Well I want to anyway. I think it'd be sweet. Before I start though I need to do some research obviously.

My main question is about the wood I should use. I know it effects tone, I'm just not entirely sure what wood produces what tone.

There are some restrictions with that however. The shop wont let non majors use any hardwoods. (not sure what that would effect)

Also, I'm buying a neck. I'm not that ambitious


As for the tone I'm going for.... Well I don't really know. I know this also has to do with pickups, so Im open to suggestion on that.

I like a warm tone, but I also like having the option for something bright. I dont know if that means I should pick a warm or bright wood, or just rely on the pickups for that.

http://www.andersonguitars.com/toneLibInfo.html

this can be of some help for tonewoods.

as far as pickups go, depends on what you want. i'm very partial to dimarzio but i've heard great things about GFS pickups. and they're -really- cheaply priced, but from the comments i've seen online, they're underpriced.

GFS is sold online at guitarfetish. just do a google search for GFS pickups

You're gonna be pretty limited with only soft woods.

Thanks seb. I'll look into it.

Greenboy - Im not entirely sure of the specific limitations to what we can use. It also depends what the lumberyard has.

I've always wanted to make a guitar out of purpleheart.. its readily available here, but thats mostly because its used as a boatbuilding wood.

I like my GFS pickups in my Telecaster. They're ****ing amazing for the price.

I've spent a lot of money on different pickups (USA Gibson Burtsbuckers for my Dot, Duncan Distortion and DiMarzio PAF Pro for my Ibanez, and GFS Modern Lil' Punchers for my Tele) and the GFS pickups are really good bang for the buck.

They could easily charge double the current prices and still be a great value, I only paid 60$ for the PAIR in my Tele.

What style guitar (Strat, Tele, humbuckers, single coils, P90s, etc...) are you planning to build, and for what kinds of music? It would help to point to in the right direction for wood choice and pickup selection.

I already have an american strat with a duncan jb junior pickup. So thats got a nice warm tone, and a nice bright/sharp tone from the duncan.

I want to cut a Fender Jaguar shaped body. Other than that I really am not sure. Music wise... I dont know either. The strat is good for blusey and warm clean tones. The distortion is rough, but not entirely meaty.

The best I can think is something that packs a punch.
Maybe not these exact tones, but this is my definition of "punch"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=r1LR9z-Vm4g
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qZrxVng6YBc&feature=related

Purpleheart looks awesome for bodies if you have strips of something like poplar or maple in it.

Ok so after looking around flickr and things... I'm not entirely sure I want to make the jaguar type.


Im just looking to make something thats not a strat / tele / les paul knockoff.

RED SPECIAL.