/diy/ - Do It Yourself

Can anyone who has built their own guitar using a kit give me some advice or experiences, and a recommendation for places to get parts? I have been thinking about picking up a kit for a bit during the summer, but I don't really know what I'm getting myself into.

I've been thinking about possibly getting one of those fake Chinese guitars in bare bone form to put decent pickups and gear into, but I've heard mixed things about them (although a lot of the negatives sound like they're coming from butthurt fanboys and brand whores).

The other option is buying a full on DIY kit, but I'm not sure if I'm up to the challenge of finishing all the wood and making it look good.