Is a partscaster a good idea?

Ben_McCarthy · October 2019

I fancy getting a new strat but I’m tight on cash. The amount of partscasters around got me thinking whether I should go down that route or not. I’m of the snobbish belief that custom shop and luthier built stuff is ALWAYS superior and buying a mismatch of parts will just be crap.

I was turned to the idea when I found out today that SVL buys in his bodies and necks after liking his stuff for a long time and wanting to buy one. Not that I’m downplaying the quality of his stuff in any sense.

In essence could I buy good quality parts that are finished well and get it properly set up by feline or alike and be happy.

I appreciate this is a matter of personal taste and circumstance but I’d appreciate people’s views and opinions and even a point in the right direction for good quality parts.

Fifty9 · October 2019

Best value for quality & an interesting/fun project to get something just the way you like it but not great resale.

meltedbuzzbox · October 2019

They are a good learning experience but a loss leader.
The only thing with a parts guitar is that you can never be certain on the end result until you've paid your money and taken your chances.

menamestom · October 2019

meltedbuzzbox said:

They are a good learning experience but a loss leader.
The only thing with a parts guitar is that you can never be certain on the end result until you've paid your money and taken your chances.

I think you can be pretty certain if you use decent parts and know what spec you like (which is not a given).

My personal experiance is good, but the final setup by a luthier is the minimum you need really unless you can level / crown frets yourself.

They do tend to cost more than you budget for but it's best to keep the faith and pay for the best stuff and a good setup, if that's the case they can be good as any other F type guitar as they are all in essence partscasters,

Sassafras · October 2019

Fenders are partscasters but with a Fender logo (for which you're paying a large proportion of the total cost).

Kittyfrisk · October 2019

Labels cost lots & marketing costs more

A DIY guitar built to good specs, well assembled & set up can easily match the best (possible heresy, but I'll stand by that).
But... not as an investment or speculation as it should really be described.
But sod that, if you can build it & love it then go for it.
After all, it's all about you

camf · October 2019

Yes.

Heel · October 2019

My partscaster is my favourite strat ever. I’ve played the expensive custom shop Strats and will take mine over any of them any day of the week.

Roland · October 2019

Ben. We had a similar thread last week. I suggest that you search for that.

My personal view is that a partscaster eventually gives you a better guitar, which is more closely fitted to what you want than an off the shelf model. You also learn a lot by building one (which inevitably leads to another).

However it is not a cheap option. Buying individual components means that you don’t get the bulk purchase prices which manufacturers get. You also have to learn, with the cost of re-working if you get something wrong.

If you want cheap then buy a reasonable quality budget guitar, such as a Harley Benton from Thomann, or buy second hand.

Adam_MD · October 2019

Yes my strat gets played more than any other now. I grabbed all the parts for my perfect strat and the guys at Feline guitars turned it into as good a strat as I've ever played.

I've put a bunch of partsacasters together over the years and didn't want an amateur finish on this one so left it with Jonathan and as usual he does not disappoint.

idiotwindow · October 2019

There's nothing wrong with a Partscaster IMO. The very nature of a Fender lends itself to modding and swapping of parts and even a CS Fender (at least of the regular "team built" variety) is just a collection of compatible parts screwed together by a handful of production line workers. Some of the most highly prized "authentic" Fender style guitars – such as Nacho and Danocaster – are built using ready made third party necks and bodies from Musickraft and similar sources. The magic sauce is in the putting together, finishing and set-up (and, for the most popular, a cult following).

GoldenEraGuitars · October 2019

To do a “decent” build yourself allow a grand. You haven’t mentioned a figure but if you’re doing this based on price then a partscaster may not be the way to do it. As @Roland said there are cheaper options out there in the retail world.

Re SVL - there is no glory in making your own bodies and necks. Many smaller builds have their core stock outsourced to someone who does it better than they can. That allows them to concentrate on other aspects of their business. We buy our bodies and necks in because of these points

• no space for tooling
• no space for wood stock
• no access to good timber in quantity
• no time to manufacture

The list goes on...

