Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: ztikmaen on February 06, 2012, 04:29:16 AM

Title: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: ztikmaen on February 06, 2012, 04:29:16 AM
Hi guys,
I'm going to be getting a P90 Korina Warmoth in Vintage white. Parchment pickguard and gold hardware and Mahog Neck + Ebony Fretboard .
Only problem is... I don't know what guitar body it'll be going in   :lol:

So I'm super torn between an SG (A sort of SG Custom look) or a Jazzmaster.
I know in the end it's up to me but I want to bounce some ideas around.
I currently have no Gibsons, and only a Telecaster from Fender.

So I'll end up with damn-near the same sound, just the looks. I feel comfortable with either (Unfortunately :/)
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Sifu Ben on February 06, 2012, 01:24:56 PM
Sadly the look is the one thing we can't really advise you on, as it's entirely down to personal taste.
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 06, 2012, 01:31:40 PM
I don't know what body shape you should go for - but I would say if you're ordering a beautiful korina body don't get it hidden under white paint!!
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: WezV on February 06, 2012, 01:35:45 PM
what if its an ugly korina body   ;)
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 06, 2012, 01:41:07 PM
If it was a showcase unfinished body it wouldn't be ugly, they never are (apart from the poplar ones they occasionally have cheap)!

But I'm sure if you do a custom order that's to be painted in an opaque colour, they must use their less attractive looking timber, so fair point.
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: ztikmaen on February 06, 2012, 07:04:56 PM
Ahh that's made me think... Well I'm not budging on the opaque colour choice, so should I go for a Mahogany body instead? I kinda want to choose a slightly different wood since it's a custom guitar and the price hike for exotic woods isn't as bad as on the usual guitar market. I just wish there was a transparent white finish :/
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 06, 2012, 07:07:37 PM
I just wish there was a transparent white finish :/

There is - Mary Kaye White.  :)

Looks best on ash though, you wouldn't see so much grain with korina or mahogany.

I'd choose whatever you think will sound best, ultimately.
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: ztikmaen on February 07, 2012, 07:28:00 AM
I just wish there was a transparent white finish :/

There is - Mary Kaye White.  :)

Looks best on ash though, you wouldn't see so much grain with korina or mahogany.

I'd choose whatever you think will sound best, ultimately.

They should both sound the same because of the same materials (although probably more wood on the Jazzmaster)
But from the picture it looks a little pink...
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: ztikmaen on February 07, 2012, 10:06:33 AM
And while I'm asking, what should I look out for when making the guitar? People say the guitar is only as good as the assembly and set up, but what is there to stuff up? I'm not really building from scratch, just ordering finished body bits.
What are some common mistakes made?

And some say the frets need leveling/dressing while others say its fine straight away. If I'm not really after a super low action do I still need to work on the frets?
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Sifu Ben on February 07, 2012, 11:32:06 AM
Warmoth themselves say that the frets need dressing. I'd say your best bet is to bolt it together and get your local tech to do a set-up.
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 07, 2012, 11:37:07 AM
And some say the frets need leveling/dressing while others say its fine straight away. If I'm not really after a super low action do I still need to work on the frets?

Depends what feel you like.  They do a very good fret job and the neck is perfectly playable "straight out of the box".  

However... I'm actually going to quote myself from another thread.  Self-plagiarism?  :lol:

Warmoth parts are very well made.  You could put a neck and body together - they'll fit perfectly - and have a very playable guitar within a few hours.

However, I do think the necks benefit from a bit of "tweaking" - the fretboard edges are quite sharp and I prefer them rounded off a bit.  Also the fretting is perfectly fine but would feel much better after a little extra work from someone who knows what they're doing.

To put it another way, slap it together yourself and it'll sound great but play like a Cort.  A bit more work and a proper setup, it'll still sound great but play like a Suhr.
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 07, 2012, 11:48:31 AM
I just wish there was a transparent white finish :/

There is - Mary Kaye White.  :)

Looks best on ash though, you wouldn't see so much grain with korina or mahogany.

I'd choose whatever you think will sound best, ultimately.

They should both sound the same because of the same materials (although probably more wood on the Jazzmaster)
But from the picture it looks a little pink...

I meant choose the wood based on what will sound best!  :lol:  I'm not commenting on the body shape.

As for looking "a little pink", that's the colour of the wood showing through - you can't have a transparent finish, especially white, that completely conceals the colour of the wood itself.
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: ztikmaen on February 07, 2012, 06:32:35 PM
Ok cool, thanks for the awesome replies!
I see what you mean Philly, it seems I might as well get it done. It's just that my local guitar tech charges a lot, almost $200 for a setup :/

Oh and btw what did you mean by sharp fretboard edges? Did you mean it or was it perhaps sharp fret edges themselves?
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: gwEm on February 07, 2012, 06:42:16 PM
Oh and btw what did you mean by sharp fretboard edges? Did you mean it or was it perhaps sharp fret edges themselves?

both really, but if you have a steady hand its not too hard to roll the edges of the actual board.

your tech will round the frets when they do the dressing. (i truly believe a fretdress is  needed on warmoth necks before use, whatever people say)
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 07, 2012, 07:14:03 PM
Oh and btw what did you mean by sharp fretboard edges? Did you mean it or was it perhaps sharp fret edges themselves?

Yeah, both to an extent, but mostly I was talking about the edges of the board itself.  I don't mean they're sharp enough to cut you, they just feel very "new" and "clean", like they've just come fresh from the CNC machine - as they probably have! 

