Chips in the Warmoth Finish

[GearBoxTy]

Does the finish that Warmoth applies to bodies chip easily, or is it just my Sonic Blue Strat body?

 

[mullyman]

I'm not accusing you of anything but it would come down to how you take care of it. I've been playing mine more than 2 years now with regular practice sessions with my band and live shows. Nothing more than a tiny scratch on it so far.

When it chips what were you doing?
MULLY

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I have a few chips and dings, but no more than I would expect. 

 

[SustainerPlayer]

I've got 7 Warmoth bodies "in action" and I don't think they chip easier than any of the 30+ others guitars I have or have had.

 

[Cagey]

Warmoth uses polyurethane to finish, which is pretty robust stuff. The only finish I've worked with that's tougher is epoxy, but you wouldn't put that on a guitar.

 

[Day-mun]

Funny, I have noticed my sonic blue to be exceptionally fragile as well. I was untangling an instrument cable near the body, and the metal tip just barely glanced off the radius-edge and tink! -A pinhead sized chip straight through! It wasn't exactly like I was whipping it around and acting like a maniac; my guitars rarely show any wear at all even after years of regular use. People who strum hard don't even get to touch them, -I'm pretty obsessive about their protection.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I would bet the biggest variable is the wood underneath it.  My favorite wood, basswood, probably dings and chips easier than, say, maple.

 

[AutoBat]

I've found that with my MIM body, if I hit it on something and it makes a loud bang, it's probably fine.  If I gently bump something I'll have a mark on it.  It defys logic and it fits perfectly with my usual luck level.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Chips...

Potato or tortilla?

 

[GearBoxTy]

These are the first two chips (on the back side of the lower bout) I noticed shortly after the guitar was complete (7/31/2012).  I have no idea how they got there:

Sometime later, I noticed a chip on the back upper curve behind the arm contour:

And, most recently and most devastatingly, this one on the upper bout that I'm sure I did but don't know how or when.  Perhaps the Dunlop strap lock hit it when I was putting the strap on or taking the strap off:

Granted, I have done 38 gigs with this guitar since it has been complete along with a few random rehearsals and some house practicing.  And, I am pretty animated when I play live. But I thought their finishes were more durable than this.  I've had a Fender American Standard Stratocaster since 1987 or 1988 and it might have one nick out of the body.

This is an Alder body with a Warmoth Sonic Blue finish that I got from the showcase (thrift shop) in March 2012.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

I have done 38 gigs with this guitar since it has been complete along with a few random rehearsals and some house practicing. 

In that case I think it holds up pretty well. YMMV and all that. Under the given circumstances I do think those dings are minor .

 

[RobR]

Not uncommon..... The finish is a whole lot thinner than the late 80's - 90's Fender finishes (I know because I stripped a couple bodies from that era.... WAY thicker) ..... My Swamp ash  / Butterscotch Esquire has all kinds of nicks missing from gigs.... it is less noticeable because  the contrast of colors is not as large (Sonic Blue vs Alder)... 

 

[MikeW]

Sometime later, I noticed a chip on the back upper curve behind the arm contour:

This! Every guitar I've ever owned has one of these. I've found that it's from the sharp corners/edges on the straplocks that bang into the back of the contour.

 

[DavyDave53]

That's one of the most mild relics I've ever seen.  Keep playing it and it will relic out quite nicely.

 

[AutoBat]

Never remove your strap and straplock dings stop happening.

 

[MikeW]

... It defys logic and it fits perfectly with my usual luck level.

Never remove your strap and straplock dings stop happening.

Unfortunately, I'm with you on the luck scale. If it wasn't for bad luck, Imma got no luck at all. And the damn thing just doesn't fit in the case if I leave the strap on. And with my luck it better LIVE in the case.
:doh:

 

[Day-mun]

I'm still wondering if there is something different about the sonic blue. My other colored W's aren't so fragile, but my fretless pbass is starting to look the same way. -Bad batch of that color sent to Warmoth from their supplier?

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Sonic Chips Blue?  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[Day-mun]

-Hey, if your sonic was chippin', you'd certainly think that it blue, too.  :icon_jokercolor: :icon_jokercolor: :icon_jokercolor:

 

[DustyCat]

Seaside Tele  :dontknow: