7-string questions: pickup routes, comfort cutouts, neck options

[gingerman]

Hi there! I don't have anything by Warmoth yet, but I'm getting ready - so I have a few generic questions to the (uber cool!) board

1. Does ordering the baritone scale body affect pickup routes placement? In other words, are 25" and 28.625" scale 7-string bodies made different  by moving the bridge and the bridge pickup further away from the neck pocket? I'm not fond of how pickups are close to each other on most of Warmoth sevens, however there are some that have significantly more space between the pickups and there is no clear explanation of the difference. I couldn't find any details on this on Warmoth website as well...

2. Why no pau ferro neck shaft option for 7-string baritone necks? Are dimensions an issue that makes it impossible, or is it just about limited availability of the wood? If so, does the builder always reflect the availability correctly, or should one just make such order via the phone as the web builder just doesn't provide some of the limited options?

3. How does one order neck headstock veneer? I haven't seen any relevant option in the builder for any neck, I think... again, can it only be done via the phone, or what is the other limitation I can't see?

4. How comfortable is the flat top 7-string body? How deep and significant are the tommy cut and the forearm cutout? Are they standard in size across all Warmoth bodies? I can hardly find any picture displaying Warmoth body ergonomics on the web

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Hi there! I don't have anything by Warmoth yet, but I'm getting ready - so I have a few generic questions to the (uber cool!) board

1. Does ordering the baritone scale body affect pickup routes placement? In other words, are 25" and 28.625" scale 7-string bodies made different  by moving the bridge and the bridge pickup further away from the neck pocket? I'm not fond of how pickups are close to each other on most of Warmoth sevens, however there are some that have significantly more space between the pickups and there is no clear explanation of the difference. I couldn't find any details on this on Warmoth website as well...

2. Why no pau ferro neck shaft option for 7-string baritone necks? Are dimensions an issue that makes it impossible, or is it just about limited availability of the wood? If so, does the builder always reflect the availability correctly, or should one just make such order via the phone as the web builder just doesn't provide some of the limited options?

3. How does one order neck headstock veneer? I haven't seen any relevant option in the builder for any neck, I think... again, can it only be done via the phone, or what is the other limitation I can't see?

4. How comfortable is the flat top 7-string body? How deep and significant are the tommy cut and the forearm cutout? Are they standard in size across all Warmoth bodies? I can hardly find any picture displaying Warmoth body ergonomics on the web

Welcome.
Short & Sweet version:
1) Scale length adjustments are made in the neck, not the body, same way Warmoth does this with the 24 3/4 conversion.  I have a baritone Tele neck, retro'd perfectly on my Tele body made for 2535 scale.

2) Pau Ferro may be available occassionally, inquire directly with Warmoth to confirm availability/price.  Builder is constantly evolving, may include further options at future stages of development, but basic rule of thumb is to always check with Warmoth directly to confirm current options if option desired is not posted.

3) Inquire direct if Veneer option is not posted.

4) Body contour cuts are pretty standard, and very comfortable.  View the & string body page on the "W" site, look at the "Back" view if it's still there.

 

[gingerman]

Thanks for the reply!

May I add some clarifications?

1. Then why should I choose the scale when building a 7-string body? Doesn't the "body scale" affect something (I would imagine it is bridge placement, otherwise I can't explain different pickup routes on different 7-string bodies as all 7-string bari necks are 24 fret necks only - but I don't have any good proof).

2 & 3 - thanks for confirming, will have to order the neck by phone.

4. Indeed, I've seen all "official" pictures, but they're "flat", i.e. depict it in 1 dimension only. Will have to google customers' shots of cutouts and compare that to my other guitar options...

 

[Pelagaard]

I'm fairly certain bridge placement is the difference between the two scale lengths in this case.  Otherwise why would you only be two choose two pickups with the 25", but three with the 28"?

 

[Fat Pete]

Re 2. The builder doesn't list pau ferro for any angled headstock necks, not just 7 strings. Ask Warmoth to be sure, but I seem to remember reading that there's an issue glueing scarf joints with pf.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

The 28 5/8" Baritone necks, as well as the 24 3/4" conversion necks, are a direct retrofit for the 25.5 scale necks on the bodies designed for 25.5 scale.

The 7 string is a straight 25" design.  If you intend to put a baritone neck on it, there are going to have to be some design changes.  Some of that may include movement of the bridge, some may include some shifting of the neck pocket. 

Since the 7 string is the exception to the normal application, your answer is a simple phone call away, ask a sales rep at (253) 845-0403.

 

[ihavenothingprofoundtosay]

but I seem to remember reading that there's an issue glueing scarf joints with pf.

This.  There's some issues with the chemical makeup of some woods that makes them impossible to glue to themselves & still be strong enough to support the strain of the scarf joint.  It's not that they can't be glued together (thus why many of these same woods can have a fretboard glued to them), but a scarf joint creates a lot more strain.  It might actually be possible to do it, but Warmoth is probably avoiding doing so out of quality assurance.

I don't remember what all the woods are; too lazy to look at the strat necks page & compare it to the warmoth necks page to see which shaft woods aren't on the latter.  :icon_biggrin:

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

With that having been shared, perhaps the 7 string paddle is an option, but again, you should ask directly.

The paddle is a traditional straight headstock crafter in strat fashion, not a tilt back.

 

[ihavenothingprofoundtosay]

Ooooh - just thought of a way to get a 25.5" scale 7 string with (almost) as many body options as the 6:

- call & order a 25.5" superwide (1 7/8" wide) strat/warhead neck, and ask them to cut it as a 7 string paddle headstock.  It'd be an up charge, and you couldn't get the 2" wide neck option like on regular 7 strings, but it opens up more neck profiles.

- Order a regular 25.5" scale body custom routed for either of the 7 string bridges, but with normal pickup routs.  But get pickups with either blade pole pieces or something like Carvin's 22 pole pieces.  Or get it custom routed with 7 string pickups.

- Or you could get a body without a bridge rout if you're confident in drilling it yourself.  Warmoth sells the Gotoh 7 bridge, or there's this one with a little tighter string spacing, and many others.  A 7 string trem is a serious jump up in woodworking skills, but if you got the skills, do it!

. . . Of course, if you wanted a longer scale than 25.5", than this doesn't work at all. 

Personally, I'd only ever want a 7 to play the super badass outro riff of this  :guitarplayer2: