DIY Guitar Kits - Anyone tried them?

[Harps]

Morning all. 
 

just wondering if anyone has ever tried one of those build your own guitar kits?

My eldest son has asked for one for Christmas. He’s very into electronics and fancies a go. I’m not expecting much beyond a starter guitar in quality but it could be a fun project. 
 

There’s some very cheap ones on Amazon and Thomann but some more expensive ones one places like https://guitarkitfabric.co.uk/products/diy-guitar-kits.html and wondering if it’s worth paying a bit more. 
 

He wants a tele shape one but looking at the kits on the site above, they have some funky basses as well so I’m sort of tempted myself. I’ll never afford a Rickenbacker so it’d be a cheap way to have something that looks similar - though I am incredibly bad at all things diy so it’d probably end up looking a bit rubbish😂

[terryj]

It's got to be worth a go if only for the pleasure of building it and hopefully it could be playable.

[Norris]

The kits you linked look quite affordable. It looks like the tricky bits have already been done for you: the neck is fretted and the body routed. I guess you really just need to finish the body (oil finishes are easier to  apply and are a bit more forgiving than paint/lacquer) and then screw it together. In other words it looks like a relatively easy job to end up with a working guitar at the end of it.

[PaulThePlug]

I'd have a look at the Harley Benton Kits, lots of praise for the Harley B... Rosewell Pups?

 

This looks a bit of fun!

https://harleybenton.com/product/electric-guitar-kit-square/

 

[Harps]

1 hour ago, PaulThePlug said:

I'd have a look at the Harley Benton Kits, lots of praise for the Harley B... Rosewell Pups?

 

This looks a bit of fun!

https://harleybenton.com/product/electric-guitar-kit-square/

 

Not sure my mouse sander is up to the task on that one!

 

but cheers for the replies. I’ve ordered a tele for the boy and a fake rick for myself. My better half will be overjoyed with another bass in the house. 

[GBH]

I built an explorer type guitar from pitbull in Australia during covid, electronics were a bit cheap but overall the quality was surprisingly good.

[NancyJohnson]

I've had the horn for an Explorer for as long as I can remember and have considered building one from a kit; I just know in my heart that the expectation will be higher than the finished realisation.

 

It's not in my nature to just go with the stock kit, I'd be putting different hardware on it to somehow elevate it to something better, but end of the day I'll be stuck with a finished kit guitar of very little value, which I'd probably end up breaking for spares.

 

I check all the usual outlets and to be honest, I'd be happier just sourcing a Tokai one for less ££ than I'd throw at a kit/updates.

 

 

 

[Franticsmurf]

I was offered a short run of gigs as a rhythm guitarist a couple of years ago. I had a Squire Tele but I fancied a back-up and bought a Les Paul kit from Thomann. I expected to have to replace the pick-ups and possibly the tuners (and use a decent set of strings). I was very pleasantly surprised by the overall quality (considering it was less than £100) and with some advice from a carpenter mate regarding the finishing (I wanted a natural oil finish) I had a nice, playable guitar with a decent sound from the stock parts (and Ernie Ball strings). It took me a long afternoon to put the guitar together to the point that it was playable and I used it for half the set of the first gig the following day. I then took it apart to sand and stain the body and neck, which took a few more days (drying between coats took the longest time). By the time the second gig arrived, I used it for the whole night and the Tele was relegated to spare. 

 

I have replaced the pickups since and I managed to snap the top of the pickup selector switch which has now been replaced as well. 

 

I'll never be a luthier (my carpenter mate stifled a giggle when he saw the way the finish had turned out - a little messy and uneven in small patches - but he is a perfectionist), but I have been contemplating a bass kit as my experience with the LP was positive and thoroughly enjoyable. 

[rwillett]

I brought a red Telecaster kit two years ago. I paid a £160 or so. Didn't know any better.

 

Had fun building it but the neck was junk, took it to a decent guitar shop to get it set up and they spent quite a lot of time trying to fix it and said it was impossible to get it right across all the neck. So if one end of the the neck was right, the other end wasnt. 

 

They refused to take any payment for their time as it was throwing good money after bad. 

 

I gave it to a local school and told them it was poor quality, I think they use it in school plays as a prop. 

 

I won't put the name here but I'd advise the OP to DM me. 

 

Rob

[Dan Dare]

On 30/11/2025 at 12:30, Harps said:

I am incredibly bad at all things diy so it’d probably end up looking a bit rubbish

 

Kits can produce good results, BUT you need some skills to make the best of them.