New guitar advice for classic VH tone (help a lefty)

[bodine1231]

First things first,I'm a lefty,so my options are very very limited. My current guitar is a lefty Wolfgang special,love that guitar. However it does not do classic/Fair Warning AT ALL,no matter what amp/mic/cab combination I use on my Eleven Rack.

I'm looking for a guitar/pickup combo for Fair Warning/Unchained era VH. I was thinking of a Jackson DK2 (I can get a used one for 350) and dropping a Frankenstein or Custom Custom pup in there but not sure (I also like the Agile 3100 guitars but not sure if Mahogany will work for classic VH). Being a lefty my options are very limited,I don't have the luxury of going to guitar stores and trying out different guitars,I've always had to buy online and try at home.

Any recommendations? My budget is 300-500 (maybe a little more).

[vanhalen5150]

Why not just build your own?

[julkke]

Why not just build your own?

+1. Basic guitar parts are pretty cheap (depends) and you learn a lot building.

[bodine1231]

Why not just build your own?

Isn't that very expensive? I've heard minimum for most Warmoth builds at 1k. I don't have experience in building/electronics anyway.

[vanhalen5150]

Why not just build your own?

Isn't that very expensive? I've heard minimum for most Warmoth builds at 1k. I don't have experience in building/electronics anyway.

Ever seen EVH's guitars? Not exactly DaVinci's...more like Picasso's.

[bodine1231]

Why not just build your own?

Isn't that very expensive? I've heard minimum for most Warmoth builds at 1k. I don't have experience in building/electronics anyway.

Ever seen EVH's guitars? Not exactly DaVinci's...more like Picasso's.

Yeah I guess if you skip on all the extras and do the paint job yourself it looks like you can get it in the 6-700 dollar range. Any ideas on wood types? I think I may go the build route,would be a great learning experience.

[vanhalen5150]

KNE has some good bodies and necks. An ash body and maple neck will run you about $350. Gotoh tuners and bridge. Just get a Stewmac humbucker, maybe the 12K and don't buy into all the hype of the other stuff. $625 should get you there I think.

[stef]

KNE has some good bodies and necks. An ash body and maple neck will run you about $350. Gotoh tuners and bridge. Just get a Stewmac humbucker, maybe the 12K and don't buy into all the hype of the other stuff. $625 should get you there I think.

[stef]

http://kneguitars.com/Tribs/azusa_bods.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bodine1231]

Holy shit,thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for. Im a little nervous about setting the neck and floyd but everything else seems easy enough. I dont plan on installing anything but a bridge pickup in this one and will try to paint it myself.

[vanhalen5150]

Get the San D or the 5150 body. KNE wont drill for the modern floyd mounts on the Asuza. They sit too close to the PU route and are prone to break through.
The banana KNE necks are pretty nice.

[stef]

Shoot an email to Mitchell @ KnE and explain exactly what you want- he's a great guy to deal with it....
I'd go for northern ash (actually I already did) or alder

[bodine1231]

Get the San D or the 5150 body. KNE wont drill for the modern floyd mounts on the Asuza. They sit too close to the PU route and are prone to break through.
The banana KNE necks are pretty nice.

If I were to go the Asuza 28 route,what trem would be best? I've seen others with the Asuza and floyds in them,I'm fine with it only divebombing and not bending back if thats my option. If going for the 5150 I assume Ash for the wood?

[vanhalen5150]

Either one I'd get ash myself. I think floating trems suck because they are always out of tune. Are you wanting a locking type trem?

[bodine1231]

Either one I'd get ash myself. I think floating trems suck because they are always out of tune. Are you wanting a locking type trem?

Yeah,I'd like to mount it like its done on the Wolfgang. I noticed this on the KnE site, "Tremolo with Old School Wood screw posts ONLY." Lefty original floyds are pretty hard to come by used so I'm probably going to have to buy a new one. Warmoth seems to have the cheapest black one and it doesnt have the wood screws though. But damn,it costs more than the body and almost as much as the neck. Where can I score some wood screws for it?

http://www.warmoth.com/Original-Floyd-R ... 7C693.aspx