Ebay DIY guitar kit review & build tutorial by professional guitar builder 

Kits are an awesome way to learn the workings of guitars. I built 2 and it's sent me on a journey that has enriched my life! I've since modified both kits with homemade bone nuts and new pickups. They've both become my go to guitars when I want to play. I recently picked up a Strat style guitar at a yardsale for $15! I've used the knowledge I've gained to turn that pos into an incredible player. I highly recommend building a kit if you want to get into guitar building. It's a great way to start!👍😎🎸🎶

not even planning to buy a diy strat but this is very fun to watch takes me back like watching your dad build your biggest fav lego set

I'm closing in on 60 and am not handy but when I started learning guitar I picked up a cheap strat and took it apart to try to understand it. This video really helped me understand MORE. I love learning about things so thank you for being a good teacher.

I am really considering building my own guitar. This video is one of the most informative videos I have ever seen. While this is 3 years old, it is still incredibly pertinent. With this, I feel I can actually do this at 50 years old! Thank you so much for sharing this experience!

I watched your videos several years ago. Since then I've been fixing up pawn shop finds and even made my own Tele that's a cross between John 5 and Jim Root's guitars. I have a wall of guitars that all cost less than $200 each. Last weekend my friends came over and played a lot of them saying they play just as good as their expensive guitars and even offered to pay me to build a kit explorer for them. Thank you for the knowledge! You have saved me hundreds if not thousands and now I might actually make some money off it. I've never met you but I consider you a friend.

They made cheap guitar kit in about five minutes for amateur users You make it like one million dollar for pro players. With so much passion I appreciate your time , work and so much experience. Thank you very much. I have Washburn guitar my dad bought me before 28 years ago, I made it to keep her and not throwing her, the condition isn't that good, now it's time to work on her, I will order from China the stuff I need, but will try to keep her in the same original as she was, for my dad's memory With that teaching filming, you helped me a lot. Well done

Awesome video. Ive seen a lot of this information, but its almost always in videos broken up by the specific step. Kudos for putting everything in one place. Ill be rewatching this video quite a bit as I start my tele kit build.

I've been playing since I was 12, I'm 64 now. I always learn something from your videos. Great job man, very professional.

That was the best crash course in guitar building, repairing, modifying, on the internet by far. Thank You Very Much. I've been a finishing carpenter and cabinet maker for years. I dabble in playing the guitar and a few years ago I lost my home to fire. My Fender Telecaster was salvaged but had been floating in the basement that was full of water from the fire trucks. I kept the guitar and put it out in my shop for years totally ignored until lately. I decided to take a look. There were some cracks in the finish on the backside of the guitar but the entire thing was intact. I plugged it in and everything worked except the buzz from the strings hitting the frets near the nut was unbelievable. The high strings up by the nut were hitting or resting on the frets. I played with the bridge to try and make a difference with no luck, the neck, amazingly enough, was straight. No back or forward bow. The nut, however, was in bad shape. I've ordered a few different nuts to try and fix that issue but for now, It's just sitting until some parts come in. I have never set up an electric guitar before so I was looking for some videos about what do I need to know. I went through a few and today I came across this video. This video has answered every question I had and more at this point to get a grip on what I need to go over on the Telecaster in order to make it play again. The guitar has sentimental value. It's a Squier, so it's not a valuable guitar however the story behind it is what makes me want to resurrect it from the dead. I can't thank you enough for posting this video. It is absolutely the best one-hour long video to explain and shows the workings, the setup and the fundamentals of this style of electric guitar. I have subscribed to this channel to continue to learn more and perhaps take up a new hobby fixing and building guitars. I have every tool imaginable munis a few specialty guitar tools to build anything from raw wood as I own a sawmill, I have a fully equipt woodworking shop, mechanical shop where I build hotrods and custom motorcycles, a metalworking and welding shop FANTASTIC VIDEO AND KNOWLEDGE FROM A PROFESSIONAL WITH A GREAT DEMEANOR. THANKS AGAIN.

I've been watching your videos for the past four years. This is one of your best on so many levels... especially in terms of explaining setups.

