Calling Cagey.... Need history of Warmoth's L5-S/L6-S body

[AirCap]

Just like the title says....
When did Warmoth produce this, and how the heck did I miss it?

 

[Cagey]

I don't know when they started making them, but they stopped roughly 2-3 years ago when Gibson started getting all stabby about companies making guitars or parts that looked like theirs, especially those that did a better job than they do (not a very high bar, so read: everybody). Prior to that, Warmoth was making Les Paul, LP Jr, Flying V, SG, and L5S bodies along with appropriately headstocked necks. They differed in that they used bolt-on rather than set necks, but were otherwise pretty faithful copies, albeit with some options available Gibson wouldn't/didn't do (vibrato and other non-TOM bridges, alternate pickup routings, etc.).

Nobody's really sure what Mr. Juszkiewicz's lawyers and/or marketing weenies were thinking (if they were thinking at all) when they made that move, but it couldn't have had anything to do with increasing sales or market penetration, at least in the real world. But, anyone who was making facsimiles of any Gibson products was forced to modify their designs slightly to avoid the dreaded intellectual properlty litigation that would follow if they did not, a move that could easily kill any company that didn't have an orchard of money trees. As a result, there are fewer examples of their designs being sold in the world, so less people are seeing them, and more newer/better/different designs are gaining acceptance and nibbling away at their market share.

As for how you missed it, I couldn't say. But, examples show up on eBay every once in a while if you've got a hankering.

Incidentally, if you like the example in my sig, the build thread is here. They were still making that body then, and that was in 2013

 

[AirCap]

Thanks. I discovered these in the last 4 or 5 months after being out of the Warmoth loop for awhile. First one I saw, I lost my crap! WOW! Anyway, I've found a double F-hole body (no binding) some guy had for a long time and messed up a bit letting it float around his shop. The back is ash, stained brown very poorly. The flame maple top has water stains on it, with a bit of blue dye from whatever paper was touching it. I will have to fix that. I plan on necking with a rosewood or wenge neck from Warmoth when I'm ready to build it. I'll post when I start on it - it should be killer. Might be awhile though - I have stacks of repair and builds for clients before I can work on my stuff. I wonder - how many of these bodies are out there in the marketplace? I would love to snatch up a couple more, just in case.

 

[Cagey]

I don't think they were terribly popular when Gibson was making them, so I wouldn't think Warmoth sold a helluva lot of them, either. As for yours, you might wanna start looking for a case now as it'll take a long time to find one that fits. I still haven't - mine goes in an ES-325 case when it's put up. Gibson was good enough to tell me who made the cases for that model back when they were making them, and they're willing to make a new one today, but they want $450 to do it. So, the search continues. The body is a little too wide for most cases out there, even the square "universal" style cases.

 

[AirCap]

A pal of mine has an early L5-S with the low impedance pickups. It's quite different from Warmoth's take on it. The only flat spot on the whole guitar is the peghead - everything else is carved exquisitely. The body is almost lozenge shaped in profile, thick as a Les Paul in the middle, tapering down to about an inch around the edges. The binding is VERY wide in the middle, perhaps an inch wide near the strap button on the butt of the guitar. All maple of course, and heavy as hell. Gorgeous axe, too.

I should add that Gibson still makes them for something like $5000 a crack.... Ronnie Wood plays a black one with a single humbucker.

I read through your thread last night, you did a good job with yours. My first binding job was in 1980, I completely rebound a 30's Gretsch Synchromatic with the massive multi-layered bindings. Took me a year or so to get it right. I used Duco cement - the stuff in the green tube/yellow lettering. I built it all up in pieces and scraped it back down to the original lacquer. I think there were 8 layers on the peghead and neck, and over 13 on the body. It turned out great.

Please post if you know of any more of the Warmoth versions - I need some inspiration to develop my version when the time comes.

 

[Unwound G]

I built this for a customer who wanted a Warmoth resembling a Gretsch 6120.  I think Cagey and I both built ours around the same time although we never consulted each other.  We just had the same mind by coincidence.

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[Unwound G]

Here is a page from Warmoth's old catalog.  Sadly, some body shapes are no longer available..... :sad1:

 

[AirCap]

That Gretsch flavored one is just right - very nice. Is the upper F-hole painted on?

Thanks also for the old Warmoth page.... I'll save it for my files.

 

[amigarobbo]

Thanks also for the old Warmoth page.... I'll save it for my files.

Has anyone got the bass page? I feel like upsetting myself.

 

[BigSteve22]

Unwound G, that Gretsch clone is absolutely beautiful. Reminds me of the '65 Anniversary model I used to play, if only it was trans-red.......

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.  :icon_thumright: