Guys, I built my own guitar over the weekend!
The total price for all the parts was about £30, and I managed to get most of them on eBay. The body is a strat one, but whoever had it before did some really weird things to it. The action was crazily high, and it has a brass bridge that has been screwed down so the tremolo arm can only dive. I've managed to fix the intonation and lower the action but for some reason the B string resonates a lot - it sounds like a sitar string. Surprisingly, the neck is really nice.
As for the electronics, I used three old pickups. I've no idea who made them or what they're meant to be but they sound ace. The neck one is a layered strat-size humbucker. It's seriously loud. I used this ( http://www.1728.com/guitar2.htm ) wiring configuration. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to change the sound of their guitar, it has an amazing range. Mine is pretty messed up though, since I only had one capacitor so the tone knobs also effect t he volume, but depending on whether it's in parallel or serial mode they have to be turned in different directions.
It's pretty cool.
Awesome, post pictures of it!
In response to the B string problem, it could be a few things. How did you adjust the action? Did you use a feeler gauge? If you're working on guitars, I highly suggest getting one. They're very cheap and you can get them at most hardware stores (normally used for checking spark plugs). It really helps with action and truss rod adjustment, since you can get EXACT measurements. Not necessary, but makes it alot easier.
My first guess would be the action is too low on that string. If raising the action doesn't solve the problem, then it could be a loose screw vibrating. Make sure everything's down tight, especially the saddle adjusters and the tuners. If that doesn't solve it, then it's likely that the nut is filed too low, and the string is hitting the first fret. There's really only one way to surefire fix this, and that's replacing the nut. You can either buy a nut blank, a set of files, and do it yourself, or go to a luthier and have them do it (probably cheaper and quicker, but you don't feel the same satisfaction). The best way to make sure that it's not the first fret is to have everything adjusted and tightened down and then fret the string at the first fret. if it doesn't buzz, then that's it.
Hope this helps, I'll be getting into my guitar building here soon, too. I'll try and thin out my unfinished projects (Kramer/Fender focus/strat, Kramer/Fender tele/baretta hybrid, relic tele project, and if I have time the Epiphone Coronet one off)
