Build Your Own Guitar Kits?

[amiller]

I've got a friend who's thinking about one of the Carvin do-it-yourself guitar kits. Anybody here have any experience with one? What did it end up costing when all is said and done?

 

[muudrock]

I did one of these a couple years ago and I still own it. Great kit!
I think all said and done, total investment was a little less $500 for everthing. I did the swamp ash body, tremolo rout, H/S/S. Picked up some aerosol tinted laquer from Stew Mac and finished it off in Vintage Yellow.
Overall it's a great guitar and was stupid-easy to build. Still love playing it.

 

[amiller]

I did one of these a couple years ago and I still own it. Great kit!
I think all said and done, total investment was a little less $500 for everthing. I did the swamp ash body, tremolo rout, H/S/S. Picked up some aerosol tinted laquer from Stew Mac and finished it off in Vintage Yellow.
Overall it's a great guitar and was stupid-easy to build. Still love playing it.

Do you think you could have purchased a "better" guitar off the rack for the same price?

 

[Tnjpekar]

did mine two years ago, let it hang in the boiler room to dry out the body for 6 months before I started doing it up
the electronics are not the best, but the pups are killer. best twinblade single spaced buckers for strat tone with no hum.
the axe plays like a monster
did the ash body upgrade

finished product

up against some of the others

 

[amiller]

Nice pics.

 

[Tnjpekar]

I would reccomend the carvin kit to anyone, but like I said before, I would upgrade the wiring and the pots. for 20 bucks after you get the kit, but a good tone and vol pot in the guitar.
also ordered the neck with an ebony fretboard with no markers. just think it looks slick to me