Guitar kits from Guitar Fabric Anyone tried one?

paulnb57

Wondering if anyone has had a kit from Guitar Fabric, I doubt a Steinberger Spirit GE will turn up from my wanted ads so wondered about putting a kit together, these appear to be supplied from the UK so if there are issues, its not all in China….

This is the kit, its pretty expensive considering I only really want the body, neck, string retainer, and control cover plates, the majority of the rest will no doubt go in recycling, I have a “proper” Steinberger R trem in the stash….so as long as the neck and body are usuable….

Any experience with this supplier?

https://guitarkitfabric.co.uk/guitar-kit-headless-steinberger-1-block-7141269444150-en.html

Chris.B

Is this really a UK based company?  Looking at the description of the headless guitar, it suggests it was written by someone who is not overly familiar with English. A brief look around the site reveals a number of similar mistakes and typos. 

The single review of the headless kit on their site has the date in the US format.

The address given on the website looks like a multi-occupant building, hard to tell if their is a guitar kit manufacturing company based there. 

I'm not suggesting that there is anything wrong with their products, hopefully they are excellent, but the above suggests it is worth making a few checks if you want to be sure that it is a UK based operation. 

drofluf

Here’s my build thread https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/242915/guitar-kits-guitar-fabric-rickenbacker-12-string-build-thread#latest

The biggest issue I had was that I needed to countersink the bridge posts to get the action down to a playable level. But as your neck appears to be a bolt on that will be less of an issue. And I should take some responsibility because I didn’t take enough care when checking before I glued the neck in. 

As @Chris.B says the instructions are not well written - and they didn’t respond to my email query - but the construction was fairly straightforward and easy with a little common sense. 

Most of the frets needed some work and the nut needed recutting but on balance I’d say you’d probably end up with a similar quality instrument if you paid the same amount for a budget copy. 

The experience hasn’t put me off, in fact earlier today I checked some kits but I’d go for a bolt on neck next time 

Funkfingers

Almost certainly Chinese-made instrument kits, stocked and distributed in the UK.

Chris.B said:

The address given on the website looks like a multi-occupant building. 

Google Street View suggests commercial on the ground floor and residential on all floors above. A single unfurnished commercial unit would offer limited storage space. Probably a correspondence address rather than a warehouse.

Sporky

Chris.B said:

The address given on the website looks like a multi-occupant building, hard to tell if their is a guitar kit manufacturing company based there. 

They list two different addresses, both called International House, both in London, both have a lot of businesses registered to the same address.

They do say it was founded by two people in Lyon.

Gizmo

paulnb57 said:

Wondering if anyone has had a kit from Guitar Fabric

So i haven't had a kit from these guys but i did end up with the body hardware & pups a GM type Kit like this a few ago.

And it was Pretty much Dog Shit,pic's of these look a lot better than the one i have but the routes were all off center and the bridge route was about 3mm to wide, the Overload of music hardware (more like software) is worthless pot metal tatt...i stuck it all in a box for about 5 years and it sold for £15 on ebay when i had a clear out

Id say you might be better off going to the source (or as close as you can get) via Aliexpress

You can get a full on wenge/wenge hradless neck ther for about £65 delivered (you'll get a bous discount for your first order also)

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006161448012.html

Or Maple for under £50

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004719635186.html

Im pretty sure someone (inc me ) could kick you up a GM type body in a wood of your choice.

Seems a bit of a waste of money if half the kit is total trash....YMMV.

paulnb57

Gizmo said:

paulnb57 said:

Wondering if anyone has had a kit from Guitar Fabric

So i haven't had a kit from these guys but i did end up with the body hardware & pups a GM type Kit like this a few ago.

And it was Pretty much Dog Shit,pic's of these look a lot better than the one i have but the routes were all off center and the bridge route was about 3mm to wide, the Overload of music hardware (more like software) is worthless pot metal tatt...i stuck it all in a box for about 5 years and it sold for £15 on ebay when i had a clear out

Id say you might be better off going to the source (or as close as you can get) via Aliexpress

You can get a full on wenge/wenge hradless neck ther for about £65 delivered (you'll get a bous discount for your first order also)

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006161448012.html

Or Maple for under £50

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004719635186.html

Im pretty sure someone (inc me ) could kick you up a GM type body in a wood of your choice.

Seems a bit of a waste of money if half the kit is total trash....YMMV.

What a great reply Gizmo, I might just take you up on the offer of a body, Ill deffo get one of those necks, it will save me hacking up a decent neck…

Edit, Wenge neck ordered