Thinking of building my own seven.

[Shenaniganizer]

Since I'd love to have a seven-string Kelly, and I can't really afford to throw all the money out at once for one, I think I may build my own.
I have my six-string Kelly, so I can trace the body. I'm sure it'll take a bit of modification to accommodate a seven-string neck. I'm hoping to make this a neck-thru.
I've never built a guitar before. My grandpa has the tools needed. All I need are materials. So.. first thing's first: where do I get some wood? There may be a lumber shop near my town that I can go to, so, I can check that out. But, for now, what're my online options?

 

[Bananalyze]

you can find a lot of great wood here:

Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc. Guitar Builder Wood and Supplies

 

[Rusti]

Hi
well, imo buying the woods and all the parts its not much cheaper than a new medium price guitar, plus if its your first you don't know yet if the result will be better than the one bought in a shop
but if do it for self satisfaction its cool
First hint is to not start working until all the project is done.
I know its hard to do it the first time, find all the parts you need (be sure they can work toghether), buy all the parts, make a plane and calculate every measure, when you are sure on what to do, start workin
imo the first link you probably need is STEWMAC.COM : Guitar, Bass, Banjo, Mandolin, Parts, Tools, Supplies, Free Information here you can find everything for stringed instrument liuthery, tools, plans, parts, and some wood, not less important you can get many hints on how to work.
If you want to make your job easier you can find on Warmoth Custom Guitar Parts - Custom bass and guitar bodies, necks, pickups, pickguards and hardware some bodies or necks.
Here you can find more woods Exotic Woods
You can find more woods on ebay of course

Good luck, and keep us updated

p.s. sorry for any english error

 

[Shenaniganizer]

I'm doing it for the experience and self satisfaction. I've recently been looking into luthiery, namely in the guitar-building persuasion, and I know I'll need a lot of practice to be competent in the art, so, I may as well start now.
My plan is to make a neck-thru seven-string Kelly with mahogany wings and a maple neck, probably with a rosewood fretboard without inlays, so I can keep down on costs. It'll have either a TOM bridge or a hardtail, and either an HSH or an HS pickup configuration. I think I may copy the SLS-style headstock and have a 4x3 tuning key configuration.

 

[Shenaniganizer]

Okay, so, I'm on that Exotic Woods site, and I'm trying to figure out how much neck and fingerboard I'll need.
It'll definitely be a neck-thru. I've established that, lol. It'll either be a King V or a Kelly shape.. But, I don't know if I'll have enough "room," I guess, to do what I'd like. I want a 27" scale.
Would anyone, by chance, be able to tell me if I've got enough to do this idea, with these measurements of wood?
Mahogany body,
Flamed Maple neck,
Madagascar Kingwood fingerboard.

I'm not sure if I'm using good diction for my question. I guess I'm asking if I'll have enough wood to work with, for my idea.


Also, how do you create a scale length? I'm told that, in order to DETERMINE scale length, you measure from the nut to the 12th fret, and double it. But, how do you build the scale length you want?

 

[Sullen]

Also, how do you create a scale length? I'm told that, in order to DETERMINE scale length, you measure from the nut to the 12th fret, and double it. But, how do you build the scale length you want?

You can measure from the edge of the nut until you reached 27" and that's where the strings should make contact with the bridge for a 27" scale.

 

[Shenaniganizer]

I guess I'll have to reword the question whenever I come to the issue, and have a better understanding of it.

In the meantime, what do you think about the "having enough wood" issue? I want to make sure I'd be ordering enough wood to be working with.

 

[Rusti]

Hey im back
You said you want a 27" scale, so thats your lenght. The distance from nut to the bridge.
Now you need to know how much long must be the neck: first you have to decide where to set the bridge on the body, i mean the distance from it to the lower part of the body. This depends on how you feel better playing, and on how many frets you want.
I use to make my drawings/plans on Autocad, if you dont have it take a ruler and a paper
draw the scale lenght, draw the body around it, and take the neck-thru measure.
Seen that you already have a Kelly, if you feel good with that bridge position you can try to keep it on the new guitar.
Changin the scale lenght you better draw the frets distance for seeing on many frets are on the body.
So, how to calculate the fret position: Fret position calculator at Stewart-MacDonald
Insert the number of frets you want and the scale lenght (you said 27"), electric guitar of course, press calculate and you got you distances.
Dont forget to draw the headstock to include it in the neck leght
Hope i answered you
see ya

 

[Shenaniganizer]

Alright. That calculator will help a lot.
I'll have to find a big piece of MDF/particle board to draw this plan out on. I'm excited!

Also, I finally got a job! Minimum wage, washing dishes, but hell.. I'm 19, and income is income, no matter where it's from. That means this guitar may come to its start sooner than I thought!

 

[troyguitar]

I draw everything out full scale on 1/2" MDF then proceed to make templates out of it, then I actually start cutting wood.

 

[Daiephir]

I didn't really check your 2 first links because I couldn't answer you on the body size of a Kelly, but for the fretboard, I believe that if you build a 24 fret 27 scale guitar, you'll have enough wood, but if you want more frets, you'll need a longer board. Of, course, take the time to make a good 1:1 scale plan and then reproduce it on a good, solid template.