I bought this kit as the basis of a telecaster building project.
From the beginning I planned to upgrade the tuners (Schaller, locking), and the pickups (Seymour Duncan, Quarter pound) and compensated sadddles (ABM) and modify the bridge to make through-body stringing. Along the way I decided to upgrade the pods (CTS), the capasitor (Orange drop), use a 4-way blade-switch, and get another pickguard as well. The one included looks really cheap. Make sure you get a pickguard with 8 holes.
The body is rough but nicely routed from the beginning, and the basswood, although considered a cheap wood, is supposed to give one of the nicest sounds in a telecaster-style guitar. It is relatively soft and easy to work with (important when you make belly- and forearm- cuts). It needs some hours of sanding. The maple-rosewood neck is very, very nicely made, and doesn't feel cheap at all. The frets need very little work to feel like a custom-shop guitar. I decided to reduce the thickness of the neck to "modern C-D shape". The maple is good quality, and I finished the neck with Tru-oil. Perfect result!
The body was sprayed with several layers of nitrocellulose sanding filler, then paint, then lacquer.
40-50 hours of fun work later I finished the guitar yesterday. The guitar setup went perfectly even though I am completely obsessive with these things. Even though I have been a Stratocaster player since the 80's, I think this is the nicest sounding and playing guitar I have ever owned!!
