hey Redneck, doesn't take guts to build a scratchy. Just get some cheap timber (here a pine body blank costs about $25), get some plans or design your own shape and start cutting. Can get a PBG neck for it.
If you muck up the first attempt at least you can replace the body blank pretty cheaply.
Once you have built a couple of these you will have the experience and confidence to move onto some nicer timbers