This video is probably the best when it comes to explaining and breaking down each part of the intonation process. There are ones I've seen that go way more in depth but with those they sort of lose the forest for the trees, where as this has the best overhead view for any beginner to find out.

To get my guitar building course or other videos go here gelvinguitars.com/shop/

Thanks for this. My daughter is building pretty much the same kit, but hers came with all the holes predrilled. The neck was way out of alignment but I filled the holes with dowel and re-drilled that for her. These set up tips are fantastic! Great video.

This is by far the best kit building video on RU-vid. I learn so much about the guitar building. You Virginia what you are talking about which makes it easy to believe every word you said. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything.

Good video Will, thank you for taking the time. I have built a few guitars, Cigar boxes and a banjo, and all played well, but that was just sheer luck. these kind of straight forward no nonsense explanatory videos is what's needed out here with the increase of DIY'ers becoming a new thing. You sound professional and knowledgeable. well done.

" I'm gonna hit it with a bit of air PFFFFFFF (using mouth) " cracked me up

Good Teacher, with all the main points to building your own.

I know you mentioned that this was the 'Cliff Note' version, but OMG! did I learn so much! Thank you!!!

Really been looking forward to this one! Thanks again, Will.

Thank you, I just ordered one like that, one hour before I found your video. Perfect.

Thanks, Will. An excellent view. Made my day and not a minute wasted!

55:20 I can’t believe I never thought to use string clippings as nut files; that’s absolutely brilliant.

Thanks for explaining the setup process in a very simple way.

i LOVE THE STRAT BODY IMPRESSION ON HIS BENCH.

This is the longest youtube video I’ve seen on youtube, learned too much from it one billion thank you sir !!! Youre the best guitar builder on the Internet

I just started watching this video, and thought I had to comment on your qualifications statement. In my honest opinion, based on watching (and thoroughly enjoying) quite a few of your videos, I have to say that, for me in particular, I have no doubts as to your qualifications to comment on the quality (or not) of any guitar you review. Keep up the great work!

What an awesome video. I bought a kit LP and muddled my way through building it. I made a lot of mistakes, this has told me what they were. It's also taught me a load of stuff about pickups & nut cutting. Thank you very much. I learned loads from building the kit and would recommend anyone interested in building or repairing guitars to give it a go.

This IS the quintessential guitar building video. I’ve learned a lot of this stuff on RU-vid including some of your other videos but this is the best video I’ve saw.

My favorite DIY guitar finish paint is Rustoleum Truck Bed Liner. One coat, dries fast, durable, looks cool, covers flaws and only costs $4 or $5. It’ll save a week of painting and sanding. Perfect for a cheap guitar.

Been playing guitar since I was a little kid, and I’m looking at building my own from scratch, but I’ve never soldered pickups or any guitar electronics. I’ve been looking at these diy kit things just to get some experience with the soldering, and building it. This is a great and very helpful video!

I love how detailed and informational this is. Thank you!

I used to tech for numerous guitar greats myself but that was just so I could keep working towards my main goal of building a DIY guitar kit. Mark my words, "Someday I'm gonna reach that goal!" Righty tighty, lefty loosey. (Most of the time) Got it! Thanks!

Great video. I am a guitar tech and I wish a video like this was around when I started years ago. This is probably the best video I have seen for beginner guitar set ups and even an old dog like me can learn something new. like setting up the guitar nut. Thank you

Thanks for the great video, Will! Also good to hear you sounding upbeat and in a good mood. Hope everything is going well for you!

It’s so much fun to put these kits together. Did 4 of them in a years time (2 I kept, the other 2 were presents for my son).

Really clear explanation! MANDATORY video if you want to put a guitar kit together! It's not just a big 3d puzzle, it's correcting all the little imperfections the cheap manufacturing proces left behind.

I had to sign in to add this note - yah, pain in the ass it's late I'm beat - but Will here was so GOOD! This man knows his trade. The double-set on the intonation.. the first 3 frets and nut adjustment.. Only real dudes know this stuff! He's spot on. Mark this one. I'm 70 yrs old and been playing for about 63 of them. My $2,000 Gretsch wasn't set up this well from the factory and neither was my $2,600 Cordoba - Kudos!

