Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello all,
At the encouragement from JJ I want to ask the forum here if I am on the right track. Below are my current researched costs (no shipping included) for building my next guitar. I wanted to know if the number is in the "ball park" from you guys. By the way, I looked around and I did not see any rules for not posting prices. I know the mimf had some issues with this. So if I am out of line here I am sorry. I hope the formatting comes out or this will get messy! Here goes....

Please reference the following:

Tele type
$$ Where notes
neck blank $15.00 warmoth
fret board $25.65 stewmac
tuners $30.00 carvin/guitarfetish will vary
nut $3.82 stewmac
string tees $5.37 stewmac/guitarfetish
side dots $5.50 stewmac
frets $5.22 stewmac
neck plate $4.00 universal jem
neck bolts $4.00 stewmac
truss rod $15.09 stewmac
body blank $87.50 warmoth mahog
veneer(s) $20.00 ?? estimate
top cap $20.00 LMI
binding $0.00
2 pick ups $130.00 ??? will vary
selector switch $9.00 universal jem
2 nobs $6.00 carvin
capacitors $5.00 anywhere
pots $4.00 universal jem
bridge $46.00 warmoth humb. Tele
saddles $0.00
pick guard $0.00
control back plate $8.00 carvin
jack $3.64 stewmac/universal jem
String ferrules $5.30 warmoth
wire $8.00 radio shack
Strap buttons $4.00 carvin/guitarfetish
finish $35.00 ?? will vary
2 packs of strings $18.00 local
CA or other glue $6.00 local will vary
misc $20.00
total $549.09

These prices were taken from the websites as listed. Estimates are just that and noted and again no shipping included. The goal is to make a guitar with decent quality parts/wood but still be able to afford them! I did not factor tools, templates, or other smaller items (sand paper, etc). I have those for this type of guitar. Also, some of the items above will make more than one guitar(side dots, glue, etc) but this is a gross estimation or worst case or built in fat type of number.

The design is that I will use a top cap of A grade spruce (for cream faux binding) or walnut ( for dark faux binding) and cover this with a figured veneer if needed or called for. I can also put a 'normal' top cap depending on what I find. The guitar will be lightly chambered as well. I have seen this done by Mr. Myka who comes here as well and it looks good. I am not experienced enough to begin to estimate what tonal qualities this will impart on the sound of the instrument. This is not a parts guitar. I will be making the neck and body. I will not cut fret slots though......I am not set up or confident to do that yet.

I do not have a jointer, planer, or drum sander to get raw wood for cost reduction either. Also, I might build 2 to 4 guitars a year so bulk purchase is not too good of an option either.

I will finish the instrument myself and have a small spray set up that I can use.

So with all that .....what do you think.....do the costs above look sane?

Thanks for all your help!

Matthew

Hello Matthew,

You did your homework!!!

I've built about 60 electrics so far and the prices you quote are in the right ballpark.

I have a couple of comments:
1- I always use very good quality electronics (pots, switches, jacks and pick-ups) and I encourage you to do the same. For me, that means CTS pots, Switchcraft switches and jacks (alll from Allparts), and, in my case, and probably yours too, Jason Lollar Pick-ups. So you will pay a little more than the prices you listed for other brands, but you are certain to end up with a very good sounding guitar... Making a great sounding guitar is up to you !!!

2- Design wise, I always prefer to buy an extremely pleasing top plate and finish it natural, I am a wood lover and when my clients let me do one of these, I am in heaven!!!

Marc

Matthew:

I learn something new every day and yesterday was no exception. I found the body and necks at Warwick and saw their basic blanks for the prices that you listed. Aside from milling your own, this is the next cheapest alternative.

I would agree with Marc on the quality issues...it costs a bit more but the value added to the player is worth it. I would suggest getting good quality tuners as well.

You mentioned Spruce as a possible top cap. IMO. that's too soft. If you want a light colored wood, select Maple.

Also...don't forget the case! You can get a gigbag for as little as $50 to a quality hard case for $150. My advice...protect all the hard work you're going to put into this.

BTW...what kind of finish are you assuming?

Good luck and keep us posted on the build!

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Seems roughly ballpark - I came in around the 320 euro mark on my last telecaster build, mostly because I'm going cheap on the pickups for now (GFS) and will be trying to wind my own later. I get wood locally, which makes the maple even cheaper than you've quoted up there, spend money on the electronics (CTS or Alpha pots, Switchcraft jacks). The strat (pricier bridge, wilkinson trem) to match the tele was about 60 euros more.

Re: spruce....why spruce, if you're going to veneer? Bit soft and dent-sensitive, and telecasters are sort of designed to be tough, working guitars. If you make a 2-piece body and have a bandsaw you can 'simply' slice the top off the halves if you need a matching top.

Thanks for the info!!

I am forgetting about a case JJ, I will add that to the cost. The finish will probably be either Target USL or an oil based nitro. Which ever one I can get comfortable with. I wish I can tru-oil the whole thing but the protection (scratch resistance) for the body is a concern for me. I will probably put a schellac down for color then one of these top coats.

In terms of tuners what price range for quality parts do you recommend? Looking around I would put about 90$ right now....I guess I am looking for a mini locking, gold tuner.

Does the pickup price look sane? I estimated $130 but for quality pickups but I can be off here.

The design is a mahagoney body, slightly chambered with a cap of spruce or walnut. Then over the cap will be a highly figured veneer......quilt maple, burl of some sort, etc. I will round over the edge giving a faux binding (light or dard depending on the cap used). I understand your concerns about the spruce under the veneer and I will look into other lighter colored woods (and harder) to overcome this. Is there any that come to mind as a cap of light colored wood that is in the 20 - 30 $ range? I do not have a band saw for resawing.

I can do it with just a veneer over the body and bind the guitar as well with no top cap. That would be less cost as well. Just thought to do something different in the design to see what comes out.

The last thing I need to do is go through the calcs of ordering from these different suppliers or ordering from only a couple to optimize shipping costs.

Thanks again for all your input.

Hey Matt

I can tell you're having fun

Pickup price is low Check these guys for your pickups. I also like Lollar pickups and have them in my strats. I had Fralins in my tele, and it was great for an alternative rock guitar. I'd go with one of Acme's electronic kits too. It just consolidates the ordering process and makes it go smooth.

http://www.acmeguitarworks.com

Get a handful of nuts too, just in case.

The most unexpected cost in my Fender style guitars so far has been the pickguard. It hurts to order them.

Thanks for all the input guys. It took me 3.5 years to build my first. Most of that was due to kids and life, but the other was the engineer in me I guess. Planning like this in order not to miss something.

One other question. Would a ceder top be harder than the spruce? Would this be a better option to go with so I will not have to worry about dings and dents even with the veneer on top?

Matthew

Cedar is even more prone to dents than spruce, if you can imagine. It dents and scratches if you look at it wrong.

If I read you correctly, you'd like to stay with a natural look, and the idea is to have a faux binding with the lighter color and a figured veneer of some sort over it? I think that's extremely classy and you can get nearly indiscernably close by using a european maple/sycamore.

Another question I have is why you'd like to use mahogany over the traditional alder? The mahogany will produce a heavier guitar, and I believe that will take away mid-range. The more experienced will correct me if I'm wrong in that.

Thanks for the info on the ceder. I was using the mahogany just for the color variation of the woods. I guess I could dye the alder and use it if it will take away from the sound.

Where would I find the european maple/sycamore you are suggesting?

Thanks
Matthew

I would get in touch with any of our sponsors. Explain what you're goal is and let them know what we all suggested. They might have some to slice up, or they might have something else that will work for you to give you that effect.

Mahogany will tend to give you a fairly mid-rangey sound rather than take any away. Mind you, my only mahogany bolt-on is a warmoth strat with EMGs in it, so it's hardly the best guitar to 'hear the wood'. When you say take away the midrange, that would imply bass and treble emphasis over the midrange tones, which I'd say you're more likely to get out of Alder than mahogany.