An attempt to visualize upcoming guitar (1st Warmoth project!)

[JonatanOTG]

Ok, thanks!

 

[Cagey]

Thanks, but no thank you. I'll keep things simple on this one so there won't be a 5-way switch. It will be something like this: http://www.dimarzio.com/sites/default/files/diagrams/2h1v1t_1ep1111_reversepolarityB.pdf I'm not totally sure yet, but as long as I can get rid of the 5-way switch I'm fine with it...  :toothy11:

I'd go along with that. I've owned/played/worked on a lot of guitars over the years, and have found that simpler is always better. All this phase-jiggering/coil-cutting/series/parallel/inside-out/upside-down business with a dozen switches and pots is for confused kids who don't mind the associated anxiety because it's a way of life. Most of the possibilities never get used because they sound goofy, so it's just useless clutter picking up noise and making maintenance a pain in the shorts.

If would suggest that if you do go with a 3-way toggle, you use the old-fashioned Switchcraft telephony-duty part like Gibson typically uses...

They're easier than the mini-toggles to bat around while you're playing, are very robust and so will take a lot of abuse, are easier to wire and ultimately quieter because the size allows you to get a shielded cable up close rather than flying out little unshielded wires for an inch or more to get at tiny terminals. It won't work for the scheme you've tentatively picked out, but for the typical bridge/bridge+neck/neck selection, they're tough to beat.

 

[mrpinter]

Here's one more BB image. Transp red with all maple neck, 2 knobs and a narrow (Humbucker) spacing Strat flat mount bridge (the kind I'd probably put on this guitar):

More like it?

 

[crash]

IMHO, you can't go wrong with an alder body.  Are only considering a clear finish, or other color transparent finishes?  Check out the Brown to clear burst.  A little more subtle than a tobacco burst, but still looks very classy.

 

[Pelagaard]

It sounds good Jonatan. Have you used the Body Builder on the Warmoth site to help you visualize? I took the liberty of doing that, using your specs as best I could, and came up with these images (I did a screen grab of the Body Builder then Photoshopped in the necks). This is an alder body, wood mounted Lindy Fralin pickups (diMarzios aren't an option on the BB), Gotoh 510 bridge, and one each of an all maple neck , maple and Indian rosewood, and all pao ferro necks. With that clear finish on the alder, I think the rosewood fingerboard or pao ferro looks better, but maybe that's just me.

How did you get the builder to give you a visual representation?

 

[mrpinter]

To Pelagaard: The answer is the Builder didn't do all of this. To get this image, I first build a body in the Builder and take a screen shot of it. Then I go to the Showcase and find a neck I like and take a screen shot of it. Next I open up the body image in Photoshop, outline the body using the magic wand and lasso tools, and do a cut out - to lose the background. Then I cut out the neck using the same PS tools. Then the images have to be sized proportionately, and put together using the "Place" function in the File menu. I finish by doing a "save as" in jpeg format, and then opening that and applying 100% sharpening using Smart Sharpen. It starts out being pretty fussy work, but after you've done it a few times it gets easier and faster.

 

[AprioriMark]

Ok, first off, welcome to the forums!

You can't go wrong with a one piece maple neck, though you'll have to choose Vintage Modern construction.  I happen to like that, but you won't have a side truss rod adjust.  Alder and Basswood are great tonewoods, and I've never found Basswood to be lacking in highs.  I would seriously suggest the 3x3 "Warmoth" headstock, as it's tilt back, and looks really, really cool on a strat body.  My last suggestion would be Bloodwood as a neck wood (if you're not doing a tilt-back headstock).  It's my favorite of all the exotic woods; nice and tight grained, hard and fast.

-Mark

 

[JonatanOTG]

I'd go along with that. I've owned/played/worked on a lot of guitars over the years, and have found that simpler is always better.

If would suggest that if you do go with a 3-way toggle, you use the old-fashioned Switchcraft telephony-duty part like Gibson typically uses...

They're easier than the mini-toggles to bat around while you're playing, are very robust and so will take a lot of abuse, are easier to wire and ultimately quieter because the size allows you to get a shielded cable up close rather than flying out little unshielded wires for an inch or more to get at tiny terminals. It won't work for the scheme you've tentatively picked out, but for the typical bridge/bridge+neck/neck selection, they're tough to beat.

At last, someone who agrees with me on this!  :icon_thumright:

That's an interesting option for sure. Let's see, do a 3-way toggle fit into a 'standard knob routing'? I mean, could I just swap a tone pot for the switch? I've got a feeling the toggle won't fit in the 5-way switch-routing...

 

[Pelagaard]

I've played with the body builder a few times, and I've never seen it give me an image of how the body I'm building will look.

 

[mrpinter]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention: to get a visual representation of how your guitar will look, you have to use the NEW Body Builder. So far it's only available on some of the Warmoth body styles (Strats, Teles - including Custom, Deluxe, Thinlines, Jazzmaster & Jazzcaster, and Soloist). Other body styles still have the OLD Body Builder.

