Hi and help selecting a kit

[SA_Brad]

Hey everyone,

I emailed Adam from Pitbull and he suggested the wealth of knowledge here would be my best bet for some answers.

I want to get a kit and try a build myself but I have a few things I am looking for and some advice would be awesome.

I play in a punk band and I like a simple set up. Single hot pick up is really all I want (I'm happy to throw in an Active EMG or a hot hummy if needed, but I would like to see what the pitbull pick ups are like.

I need/want good sustain and do not need a tremelo. I currently use a Les Paul Jr copy with a set neck and an aftermarket Tonepros adjustable wraparound bridge which has good sustain. So I'd be after a tunomatic style bridge/tailpiece or I did see a PRS style where the strings went in through the body after the bridge which looked pretty sweet.

I like the Gibson/PRS style, not the Fender shapes.

I would like black hardware and I also want to paint the body in a solid color so the maple top isn't necessary and I don't need any binding. I would also prefer a flat top rather than a rounded top.

These are all just things I would like, I am not sure if they are doable or some are and some aren't.

Anyway, your thoughts on the right kit for me to start with would be very helpful.

Cheers
Brad

[wokkaboy]

Hi Brad, welcome to the forum
don't think any Pit Bull kit has all the features/fittings you are after, most kits have chrome hardware.

If it's important to have flat top then I'd suggest the EX-1 (Gibson Explorer), FV-1 (Flying V), the ESP-1 or the JK-1 (Jackson half V)
I just noticed the ESP-1 has black hardware so think this is your best option.

The PRS are a rounded top and only come in flame maple and spalted maple so that would be a waste to paint in a solid colour
If a rounded top is ok then I'd choose the JR-1, JR-1DC (double cut) or a LP-1. The LP-1S and LP-1SS both come with black hardware but they have a spalted maple cap which is a waste to paint

That is some options looking quickly

As Gav mentions below you could ask Adam for a custom order, possibly black hardware on the flat top models I suggested all have tune o-matic bridges and the FV-1 has string through

[Gavin1393]

I think you need to put in a custom order with Adam........

PRS and Gibson's are curved tops, but you want a flat top. Fenders and such are flat but you don't like Fender shapes....Seems to me you want something we don't have hence a custom order might be best...

Maybe Wokka has a suggestion?

[Gavin1393]

and there he did have a suggestion or two.....and he typed faster than I did! :)

[adam]

Hi again Brad, great to see you through on the Forum, I think you'll get some good ideas here. I wouldn't go for a custom order, because what you want is so specific the factory will have to make a one-off kit for you and that becomes very expensive ($500+). I think what you need to do is wait and see what feedback you get on here, then pick a kit that is close to what you want and, if there's only a few mods required, we can organise that for you. Or, you can even have a go at the mods yourself.

Cheers

[MikeL]

How about the PBG-2 (http://pitbullguitars.com/?product=pit-bull-guitars-pbg-2-electric-guitar-kit)

It meets the body and black parts criteria with some minor assembly mods, wire the humbuckers as singles and lock the floyd rose

[wokkaboy]

Good suggestion Mike, it really comes down to what body shape appeals most to Brad, thats how I choose which kit I prefer to build
Good luck Brad but at this stage the PBG2 and ESP-1 are probably your best bet, depends if you like the idea of locking the floating tremelo

[Analyst69]

Welcome Brad

I know you don't really like the Fender shapes, but, if you want a single pickup setup, you could look at the ST-1 and buy an after-market pick guard that takes a bridge position humbucker only, something like this:
http://www.guitarfetish.com/Single-Humbucker-Strat-Pickguard-3-Ply-White_p_677.html

(okay, you'd also need to buy a humbucker pickup).

You could also screw down the ST tremolo so it doesn't move if you didn't want to use it.

This might be a relatively cheap way to go about a first build, with some customisation.

Cheers

Darren

[SA_Brad]

Awesome feedback,

It is exactly what I was after, just like all sitting down having a beer and discussing options. You guys are spot on regarding there not being one kit to give me everything I wanted, but they come very close.

I suppose I am really wanting to have a crack at this fairly cheaply so a custom job is off the radar at the moment, but it is nice to know it is an option in the future.

I have a feeling I might find myself with a bit of GAS when it comes to these kits, so in all likely hood I will probably have a few of the suggestions in the future.

Regarding the fender shapes, it's more a preference than a dislike so I wouldn't rule out that option Darren.

So after going back through the website with your input I think in order of preference I would go with PBG-2, JR-1DC, PBG-1 (this body shape intrigues me) and last would be the ESP-1. The ESP-1 would be second on the list but I've had a rethink about the set neck and it might be safer to try a bolt on neck for my first kit.

So thanks for the welcome and input, I will gather my coin and place an order soon.

Brad

[phloggy]

Could you get a couple and then mix and match? How compatible are all the parts? Like, get an ESP-1 for the black hardware, and put that in an JR-1 body.

Put two together and sell the "other" one on ebay to help fund the next build...

[glenno3228]

Hi Brad,

It's probably more than you want or need, but the SV1 has a single pup along with 2 humbuckers but all in black hardware.

What is the name of your band? Playing anywhere yet? My nephew's new band is just getting started over there in Adelaide and I hope to get over in the next month or so for a gig. They're a metal band and I think are in the JJJ unsigned chart. Favour the brave. Check em out.

Cheers
Glenn

[SA_Brad]

Not a bad idea to buy a couple of kits and mix'n'match but I might find it hard to sell the second one off :)

I realise one of my initial statements in my post was misinterpreted, when I said I want a 'single hot pick up' I didn't mean a single coil, just 1 x high output pick up. More than likely a humbucker as I have played with a P90 before it was just too noisy.

Not a real fan of the SV-1 style and I already own a S series Ibanez, so thanks for the heads up but I'll pass.

I will absolutely check out your nephew's band. My band is called Jack Counteract and we have been together and gigging for almost two years. It's SoCal style punk.

Cheers
Brad

[wokkaboy]

Cool Brad, just checked out the Stolen video, is that you on the Les Paul Junior ? nice solo and the sound is pretty tight, I'm a pretty big fan of punk rock too

here's the link to the vid I saw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLyNCWaGQq8

[SA_Brad]

Ha ha ha , yeah man that's me, thanks. Baldy on the Jnr.

Thanks for sharing it, but just to be clear I did not hijack this thread with my own shameless self promotion ;)

Brad

[wokkaboy]

I'd be proud of that video Brad, its a good song and no doubt original. So would be pretty cool to record a video of you playing a guitar you have built !

[keloooe]

THIS.... IS.... AWESOME!!!! Seriously great song Brad, it's the stuff im into, apart from Green Day!!!

[SA_Brad]

Thanks fellas, we are very proud of it. Filmed it ourselves and I did the edit ... very punk rock :) \\m/

Last plug I promise ... https://www.facebook.com/jackcounteract?fref=ts

Hey Kel, I noticed Project #3 in your signature. That's a TV yellow Jnr in the clip. It's only an Epiphone shell but I have upgraded the hardware and it's just a kick ass guitar for what I need. I'm not sure if the PB kit is any different to the original LP Jr but they were notoriously hard to intonate with the fixed wraparound bridge. Let me know if it's a problem and you want a solution.

Brad

[wokkaboy]

Hey Brad,
I just made the connection, thanks for liking our build page 4D Guitars !

I'll like your band page now

[glenno3228]

Nice. 8-)