Very interesting and informative. Thank you ever so much!

Great video, Will! I really liked this one. Very practical advice about a build, and I am going to try some of your setup tips next time.

Great tutorial for first time builder simple and easy to follow and in simple terms without being blinded by science hi do them for my daughter to raffle off at are local school to raise money for the pta to raise money for equipment for the kids

Thanks for the thorough explanations on everything, another great vid! Thanks Will!

Thanks for making these videos. I appreciate your slow and concise explanation of your observations and methods. I have done my own work on my own guitars in the past, but have never had the expertise to scrutinize the original work or how to fix issues I did find. These videos are a really cool supplemental education.

Your channel is great dude. Been watching as I have a great old Strat style guitar that needs some TLC. I was going to send it to a local guitar doctor at great expense. But having watched your videos I decided I'm definitely going to do all the work myself. It's so helpful to see what tools I might need and hear all your tips and hints. Thanks dude!

Another great guitar video, especially for the beginner. Keep 'em coming Will.

I bet this is one of the best budget "beginners" guitars after you build it. Learned so much. Thank you!

Your vids are great! Thanks for showing the process.

Great video, Will. Covered a lot of basic repair and setup as well. Good to see you're back.

I like the color. Quality stuff as always. Thanks Will!

Great job, Will. Ben watching your videos for *_such_* a long time. You were one of my first subs on Utube and you taught me a lot! Thanks again.

I rarely sit through an hour-long video, but this was really well done. Thanks!

This is super cool. Thanks so much for doing this!

Thank You for being a professional. Being a custom solid wood furniture designer/builder for over 40 years, as well as an ameteur guitar player, I really appreciate the facts you pointed out about how the guitar was built, the type of wood and what to look for in the routing of the body and the feel of the neck. You are a credit to RU-vid videos. I just watched DIY Gene and was so disappointed in the build of a $100 Stratocaster where he obviously had no woodworking skills or details about the kit and how to go about laying out, setting up or even playing the end product which he said, would make a nice wall hanging...?????

Thank you for posting! This is amazing. ❤️

I like that you mention the tools to use to work on and set up the guitar, that would work when not having the correct tools the professional would use, because that is whats going on most of the time.

That idea to use a string to file down the nut is genius!

Hey I was a painter for 7 years, there's a primer made by an arm of ppg that is self etching primer. I still remember the ordering code DPX-171 and the catalyst is DPX-172. It is AMAZING for wood work. But it was extremely expensive, i believe we was paying like 400$ a gallon. Plus 200$ for the catalyst. I could be off on the price but it was the most expensive primer we used. Also it dries in like 1 minute. I literally mean it dries so fast that if you use too high of air pressure it can dry before it reaches the surface of what you're spraying and it will feel like sand paper. I also used a binks gun similiar to yours but my favorite was the blinks SL series. Amazing and easy to rebuild/clean. Cheers.

Wow, great video! Learned a lot about setups that I will use on my current guitars. Thank you.

Will, you’re quietly closing in on 120k(!) subscribers. So great to so you continuing to grow the channel.

Best kit video on you tube by far 6 out of 5 stars

That is true, you are NOT just some chump with a camera on youtube.. You are the real thing, a pro thats sharing knowledge with the rest of us. Thanks Will!

I think I have learned more about setting up a guitar here than anywhere else. Thanks

Wow Will, one of the quickest hours of my life. I hung onto every nugget of wisdom and experience - not that I am going to build one of these (I go the second hand guitar route) - but just to listen to the way it should be done. I have an old sports car I am starting to rebuild and watching you at work confirms that I really need to step up to get the quality I want. Thanks.

