Warmoth question, custom tele build!

[Musiscience]

Hey all!

For the last few days, I have been thinking about building myself my dream Telecaster from Warmoth parts.

There really seems to be nothing on the market at the moment meeting all the checkboxes of what would be my "perfect tele".

Has any of you had previous experience with Warmoth and/or their parts? What kind of quality can I expect from them? How is their Wizard profile? It seem to be rounder than a typical Wizard from the profile pictures.

For anyone curious, here are the specs planned. It would keep the classic tele setup/sound, but with modern appointments, playability and a little hotter pickups for high gain with a tele sound.

Roasted alder body with heel contour.
Goblin Flake finish
All gold gotoh hardware
Pickups: unsure, but leaning toward SD Quarter Pound tele set or Fishman Gristle Tone
White pickguard
Roaster maple flame neck/fretboard with no inlays and side glow dots.
(I will finish the neck myself with tru oil and gunstock wax like EBMM does.)
22 SS 6100 Frets
LSR roller nut.

Here's a pic of the finish:

 

[A-Branger]

ooohh keep us posted, that sounds like a sick build \m/

reverse headstock? you know you want it

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I've built a bunch of Warmoth based guitars, for myself and others.

Quality wise, the materials range from good to great. The fretwork can be very hit or miss, but it's rarely terrible and the actual installation is always been proper. Expect needing a slight level and a good dress. Routing is typically very clean, and their finish work is professional.

That's for the parts. As for the quality of the guitar, that's going to come down to the experience and patience of the person putting it all together.

Their neck shapes are fairly close to what they're based on, but now 100% exact. The "Wizard" is thin and flat relative to their others, but don't expect it to be as thin or flat as say an old RG550. But, if you're an Ibanez neck fan, unless you're super picky, you'll probably dig it.

 

[Wolfhorsky]

For 400-500 bucks they want for a neck, it should have proper fret job done. My
Cool color tho.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

For 400-500 bucks they want for a neck, it should have proper fret job done. My
Cool color tho.

Depends on the specs, most necks are in the $180 to $250 range, which is great considering how much better they are than most project necks.

The biggest determinant of price on Warmoth is materials. Stuff like solid, full thickness flamed roasted maple, and single piece exotics are expensive everywhere.

The problem is that you can't fully complete fretwork without finishing the guitar. You can get it close, but a green neck that's never been installed is damn hard to get good enough that later work when being assembled isn't needed. There are just too many factors at play, and it's better to leave more material than needed than to remove it later and not have enough.

 

[Musiscience]

Thanks for your replies Max! The neck sounds perfect for me as I want a thin one without it being too flat so it retains a classic feel.

I was planning on taking it to a luthier for a complete fret dress/level and electronics installation after initial assembly.

How would the parts build quality compare to a standard Fender pro series?

ooohh keep us posted, that sounds like a sick build \m/

reverse headstock? you know you want it

Ahhhhhh I’ll think about that haha initially I wanted to retain a somewhat classic look, but on steroids. I’ll keep you posted when I finally build it!

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Thanks for your replies Max! The neck sounds perfect for me as I want a thin one without it being too flat so it retains a classic feel.

I was planning on taking it to a luthier for a complete fret dress/level and electronics installation after initial assembly.

How would the parts build quality compare to a standard Fender pro series?



Ahhhhhh I’ll think about that haha initially I wanted to retain a somewhat classic look, but on steroids. I’ll keep you posted when I finally build it!

I'd say around American Professional if sorted out by a pro. It's hard to really do a 1:1 comparison like this.

If done right, there's no reason this shouldn't perform any better or worse than a $1500 to $2000 Strat.

You see Warmoth builds go for cheap because there's a 75% chance the original builder/buyer botched something.

 

[Wolfhorsky]

Depends on the specs, most necks are in the $180 to $250 range, which is great considering how much better they are than most project necks.

The biggest determinant of price on Warmoth is materials. Stuff like solid, full thickness flamed roasted maple, and single piece exotics are expensive everywhere.

