Bad (good?) news on my build

[exaN]

I'm getting my guitar put together by http://sfguitarworks.com/ and it was supposed to be ready today. Instead I got a call from the tech saying (if I understood correctly) that one of the screws of the wood mounted pickups got through the body and made a small chip at the back somehow. I do want to say that the tech in question was 100% honest that the chip was small but obvious, apologized sincerely and said that any extra cost would be covered. He proposed to repair the chip and if I'm not happy with it they would replace the body. I'm strongly considering replacing the body anyways. I don't want that annoying feeling at the back of my mind that my brand new custom guitar already had to be repaired, as entitled as that might sound. I'm waiting to see the repair to make up my mind, but of course I've already started thinking about possible new bodies!

In order of preference, the first one being the original body. What do you think of my picks? The rosewood top is growing on me a lot, but the body is mahogany and I'm scared of the guitar sounding too dark.

 

[Cagey]

You pick bodies for aesthetics, not tone. These aren't acoustics, they're electrics. The body has entirely too much mass to have much effect on tone. It's not non-existent, but it's small enough that you needn't worry about it.

 

[exaN]

You pick bodies for aesthetics, not tone. These aren't acoustics, they're electrics. The body has entirely too much mass to have much effect on tone. It's not non-existent, but it's small enough that you needn't worry about it.

I agree with this 99%, but there's always that "what if" 1% doubt :confused4: ...

 

[Axkoa]

I prefer 2 or 5. 3 and 4's bodies are too pretty to put zebra pickups on  :toothy10:

 

[exaN]

I prefer 2 or 5. 3 and 4's bodies are too pretty to put zebra pickups on  :toothy10:

Nonsense! I actually think the cream goes really well with the chocolate color of the rosewood .

 

[Cagey]

You pick bodies for aesthetics, not tone. These aren't acoustics, they're electrics. The body has entirely too much mass to have much effect on tone. It's not non-existent, but it's small enough that you needn't worry about it.

I agree with this 99%, but there's always that "what if" 1% doubt :confused4: ...

Ever hear anybody complain that Alder is too dark? Alder rates a 590 on the Janka hardness scale, while African Mahogany rates an 830. Ash is a 1320 while Hard Maple is at 1450. If you can hear a difference, it's going to be that Mahogany is brighter than Alder. Or, more accurately, due to its relative softness, Alder absorbs high frequencies more readily than Mahogany. Then, look at the difference between Alder and Ash, the two woods almost all Strats are made of. Ash is more than twice as hard, yet you barely hear the difference between them.

 

[T89Rex]

5, then 2, but the original is the prettiest. I totally get what you mean about that nagging feeling about the repair, but it's such a beautiful piece and nobody will ever see the damage.

 

[exaN]

You pick bodies for aesthetics, not tone. These aren't acoustics, they're electrics. The body has entirely too much mass to have much effect on tone. It's not non-existent, but it's small enough that you needn't worry about it.

I agree with this 99%, but there's always that "what if" 1% doubt :confused4: ...

Ever hear anybody complain that Alder is too dark? Alder rates a 590 on the Janka hardness scale, while African Mahogany rates an 830. Ash is a 1320 while Hard Maple is at 1450. If you can hear a difference, it's going to be that Mahogany is brighter than Alder. Or, more accurately, due to its relative softness, Alder absorbs high frequencies more readily than Mahogany. Then, look at the difference between Alder and Ash, the two woods almost all Strats are made of. Ash is more than twice as hard, yet you barely hear the difference between them.

Thanks for that info! I've never seen a convincing tone wood test to be honest. All of them leave out important variables like 2 pieces of the same wood being different or even the human factor. I'm in the camp of end sound being almost all fingers + pickups + gear.

 

[Tipperman]

I'd just stick with the current body. A little defect like that won't really affect anything at all, in my opinion. Might be bad logic or something, but you see old guitars missing a heck of a lot more than that through bangs and general tomfoolery on stage and they sound pretty gnarly. Take Frusciante's strat for example. Missing a lot more than a tiny poke, but it sings. I'm inclined to agree that your sound starts with you as a player. You put the feel into it, the raw emotion. Effect chain and pickups have an effect too, of course. A few dings in the wood on an electric won't be the same as the effect it has on Willie Nelson's "Trigger" though.

At least, that's how I see it.

 

[Logrinn]

I too agree with the others here. That hole in the back - while I also do understand your frustration* - wont matter much when you get the second, third and fourth dings in the body (or "worse" - neck).

That said, I too think body #5 first, then body #2 are my preferences.




*Should you get another body, I hope you're not going to the same guitar tech with it.

 

[exaN]

I too agree with the others here. That hole in the back - while I also do understand your frustration* - wont matter much when you get the second, third and fourth dings in the body (or "worse" - neck).

That said, I too think body #5 first, then body #2 are my preferences.




*Should you get another body, I hope you're not going to the same guitar tech with it.

I'm still leaning towards the original body, but you can't deny that it's tempting to swap for something a bit more expensive .

Honestly, I don't think I would mind going back to them. Their shop is also a short distance from my place and if I'm satisfied with this build, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I do wish I wasn't living in a small apartment with limited tools too. Part of the fun is putting the thing together yourself.

 

[rgand]

I'd go with the repair, too. Maybe see if they'll give a discount if it isn't perfect. Then you won't have to worry about the first ding. It's on the back where you'll get it with a jeans button or buckle some day. If you do happen to go with a new body, #1 would be my choice. Secondly, 2 or 5.

 

[BigSteve22]

IMHO, the original, #1 looks the best! Nothing wrong with the others mind you, but #1 just looks right to me. Second choice would be #5. As for the "First DING" effect, I took a chip out of the lower horn of my Strat while drilling the pickguard mounting holes. I was absolutely beside myself at first. But time, and a little dab of black paint, healed my wounded pride and now I don't even notice it.  :dontknow:

 

[Steve_Karl]

4, 5, 3, 1, 2

 

[Ace Flibble]

I'd stick with the current body. It's going to get bashed to hell when you play it, surely? So one small repair on the back of it really doesn't matter.

That said, if I were picking out a body for me, the 3rd one is the only one of those five that I'd go for. But hey, I also don't like cream/zebra pickups, Floyds, or straight headstocks, sooo...  :icon_thumright:

 

[EddieDavis]

Just curious from a standpoint of learning to avoid common pitfalls..

Were  you using hardware (mounting screws) supplied by Warmoth, or by the guitar tech?

Or were the screws included with your pickups?

It sounds like they were using screws that were too long maybe?

Even still in your case I would stick with the original body.  The first ding is the hardest but think of how it will look in a few years once it gets belt rash.  You can still take really great care of it but they never stay looking brand new if you play them.

 

[exaN]

Just curious from a standpoint of learning to avoid common pitfalls..

We're you using hardware (mounting screws) supplied by Warmoth, or by the guitar tech?

Or were the screws included with your pickups?

It sounds like they were using screws that were too long maybe?

Even still in your case I would stick with the original body.  The first ding is the hardest but think of how it will look in a few years once it gets belt rash.  You can still take really great care of it but they never stay looking brand new if you play them.

I provided them with Warmoth screws. I'm not sure exactly how he managed it. Maybe he didn't use the screws I gave him? I'll definitely ask him some questions when the guitar is ready.