Help Choosing Next guitar kit Please

Hi guys, My better half inherited some money last month and gave me some. She asked me what i wanted to spend it on, so i said maybe another guitar kit.
She said Quote.."What a great idea, your enjoying building the other one soo much, why not!"
So while im waiting for parts to arrive to complete my first build i would like to order another kit.

So now my dilemma is, i haven't played too many guitars so i dont know what sizes they are. I would like another kit with bolt on neck as i dont think im good enough to make one with a set neck.

I need a guitar with a similar shaped neck and body size as the ST-1 as i find it hard to get my fingers round a wide neck and to lean over a wide bodied guitar.

My list of guitars in preferential order are as follows......SG-2, LP-1S, LP-1P, LP-1MQ, LP-1, and PRS-1TS.

Soo a big PLEASE if anyone can help me know which is the smallest size guitar in comparison to the fender i am building. I think i would like to stain this next one.

Thanks in advance for any help i get..........

Hey Nitro, The PRS is a set neck kit, but a nice looking guitar and think you could manage it just fine. It's just patience. The smallest body is either the PRS or The Les Paul style kits. I'd personally go for the PRS as the body is lighter. The necks are a different shape to a Strat style. in fact all of those necks in the list are all a little rounder,but can be sanded down a little. Good luck in whatever you choose have fun. And congrats on your last built.

High five to your better half!!!!;)

Unfortunately Nitro, this choice is a subjective one for you. You probably wont know which one is best for you until you feel it. The good news though, as Kimbas points out, is that as you are building it, you can shape it to your liking.:cool: Or get DB to do some modifications.

Here's a couple of points I'd make. and I am noooo expert. nor am I an expert guitar player, probably on the upper side of beginner.

1. The Basswood body is heaps lighter than a mahogany body. So your SG and PRS will be lighter than any of the LP models;

2. the LP body, although heavier, is actually smaller (but thicker) than your ST-1;

3. The LP and SG models have a shorter scale length than the ST-1. there are a number of effects on playing style, but most noticeably in standard tuning the strings on an ST-1 feel tighter than an LP. Some say its easier to bend the strings on a shorter scale length. Personally I don't find string bending on a ST-1 harder, I just have to bend the string further to hit the same note than on an LP.

4. I find that the profile on the LP and SG Models are more of a "C" shape whereas the profile on the ST-1 is more of a "D" shape. However, if there is any difference in the width, to me its not noticeable. I do not have large hands either, so playing "Hendrix" style chords are always a challenge on any of those models. In practice I don't find one neck smaller or easier than the other, they are just different. the face on the fretboard of all models is comfortable to play chords, bend notes etc without falling off.:eek:

5. Sometimes a narrow neck is not easier anyway. I used to have a Yamaha Pacifica years gone by. and the neck was the smallest I've ever played. I could get my hand around it much easier than any other guitar. However, with a smaller neck I found that although it could get my hand around the neck, my fingers on the fretboard were cramped...so it wasn't a preferred size for me.

6. If it were me, I would build a kit that was completely different to the ST-1. Hell, you know you've got GAS like the rest of us. You're eventually going to build them all anyway! I see you've already gone for humbuckers, great start, try a set neck, some bindings, different wiring or some mahogany for a tone wood, or a kit with a cap. Now that's scary! (just jokes....no but really it is..nah just kidding ya)

Hope that helps, not confuses.

Good luck Nitro. I know you'll love any kit that you get.

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Originally Posted by kimball492

Hey Nitro, The PRS is a set neck kit, but a nice looking guitar and think you could manage it just fine. It's just patience. The smallest body is either the PRS or The Les Paul style kits. I'd personally go for the PRS as the body is lighter. The necks are a different shape to a Strat style. in fact all of those necks in the list are all a little rounder,but can be sanded down a little. Good luck in whatever you choose have fun. And congrats on your last built.

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Thanks heaps for you input kim, gives me lots to think about.

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Originally Posted by Andy40

High five to your better half!!!!;)

Unfortunately Nitro, this choice is a subjective one for you. You probably wont know which one is best for you until you feel it. The good news though, as Kimbas points out, is that as you are building it, you can shape it to your liking.:cool: Or get DB to do some modifications.

Here's a couple of points I'd make. and I am noooo expert. nor am I an expert guitar player, probably on the upper side of beginner.

1. The Basswood body is heaps lighter than a mahogany body. So your SG and PRS will be lighter than any of the LP models;

2. the LP body, although heavier, is actually smaller (but thicker) than your ST-1;

3. The LP and SG models have a shorter scale length than the ST-1. there are a number of effects on playing style, but most noticeably in standard tuning the strings on an ST-1 feel tighter than an LP. Some say its easier to bend the strings on a shorter scale length. Personally I don't find string bending on a ST-1 harder, I just have to bend the string further to hit the same note than on an LP.

4. I find that the profile on the LP and SG Models are more of a "C" shape whereas the profile on the ST-1 is more of a "D" shape. However, if there is any difference in the width, to me its not noticeable. I do not have large hands either, so playing "Hendrix" style chords are always a challenge on any of those models. In practice I don't find one neck smaller or easier than the other, they are just different. the face on the fretboard of all models is comfortable to play chords, bend notes etc without falling off.:eek:

5. Sometimes a narrow neck is not easier anyway. I used to have a Yamaha Pacifica years gone by. and the neck was the smallest I've ever played. I could get my hand around it much easier than any other guitar. However, with a smaller neck I found that although it could get my hand around the neck, my fingers on the fretboard were cramped...so it wasn't a preferred size for me.