The problem is that you can't fully complete fretwork without finishing the guitar. You can get it close, but a green neck that's never been installed is damn hard to get good enough that later work when being assembled isn't needed. There are just too many factors at play, and it's better to leave more material than needed than to remove it later and not have enough.

If You order the neck with no fancy/shmancy woods/features but with oil/laquer finish the price is near 500 $ and frets should be damn near perfect. BTW they did some tests (on youtube) with neck woods. I think that the neck wood choice is more the esthetics not tone by itself.

 

[wannabguitarist]

If You order the neck with no fancy/shmancy woods/features but with oil/laquer finish the price is near 500 $ and frets should be damn near perfect. BTW they did some tests (on youtube) with neck woods. I think that the neck wood choice is more the esthetics not tone by itself.

Hm


Gloss finish is $10 more. $322 with stainless frets and an Earvana nut. $500 will get you a fairly exotic neck. Like Max said, you can't have perfect fretwork on a neck that hasn't been installed on a guitar.

I spend too much time on Warmoth at work

 

[KnightBrolaire]

If You order the neck with no fancy/shmancy woods/features but with oil/laquer finish the price is near 500 $ and frets should be damn near perfect. BTW they did some tests (on youtube) with neck woods. I think that the neck wood choice is more the esthetics not tone by itself.

i've yet to buy a 500$ neck from them. even full rosewood necks are under 500

 

[Wolfhorsky]

Maybe it is my perspective:

When You subtract 20 bucks for SS frets it is still more expensive than Ibby Prestige necks i bought (350 Euros). When You ship it in EU You must add shipping costs, VAT and import duties.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Maybe it is my perspective:

When You subtract 20 bucks for SS frets it is still more expensive than Ibby Prestige necks i bought (350 Euros). When You ship it in EU You must add shipping costs, VAT and import duties.

Where else are you going to find that neck cheaper?

Quartersawn, compound radius, stainless steel frets, nitro finished, etc. That's all premium options.

 

[Wolfhorsky]

Meinlshop minus SS frets. Frets are levelled and crowned. Plus rounded fretboard and fret edges. Only not polished. Shipping to Poland 10-20 Euro.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Meinlshop minus SS frets. Frets are levelled and crowned. Plus rounded fretboard and fret edges. Only not polished. Shipping to Poland 10-20 Euro.

Link?

 

[Wolfhorsky]

Link?

 

[Wolfhorsky]

Link?

Seriously:
https://www.meinlshop.de/en/ibanez/spare-parts/e-guitars/necks?page=5
Now, they don’t have the ones i bought in stock..

 

[MaxOfMetal]

As someone who has worked previously at an authorized Ibanez repair center, the replacement order necks aren't fully dressed either. They're usually pretty solid, because Fujigen doesn't fuck around, but they still need some work like some Warmoth necks do. Unless your link was for "reclaimed" necks, which are ones who made it to full guitars, but the whole instrument didn't pass final inspection. Then the neck would be good to go.

 

[Wolfhorsky]

As someone who has worked previously at an authorized Ibanez repair center, the replacement order necks aren't fully dressed either. They're usually pretty solid, because Fujigen doesn't fuck around, but they still need some work like some Warmoth necks do. Unless your link was for "reclaimed" necks, which are ones who made it to full guitars, but the whole instrument didn't pass final inspection. Then the neck would be good to go.

Strangely both are almost perfect. The only missing point is fret polishing.

 

[Cheap]

I literally built a tele like this (with a few more traditional specs) and did the tru oil and wax combo and it's just as killer as any high end suhr/prs/ebmm i've owned.

I have a strat build with a warmoth neck and the tele has a musikraft neck and i MUCH prefer the musikraft. Their attention to detail is a bit better and my tech had zero issues when putting the whole thing together. That was not the experience I had with the warmoth neck

Just my

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Strangely both are almost perfect. The only missing point is fret polishing.

Which is how a lot of Warmoth necks come out.

But, even on new guitars, it's not like Ibanez necks are without fault occasionally.

What neck did you get that was all quartersawn by the way? I don't recall anything current being so. Was it NOS?