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Why Guitarists Should Build Own Guitar — And Why They Shouldn’t
There was a time I thought it would be a great idea to learn how to repair and perform setups on all of my guitars. Those times were brought on curiosity, cost, and availability. I doubt anyone is going to deny that setups can be expensive, upwards of $90 per guitar, if you’re not doing them yourself. They can also leave you without the guitar from days to weeks depending on how busy your tech is. Well, to learn how to perform setups and repairs, I got one of those DIY guitar kits. A mockingbird style kit since I didn’t have a guitar in that shape.
For many people, attempting to build an instrument kit may not be for you. I can’t stress enough that the kits that I’ve had experience with are filled with a big ole bag of mediocrity. The electronics will make sounds when you hit the strings and you can probably get a song or two out them, but they are nothing special at all. I actually improved the sound of mine by replacing the pickups and pots with cheap $25 ones from Amazon.
With that being said, the skills gained and having my very own guitar that I built myself is invaluable. Here’s why you should and shouldn’t build an instrument kit. Hopefully, anyone on the fence can use this to make a decision one way or the other.
