A few noob questions....

[Ryan]

Howdy y'all this is my first post.  Lots of killer information here at the Unofficial Warmoth Forum!  Hopefully I posted this in the right category!


I am very interested in Black Korina for my first LP build.  However, I am a little concerned about choosing this wood due to its "soft" quality.  I would like a body wood that can take some abuse and look nice without being able to be "dented by a fingernail", as one member explained here on the forum.

Also are there any tonal differences between a flat top LP and a carved top LP?  Is this just a visual option or a tonal one?

I am looking to build this guitar for heavy metal/hard rock applications and I am considering a wenge neck with an ebony fingerboard.  Are these woods durable? 

I am trying to build a super fast guitar with huge tone and excellent note clarity/definition.

Lastly, what exactly is the 720 mod?  Is this something that I would need for my build?

I plan on using Gotoh hardware and Duncan Jazz/JB(b) pickups

Any help would be appreciated!  Thanks!

 

[Nando Vallart]

Carved top LP = more mass... that's the biggest difference between the LP and the other guitars...

Mahogany is soft and would be dented by fingernail... if you use a hardwood (to not have dents easy) you'll change the tonality... Soft woods tend to vibrate better low frequences, hard woods tend to vibrate better high frequences... My Korina body is away from a while and I can say 100% right, but I think it's not much harder than mahogany...

Wenge + Ebony is pure win...

Super fast guitar? hummm why a LP??

You don't need a 720 mod... this is only that the neck pocket is lowered to have the fingerboard closer to the body, without a gap in the Strat, Tele, etc... on carved top it lays right...

Hummm Gotoh hardwareis good, not sure about this pickups, I think you should get something different, but there are many peoples that dies for this combo...

Welcome to the forum

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I would not have any concerns about the durability of Black Korina.  Woods like Maple are harder, but yield a different, brighter sound.  LPs are most associated with Mahogany, and Black Korina is an excellent choice for the LP sound.

The 720 mod is mainly for a guitar that wood usually be top routed with a pickguard (like a Strat), but is instead done as a rear routed body.  If a body were rear routed and not used with a pickguard, the overhang of the fretboard's 22nd or 24th frets would have a noticeable, abnormal gap there becuase there is no pickguard to fill the gap.  One side effect, the 720 mod could/should not be done on a top routed body with more than 21 frets.  On the LPs, I don't believe it's an issue.

 

[Kublai]

I have that JB/Jazz pup set in a black korina VIP and it sounds very good, I love it as a matter of fact, but I don't get very heavy with them. As NT said, you may want to give that a little more consideration.

That neck will be great and will last forever.

Also, I haven't noticed my BK being soft, but I am generally pretty careful with my guitars and am not gigging now.

 

[dbw]

If you get a hard poly finish (like Warmoth factory finishes) the wood will not dent easily.

 

[Ryan]

Yeah I know that a LP is probably not the fastest guitar but I sure do love the way they look!

Would those 6105 frets be good for a fast guitar?

Any other pickup recommendations?  Perhaps Invaders?  I am not interested in active pickups such as EMGs (81/85).

Thanks for answering the 720 mod question.  However, would the neck lay right on a flat top LP, without the 720 mod?

Are there different types of finishes (that are available throught Warmoth) that would help protect the Black Korina body?

I have read many different posts here at the forum and it seems that body wood isn't as important for tone (in a solidbody guitar) as the neck wood.  I am guessing the wenge neck and the ebony fretboard would help brighten up the warmer Korina, correct?

I gig out fairly often and need this guitar to be tough enough to withstand surly bar patrons, beer and other abuse.

Thanks Kublai, Nonsense and Super Turbo for your help!  I certainly appreciate it!

 

[Return of Guitlouie]

I have a Thinline Tele with a Black Korina body, which has the added danger of being almost hollow.  Warmoth finished it for me in a friggin awesome Tobacco burst, and their finishes are tough as nails.  I have not exactly babied this guitar, which is now a year old or so, and it still looks fantastic.  There is very little wear on the finish, much less than there ought to be by rights.  Maybe a couple pick scratches, and that's about it.  If you get them to finish it for you, I would not worry a bit about, well there is no way to say this without innuendo, but the softness of the wood.  Good luck with your build, man.

 

[tfarny]

The warmoth finishes are great, since you'll be getting the body finished I assume it won't be an issue. No you don't need any special thing, just a normal paint job in whatever color.
720 mod is a no for all angled neck pockets, so double no on an LP. There is no real issue with the fretboard overlay on a carved top, unless you spend your time looking at the tiny space just above the neck pickup instead of actually playing.
Wenge and Korina will be the best neck you've ever played on. My bass has that one, and the combo in general is a huge fave here. The tone will be there if you have the skills.
Generally, for 'faster' necks people like standard thin or even wizard (which I could never stand), a typical actual Les Paul is usually closer to a '59 roundback. Many people think that thicker necks will give you a better sound, and that thicker necks are part of the big beefy Les Paul magic, but if you want a paul with a thin neck, that's one more reason to go warmoth. Most of the shred guys like the big 6100 frets, 6150 is closer to the 'norm' you'd get on a paul.
Fret size and neck size is all about your preference, figure out what you like and don't listen to anybody else about it.

 

[Nando Vallart]

or even wizard

Pleeeeeeeeeeeease make he stop!!! :laughing7:

 

[jackthehack]

I've got multiple flavors of Black Korina bodies with various finishes and am hard as nails on gear; haven't managed to dent my BK Strats/L5S/VIP yet; I'm sure if you dropped one real good you could, but that pretty much goes for anything....

 

[riverbluff]

Take a look at Bare Knuckle Pickups.  You won't be disappointed.

 

[Ryan]

Fret size and neck size is all about your preference, figure out what you like and don't listen to anybody else about it.

Very true.  It is difficult sometimes to separate what you really want for yourself in a flood of opinions!

Take a look at Bare Knuckle Pickups.  You won't be disappointed.

Any specific models you have in mind?

Thanks for all the responses.  It sounds like the Black Korina is a go!  I love the look of that wood.

 

[Ryan]

Oh yeah.  How are the Tusq nuts?  Worth it or not?  Should I consider something else?

 

[Nando Vallart]

Take a look at Bare Knuckle Pickups.  You won't be disappointed.

Any specific models you have in mind?

Thanks for all the responses.  It sounds like the Black Korina is a go!  I love the look of that wood.

+1
Nailbomb or Cold Sweat for the bridge... Neck you'd need to send a email to Tim (the owner) as I'm not sure if the calibrated set or something like Stormy Mondays (for that real vintage and fat PAF)