Anywhere that I can find a beginners guide to building a warmoth guitar? The main questions I have is, other than assembly and set up, are there any other major steps I need to take (filing frets, nut). Any special tools I will need other than the screw driver to install parts and alan keys to adjust truss rod? I'm considering building a guitar but think that I may be in way over my head. I will probably either get warmoth to paint my guitar, or go with a guitar wood that does not need finish (padouk). I've set up my own guitar before and I've also swapped out pickups and am comfortable with wiring. The stuff that might scare me a bit is dressing the frets and nuts since messing that up would be a somewhat permanent mistake (frets and nuts can be replaced but it's a bit beyond what I've done before). I apologize if this stuff has been posted before but I could not find anything with the search.
Any general beginners guide?
- Thread starter moger777
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As far as i know generally warmoth necks come with the nut and frets good to go for using, or at least the bass neck i recieved seems to be ready to be used.
Guitar necks may be a different matter of slight nut and fret adjustments, but theres people on here that have done plenty so should be able to show you how to,
Odd question but where are you from? as most of the members are American they wont be on for a while yet, but should get a flood of replies i believe sooner or later.
You'll get alot of answers here from experienced people. they helped me a great deal.
Sorry im not much help, but i was also a general beginner, and now im ending up with a bass with all hardware installed on it succesfully and a ok wiring job. the only problem i had was installing the tuners, but that was personal error, too big holes first time round, but a member called cagey i believe told me how to resolve it, and it worked fine and there all installed now.
Welcome to the forum.
Guitar necks may be a different matter of slight nut and fret adjustments, but theres people on here that have done plenty so should be able to show you how to,
Odd question but where are you from? as most of the members are American they wont be on for a while yet, but should get a flood of replies i believe sooner or later.
You'll get alot of answers here from experienced people. they helped me a great deal.
Sorry im not much help, but i was also a general beginner, and now im ending up with a bass with all hardware installed on it succesfully and a ok wiring job. the only problem i had was installing the tuners, but that was personal error, too big holes first time round, but a member called cagey i believe told me how to resolve it, and it worked fine and there all installed now.
Welcome to the forum.
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
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Their necks may be playable out of the box, plus or minus a truss rod adjustment, but they are not supposed to be. For a fret level to be done right, it must be a finished instrument, which W doesn't do. According to W, the frets are not leveled but from most's experience, they're pretty level. I've had 4 necks with W installed nuts, they were all high. Again, this is intentional so you can set it up to your taste. If ordering a Maple/Maple neck with a finish, the finish will be on the frets. It can either be scraped off or worn off with playing.
Other than that, the only thing that bolts right on is the neck to the body. Pickguard or pickup ring, tuning machine, jack, and string tee holes are drilled by whoever assembles it.
There are plenty of dedicated threads related to this with good advice and are accessible with a little searching. Wlcome to the board.
Other than that, the only thing that bolts right on is the neck to the body. Pickguard or pickup ring, tuning machine, jack, and string tee holes are drilled by whoever assembles it.
There are plenty of dedicated threads related to this with good advice and are accessible with a little searching. Wlcome to the board.
Death by Uberschall
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You are a member of it. :icon_thumright:moger777 said:
This forum is the best thing going for a first time builder. Just about every question has been answered many times over. Decide on natural or finished wood. If going the finished route, unless you want to experiment, let Warmoth or Tonar (member here) do it. I suggest once you get your parts in hand post a "Work in Progress" thread for the guitar. As you go along, ask any question you need answered as you start assembly. You will get loads of info and help along the way. I own two Warmoths I assembled myself and the necks were great out of the box, no fret dressing or working required. I had to have the nut on my Tele slightly filed, no big deal there. On my Soloist I think the Floyd nut had to be shimmed up just a little. Nothing major, my luthier did the final set up on both of them for me, including the truss rod adjustments.
You sound like you know enough to be fine. The nut will need work, but once you know how to work a nut it is extremely useful - Those files warmoth sells are about the cost of one nut job, so get em and a couple of spares and hit google and here for the tips. Frets - rarely have mine needed work, it depends on the luck of the draw and your own personal tolerance. You can always do the rest of the work then find a good local guy to do frets and / or nut depending on your needs.