6. If it were me, I would build a kit that was completely different to the ST-1. Hell, you know you've got GAS like the rest of us. You're eventually going to build them all anyway! I see you've already gone for humbuckers, great start, try a set neck, some bindings, different wiring or some mahogany for a tone wood, or a kit with a cap. Now that's scary! (just jokes....no but really it is..nah just kidding ya)

Hope that helps, not confuses.

Good luck Nitro. I know you'll love any kit that you get.

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Your knowledge is very much appreciated Andy,yea you are right i think i will be building all of the models i mentioned its just a matter of which one first..lol, cheers mate
BTW whats a cap? one with a veneer?

Yep, you got it

You could always go an SV-1 kit, that's not a huge body and it's a very slim neck profile as well. I suppose it depends on whether you can deal with the ornate inlay fretboard (which you can always replace).

How about a hollow body LP?

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Originally Posted by Dedman

How about a hollow body LP?

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Ooh stop it Deddy, you're making my GAS act up now!

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Originally Posted by FrankenWashie

Ooh stop it Deddy, you're making my GAS act up now!

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LOL. My wants list is bigger than my wallet

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Originally Posted by Dedman

LOL. My wants list is bigger than my wallet

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I have the same problem :(

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Originally Posted by FrankenWashie

You could always go an SV-1 kit, that's not a huge body and it's a very slim neck profile as well. I suppose it depends on whether you can deal with the ornate inlay fretboard (which you can always replace).

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Hmm, nice looking guitar, bit like a strat shape, yea the inlays are a bit fancy. Cheers mate.

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Originally Posted by Dedman

How about a hollow body LP?

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Looked under LP guitars, no hollows i could see, so looked under hollows and saw the ES-2V on special. Nice guitar. Looks a bit big in the body, and set neck although there is a large deep cavity to set it in so could be ok for me. But how the hell do you fit in the electrics without a cutout panel in the back? Even with my small hands i dont think i could reach in to fit it through the front cutouts!

I believe the trick is you put everything in through the F holes then use long nose pliers and a bit of aquarium air tube over the pot shafts to pull them up :) I'm tossing up between that and the Hoff style bass as my build after the ES-5V I have sitting here :P

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Originally Posted by Dedman

I believe the trick is you put everything in through the F holes then use long nose pliers and a bit of aquarium air tube over the pot shafts to pull them up :) I'm tossing up between that and the Hoff style bass as my build after the ES-5V I have sitting here :P

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Ok, so what i might do is follow the master, wait until you start one then carefully follow your build diary. Thanks for your input though Dedman.

I'm no master, I just follow what the other guys tell me LOL.

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Originally Posted by Dedman

I'm no master, I just follow what the other guys tell me LOL.

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Ok so ill just move to the back of the line and follow the rest. Lol

Dedman in bang on the money. Gav's done a tutorial on using the plastic tubing. http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...ead.php?t=1826

I really want to do the ES-2V cept i dont like the F holes

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Originally Posted by Andy40

Dedman in bang on the money. Gav's done a tutorial on using the plastic tubing. http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...ead.php?t=1826

I really want to do the ES-2V cept i dont like the F holes

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See told him he was the business! yes andy the ES still looks a bit hard for me at this stage

ok, more questions, i hope you guys dont mind.....So are all the veneers the same thickness, and how thin are they? 1,2 or 3 ml thick?

does the Plantation Paulownia have a nice grin that will pop? Anyone tried it? And the ash?
Thanks for putting up with me...

Most of the veneers are only about 0.6mm thick, so you have to be extremely careful not to sand through the veneer.

G'day mate, if you want to stain something with grain definition there are several choices such as the LP-1S with a spalted veneer cap, or maybe Ash in Tele or Jazzmaster, or mahogany bodies such as Firebird or LP Jnr double cutaway. The Ash Tele would have a similar neck to your Strat and the LP Jnr would be the smallest body.

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Originally Posted by Zandit75

Most of the veneers are only about 0.6mm thick, so you have to be extremely careful not to sand through the veneer.

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wow, thats very thin, thanks for the info Zandit.

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

G'day mate, if you want to stain something with grain definition there are several choices such as the LP-1S with a spalted veneer cap, or maybe Ash in Tele or Jazzmaster, or mahogany bodies such as Firebird or LP Jnr double cutaway. The Ash Tele would have a similar neck to your Strat and the LP Jnr would be the smallest body.

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cheers mate will check them out

My 2c - strangely, I find the SG a more comfortable size than an ST - the body "feels" thinner (back to pickups), even if it is a bit bigger in the hips. Overall it comes down to personal preference - as a wood for staining, basswood is pretty vanilla as is mahogany, then you get your veneers and ash bodies.

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Originally Posted by Brendan

My 2c - strangely, I find the SG a more comfortable size than an ST - the body "feels" thinner (back to pickups), even if it is a bit bigger in the hips. Overall it comes down to personal preference - as a wood for staining, basswood is pretty vanilla as is mahogany, then you get your veneers and ash bodies.

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Thanks Brendan, your 2 cents worth is very welcome, each post im collating info and getting more of an idea on what i want. Theres so many guitars, i want them all.lol