Help Choosing Next guitar kit Please

[nitroburner1000]

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..........

[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.

[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. 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.

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.

[nitroburner1000]

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.

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

[nitroburner1000]

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. 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.

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.

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?

[Andy40]

Yep, you got it

[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).

[Dedman]

How about a hollow body LP?

[FrankenWashie]

How about a hollow body LP?

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

[Dedman]

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

LOL. My wants list is bigger than my wallet