do a few frets' worth a day and take breaks so you don't slip and make a crucial boo-boo ! ( Especially on someone else's guitar ! )

This [ link ] from projectguitar.com is a very good illustrated tutorial on scalloping using a Dremel contour sander , which would be faster but would also really rip your frets or fingers if you miss ! Whether it's done with files or power tools , it is very important to tape the frets heavily and replace the tape any time you begin to sand through it .

stay tuned - more on the way!



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GUITAR CUSTOM PARTS AND KITS LINKS

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There are several companies that make guitar parts and specialized tools for people who want to upgrade / build / repair guitars . Check out these websites - some are very informative and I'm sure you'll get some good project ideas !
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PICKUPS
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Bill Lawrence pickups rule ! [ link ] The L500XL has been the bridge pickup in most of my guitars for 25 years ! Versatile , inspiring , and dependable - the L500XL is one of the most important factors in my guitar sound .
The L-500 Series [ link ] is available in four different options: the L-500Clean / L-500Regular / L-500Lead / L-500eXtraLead . (C , R , L , XL ) I also use L250s for most of my single coils . [ link ]
Here are a few of my Bill Lawrence equipped guitars : [ link ] [ link ] [ link ] [ link ] [ link ] [ link ]

I use DiMarzio pickups [ link ] mostly at the neck postion , usually a Super 3 or Super Distortion , occasionally a PAF . I go for a deep bassy sounding neck pickup to contrast with the very bright bridge pickup . Most of my guitars from the links above have a DiMarzio at the neck . One of my RG550s came set up with an X2N-HS3-Super Distortion (bridge-middle-neck) which is a pretty good HSH combination for an all-Dimarzio set .

I've never been a big fan of Seymour Duncan pickups [ link ] but they occasionally suprise me . The new Dimebag Darrell SH -13 absolutely nails that Pantera sound (with the right amp , effects and noise gate ! ) I like it a lot but to me it doesn't seem as versatile as my real L500XLs . I also have a couple of Hot-Rails that work well , one in my lap steel [ link ] and another in the neck position of a HSS Tele .
Their website has video instructions on how to install pickups at this [ link ]


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NECKS , BODIES , GUITAR KITS , FLOYD ROSE , PICKGUARDS , PARTS
=============



[ link ]
Warmoth Guitars [ link ] makes some of the best quality replacement parts I've seen . They make bodies , necks - everything you need to build your own guitar . Their stuff is sort of expensive compared to some companies , but it is top notch quality woods and construction [ link ] , and they do many custom options the others don't . Their necks rule ! [ link ] [ link ] They will do about any custom option you request , with many choices of woods , fretting , and inlays . They also do radical bodies like the Rhoads V , Explorer , Flying V , Firebird , Iceman , Star , Mockingbird , Warlock , Wolfgang , and several other cool shapes ! [ link ]



(above : Allparts Tele Thinline , quilt maple top)
Allparts [ link ] makes good stuff too ! Their prices are a little less , and they have an even wider variety of parts . I made the body for this guitar myself [ link ] [ link ] , but the neck and metal parts are from Allparts . I also used a few things from Allparts for the Explorer guitar at this [ link ] .
Allparts has all replacement parts for Floyd Rose nuts & bridges !

WD [ link ] is another good company for guitar parts and hardware , similar in price and quality to Allparts . They also sell guitar kits ! [ link ]
WD has Floyd Rose replacement parts including "String Saver" saddles !

Projectguitar.com [ link ] is a great site for instruction and information ! Their tutorials are very good - they have all kinds of tutorials [ link ] covering everything from basic construction to excellent paint job tips . They also have a page of resource links for parts , supplies , and other info .
Vai Swirl ! [ link ]




Holoflash ! [ link ]



Stewart McDonald [ link ] is probably the best site for specialized guitar tools and supplies . They have a nice free info page [ link ] and their print catalog has a lot of info too - request their catalog and they will send you one !
Stewart-MacDonald has all replacement parts for Floyd Rose nuts [ link ] and bridges ! [ link ]




Saga [ link ] makes guitar kits that include all parts necessary to build a Strat , Tele , Les Paul , or Paul Reed Smith style guitar , all in one nice package ! Saga's complete kit prices vary . The Strat & Tele kits are cheapest - the Les Paul & PRS kits are more expensive because of the flame maple veneer top . Either way , this might be a good way to get started , especially if you want to do a transparent color - over - flame maple paint job .

Torres Engineering [ link ] sells the Saga kits for a much lower price ! Strat [ link ] , PRS style [ link ] , and Les Paul style [ link ] ! A great deal on the LP & PRS veneer flame-tops !

Carvin [ link ] also makes strat-style guitar kits ! [ link ] They are USA - made , therefore more expensive but higher quality ( a Carvin body alone is the price of some of the other kits ! ) You can specify custom options with a Carvin kit like different pickups , pickguard color , gold or black hardware , pre-painted , left-handed , etc . Carvin also has full-body-length necks for building neck-through guitars ! [ link ]
I have used several Floyd Rose original bridges from Carvin for my own and others' projects .






( Carvin bass neck-through - this neck continues 12" beyond the fingerboard to run the entire length of the body . Two body "wings" are then added to the sides - in any shape desired , from traditional to radical . I have played a bass made from one of these - very nice !)
I recently visited the Carvin store in Hollywood and checked out a 6-string neck-through style guitar neck ! It felt great - the shape was comfy and the frets looked really good ! I think it would be cool to build a neck-through guitar from one of these .




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( More to come ! And be careful with those power tools ! )

Rock On ! -

JJ
[/b]



JJ of PROJECT : BRAINSTORM heavily plays and highly recommends Dean guitars and basses . Because they rule .

PROJECT : BRAINSTORM is not affiliated with Fender or Gibson in any way ! The terms "Stratocaster" , "Strat" , "Les Paul" , "Flying V" etc are their respective trademarks and are used here for educational purposes as descriptive terms for guitars built in those styles . Any other manufacturers or companies are mentioned herein purely for educational purposes and not intended as advertisement .

PROJECT : BRAINSTORM assumes no responsibility for accidents or other damages to you (or your guitar) arising from the advice and suggestions herein , but does suggest care and attention when working , especially concerning proper measurements as well as safety practices . Always exercise extreme caution with all cutting tools , especially power tools ! If you aren't sure about a part or procedure , ask advice before proceeding !

Measure twice , cut once .
Some assembly required .
Your mileage may vary .
No shoes , no shirt , no service .
It's not "vintage" , it's "used" .



Click here to go back to the Project : Brainstorm homepage !

Click here for the Project : Brainstorm Music & Lyrics page !

List of my blog entries

• PROJECT : BRAINSTORM MySpace Page (16 Aug 2006)
• NEW ! PROJECT : BRAINSTORM MUSIC AND LYRICS PAGE - CLICK HERE ! (26 Feb 2006)

User comments

• by brainstrm @ 27 Apr 2006 17:03

  You will need to register with Afterdawn to post questions and comments here ! It's easy , and registering also allows you to do your own blog page here if you like !
  Click this [ link ] to register with Afterdawn !

• by charlie8j @ 28 Apr 2006 5:39

  very nicely explained and extremely informative !!

• by emossuck @ 28 Apr 2006 14:47

  YESSSSSSSSSSS I'll tell Kristina...shell be interested...shes still trying to convince her mom that she NEEDS the guitar you recomended. D:

• by dsstrlght @ 28 Apr 2006 18:49

  very understandable and very interesting!

• by LastMastr @ 28 Apr 2006 21:37

  Wow Man...it was a Comment.....
  But your a easily motivated man, and thats cool...and iam a Teen with alot of ambitions. Anyways..my school dont have a WoodShop class...i know or id be taking it already the fourth year..i kinda made my mind up on this at the start of this school year. Our Rival school has this class but even if i spoke this out with my mom thorily i wouldnt be able to move..or maybe..who knows. I just might be going to the school i hate next year. All for the sake of doing what i want in life..
  
  
  As my english teacher once said..."If you like what you do for a living, then youll never have to work a day in your life."