 

[JonatanOTG]

Here's one more BB image. Transp red with all maple neck, 2 knobs and a narrow (Humbucker) spacing Strat flat mount bridge (the kind I'd probably put on this guitar):

More like it?

Again, you really didn't have to, but thanks anyway! 
I agree that the strat bridge looks more like it on this picture, I'll think that over again. Furthermore, the two knobs looks kind of misplaced, don't they? I mean, it's like it would be on an ordinary strat, but it looks kind of crowded to me. I've seen an option in the body builder which took down the volume knob a notch and moved it towards the pickup switch. But I can't find that feature on rear routed bodies, perhaps it's just available on pickguards... What I'd like is kind of as in the picture, something like this:

Perhaps I could do the routing myself? Would that be possible?

 

[JonatanOTG]

IMHO, you can't go wrong with an alder body.  Are only considering a clear finish, or other color transparent finishes?  Check out the Brown to clear burst.  A little more subtle than a tobacco burst, but still looks very classy.

As for now, I'm considering a solid or transparent finish (not a clear). I like the bursts as well, but they're a bit more expensive...

 

[JonatanOTG]

Ok, first off, welcome to the forums!

You can't go wrong with a one piece maple neck, though you'll have to choose Vintage Modern construction.  I happen to like that, but you won't have a side truss rod adjust.  Alder and Basswood are great tonewoods, and I've never found Basswood to be lacking in highs.  I would seriously suggest the 3x3 "Warmoth" headstock, as it's tilt back, and looks really, really cool on a strat body.  My last suggestion would be Bloodwood as a neck wood (if you're not doing a tilt-back headstock).  It's my favorite of all the exotic woods; nice and tight grained, hard and fast.

-Mark

Thanks!

I gotta say that as for now, I like the Vintage Modern more than the Warmoth. Have I tried either of them? No. :sad: But I don't like the look of the side adjustment thing and hey, this is my first Warmoth, I can't go wrong with anything!  :icon_biggrin:
Thanks for the tips!

 

[Cagey]

I'd go along with that. I've owned/played/worked on a lot of guitars over the years, and have found that simpler is always better.

If would suggest that if you do go with a 3-way toggle, you use the old-fashioned Switchcraft telephony-duty part like Gibson typically uses...

They're easier than the mini-toggles to bat around while you're playing, are very robust and so will take a lot of abuse, are easier to wire and ultimately quieter because the size allows you to get a shielded cable up close rather than flying out little unshielded wires for an inch or more to get at tiny terminals. It won't work for the scheme you've tentatively picked out, but for the typical bridge/bridge+neck/neck selection, they're tough to beat.

At last, someone who agrees with me on this!  :icon_thumright:

That's an interesting option for sure. Let's see, do a 3-way toggle fit into a 'standard knob routing'? I mean, could I just swap a tone pot for the switch? I've got a feeling the toggle won't fit in the 5-way switch-routing...

No, that style switch won't fit in a pot hole. It needs a 1/2" hole, while pots use 3/8" holes. But, mini-toggles won't fit in a pot hole, either, so you've got some work to do either way.

Opening up a pot hole for a regular toggle is child's play if you have a drill press. That way, you can do centerless drilling with either brad-point or Forstner bits. If you don't have a press, you could use a twist drill, but I'd want a variable speed drill motor running very slowly. Maybe even just chuck the bit into a tap handle and do it by hand so as to keep from tearing up the top.

 

[pabloman]

This is where a step drill comes in handy. Slow and steady though.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

You could also get the body routed for a 5-way switch but put in a 3-way tele-style switch.

 

[swarfrat]

You won't hear any disagreement from the guy who put a 3 way blade and two knobs on a 13 pin / piezo / magnetic guitar.

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

Since you're doing this as a school project, it might make sense to save some of the work for yourself rather than have Warmoth do everything.

For example, you mentioned the placement of the volume and tone knob to look a little crowded in the mock up images.  You can have Warmoth leave the holes undrilled, and you can place them anywhere you want yourself.  Its not that difficult, and you may have access to a drill press through your school. 

Also, you might want to try finishing the body yourself.  Finishing and painting is definitely a time consuming process and can be tricky to get right.  But there are oil finishes that are well within the reach of the first time hobbyist.

If you do decide to finish the body yourself, Alder is a great wood choice because it generally does not require you to fill the grain beforehand.  Grainfilling can be a tedious process, so it might be a good idea to pick a wood such as Alder where this would be unnecessary.

In any case good luck with your project.  It seems like you have a lot of good ideas already.

 

[JonatanOTG]

Since you're doing this as a school project, it might make sense to save some of the work for yourself rather than have Warmoth do everything.

In any case good luck with your project.  It seems like you have a lot of good ideas already.

That is very true, though I'm a bit afraid to screw things up...  :doh: 

Thanks!

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

We all have made some mistakes along the way, thats how you learn.

Even if you do make a mistake, virtually everything can be fixed.  Thats part of the learning process.