Cagey
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moger777 said:
I think you're going to be just fine. Warmoth necks rarely need much attention beyond the initial truss rod adjustment. If you want perfection, of course you can always take to a luthier and have things dressed a bit, but I haven't had to do that yet and I'm fairly picky. Other than that, it's pretty much a bolt-together deal. A little wiring, but nothing insurmountable. The most special tool you'll need is a drill motor and a small twist drill bit for a few holes here and there - the tuners, jackplate and pickguard, at least. Soldering iron for the wiring. It's all pretty straightforward.
W
whyachi
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If you look on Youtube there is even like a 30-part (now) video series on building a Warmoth, but a lot of it is just the guy talking and explaining things. Still, its handy seeing it done, and they're all labeled so you can skip to the bits you need.
EDIT: Found the link, http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=11406.0
EDIT: Found the link, http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=11406.0
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
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Measure and align twice, drill once.
Cagey
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Speaking of marking screw holes...
For very little cost, it's worth getting some kind of pointed marking device. Sheet metal workers like to use what they call an "Automatic Center Punch". They usually look something like this...
and run between $10 and $15. That particular one is available at Amazon for $13. You don't need anything that fancy, but what's $13? Besides, it only costs a little more to go first class, and you're rarely sorry. They're called "automatic" because you don't need a hammer. They're spring-loaded, with an over-pressure release. You press the point where you want to mark, then press harder until the thing snaps. At the snap, inertia and spring pressure combine to ram that point home. It'll put a little mark in the workpiece, which is then where you center your drill and it won't wander on you. It's overkill for woodworking, but it'll be the last one you ever buy in this lifetime unless you lose it.
Serious woodworkers who use woodworking tools instead of metalworking tools usually use what's called an "Awl". They usually look something like this...
and run between $3 and $10. That particular one is available at Amazon for a little over $7.
Nothing automatic about it. Poke it where you want to make a mark, and give it good shove or tap it with a hammer, depending on how hard a wood you're playing with. Again, very clearly marks where you should drill, and gives you a little divot that won't let your drill bit wander when it first starts turning.
Other things that work much better for locating holes than eyes and pencils include ice picks and nails. Those are so cheap they're nearly free, so I won't bore you with pics or links. Use them much like you'd use an awl, but if anybody asks, tell 'em you used an automatic center punch. They'll be too impressed to ask what the hell that is <grin>
For very little cost, it's worth getting some kind of pointed marking device. Sheet metal workers like to use what they call an "Automatic Center Punch". They usually look something like this...
and run between $10 and $15. That particular one is available at Amazon for $13. You don't need anything that fancy, but what's $13? Besides, it only costs a little more to go first class, and you're rarely sorry. They're called "automatic" because you don't need a hammer. They're spring-loaded, with an over-pressure release. You press the point where you want to mark, then press harder until the thing snaps. At the snap, inertia and spring pressure combine to ram that point home. It'll put a little mark in the workpiece, which is then where you center your drill and it won't wander on you. It's overkill for woodworking, but it'll be the last one you ever buy in this lifetime unless you lose it.
Serious woodworkers who use woodworking tools instead of metalworking tools usually use what's called an "Awl". They usually look something like this...
and run between $3 and $10. That particular one is available at Amazon for a little over $7.
Nothing automatic about it. Poke it where you want to make a mark, and give it good shove or tap it with a hammer, depending on how hard a wood you're playing with. Again, very clearly marks where you should drill, and gives you a little divot that won't let your drill bit wander when it first starts turning.
Other things that work much better for locating holes than eyes and pencils include ice picks and nails. Those are so cheap they're nearly free, so I won't bore you with pics or links. Use them much like you'd use an awl, but if anybody asks, tell 'em you used an automatic center punch. They'll be too impressed to ask what the hell that is <grin>
Cagey
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Incidentally, that "automatic center punch" I mentioned earlier? You can also use it to blow up tempered glass with very little effort or noise. Handy if you lock your keys in your car, as all automotive glass is tempered. It's not the least expensive way to get your keys back, but it's certainly the fastest and most effective <grin>
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