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Pre-assembled kits

Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 10:35 am
by Kip Carter
I'm looking for something that I hope is out there but beginning to wonder if in fact it doesn't' exist here in the US today.

I love wood working, but currently have no place to setup shop and at the same time I'd be very interested in assembling a guitar to hone setup and repair skills. On the Acoustic Guitar Forum it was suggested that kits that are pre-assembled are a good source of obtaining that hands on experience. I'm sure build from scratch or even pre-cut wood stock would provide a more enhance experience but I simply do not have the space to do that. Eventually, perhaps, but not right now.

One gentleman from Australia mention their local ebay there where he had purchase several kits with bolt on necks. Body assembled so it was the final stages of assembly.

Checking here in the USA for ebay I don't find the same sort of kit. The one's I'm finding are pegged and glued which really sound like a terrible waist of time and materials.

So what I'm wondering is if there are any resources that provide partially assembled kit with a bolt on neck? The Blues Creek kits look awesome but I would need more of a work space to complete those.

Re: Pre-assembled kits

Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 10:54 am
by tippie53
getting pre assembled kits may be possible through proper channels. I can see if CF Martin has any rejects

Re: Pre-assembled kits

Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 12:39 pm
by  
These folks carry what you're looking for.
http://usguitarkits.com/us-guitar-kits-home

If there's a Woodcraft closeby, you can check them out for their
instrument building classes which employ the US Guitar kits.

Re: Pre-assembled kits - - US Guitar Kits

Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:35 pm
by phavriluk
My first foray into guitar building was with a kit from that source. Price certainly was right, and there's a lot to like, but I am wary of their techniques for installing the top and aligning the neck, I suspect from my ignorance, but the guitar is assembled 'in the air' without jigs, if you follow the instruction manual. I still haven't done it. I did take a look at what I bought and got myself into a guided-build project with a skilled luthier for my first project. Turned out wonderful and I'm immensely pleased. And I'm still working on the kit project. I made a new fretboard and adjusted the neck headstock to account for the now-short-scale fretboard (Martin short scale). I didn't think the quality of wood was particularly good, and the assembly quality of what was preassembled was, well, mass-produced. If you aren't going to be taking part in the Woodcraft build-along class, perhaps it is possible to buy a 'second' from US Guitar kits like I did. These 'seconds' aren't allowed into the Woodcraft instructional process, but represent a deep discount if that is not going to matter. I have no complaints, I got my money's worth, and a lot of hands-on time on a project with little financial risk. And I'll have a short-scale Dreadnaught to travel with and some transferrable binding and finishing experience. All good.

Re: Pre-assembled kits

Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:32 am
by ruby@magpage.com
Try Grizzly:

https://www.grizzly.com/products/category/235040

But building a "serviced" kit does not require that many tools. Clamps, a chisel and if you don't put on binding, no router.

Ed Minch