TTBZ · October 2019

I think for me a parts guitar is the way to go for a Fender style guitar. I just don’t see any benefit to spending shit loads of money on a Fender style when you can build exactly what you want out of decent parts. No matter how expensive they are, they can all feel a bit cheap to me due to the bolt on construction. Doesn't feel high end in the same way a nice Gibson or PRS does - they just feel like bits bolted together which is what they are. Custom shop goes against everything a tele is and should be imo.

Fishboy7 · October 2019

Best value option is buy a Partscaster that someone else has put together – there are usually loads on eBay often with top quality hardware and pickups. A lot cheaper than buying the parts separately anyway.

I put a guitar together using Fender custom shop neck / body and premium pickups etc. and it was nearly impossible to sell.

stimpsonslostson · October 2019

I've built 4 Partscasters because I couldn't find/afford the spec I wanted in an off the shelf model. I really enjoy the process.

Whilst I concede that the outcome is only as good as the components you use- buy the best you can. I disagree with the assessment that you have to spend lots of money to get something good.
If you're patient it's possible to gather the parts you need via the Classifieds/Facebook/eBay/Gumtree. Everything on all my guitars is from a "known brand or maker" & yet none of them cost me more than I wanted to spend.
Money can also be saved if you're handy with a soldering iron and/or spray can. I LIKE to feel the wood *fnar fnar* in my guitars, so all are oil finished. Which is cheap, easy & relatively doable in a flat with kids running around constantly.
I agree that you should be prepared to spend on a final set up from a good tech, but it's not always essential. Build it & see what you think- if your neck is second hand then the nut MIGHT have been cut properly etc. That said, a professional setup can be the difference in feel between a good Partscaster & a great guitar.

The biggest downside are that as others have said
1. There's no money in reselling the guitar- even if you've bought the components second hand. It's often more economical to break the guitar up & sell it in pieces.
2. It's time consuming & can be messy- especially if you're doing some finishing.
3. They can be hard to sell. You build something to your preferences so it's hard to sell unless someone else has those specs in mind.
4. It's addictive- you build one because you "need" an Esquire Tele, then you "need" a HH PAF Shiflett Tele Deluxe, next you see Guitarbuild have a sale on & there's a Walnut Telemaster body at a good price... Slippery slope.

Danny1969 · October 2019

I have a Telecaster that's basically made from genuine Fender USA parts aside from the body. I got given the body and then went on Ebay every day looking for genuine USA Telecaster parts at cheap prices .... basically making offers on bride, pickups and tuners etc. I ended up getting a USA neck for £125, both pickups for £60, bridge was £30, Tuners were £28.

The whole guitar ended up costing about £250 and I'm really pleased with it. And because it's all USA Fender bits it all just fitted together perfectly with no issues. I don't actually know what brand the body is but it's quite heavy compared to a regular Tele body, made of ash I think but spray canned white now

Neil · October 2019

Probably just me, but personally I'd rather try out and buy something that is the finished product rather than some "pie in the sky" idea of what I think a guitar should be with a handful of disparate parts.

tony99 · October 2019

Fishboy7 said:

Best value option is buy a Partscaster that someone else has put together – there are usually loads on eBay often with top quality hardware and pickups. A lot cheaper than buying the parts separately anyway.

I put a guitar together using Fender custom shop neck / body and premium pickups etc. and it was nearly impossible to sell.

that sparkly green strat in the classifieds looks a cracker

FastEddie · October 2019

Are there not any decent strats second hand in your budget?
Any second hand squire could be a steal. Upgrade as you go.

Fuengi · October 2019

FastEddie said:

Are there not any decent strats second hand in your budget?
Any second hand squire could be a steal. Upgrade as you go.

This. You could pick up a used Mexican Strat and do lots of mods as you like. It also remains playable from day one.

lovestrat74 · October 2019

2 questions;

How tight on cash? Might help us understand what your options are. As stated above parts guitars can often spiral in costs.

Who is SVL?

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Is a partscaster a good idea?

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