Choices to Warm Up a Strat, No-finish Preferred, <$300

[Shandrazar]

I am starting to look at buying my first Warmoth neck, but I would like some advice.

I own an American series strat with a one-piece maple neck.  I'd like to get a thicker neck on it.  I am thinking the '59 Roundback, as I am afraid the Fatback might be too thick.  While I am at it, I'd also like to warm the tone up some.  It would be nice If I could get a no-finish neck, too, but that is not critical.  Finally, it would be good to have a neck that worked in term of color with the strat's 3-color sunburst and parchment pickguard.  My budget is no more than $300, including stainless frets and a black Tusq nut.

The default option (and cheapest) would be a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard.  I am not sure if that would give me as much warmth as I want.  It also requires a finish.  I would tung oil the heck out of it and take my chances on the warranty.

Next is mahogany with an ebony or pau ferro fretboard.  That would definitely be warmer,  but hopefully not too warm.  The downside is that is requires a finish.  I'd  like an easy satin finish like tung oil, but I think I'd have to fill the grain on mahogany.  That is starting to get more complicated than I want to get into.  I am also not sure about the color working.

Now for the no-finish options.  Canary looks promising.  By the Warmoth neck woods page it appears to be a bit warmer than maple.  Is the look similar to maple with a yellowed finish?  If so, that would work nicely in all canary.  I also don't see any canary & rosewood combos on the in-stock pages.  Is that just chance, or do people avoid that combo for some reason?

Goncalo alves has also caught my eye, if I can avoid too much blotchiness.  A pau ferro fretboard would cover that up from the front side.  I am unclear about the tone of gonaolo alves.  The Warmoth neck woods page has it brighter than mahogany, but a recent thread has it warmer than mahogany.

Past that, I am not sure what might work.  Any suggestions or comments?

 

[rockskate4x]

Go Go Goncalo  :blob7: :blob7: :blob7:

 

[AutoBat]

You'll find many lovers here of the no-finish option necks.
Initially they look to cost more, but if you consider professionally applied finishes to the Mahogany/Maple/Koa necks, they actually run cheaper.

From accounts here, Canary is comparable to Maple in tone and closest to appearance (if you think vintage yellowed)
The Canary/Rosewood combination would certainly be a nice neck.
Goncalo Alves is also popular.

 

[jackthehack]

Many of the woods that do not require a finish are going to be similar or less "warm" than your existing maple neck. Go an all rosewood neck, there are a number of choices in the Showcase starting at $255

This is a particularly nice looking Vintage Modern example at the $255 price range:

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?i=vms4397&Body=1&Path=Neck

 

[NonsenseTele]

Go Go Goncalo  :blob7: :blob7: :blob7:

+1

 

[OzziePete]

Many of the woods that do not require a finish are going to be similar or less "warm" than your existing maple neck. Go an all rosewood neck, there are a number of choices in the Showcase starting at $255

This is a particularly nice looking Vintage Modern example at the $255 price range:

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?i=vms4397&Body=1&Path=Neck

+1
Check out the tone ranges on the Warmoth websites for the Neck Woods before commiting to an exotic wood neck, but yeah, at least a rosewood fretboard to 'warm' it up some. If not a whole Rosewood neck.