I like the neck to feel more "worn in" - like the Tyler I once had!  :D
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Andrew W on February 07, 2012, 09:05:56 PM

both really, but if you have a steady hand its not too hard to roll the edges of the actual board.

your tech will round the frets when they do the dressing. (i truly believe a fretdress is  needed on warmoth necks before use, whatever people say)

Our very own WezV of this parish has a great tutorial video on YouTube taking you through rounding off the edges of a fretboard, assuming it's not a varnished maple board. It's what I did on my Warmoth necked Telemaster and I like the feel much more.

I also agree with gwEm that a fret dress on a Warmoth neck really makes a big difference to playability.
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 07, 2012, 10:59:25 PM
I also agree with gwEm that a fret dress on a Warmoth neck really makes a big difference to playability.

It's gonna cost me a lot if I ever complete any of my Warmoth projects.........  :lol:
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: XxpapertigerxX on February 08, 2012, 01:31:43 AM
I also agree with gwEm that a fret dress on a Warmoth neck really makes a big difference to playability.

It's gonna cost me a lot if I ever complete any of my Warmoth projects.........  :lol:

Haha you've never finished one?
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 08, 2012, 01:56:29 AM
Yes and no.  I have "sort of" finished a couple of things, but they didn't last long before I started swapping parts again.

Generally I buy necks and bodies which take my fancy and stockpile them.... then something turns up which I like better, so I add it to the pile and sell something I bought earlier.... and somehow I never really get round to finishing anything.  I'm good at ideas, bad at execution....

It's a bit of a standing joke I'm afraid.  :|
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: XxpapertigerxX on February 08, 2012, 05:11:34 AM
Hey, it just means you're a perfectionist, and there's nothing wrong with that!  :)

I've found that I have painfully specific tastes when it comes down to every feature of a guitar, so I'm left with either spending my life's savings on a Custom Shop Fender or buying Warmoth parts and building my own. My next project is an all black, mahogany Strat with a Supermassive bridge and Nantucket neck. Then I want to do an all rosewood Strat (body and all) with a clear finish and Mother's Milks. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 08, 2012, 08:44:07 AM
My next project is an all black, mahogany Strat with a Supermassive bridge and Nantucket neck. Then I want to do an all rosewood Strat (body and all) with a clear finish and Mother's Milks. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

Like the sound of the first one.  The second too, but it's gonna weigh a ton!  :D
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: FernandoDuarte on February 08, 2012, 03:39:49 PM
My next project is an all black, mahogany Strat with a Supermassive bridge and Nantucket neck. Then I want to do an all rosewood Strat (body and all) with a clear finish and Mother's Milks. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

Like the sound of the first one.  The second too, but it's gonna weigh a ton!  :D

Chambered body? :P
Now that you're health-man, what kind of exercise are you doing? I think a bit of weight-lift could help with your back problem...
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 08, 2012, 03:56:02 PM
Chambered body? :P
Now that you're health-man, what kind of exercise are you doing? I think a bit of weight-lift could help with your back problem...

I think chambering would be essential for rosewood, but it'd still be heavy even then.

I do a lot of walking, some (indoor) cycling, various stretches, pressups, situps.... and yes, a bit of very light "weight lifting".  But I don't think carrying a hefty guitar on one shoulder, compressing your spine, is much good for your back in any circumstances!  :P
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: XxpapertigerxX on February 08, 2012, 09:09:48 PM
I guess I never thought about the weight... Maybe it will end up being a "studio only" guitar if I discover I'm not as strong as I thought :lol:
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: FernandoDuarte on February 08, 2012, 10:03:47 PM
Well, you should see my LP, Philly... It's called "the Log"... Now that is re-toping, I asked to make some weight relief holes on it...
The answer from the luthiers was "c'mon, you're massive" and I replied "yes, but I won't be 20ish forever ;)"
So I kinda agree with you, but being not make a single exercise in 2 years due the shoulder, I was telling the difference of having a body used to work out vs sedentarism...
I miss it daily, specially in carrying things, my muscles get tired pretty soon, as they are not used to do lots of work :)
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 08, 2012, 10:32:38 PM
I've got a dodgy lower back anyway, whether I exercise or not - although it has improved a bit since I lost weight and got fitter.  I am an old man after all!  :wink:

But that's not really why I dislike heavy guitars - I just feel more comfortable with a light guitar.
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: XxpapertigerxX on February 09, 2012, 03:23:51 AM
Really? I find that the heavier the guitar, the more comfortable I am. I've even resorted to strapping blocks of lead to my guitars to maximize my comfort level...
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: Philly Q on February 09, 2012, 08:44:23 AM
Really? I find that the heavier the guitar, the more comfortable I am. I've even resorted to strapping blocks of lead to my guitars to maximize my comfort level...

Surely you jest?  :wink:
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: ztikmaen on February 09, 2012, 09:23:47 AM
Really? I find that the heavier the guitar, the more comfortable I am. I've even resorted to strapping blocks of lead to my guitars to maximize my comfort level...

Surely you jest?  :wink:
I guess it's a bit like walking after a camping trip/walking around with a heavy bag on your back... It feels like your feet are gently stroking the ground and walking feels awkward :/
Title: Re: Warmoth Decisons
Post by: XxpapertigerxX on February 09, 2012, 04:07:57 PM

Surely you jest?  :wink:

 :lol: