Printable View
Hi guys,
Looking at starting my first build.. can't decide between building a strat or a thinline tele/standard tele.
Love the strat sound but can't go past the look of the tele.
I will more than likely end up building both, but as a first build are there any recommendations on which I should go for first?
Look forward to it
Cheers
Mitch
If you've not done this sort of thing before, then the Strat kits are a good start. Simple wiring, the bulk of it already done for you. The body and set up are relatively simple and don't require a lot of specialist tools or skill (With the exception of fret levelling and nut prep).
Standard Tele would be a simpler build that a thinline, but it all hinges on ambition and your skill set. Best of luck with it!
Tele is always a good first build. If you do a "standard" build with two pickups, two controls, one switch and a topload bridge, it doesn't get much more straight forward than that.
Even for a first-timer with a basic TL kit you have the opportunity to build something unique just by creating a custom headstock shape or adding comfort contours to the body.
A TL kit gives you a chance to put together the basic components that all guitars have in common and the opportunity to understand how they work together, as well the geometry involved that makes a guitar playable.
Thanks for the advice.
Next question, what are your thoughts on upgrading the pickups? Are the kit ones decent enough or is it worth the little bit extra to upgrade.
I have read through a few threads and have seen that locking tuner upgrade and pup upgrades are quiet common.
Cheers
Mitch
I'd go for the Strat or a standard Tele for a first build as there is no binding to worry about, which the thinline Teles have. Of the Strat and the Tele, the Strat is probably the most hassle-free, as some of the Tele kits really require the bridge pickup cavity enlarging slightly for an ideal bridge position.
I think a pickup upgrade is worth it, but that's something you can do after you've built it and can decide whether it's worth upgrading. Locking tuners are worth doing on a Strat because of the trem, but as the standard kit tuners are pretty decent, don't really add much to a non-trem guitar except for making string changing just a little bit quicker.
This is pretty much what I am doing for my first build. I got the tuner upgrade because PBG have them at a great price if ordered with a kit. I am keeping the stock pickups until I get a chance to hear them for a while. I got a thinline because I have always wanted one but I sort of regret having to deal with the binding.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
Once you have a well set-up and playable guitar, changing the pickups on a strat or tele is not that hard to do at a later time. For a full hollowbody the advice would be different, but I don't think anyone would really recommend one of those for a first build.
Hi and welcome to the forum Royami.
I agree with everyone's advice, however, I wished that I did a Tele before my strat because it has the feature that you can work on any problems with your wiring without having to de-string your guitar!
Hi guys,
Thanks for all of the advice. I ended up going with a strat. Went the American Ash body. Decision was made partly due to most kits being on backorder because of the Rona, but I'm happy with what I decided. Stay tuned in the build section!
Cheers
Look forward to seeing your build. Just sing out if you need any help. Lots of folk here happy to oblige!