Building a Custom "rock" guitar

[CalledToArms]

So I have 4 guitars now.. 4 Ibanez guitars (2 old roadstars, an S470, and my first prestige S5470). I love them for metal, and ive built my whole rig around my band for the last 5 years which is modern metal.

However, I also love straight up rock. Now that I have my S prestige, my mesa dual rec, my splawn 4x12 and my effects set up I finally have a little $ to spend on a guitar that wont be for my band.

Im thinking of going to warmoth for the following (rough idea here):

-Mahogany SG shaped solid body
-Bolt on Mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard (havent decided on a headstock style yet), and probably just satin finish
-Neck is going to have a wizard profile since im more comfortable on thinner necks
-2 P90s (possibly 2 P90s with a P-rail in the middle?)
-Tune-o-matic bridge (for this guitar i just want a fixed bridge that will stay in tune great)
-schaller tuning pegs

thats kind of where I am at right now. This will be my first non ibanez (probably only for long time too heh) and the first guitar I will be putting together piece by piece.

Any suggestions, advice? I will be buying all the parts, hardware, electronics etc. and then having a friend who works on guitars help me put it together. I will probably paint or stain this guitar myself too and ive never done that before, so that should be interesting (im sure there are several topics on painting or staining on this board already though)

[elcid]

MF has a Gibson SG Classic with 2 P90s for about $1000. Probably not much, if any more than you would spend on parts.

[shreddersymphony]

MF's Gibson SG wont have a Wizard profile neck (which he said is what he wants). He's gettin' a custom, I would never advise buyin' a Gibson over that .

[elcid]

As custom as Warmoth can be.

SS, How did you decide what neck size and shape to get on your custom guitars? I've played a ton of Gibsons and Fenders and even f they have the same neck they usually feel a little different.

[Matheau]

Gibson does make thin necks, as well, despite the common perception. The Goddess and probably Vixen series both have necks that are almost as thin as the Wizard necks, they just have a bit different shape to them. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few more lines that have similar necks as well.

You aren't actually getting anything too unusual either, which kind of negates paying more for custom. Also, I would actually try out some SG's, if you haven't already done so, before spending that much money, they are very neck heavy and feel quite different when you are playing them because of that.

[rastachild]

Originally Posted by shreddersymphony

MF's Gibson SG wont have a Wizard profile neck (which he said is what he wants). He's gettin' a custom, I would never advise buyin' a Gibson over that .

well keep in mind that warmoth's wizard profile is not the same as ibanez's wizard profile. it is thicker, although it is warmoth's thinnest profile.

and i thought there were some sg's that had the 60s slim taper neck, which may be very close to the thickness of the warmoth wizard.

[shreddersymphony]

Originally Posted by elcid

As custom as Warmoth can be.

SS, How did you decide what neck size and shape to get on your custom guitars? I've played a ton of Gibsons and Fenders and even f they have the same neck they usually feel a little different.

Elcid sorry, I didnt see this post and it kinda slipped past me. My first custom guitar, I told my luthier that I want a neck sorta between an Ibanez wizard II and a PRS Custom 24 (as in not really thin but not in any way chunky). Then i left it up to him and he delivered the best playing neck I have ever touched in my life. My second one I bought from deep6 (legacy here on jemsite), and its the standard wizard profile that I'm very used to (or wizard II, im not sure).

[Lefty Robb]

https://www.carvinguitars.com/catalo....php?model=cs4

the 14inch radius neck is super comfy, it reminds me a lot of my Prestige wizard neck, just a hair thicker, somewhere between a that and a Jackson neck.

*edit* whoops, I'm sorry, I thought you said LP not SG, still, Carvins rock..the PRS styles are really nice and would be great for Rock.

[nickcoumbe]

I have built a few customs and here is what i have learned:

It will take longer than you want, whatever timescale you have.

Be wary of getting friends to do it for you. I am not saying never again, but I find that it always makes things more difficult in the end.

It will cost more than you originally thought. Be prepared for this. It may not be a lot more, but it will be more.

If you aren't going down the Danish Oil route, try and get it finished by a pro. Learning new techniques on a cheapo is one thing, on a valued custom is quite another.

You will finish it, and it will be a fantastic feeling when you play it for the first time. And hopefully every time after that.