Amber Dye Tele - Warmoth Body and USACG Neck

[Christobul]

This is my second Warmoth build.  Here are the details:

• Warmoth custom-ordered Telecaster swamp ash body with a Unique Choice flamed maple top done in Amber Dye with a transparent brown back and cream binding.
• USACG US-1 neck made of AAA birdseye maple with a compound fretboard radius of 9.5"-12", a C-shaped back contour measuring 0.89" deep at the first fret and finished in clear gloss
• Special-ordered Gotoh hardware (Since I took these pics, I've replaced the modern-style bridge with a vintage-style. The modern was way too massive and sterilized my tone.  The vintage bridge, retains the Tele twang, spank and grind.)
• Don Mare pickups - a Magnificent 7 bridge pickup and a Zepotone neck pickup

Here are the pics







Here is a pic of the Tele and my Fireburst Warmoth/USACG Strat together:

 

[bagman67]

You know, it's a real shame you couldn't lay your hands on some pretty guitars.  But I guess you'll soldier on with what you could cobble together.  Sucks to be you.


</sarcasm>


Lovely work.

 

[Great Ape]

Hey--pass me that roll of paper towels, wouldja? I just put a pint of drool down the front of my shirt
That's about as pretty as a guitar can get.

 

[TBurst Std]

Very Nice!

 

[Christobul]

You know, it's a real shame you couldn't lay your hands on some pretty guitars.  But I guess you'll soldier on with what you could cobble together.  Sucks to be you.


</sarcasm>


Lovely work.

:toothy10:

 

[mark1178]

Delicious...
I hope I look that good when I'm 50

 

[stratamania]

Very nice Tele.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

You know, it's a real shame you couldn't lay your hands on some pretty guitars.  But I guess you'll soldier on with what you could cobble together.  Sucks to be you.


</sarcasm>


Lovely work.

:laughing7: :laughing7: :laughing7:

Totally sucks....

Great Builds, why the preference for the USACG necks over Warmoth? just Curious.

 

[Cagey]

Could be because they're ex-Warmoth guys who build necks just as nice, just not with nearly as many options. The one thing they will do that Warmoth will not is change the range on a compound radius neck. With Warmoth, a compound radius neck runs from 10" to 16", end of discussion. At USACG, you can get variations, such as the 9" to 12" neck he's used on this build.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

Could be because they're ex-Warmoth guys who build necks just as nice, just not with nearly as many options. The one thing they will do that Warmoth will not is change the range on a compound radius neck. With Warmoth, a compound radius neck runs from 10" to 16", end of discussion. At USACG, you can get variations, such as the 9" to 12" neck he's used on this build.

Good to know.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Christobul]

Great Builds, why the preference for the USACG necks over Warmoth? just Curious.

I prefer USA Custom Guitars' necks over Warmoth's for several reasons.  One, I don't like the truss rod options Warmoth offers compared to USACG.  The modern one is too massive (tone altering) and the vintage one doesn't allow for adjustment at the headstock.  Two, from my experience, Warmoth's fretwork isn't as "finished" as USACG.  My Strat neck needed zero additional fretwork.  My Tele neck only had a few high frets (probably due to weather/humidity changes in it's travels across the country).  And Warmoth doesn't round the end of their frets enough for my liking.  Three (and I know this is nitpicky), Warmoth doesn't radius the edge the their headstocks enough for my eye.  To me, it looks like they just cut it out of a hunk of wood and sent it on its way without any detail sanding.  And Four, Tommy and Rob at USACG are really easy to work with and actually listen to what you want and try their best to nail it.  Frankly, Warmoth doesn't give a crap about what you want if it doesn't fit into their formula.  Working with Warmoth on my custom Tele body was quite an unpleasant experience, but that's another story.  For my Tele neck, however, I wanted a "special" piece of birdseye and described what I was looking for to USACG.  Unfortunately they didn't have a nice enough piece on hand.  So instead of just using whatever they did have, they kept an eye out on all their incoming stock until they found "the" piece for me.  The wait was several months, but knowing that they refused to build me a neck until they knew it would be nice enough for me speaks to their integrity.  It was a frustrating wait, but well worth it when I laid eyes on the end result.  It's one of the nicest pieces of birdseye I've ever seen.

My only complaints about USACG are:  One, on both necks, I asked for rolled fretboard edges and both times they said it would be no problem, but neither fretboard was rolled enough for what I was hoping.  But everything else about the necks was so good, I chose to overlook it.  Two, they don't offer a true 1 11/16" nut width.  Because they calibrate their machines to millimeters instead of inches, they offer widths a hair wider or a hair narrower.  In both instances, you can feel the difference.  But, being that it is so minor, you do get used to it.  In hindsight, I prefer my slightly narrower Strat neck over my slightly wider Tele neck.  But I love them both.

 

[Christobul]

Could be because they're ex-Warmoth guys who build necks just as nice, just not with nearly as many options.

I disagree with this comment about USACG's options.  From my experience, USACG offers more options than Warmoth.  They might not be all posted on their website, but basically, they'll do whatever you want.  And in my case, at no extra charge.  IF, and it's a big "if", you're able to talk Warmoth into doing something outside of their standard formula, they will charge you extra in every way they can.

 

[Cagey]

I can only go by what they advertise. I know they're a talented group who's capable of great things, and I've certainly had examples of their work here, but you can't put your candle under a bushel basket and expect it to shine, no matter what the song says  :laughing7:

 

[fdesalvo]

Love the rolled FB edges.  Awesome guitars.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Yeah, sadly the USACG website is very out of date. But if you call them up, then they'll do absolutely anything you want. Any compound radius you can come up with, specify your own neck profile dimensions, put a decal under the finish for you whatever.

They don't do gold frets, but they will let you order fretwire and have it delivered to them, and then install it for you. So actually their fret options are limitless too in practice.

 

[musicispeace]

Both Warmoth and USACG have their pluses and minuses. Both do good work and both have an occasional oops or oversight. If you want Tommy to do an exotic neck for you you have to source your own blank but he'll do it and work with you on a custom neck profile measurement on any order. The Warmoth showcase has A LOT going for it in terms of seeing exactly what you are getting.....there are apples and oranges in it all and I have examples of both that I play.

 

[Vallhagen]

Sweet guitar(s) indeed!

...and good reading about W vs USACG.

Cheers

 

[Kostas]

... they don't offer a true 1 11/16" nut width.  Because they calibrate their machines to millimeters instead of inches, they offer widths a hair wider or a hair narrower.  In both instances, you can feel the difference...

I'm interested for 1.650'' and 1 11/16" nut widths. What will I get, wider or narrower?

 

[stratamania]

1.65 is closer to 1 5/8"

1.6875 is closer to 1 11/16 "