Replies

1. 
   yotonyb | Apr 02, 2005 12:52am | #1

   http://www.mimf.com

   Don't know if you've visited that site, but a few posters here recommend the Music Instrument Makers Forum as a good starting point.  I would like to build a solid body electric mandolin with a neck-thru-body design and mimf.com was a great place to start my research.  Good discussions on kits vs. scratch-built as well as various styles of construction.

   Good luck and good skill!

   tony b. 

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   Edited 4/1/2005 5:54 pm ET by YOTONYB

   
   

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   Edited 4/1/2005 5:55 pm ET by YOTONYB

2. 
   highfigh | Apr 02, 2005 01:20am | #2

   Fender just bolts their necks on, unless it's a special model with a dovetailed neck joint. They also glue up most of their bodies, but if you have some wood that's wide and stable enough, it may work. If the top is carved(like a Les Paul), the top is about 1" thick, bookmatched and glued onto another glue-up to make up the whole body. I'm sure you have looked at many guitars and noticed this. For stability, this is the best way to go.

   If you want to use a bolt-on neck and have some adjustment of the tilt, look at the way Fender Micro Tilt works. Does the neck you bought have this?

   What are you using for pickups and wiring scheme? What do you play through?

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
3. 
   CharlieD | Apr 02, 2005 10:45am | #3

   Do the whole thing yourself! The hardest part with be the frets, and that's someting you can futz around with 'til you get it. You'll need a few tools; and a book, too, I'd say. It's completely doable, though. Check out http://www.stew-mac.com, great resource for music instrument builders; you can get your tools and fret wire there, tuners, etc.. (The link pobably won't work--mine never seem to. Just copy 'n paste.) And the previous guy's link to http://www.mimf.com will prove invaluable. That site is user sustained; if you use it much, you should cough up whatever $ they're asking for membership to help keep it going.

   Charlie

   I tell you, we are here to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different. --K Vonnegut
4. 
   CharlieD | Apr 02, 2005 10:51am | #4

   Here, here's a pic of my first electric. Just got a wild hair and decided to build one for my 40th birthday. Totally random, had my 17 year old kid draw out a quick headstock design, I drew up a body and we lit into some maple. By the end of that day we had a good start on a neck. Made the body out of poplar. Used and old pickup I had laying around (not MY fault that it just happened to have come out of a '59 Les Paul). The pickguard is a piece of vinyl floor tile I got from Home Depot. Bought the knob at a 2nd hand electronic shop. Get into it; nothing to lose, really.

   ps sorry about the size of the photo. Haven't really figured that out yet...

   Charlie

   I tell you, we are here to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different. --K Vonnegut

   
   

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   Edited 4/2/2005 3:53 am ET by CharlieD

   
1. 
   highfigh | Apr 02, 2005 03:16pm | #5

   Don't lose that pickup- it's worth a lot of money. P-90 pickups also sound great.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   CharlieD | Apr 03, 2005 04:27am | #6

   I DOES sound great, you're right. Thing absolutely squalls (Ya think it might be that pickup..? : ) Bought it off a guy in '89 for $10. He was desperate, and I was behind the counter at a music store. Never told the bossman til the deal was done. Damn near got me fired, cause if you think THAT was a deal, I also bought a mint 1955 tweed 4X10 Bassman off of the same guy for $300. Wah-hoo!) ChazCaster's not much of a player, though; I think that's where the skills come in. Any fool can build a guitar, I proved that. Making one the plays well, well..that takes some know-how.CharlieCharlieI tell you, we are here to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different. --K Vonnegut

5. 
   EdHarrison | Apr 04, 2005 06:50am | #7

   You can have some tilt adjustment of a bolt-on neck with paper shims, too - that's the way my '57 stratocaster does. Good luck, post pictures.

6. 
   kenshep | Apr 04, 2005 07:42am | #8

   http://www.grizzly.com

   The ceo is a luthier by avocation.  He's made several guitars.  They have pretty good stock of supplies too.  I would try to check a book out at the library on it and read about some of the problems people encounter.

   Also, here's a great link for numerous supply sites:

   http://www.projectguitar.com/ref/supply.htm

   Regards,

   Ken

   "Do as you would be done by." C.S. Lewis

   
   

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   Edited 4/4/2005 10:37 am ET by kenshep