• by Lethal_B @ 29 Apr 2006 17:05

  wow, nice little tutorial you've here brainy :)

• by brainstrm @ 29 Apr 2006 17:50

  Thankya! I'll have more illustrations and links soon !
  
  I made this body , the hardware and neck are from Allparts .
  [ link ]
  
  

• by brainstrm @ 30 Apr 2006 2:27

  LastMastr . I was once a teen with ambitions , now I'm a 43 year old teen with ambitions .
  The best advice I can give anyone is " Get into Music . Stay out of trouble . Love what you do . Last not least , surprise yourself - and freak others completely out in the process ! " Those are my priorities and they serve me well !
  
  I've never built one of these kits but it looks really easy ! According to Torres Engineering , they give detailed instructions for assembly with minimal tools and the electronics snap together without soldering !
  
  
  $153.95 all parts included ! [ link ]

• by brainstrm @ 30 Apr 2006 18:18

  
  

• by brainstrm @ 30 Apr 2006 19:03

  "All woodwork is complete, Maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard and a paddle type peghead. You can make a custom headstock design, or leave as is."
  "All holes are drilled, even includes guitar cord"
  "arched top, double cutaway design made of select basswood with a flamed maple top overlay"

• by dsstrlght @ 30 Apr 2006 21:21

  "now I'm a 43 year old teen with ambitions" so very true :)

• by brainstrm @ 02 May 2006 23:24

  
  
  [ link ]
  Top - of the line Dreadnaught acoustic guitar kit from Stewart
  MacDonald ! This would be a much deeper project than a bolt-on soldibody electric .
  An old friend of mine builds beautiful acoustic guitars by hand - I think it's very impressive to see this view of all those parts he has to cut from scratch to make his own .

• by dsstrlght @ 03 May 2006 8:49

  Wow yes that's a lot of work.

• by emossuck @ 03 May 2006 21:41

  wow D: thats carzy cool xD

• by brainstrm @ 06 May 2006 15:50

  I built this Explorer from parts - DiMarzio body , Chandler neck , original Floyd Rose from Carvin , L500XL copy from Stewart MacDonald .
  [ link ]
  
  

• by brainstrm @ 06 May 2006 16:44

  
  
  [ link ]
  Ibanez Jem 7RB modified beyond recognition - nothing original left but the body and neck !
  
  My Ibanez guitars have been much improved by installing quality aftermarket parts . See the links area for pickups and real steel hardware !

• by charlie8j @ 07 May 2006 6:22

  wow, you have updated this a lot since i last checked in !! very nice work !! 8D

• by emossuck @ 09 May 2006 15:07

  Jesuuuuuus D: you have been busy, or else really boredeed xD
  very interesting!

• by dsstrlght @ 10 May 2006 16:25

  Wow you just keep adding more and more!

• by brainstrm @ 11 May 2006 21:51

  Yes indeedy !
  Coming up next -
  " Hand Scalloped Strat Fingerboard - the Right Way ! "
  < --- 8 )

• by emossuck @ 12 May 2006 15:27

  lmao woooooohoohoh! xd

• by charlie8j @ 23 May 2006 9:33

  where are the scalloped fingerboard pics ???

• by brainstrm @ 26 May 2006 19:03

  RRRRRRRRRRRight here !
  <<-------------------------

• by charlie8j @ 26 May 2006 20:16

  nice work eh !!!

• by dsstrlght @ 27 May 2006 19:38

  Very nicely done work on the scalloping there!

• by brainstrm @ 14 Jun 2006 3:22

  Thankya - it was fun !
  8 )

• by dsstrlght @ 14 Jun 2006 21:35

  Great job keeping this updated. Very informative!

• by dsstrlght @ 12 Apr 2007 17:28

  One of the really cool things about guitar mods is that each musician has such very different needs for their instrument- the particular sounds and effects you want, as well as what looks and feels good for you. Slavishly following a certain setup just because it came from a company or a certain player uses it this way doesn't make the sound yours or better so it's really great not only to see you doing what works for you but not worrying about small minds who can't get their heads around that. Be brave people, find out who you are, be you and don't be afraid to let your guitars do that too.

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