I bought a Chinese Strat for 60 quid here in the UK. Really you can't get a new guitar cheaper than that. Wasn't expecting much. It had fret sprout and didn't sound the best through the bass amp the shop owner put me through. But it had a bit of 'mojo'. Got it home, sanded down the neck, used a nail file to level the nut - new strings. Adjusted the saddles. Checked the truss rod. Not exactly in that order! All thanks to lessons learned from Willseasyguitar. Within an hour or two I had it rocking. Man that thing sounds more like a Strat than a Strat!. The maple neck is very discoloured - it's almost dirty in the wood grain but it's a lovely solid, smooth, chunk of beautifully CC'd wood. The paint is fading on the wings and could have done with another coat or two, so it's got this bright red Fiesta Red stripe down the middle with the fading wings. Love it! Guitar still sounds great. All five positions work as you would expect on a Strat. The neck is not too thin or too fat. I really hacked at that nut for fun. Surprised it actually worked. When I get time, I'll be putting a new nut on and doing it properly. Yeah, 60 quid. Would never ever part with this guitar. Love its vibe, it's sound. I've already written some great music with it. I'm a failed guitarist - I'll admit that - but I'm a musician as well and this is a great musical instrument. Don't know what's up with thos pickups but they sound as good as anything I've got in all of my five Strats I own. I'll rub her down at some point and if the grain is good do a natural stain, if not I'll push the boat out a bit more and maybe attempt a glossy nitro or get someone else to do it for me. The Crimson boys are just down the road from me though they are expensive. Anyway, Will, it's great to see you making vids like this again. Thanks for the great content!

Best explanations I've ever watched. Great job. Thanks

Been wanting to get into luthiery for a long time, this seems like a good place to start, really grateful for this video

Great video Will. I love these long informative videos they really help

I was pretty impressed with this video and I will tell you why... I have never bought a kit guitar, but long before I came across this video, I had bought two Fender Stratocasters. A little over 1,000 dollars each. I used them both for several years with complete satisfaction. One morning I woke up and looked out my front window and noticed the head stock sticking out of a trash can across the street, set out for the trashman. I rushed across the street and dug it out. It really appeared to be a real "CHEEZE~MASTER". It was an all black nice copy of a Strat that weighed less than half what the heavy real Strats weighed. It had one single humbucker pickup in the tremelo position, 1 volume switch, 1 tone switch and a standard input plug mounted in the pick guard. It definitely needed some TLC and a bit of minor repair and adjusting. I added a new set of tuners that I traded some other guitar parts for and some repair to the pickup mount , then allot of cleaning and polishing. The brand name on the head stock was "BAJA". Never heard of it. Once reassembled and plugged in, I was shocked how this guitar sounded and played. The tone had a great variety of range, the volume had a louder range then the real Strats, and the sestain is fantastic. I eventually sold off 1 Fender Strat and began using the "BAJA". I have since replaced the volume and tone pods, did some other major adjustments to the neck and frets by playing around with something I knew nothing about how to do. I guess a trial and error thing, but by luck, no errors. My guess this guitar sold for right around 100 bucks new, but I roughly have approximately 15 bucks in it. I removed the brand name from the head stock and repainted it "Lil' Fucker" with classic Fender lettering. It is one of the best guitars I have ever owned, used, and played!!! I have learned allot with this trash picked guitar!!! Don't waste your money on a name!!!

Although I'm not a master guitar builder, I've moded my own for some time now and I am so glad you referenced bondo and auto materials. I grew up in a body shop with an uncle teaching me and have transferred that to 🎸! It works fantastic for refinishing a guitar to ... thanks and just subbed.

Very very great job Mr.Wills !!! you have open my eyes !!! Thank you so much for this building a very good e guitar !! i want to buy this beast right now !!!

Excellent tutorial. I'm very grateful for this. Thank you.

Great video. Thanks! Built one about 17-18 yrs ago. Painted it in nitro Fiesta Red with the Re-ranch rattle cans (sealer, primer, paint, and clear). Turned out great. Was just for a fun project and for wall art. I just took it off the wall the other day as I an urge to use some Fender Fat 50s w/ nice wiring harness, CTS pots, etc. I like how the paint came out so much that it feels like a waste just hanging on the wall, so she's getting a nice neck too and gonna make a nice player out of her!

