After years of contemplating, first Warmoth order!

[Walther]

Wheeee!

I've contemplated making a Warmoth build for years. Finally did it - found this amazing 2lb 15oz aka 1.33kg chambered Stratocaster body in the Showcase and couldn't resist: https://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseItem.aspx?i=S10049&Body=2

Going with Glossy Alpine White for the body, with a white custom pickguard. Only a neck pickup, planning to put a white Seymour Duncan Classic Stack Plus there, with just one volume and one tone control, no switch. Planning to put some sort of a treble bleed circuit in to make the volume knob more usable - keeping it a tiny bit lower most of the time, and having some boost available right at the fingertips.

Picked up this very basic and simple-grained neck https://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&i=SN24772 too, going  with clear satin finish, Graphtech white nut, stainless steel "fender jumbo" 6150 frets.

For the hardware, going with a Gotoh 510 trem (proper arm with a nylon washer, can't stand the screw-in-arm problems), Schaller locking tuners in Chrome, basic chrome strap buttons.

This should make for a fantastic jazz strat <3

Whoo! Can't wait! Except I have to - the finishing will take about a month or so, if i've understood correctly.

 

[spe111]

Congrats, I think it contemplated it for about 15 years before I finally did it. Then I did three immediately.

 

[pirate]

Congrats! I did the same, and did my first build in January of this year....then just ordered a tele body, same weight at yours, a week ago, though I'm going with satin black, for a 2nd build. Can't wait to see yours completed!

 

[stratamania]

Welcome to the forum and look forward to seeing your progress.

 

[rauchman]

Congrats!  It took me about 35 years to finally do it, but just completed my first last month.  Truly gratifying project.  Enjoy and I hope you get the same enjoyment in yours, that I got from mine.

 

[rgand]

Welcome to the forum. Congratulations on this. There's nothing better than building your own. You'll always be glad you did it.

 

[ghotiphry]

Jeez, I'm a newbie I guess.  Only four years in.  I've lost count, I think I'm at 9?

Edit: Not about me, is it.  Congrats on your new baby!  Alpine white is a fabulous choice.  Good choice on the neck also, maple/maple looks fantastic with alpine.  Do yourself a favor, order a black PG at the same time.  Give yourself a choice there. 

Also, just beware, it's addicting.

 

[BlueTalon]

I got my first Warmoth project put together about 7 years ago.  That bass has been my main player ever since.  Now the interesting thing for me is that I have bought several Warmoth parts for many projects since then, but reasons + procrastination has meant that I don't actually have any more functioning Warmoth basses or guitars beyond the first one.  That is changing though, as progress is being made on two different projects.

 

[Dano]

Congratulations on taking the plunge and welcome to the Warmoth forum and "family".  There are folks on this forum with lots of experience and they are incredibly generous in sharing that knowledge. 

The grain on that body is impressive!  You will certainly enjoy the building process and you will feel a lot more of a bond with your guitar once you have it all together and set up properly.

Beware, this hobby can become quite addicting.  Most vices in my younger years were either illegal, immoral, or fattening.  This should not fall into any of those categories so build on!

Looking forward to seeing the progress!

 

[BigSteve22]

Welcome to the forum. Congrats on starting your first build, you won't be sorry. Maple neck on a white body is a classic beauty, don't forget lots of pix!

...Beware, this hobby can become quite addicting.

Yes, and welcome to the addiction too! I started less than 5 years ago, got four in the case, and one on the drawing board. It's a vicious cycle: Feed your kids, pay your bills, buy more guitar parts, repeat.....  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[Walther]

Thank you all for your warm welcomes and kind comments! <3

Having read a couple of threads on chambered and other extra-light bodies, I'm now getting slightly anxious regarding possible neck dive Do you think that will be an issue, with a regular-scale regular-maple standard-thin neck? Should have I gone for a Gibson conversion or roasted maple or something else light for the neck instead? Will the locking tuners make the problem worse?

Eep.

 

[Fat Pete]

If you have neck dive issues on a Strat I suggest you stop playing it on the ceiling. It's not normally an issue on a Tele, but can be if they are super light. The extra couple of inches gained by the Strat's top horn should rule it out completely.

Nice choices on your build - when your ideal guitar is a distance away from the norm, it's cool to be able to get exactly what you want.

 

[Walther]

Hnggh, now I'm thinking I probably should've gone with a conversion neck anyway in the first place  :doh: Small hands, have enjoyed Anderson Guitarworks guitars when i've tried them in a store, etc... but the order is probably already processing and the neck getting fretted and finished and gah, it'd be such a major annoyance for the CST to do late changes etc. Oh well. If double-guessing oneself were a competitive sport...

EDIT: emailed and asked if through some magic stroke of luck the neck hasn’t been customized yet and the order could still be changed to a Gibson conversion one, with similar specs, from the showcase. I hope the lovely customer support people don’t end up getting mad at me over this I’m such a difficult customer

 

[Walther]

The extra couple of inches gained by the Strat's top horn should rule it out completely.

Phew, that's reassuring, thank you

Nice choices on your build - when your ideal guitar is a distance away from the norm, it's cool to be able to get exactly what you want.

Thanks - and to be perfectly honest, some of the reasons I finally made the Warmoth order was getting fed up with simple quality things like stainless steel frets not being available except on premium boutique brands *or* on heavy metal -oriented designs. Ditto for pop-in trem arm with non-sloppy tension, noiseless pickups, and much more.

 

[rgand]

They won't get mad at you for asking. If they haven't started yet, they should be able to change the order for you.

If they already have your neck started and you end up with neck dive, just order another neck and build a second guitar with the first neck. After all, this is an addiction and you will build another one, you know. :icon_biggrin:

 

[Walther]

Oh my, the Warmoth CST is the best Justin’s response: ”Got it, no problem!” Justin deserves a bunch of thanks, a nice beverage, and everything nice.

Conversion neck it will be indeed.

How awesome is that? I don’t deserve this

 

[rgand]

Oh my, the Warmoth CST is the best Justin’s response: ”Got it, no problem!” Justin deserves a bunch of thanks, a nice beverage, and everything nice.

Conversion neck it will be indeed.

How awesome is that? I don’t deserve this

That's very cool. Obviously in Warmoth's eyes, you do deserve it.

 

[Walther]

Ah, the joys of second-guessing. Should've I gone with a custom, non-showcase body with rear routing instead and no pickguard? On one hand, the pickguard will give me the option to more easily use three pickups in case I find the just one neck pickup too limiting -  the routs are already there. On the other hand, no pickguard would look even more minimalistic, and electronics could be modded / adjusted without removing the strings... and additional pickup routs can technically be added later if i'd seriously miss them...

Silly brain, why do you do this to me.

 

[rgand]

This is not a delimma. It's an opportunity! Order that one, too. :icon_thumright: :laughing11: