DIY e-guitar - Part 9 - Final assembly

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So, my guitar is complete.
I've wired everything up, mounted everything inside the guitar, and done a full setup (well, actually several ones, as there are lots of sources, and when I wasn't satisfied I searched for another source).
The setup was done using the following steps:
  • with the neck set straight using a straight-edge cut at the frets with a dremel, gone over the frets with 600 grit sandpaper to level them, and fixing the curve of the 21th fret as that was the only one seriously sticking out
  • setting neck relief to 0.004 (by using the strings as a straight-edge, E strings fretted at 1st and 14th frets, inserting a piece of xerox paper - theoretically 0.004 thick - below the 7th fret, checking that it doesn't lift up the strings at all, but it stays there without falling out in standard playing position)
  • no change in the nut position. it's not the lowest, maybe filing a bit more would be doable, but I want a playable guitar already.
  • set the bridge saddle height to the lowest possible (another quarter turn would result in fret-buzz) position
  • set intonation for each string to have a clear note using both open string and 12th fret fretted, plus harmonic 12th fret

The first version is complete, to be more accurate, upgrades are yet to come. Here's what I have (will serve as a bill of materials, with links, prices, etc) currently on the guitar, to have a full overview of the total cost:

Item Source Price Shipping Note Total
Body and neck Ebay guitar-kit-shop $172 $65 $52 customs 289
Tuning pegs Ebay iknmusic $13.50 - $2.70 discount 10.8
Bone nut Ebay iknmusic $4.99 - $1 discount 3.99
Pickups Ebay moyin888 $25.36 -
25.36
Pickup frames Ebay moyin888 $6.71 -
6.71
Push pull pots Gearbest $1.66 - 2 pieces 3.32
Toggle switch Gearbest $1.30 -
1.30
Knobs Ebay iknmusic $3.79 - $0.76 discount 3.03
Straplock Gearbest $2.74


Tailpiece Ebay iknmusic $8.99 - $1.8 discount 7.19
Jack Ebay iknmusic $3.50 - $0.7 discount 2.8
Piezo bridge Ebay chguitars $40.60 $13.08
53.68
Strings local shop $10 -
10
Lacquer, sanding paper local shop $20

20











$437.18


All in all, for $437 my guitar is not even close to being the cheapest guitar (that seat has been taken by the DIY strat I bought for 50$ including shipping with everything working right out of the box), but it is completely custom and mine, tailored to suit my needs.

Additionally, I've been thinking of replacing my Ibanez acoustic guitar amp with an electric guitar amp, aaaaaaaaaand I've found a super-cute The Mouse (link is for reference, not the one I bought) amplifier by Lectrosonics with depleted batteries, but mostly working in a local shop for ~10$. After replacing the batteries with two new standard 6v UPS batteries everything works flawlessly, haven't charged it since I bought it, and I've been playing with it almost daily. All in all, it's a nice thing.

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