A new members first build - very excited!

[whiskyboy1977]

Hi all,

I thought I'd share my current build specs and see what people think and hopefully pick up a few tips.

This is not only my first Warmoth project, but my first guitar project so it's pretty exciting and scary in equal measure.

I've purchased a Warmoth neck (on eBay UK but it is in amazing condition) which is maple on maple (with slight flame) with black star inlays and what I assume to be a wizard profile (it states Ibanez on the bottom???).  It has a satin finish and feels like silk in the hand.

I've now purchase the body to go with it and I have just had the dispatch confirmation so hopefully it'll be with me soon.  It's a Showcase Strat body in alder with a stunning spalted maple top, rear routed for twin humbuckers, black binding and contoured heel.  I'm a sucker for naked wood so I've gone for a satin clear finish to match the neck.  I also abuse the whammy bar on all my guitars so it's got an original Floyd route which may not be everyones taste but I've never had a Floyd so it's about time.

No pick ups chosen yet but I'm thinking of going JB/Jazz as I currently have these on my PRS CE24 and they are pretty much perfect for the tone I'm looking for.  The PRS is obviously mahogany with flame maple cap, what would the tonal difference be with alder?  Any other suggestions for pick ups?  I play in a few bands of varying style but was hoping to use this in my 80's rock cover band.  Also, with the Floyd am I looking at Trembuckers rather than the standard  SH-4?

I'll update with pictures when the body arrives!

 

[DangerousR6]

Sounds like a cool project whisky, Floyds are the shyt.... :headbang1:

Oh, and welcome aboard.... :guitarplayer2:

 

[MikeW]

Sounds like you do have the Wizard contour for the neck. I do the same with my Strats and love it.

The Alder will sound a brighter and clearer than the Mahogany. With your pickup selection (especially the JB) expect to have a lot of bright midrange from the bridge and good depth in mids and trebles from the neck. If you're not sold on the Jazz for the neck, the SD 59er is a good match for a JB in the bridge.

If you've got a Floyd you probably want a Trembucker to make sure the spacing of the poles is directly under the strings since the Floyd has the wider string spacing of the Fender bridges.

Welcome to the board, and post pics when you get it. 
:icon_thumright:

 

[bagman67]

Congratulations.  Lovely choices, all.


Now the waiting starts....

 

[whiskyboy1977]

Well it's here and I'm very, very happy.  had a bit of a struggle to get the neck into the pocket on the body but with some gentle pushing it went in.

I'm fairly new to the whole photobucket thing but i'm going to attempt to upload a few pics...

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/mrbumpismyhero/Guitar.jpg

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/mrbumpismyhero/Guitar2.jpg

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/mrbumpismyhero/P1010338-1.jpg

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/mrbumpismyhero/P1010333-1.jpg

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/mrbumpismyhero/P1010336-1.jpg

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/mrbumpismyhero/P1010340-1.jpg

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/mrbumpismyhero/P1010339-1.jpg

The first 2 are the body from the showcase, the rest are mine but the light isn't great.  I can try to get some better ones in daylight.

 

[AutoBat]

I added the IMG code to make them show up here:

 

[AutoBat]

First glance looks like your Floyd nut is mounted a bit too far to the treble side. If it came that was you may want to reposition it.
The bar string retainer on a tiltback headstock is an interesting choice.

 

[DangerousR6]

Wow, that's pretty friggin sweet... :headbang1:

 

[Cagey]

The bar string retainer on a tiltback headstock is an interesting choice.

Especially so with a locking nut.

 

[whitebison66]

It's not as odd as you may think; often the break angle of the headstock doesn't actually put the strings at the bottom of the locknut. It's not an issue for standard string nuts, but for Floyd type nuts it can be.

If the strings aren't flat on the bottom of the nut, when you clamp the nut locks down, the string pitch sharpens.

I have a W Jackson neck that needed a retainer added, because I didn't want the locking 'pads' to take all of the strain of holding the strings down in the nut (hope that makes sense).

 

[The Norwegian Guy]

That body looks good!

You could have saved those star inlays for a pink guitar tho'!  :laughing7:
Just kidding  :icon_thumright:

As far as the locking nut goes, I think it's the camera angle that makes it look "off". If not - reposition it

good luck on your project, and welcome to the club

 

[whiskyboy1977]

Thanks for sorting the pics Autobat.

It's just my poor photography skills that show the nut being slightly off!  The string retainer was on the headstock when I bought it off ebay, I did think it was odd but seeing as the neck was used, I assumed it had worked for whoever played it before me.

The Floyd Rose is here now too, it's black which really brings out the black in the spalt.  Just waiting now for the rest of the parts to arrive and the assembly can begin.

 

[DustyCat]

Is the top spalted? I like spalted, I think. (Can any wood come spalted?)

 

[Cagey]

Is the top spalted? I like spalted, I think. (Can any wood come spalted?)

Yes, that's a spalted Maple top. According to this article, it's generally the lighter hardwoods that spalt well, but of the ones they mention, it would seem only the Maple is used for musical instruments. Aspen, Birch and Beech you don't see.

 

[kboman]

Aspen, Birch and Beech you don't see.

Oh I don't know about that...

 

[Cagey]

I know. There are exceptions to everything. But, even Warmoth doesn't do Aspen, Birch or Beech and they do stuff nobody's ever even heard of.