Kit Guitars - Anyone build one?

[Zigeuner]

I have a 1966 Martin Electric that I bought new which is an excellent Jazz guitar. I also have a Fender Deluxe Reverb amp, 1963 model, IIRC and a more recent Fender Frontman. I want to see if I would like a Les Paul sized body. I was wondering whether anyone here has built one, say like a Saga LC-10, Les Paul type kit?

I've been looking at the various kits and they seem to be quite interesting. I have all of the necessary tools and finishing capability. I'm aware that I might have to buy some better pickups. It's just that I'd like to try the body size and feel before I spend a lot of money on a real Les Paul.

Comments?

[Dru Edwards]

Although I've never built a Kit guitar before, 4 years ago I did buy all the parts and built my own frankenstrat. Custom ordered the neck from Warmoth, Seymour Duncan pickups, great electronics, etc. Fun.

Does the Les Paul kit have a bolt on neck or a glue in neck? I'm guessing the pickups would be cheap and would need to be upgraded?

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Although I've never built a Kit guitar before, 4 years ago I did buy all the parts and built my own frankenstrat. Custom ordered the neck from Warmoth, Seymour Duncan pickups, great electronics, etc. Fun.

Does the Les Paul kit have a bolt on neck or a glue in neck? I'm guessing the pickups would be cheap and would need to be upgraded?

The necks on the Saga Kits in general that I've seen are screw on. I consider that to be an advantage, really. The Pickups are probably OK but there are always better ones. In 1975 I changed the ones in my Martin for Gibson style Humbuckers. They are excellent.

I'm going to check around a bit more and probably get one. I like the Les Paul style. I was just wondering whether others had done any kits.

[Dru Edwards]

For a build kit, I would prefer a screw on neck just so I wouldn't have to have to use glue. A lot easier for me to shim a bolt on than a glue on.

(this is a friendly bump to the top as well).

[wildbill1962]

I have built a couple of the Saga electric guitar kits to give away to Vets. I found that for the most part they are okay. You will want to upgrade the tuners and the pickups. Like the others have pointed out. Get something with a screw on neck, setting up neck angle with one is easier. Guitar Fetish has some nice sounding pickups at a good price.

Good luck and have fun
Bill

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by wildbill1962

I have built a couple of the Saga electric guitar kits to give away to Vets. I found that for the most part they are okay. You will want to upgrade the tuners and the pickups. Like the others have pointed out. Get something with a screw on neck, setting up neck angle with one is easier. Guitar Fetish has some nice sounding pickups at a good price.

Good luck and have fun
Bill

I built one recently and it came out very nicely. I've read that some folks don't like the tuners and the pickups. I've been playing mine for a week now since I finished it and the tuners hold tiuning and the pickups seem to be quite nice.

I know lots pf people who change pickups in their real Les Pauls. I'e never been able to find out just what's the matter with the original ones. Ironically, the OEM pickups on Gibsons seem to bring big money on eBay.

The strings that came with it were OK to set up the action and then I changed them to Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys, which are my favorites.

All in all, I'm guite pleased with it.

[wildbill1962]

Originally Posted by Zigeuner

I built one recently and it came out very nicely. I've read that some folks don't like the tuners and the pickups. I've been playing mine for a week now since I finished it and the tuners hold tiuning and the pickups seem to be quite nice.

I know lots pf people who change pickups in their real Les Pauls. I'e never been able to find out just what's the matter with the original ones. Ironically, the OEM pickups on Gibsons seem to bring big money on eBay.

The strings that came with it were OK to set up the action and then I changed them to Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys, which are my favorites.

All in all, I'm guite pleased with it.

Congrads on building yourself a nice playing guitar Maybe Saga has upgraded there tuners and such since I built the last one. Better watch out....building electrics can get very addictive

[royd]

they don't have anything Les Paul like, but the Carvin kits are very, very good. You can get a strat like shape with dual humbuckers, rear routed. Any of the options available on the bolt on neck guitars for the same additional price as their factory builds - different woods, headstock shape, frets, pickups, fingerboards, etc. The woods are very high quality and shaped very well, the hardware is reasonably good, and the pickups are what they are. Some folk hate them... I like the single coils and the Holdsworth model humbuckers.

I've built two of their kits and one partscaster using all high end parts. The Carvins were just as good as the high end partscaster.

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by wildbill1962

Congrads on building yourself a nice playing guitar Maybe Saga has upgraded there tuners and such since I built the last one. Better watch out....building electrics can get very addictive

That's the truth. LOL. By the way, I used Stewart MacDonald's translucent Vintage Amber stain on it and it came out great with nitrocellulose lacquer. I just ordered a case today and it will be a keeper.

It had a noticeable hum when my hands were off of the strings with the amp on and the guitar plugged in. I did some tests with jumper cables and discovered that grounding the case of the three-way switch to one of the elevator screws on the front pickup caused the noise to almost completely go away. There was even a lug on the switch that had been tinned with solder although there was no mention of the need for additional grounding in the instructions.

I'd show you a picture but something happened to my account at Photobucket and it won't work anymore. Got to find another photo storage place. There are too many ads on Photobucket anyway.

All in all, the quality of the parts is quite good for the price and it makes a good solid instrument.

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by royd

they don't have anything Les Paul like, but the Carvin kits are very, very good. You can get a strat like shape with dual humbuckers, rear routed. Any of the options available on the bolt on neck guitars for the same additional price as their factory builds - different woods, headstock shape, frets, pickups, fingerboards, etc. The woods are very high quality and shaped very well, the hardware is reasonably good, and the pickups are what they are. Some folk hate them... I like the single coils and the Holdsworth model humbuckers.

I've built two of their kits and one partscaster using all high end parts. The Carvins were just as good as the high end partscaster.

Hmm, not exactly certain what you mean by not "Les Paul Like". The one I built is the Saga LC-10. It has the exact same dimensions as a standard Les Paul. 40" long, 9-1/2" upper bout, 13" lower bout, about 8-1/2 pounds. It looks almost exactly like a Les Paul, given the screw on neck and type of wood in the core.

I got Photobucket working again. LOL. Here are a couple of pictures of the Saga LC-10. I'm very happy with it considering that I'm not in a rock band.

[wildbill1962]

Great looking guitar !!!!! What ya gonna build next ??

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by wildbill1962

Great looking guitar !!!!! What ya gonna build next ??

Hmm, I could be tempted to do a Telecaster. I always liked those. There are a really nice, compact instrument. Saga and many others have kits. It will be a while but that would likely be the next one. So many guitars, so little time. LOL.

[royd]

Originally Posted by Zigeuner

Hmm, not exactly certain what you mean by not "Les Paul Like".

I meant that the Carvin kits are all more "fender like" with a longer scale, slab bodies, etc.

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by royd

I meant that the Carvin kits are all more "fender like" with a longer scale, slab bodies, etc.

I see. I understand that the Carvin kits are very nice. I'm glad that the various manufacturers are building these kits. It's one way to give lots of people access to nice guitars at a good price. You can let your creative thoughts flow with various colors, stains, pickups. People do that anyway with the real Les Pauls.