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[Runcie]

Hey everyone, I was having a look on ebay for a new trem for my guitar and stumbled on this shop. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/The-STRATosphere. I was looking at a deluxe tele, and it works out like £400 cheaper for the neck, body (with bridge and electrics) and shipping than buying one here. Reckon its the way to go to get a new guitar on the cheap?

[GraemeC]

Stand by....Eriatarka should be along soon...

it all depends on what you're buying. i think most new usa fenders are really overpriced, and buying in parts is probably a better way to do it. However, it is possible to find bargains second hand, and its a lot less hassle, coupled with gaurantees etc.

Buying in parts can be a good idea only if you're buying good parts. i'd say a rough estimate for good parts is Pickups = £100, body £70, neck £100 hardware £100, depending on what you get.

thats near enough £400, then you'll need it set up plus all the shipping and packaging. you could probably find a good guitar for around that price second hand. You could put together cheap parts from ebay, if thats what you were after, but it'd only be as good as the parts you use.

if you're looking for custom necks and bodies that are good quality warmoth is really good.

[Little Voice]

This is the website that will answer all your questions -


http://www.buildyourguitar.com/index.html

[Runcie]

I'm not wanting to build my own guitar, I'd love a Fender deluxe Tele but can't afford the £1100 price. If you buy it from this guy as a complete body and neck, it works out much cheaper than £1100. Whats tax and stuff like for getting guitar bits shipped over?

[David B]

£899 from GAK for an American Deluxe Tele.

Nearer to home, I bet Merchant City Music in Glasgow would be similar (Deluxe not listed on their site meantime).

I have no personal experience of importing stuff BUT I hear anecdotal horror stories. They all go along the lines of -

"got a note from Customs saying if I pay the import duty of £ (insert large figure) then I can collect my stuff"

Other sites have tales of people who have got away without paying anything.

Even if you get the stuff, what if the neck pocket isn't a perfect fit with your neck.

Is it a risk you are willing to take?

[Bobby]

Originally Posted by David B

Even if you get the stuff, what if the neck pocket isn't a perfect fit with your neck.

Is it a risk you are willing to take?

a wee bit of work with a chisel would sort that out.

[Jeid]

Originally Posted by GraemeC

Stand by....Eriatarka should be along soon...

Sorry for the lateness... camping and band commitments.

Anyway, building guitars isn't all that difficult a task and depending how fussy you are, it can sometimes work out a bit cheaper.

Importing from the states can be pretty good. Smaller parts are far cheaper and as long as your items are small and declared cheaply, then most go unnoticed through customs. I bought most of my latest build from GFS on eBay. Two pickups, a bridge, a pickguard and some nice knobs for about half the price I would've paid in the UK.

Items over £18(I think that's what it is now) will have customs charges of 17.5%(VAT) plus the company that holds the item will charge you a handling fee(I paid £13 to Parcel Force for my body)

If buying a body/neck, make sure that the body is Fender parts compatible and in turn, make sure that any neck you buy fits the body(the neck heel is usually 2 3/16")

It's not a lot of work and its quite rewarding building your own guitar. I'm in the middle of my second guitar just a couple of parts to go and its all done.