USACG v Musikraft

dean111music

Ok 

i was going to order a body and neck from musikraft and get MJT to spray the body. 

Quick specs

T-style - original layout 60's.

Neck

2pc Dark rosewood
Roasted Maple
SS frets
compound raduis
Heavy rolled edges
V-C neck
Tung oil finish  
Tusq Nut
imitation clay dots

$525



USACG

Same spec

apart from nickel frets
real clay gots

No nut
No finish on neck

$260

The body's are roughly the same price. USACG offer a light weight swamp ash.


Looks a no brainer but what do you guys think? Any experience?


I can get MJT to spray the body and then send me the body and neck 

victorludorum

I think you'll have to re-shape the headstock of the USACG one if you want the true Fender shape. It's only a small change I believe, but a change nonetheless.

Frizer

I have a USACG neck, it's great just wish I'd got the evo frets though. Musikraft having the correct headstock is a bonus. Rosewood on a roasted maple neck seems an odd choice though, why not just roasted maple?

victorludorum

Why not just have it painted by @lamf68 ? Cheaper and better I would say...

dean111music

victorludorum said:

Why not just have it painted by @lamf68 ? Cheaper and better I would say...

Does he source the parts too? It was more the neck and body that was the main cost

dean111music

victorludorum said:

I think you'll have to re-shape the headstock of the USACG one if you want the true Fender shape. It's only a small change I believe, but a change nonetheless.

There shape on theheadstock is the same as danocaster I think 

dean111music

Frizer said:

I have a USACG neck, it's great just wish I'd got the evo frets though. Musikraft having the correct headstock is a bonus. Rosewood on a roasted maple neck seems an odd choice though, why not just roasted maple?

I prefer the look of rosewood and I like the look of roasted maple 

Dominic

I think usacg necks are excellent

dean111music

They come unfinished with no nut. But price wise seem a lot cheaper

victorludorum

dean111music said:

victorludorum said:

Why not just have it painted by @lamf68 ? Cheaper and better I would say...

Does he source the parts too? It was more the neck and body that was the main cost

He sometimes has parts, but they'll have been sourced from the UK I think. I bought a GuitarBuild body from him that he painted. Give him a shout and see if he has anything. He's done a couple of Teles recently I think.

victorludorum

Something else to consider here is that if you're going for a nitro finish on the body (which i presume you are if you're taking the MJT route), it will probably craze, and this can happen quite quickly (as was the case for me). An oiled neck won't craze of course, and for me, if I had a body that was going to craze, I'd want the headtock to match it. Maybe that doesn't bother you though...

stickyfiddle

I have one from each. They're both excellent

My USACG has SS frets and clay dots, both of which are really really lovely. It's a tell headstock, which is only fractionally different from a proper one and not a big deal.

The Musikraft is a bound JM neck, has regular frets and plastic pearl inlays. It's also really good. 

jimification

I think your USACG pricing is not quite right - did you include the new $25 dollar rosewood export charge? (they only add this on when you go to shipping I think)

I've had two USACG necks and they were both outstanding. The boss there, Tommy, was head of Warmoth for 15 years and I  think one of the other guys is ex head of Fender custom shop, so they know what they're doing. Many of the boutique US builders buy their necks from USACG. 

There's also Guitar Mill, who are supposed to be very good, though I've not tried them. They have pics of unfinished bodies ready to ship at good prices on their site. They list the finished weight for each body for sale, too. 

dean111music

When you say craze is that the same as checking?

Bond123

dean111music said:

Ok 

i was going to order a body and neck from musikraft and get MJT to spray the body. 

Quick specs

T-style - original layout 60's.

Neck

2pc Dark rosewood
Roasted Maple
SS frets
compound raduis
Heavy rolled edges
V-C neck
Tung oil finish  
Tusq Nut
imitation clay dots

$525



USACG

Same spec

apart from nickel frets
real clay gots

No nut
No finish on neck

$260

The body's are roughly the same price. USACG offer a light weight swamp ash.


Looks a no brainer but what do you guys think? Any experience?


I can get MJT to spray the body and then send me the body and neck 

Have you not considered going to @GSPBASSES for your neck and body, I know he does roasted maple with rosewood fingerboard's, and lightweights T/C bodies. If I remember correctly he posted photographs of these some time ago on his posting of Making some LPJ,s, unfortunately it seems like all his photographs disappeared, most likely because of the Photobucket problems. I know he doesn't take many custom builds any more, but when I messaged him a few weeks ago, he did say he's always got part built Strat's and Tele bodies and necks in stock that he can normally finish quite quickly. 

dean111music

jimification said:

I think your USACG pricing is not quite right - did you include the new $25 dollar rosewood export charge? (they only add this on when you go to shipping I think)

I've had two USACG necks and they were both outstanding. The boss there, Tommy, was head of Warmoth for 15 years and I  think one of the other guys is ex head of Fender custom shop, so they know what they're doing. Many of the boutique US builders buy their necks from USACG. 

There's also Guitar Mill, who are supposed to be very good, though I've not tried them. They have pics of unfinished bodies ready to ship at good prices on their site. They list the finished weight for each body for sale, too. 

I was going to send it to mjt so didn't need to put that fee on. 

victorludorum

dean111music said:

When you say craze is that the same as checking?

Yes

dean111music

Bond123 said:

dean111music said:

Ok 

i was going to order a body and neck from musikraft and get MJT to spray the body. 

Quick specs

T-style - original layout 60's.

Neck

2pc Dark rosewood
Roasted Maple
SS frets
compound raduis
Heavy rolled edges
V-C neck
Tung oil finish  
Tusq Nut
imitation clay dots

$525



USACG

Same spec

apart from nickel frets
real clay gots

No nut
No finish on neck

$260

The body's are roughly the same price. USACG offer a light weight swamp ash.


Looks a no brainer but what do you guys think? Any experience?


I can get MJT to spray the body and then send me the body and neck 

Have you not considered going to @GSPBASSES for your neck and body, I know he does roasted maple with rosewood fingerboard's, and lightweights T/C bodies. If I remember correctly he posted photographs of these some time ago on his posting of Making some LPJ,s, unfortunately it seems like all his photographs disappeared, most likely because of the Photobucket problems. I know he doesn't take many custom builds any more, but when I messaged him a few weeks ago, he did say he's always got part built Strat's and Tele bodies and necks in stock that he can normally finish quite quickly. 

No I have not but I'll message him.

basically I'm after or close to the spec above using the best quality parts I can. I'd rather spend more to get better quality however if I can get a uk team to source this for cheaper then that would be great. I just know musikraft, usacg and mjt have great reputation.

the roasted maple idea was I like the thought of having a stable neck that feels like bare wood. I'm not a fan of sticky or gloss neck. I want it too feel like an old friend! 

So more ideas deals would be helpful. 

SteveRobinson

victorludorum said:

dean111music said:

When you say craze is that the same as checking?

Yes

"Craze" is English for "check"

SRich

SteveRobinson said: 

victorludorum said:

dean111music said:

When you say craze is that the same as checking?

Yes

"Craze" is English for "check"

Except in Chess of course, which would just be ....silly......

Lebarque

Another vote for USACG, although I've not tried the others. The exchange rate is doing us no favours at the moment though. Is the reason you're thinking about going through MJT because you want a relic finish? Not sure who does that over here.