Making myself a MK II

[ImNotJohnnyRamone]

I want to have a guitar that looks just like Johnny Ramones but since I'm 16 I do have money falling out my bum bum! My grandfather is a woodworker and my dad has built a guitar in his 51 years of life and I have a good creative side. I just need to know a few things before I do start making this bad boy!

#1. German curve... I know what it is, I just dont know why it is.
#2. THAT darn MOSRITE HEADSOTCK!... very sexy but hard to make.
#3. Pick guard... how to make out or should I buy one?
#4. Tuning pegs... Where do I get them?
#5. Pick ups... What kind did Johnny use?
#6. Color... White is nice and more known, blue is cool and very sexy.

I'm sorry if any of this breaks any forum rules. Thanks a bunch for any help I get! Also if someone could help me alog with the build, not really help just advice on it.

[101Volts]

Would you believe I've been reading about guitar repair so I can maintain and build my own guitars? Good to hear you're interested in building your own guitar, It isn't an easy thing though I must warn you, There are a lot of things that have to be precise and I don't say that lightly.

If you really want to get into guitar building I'd suggest you check out guitar repair first so you can practice on cheaper guitars before you build your own. You do want your guitar to be the best guitar in the world, right? I'd suggest reading Dan Erlewine's Guitar Repair book (Third edition) To start out. (You don't have to read the acoustic sections though)

Also, You can buy tuners from http://www.stewmac.com. I got numerous things from them and they have been great to deal with. Once they sent me a wrong DVD, Just one phone call and they sent me the right DVD the next day... Before I had to send the wrong one back!

[ImNotJohnnyRamone]

Funny as it sounds I found some cheapo strat in some guys garbage can, went to his door said his kid didnt know he was tossing is and for me to take it and run like heck! I took her and plugged her in. Worked! Been in the rain and cold for like 3-4 days but It sounded good. My plan was to nurse her back to playable, or to relic it. Sadly, my friend go to it first. He did a Kyle Busch (Smashing it if your not a NASCAR fan) to it! There it went all over my side walk! Tuners here, a pick up there, I was sad/mad. I did keep it and it helped me fix Sheena. That was the only repair I ever helped with on a guitar. Fixing a guitar before I help make one is a good idea. I ran the idea of making one past my dad a few months ago he said sure! He only said sure I think because an Eastwood JR elite is like $699! Thanks for the link also!

[101Volts]

If a friend of mine smashed one of my guitars I would NOT be happy with him/her, Then again I do have a few beaters like my First Act and my Global acoustic that sounds dead. By the way, Here's a link for Dan Erlewine's Repair book on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Rep ... 408&sr=8-1

And pickguards are a bit too expensive for what you get, I'd recommend cutting your own because it is cheaper and makes more sense. In fact, I was going to get a new pickguard for my Telecaster but since they are $40 each (WHOOP WHOOP Ripoff alert ) I decided to make my own. I haven't done that yet but I'll let you know how it goes.

Oh and I know this is a bit off subject but I wouldn't recommend buying an Eastwood JR Elite for anywhere near $700, $300 seems more realistic. I'd definitely pay full price for a Hallmark II though.

[ImNotJohnnyRamone]

Hallmark does look very good! You never know. I asked for a JR Elite for Christmas but my aunt thinks I cant play so that's a big no go I'm thinking.

[Sixstringer]

Just my 2 pennies on the tuners and pickups. He used Grover tuners and a DiMarzio Fat Strat (FS1 I believe it is) for the bridge, and a Duncan mini Humbucker for the neck.

[Veenture]

Off topic just for a sec here Steve but I'm thinking ...using a picture video for a signature surely uses up unnecessary Forum space each time a post is made. Nothing against the good old Ramones of course but wouldn't it be better to just use the Uniform Resource Locator instead? : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk7oYTSC ... r_embedded

[oipunkguy]

Hey,

Many members on this forum make, repair, mod guitars either professional (--->ME) or as a hobby. I agree with what was said earlier, making a guitar does take a bit of skill and it takes time and practice to develop those skills.

As for your original questions. the german curve was to give a more comfortable feel to the guitar while playing. It also was a easier way to give a guitar an arch top feel without actually having to carve an arch top. This have been discussed at length on this forum, I recommend looking around on here.

Also remember that Johnny Ramone's main white and blue guitar was the slab body version of the ventures II, they did not have a german carve.

The mosrite headstock is a little difficult to cut, I would check out Ed Elliot's threads on here on how to do it, since he worked for Mosrite for many years.

Making a pickguard also can be a little hard to master, I would take time to read some of the how to sections on stewmac.com and it might give you a better idea of what's involved so you can then make your own decision, do you want to make one yourself, or buy one.

hope this helps

[oipunkguy]