I'm old fashioned so I listen to people who know more than I do. That's how I learn. Thanks.

This was the guitar video I was looking everywhere for. Thanks.

Best guitar video ever, I can't stop watching, so much knowledge. Thanks a bunch been playing for 30 yrs and still learning.

That was fun and entertaining. Love that blue.

I use a piece of tape around the drill bit to set the depth so I don't drill all the way through whatever I'm drilling. Cheap & easy tip .

looking forward, hope I can catch it live

This is not only a wonderful start to finish video but a really good set up video

You're quotation finger dance for "qualifications" was hilarious. Thanks for sharing your guitar knowledge, this is where I go for the right answers.

Outstanding video!!!! Much appreciated!

Thank's for info. So many awesome details!

Thank you for a very nice tutorial video, it certainly filed some knowledge gaps I had. I have never used a DIY kit, instead, I started from the beginning with my own design and build it from scratch just a while ago (I released the first one around Jan. 2020) and enjoy every minute of it along the long process. Thanks

Watched this whole video, it was great! Thanks!

A smear of candlewax on the screw threads will put them in a lot smoother and avoid risk of breaking.

Really enjoyed this . Thank you Will .

Great video, an hour just flashed by. I have been given "semiau coustic " - really-5 string bass kit and it's a bit of a dog. Rough as hell and no holes for wiring, bridge, strings and it's right handed, I'm a lefty. Despite this I'm looking forward to do it, I will know a lot more about construction and I will (probably) be able to drill a 20cm deep hole through wood. This vid. Is invaluable , thank you very much.

I'm probably not building my own guitar anytime soon, yet I'm new to guitars and am learning about the electric guitar. This answers a lot of questions I wouldn't even know to ask. I get to see the guts without tearing up a good guitar

Fantastic! Tons and tons of great information! Also loved the magic iron and wet cloth trick!

I don t usually do the commenting thing. But nice job on giving the straight goods. I appreciate it as a beginning guitar builder!

Really great video. Valuable insights and really helps to raise awareness of what quality means. Thankyou

Very good job bro! Most of us tgat have been playing for a long time will say, I would have loved a guitar like this when I started out! No question about it! Thanks!

Super comprehensive, learned a few new tricks! Best one of these type vids I've seen yet. You Sir, 4 sho know what your talkin about, Thanks!

60 year old beginner- thanks, i learned massive info-thank you

OMG! I just learned more in 10 mins excuse me the counter is at 30 mins but i came in after it started. Whatever we'll say 20 mins. Than i've learned in maybe months of watching these type video's. Two examples the steam thing and the zippo lighter fluid thing. Those are extremly important points that will keep you from getting so frustrated that you start thinking your in over your head. I can't tell you how important good instruction is. This guy get's my vote for the best instruction video of this type. Outstanding! If your new and want to try this i urge You to just watch this a cpl times to gather some of these points before you attempt this just so you understand what he's doing and why ahead of time. This makes these projects as simple as advertised. Great job!

awesome video. Thanks for taking the time.

Great video. Thank you for putting it together. I've been looking at ordering an SG kit from Solo Music in Canada where I live. They look to be very good quality kits. It would be my first build so the instruction you've provided here, especially with the setup is invaluable to someone like me.

Watching this while playing my Strat. Great video. I may venture into this realm one day.

Ive watched a few of your videos over the last year or so, and i think you know what you're talking about. So i just subbed! Ive never built a guitar from scratch , but some repairs Ive done might be considered building from scraps. lol Ive been looking at kits to build a guitar but wanted a different body style. But those all seem to go really quick, and no one leaves any knowledgeable reviews if any reviews at all. You do point out a lot of good areas of concern when building these kits. Ima share this with my guitar friends they could use some pointers. Thanks for sharing!!

Highly informative video brother; as an industrial mechanic I can really appreciate the attention to details, technical jargon and whatnot. Dude, I subbed as soon as you said you're not a chump off the streets! 😂

Really great video! New guitar player here. This is easily the clearest and most accessible setup guide I have found. Subscribed!