Comparing a Warmoth to a Suhr

[OzziePete]

I've always said this about my Warmoth's, I have a Custom Shop grade guitar(s) at a fraction of the price. Alder body, highly figured maple top, triple A grade birdseye maple neck built to my request, DiMarzio Tone Zone S, DiMarzio Area 61, and DiMarzio Heavy Blues II pickups, Wilkinson trem, stereo jack, braided wiring under the hood etc... etc... In my opinion there isn't a Suhr, or any other manufacturer out there, that makes a guitar up to the level of my Warmoth. I've played guitar for close to 25 years now and have been through just about everything imaginable. The only guitar I have that satisfies me as much as my Warmoth's is my Music Man. And yes, that Suhr headstock is one ugly mother. hehe!!

Even as small as this pic is you can still see the figuring in the fingerboard. There aren't any production guitars out there even remotely close to this.

Yeah, the quality of the parts (neck and body particularly) can show up any cost cutting that a manufacturer may employ. By us specifying a flamed maple neck or flame top body to Warmoth and then getting a professional grade finish on it, we can of course, show up the guitar very well, and also source good hardware and elctronics, all to our own choice. But we end up paying near retail for each piece & customer delivery charges (not bulk delivery which may be cheaper per peice), but we 'cut' our costs by having very cheap labour (lol us!) & we usually don't set out to build a project and then sell it for profit  (there are a few professional assemblers, I will admit and they seem to do a  good job, but most of us here just have that hobby interest)

Your Strat looks very classy and well made, the finsh and styling is modest & balanced.  :cool01: It would sell better than say the guitar that had personal political messages all stickered over it or made into some Frankenstein mish mash of 2 or more standard models.

 

[Disco Scottie]

why did I even open this thread,  Looks like some trol is about

I don't think this is a troll thread. Suhr guitars are very good for an off shelf brand & they're definitely worth comparing to a Warmoth.

Infact, the only Strat shaped bolt on production guitars I would ever consider, if there was no such thing as Warmoth, would be Suhr or Tom Anderson.

Cool, I've been online since 1992 and this is my first ever troll accusation! How exciting!  :toothy10:

It was an honest question. As I said I love my Suhr, and any time I pick up a bolt-on I compare it to that standard. I'm a Warmoth newbie who's never had a single W part in my hands ever. So I was hoping there would be at least one person here that had built a W and also either owned or had played a Suhr for comparison.

After spending some time here, I'm pretty convinced anything I put together from W is going to be good. And you'll get no arguments from me about which is the better bargain... Suhrs are fantastic, but you pay a WHOLE lot for them. The only reason I own the one I do, is I got a great deal on a slightly used Pro model for dirt cheap. I'm very much looking forward to the day I can tell everyone how my W and Suhr match up.  :headbang:

 

[OzziePete]

why did I even open this thread,  Looks like some trol is about

I don't think this is a troll thread. Suhr guitars are very good for an off shelf brand & they're definitely worth comparing to a Warmoth.

Infact, the only Strat shaped bolt on production guitars I would ever consider, if there was no such thing as Warmoth, would be Suhr or Tom Anderson.

Cool, I've been online since 1992 and this is my first ever troll accusation! How exciting!  :toothy10:

It was an honest question. As I said I love my Suhr, and any time I pick up a bolt-on I compare it to that standard. I'm a Warmoth newbie who's never had a single W part in my hands ever. So I was hoping there would be at least one person here that had built a W and also either owned or had played a Suhr for comparison.

After spending some time here, I'm pretty convinced anything I put together from W is going to be good. And you'll get no arguments from me about which is the better bargain... Suhrs are fantastic, but you pay a WHOLE lot for them. The only reason I own the one I do, is I got a great deal on a slightly used Pro model for dirt cheap. I'm very much looking forward to the day I can tell everyone how my W and Suhr match up.  :headbang:

As I previously stated, I haven't had much experience playing Suhrs but you have to careful what you have in mind when you mention 'Suhr'. Like any reasonably sized manufacturer, they probably have a standard production and then a  Custom Shop. Because of their modest output from the production line they are probably capable of having a tight quality control but like Wyliee mentioned above, you could still conceivably strike a lemon. Their custom shop however, you'd expect things to be perfect.

In all honesty, too, comparing Warmoth to guitar manufacturers isn't fair. You are taking their name and applying the quality of their work as a parts manufacturer to a finished product that Warmoth themselves have no quality control over! A Warmoth assembled by me, would have less worth than one assembled by say Tonar, =CB=, Jack, Tubby Twins, Orpheo or many more experienced asemblers here on this forum. I'm simply not that good at doing the fine finishing work & still learning heaps and making mistakes. These guys do superior assembly work from what I have seen here. And yes, in answer to your original question, a Warmoth assembled by guys doing this high quality work would compare favourably to a Suhr.

 

[Disco Scottie]

As I previously stated, I haven't had much experience playing Suhrs but you have to careful what you have in mind when you mention 'Suhr'. Like any reasonably sized manufacturer, they probably have a standard production and then a  Custom Shop. Because of their modest output from the production line they are probably capable of having a tight quality control but like Wyliee mentioned above, you could still conceivably strike a lemon. Their custom shop however, you'd expect things to be perfect.

One of the things I love most about Suhr is there is no "custom shop", all their guitars are built to the same exacting standards by master builders. Every guitar is started and finished by the same person, so even the cheap models (like my Pro) get the same level of fit and finish as the most expensive exotic wood crazy thing. I'm sure that comes from John Suhr's time as the head of the Fender Custom Shop. He wants EVERY guitar with his name on the headstock to be just as good.

So your chances of finding a lemon are significantly less than some other manufacturers.  :glasses9:

In all honesty, too, comparing Warmoth to guitar manufacturers isn't fair. You are taking their name and applying the quality of their work as a parts manufacturer to a finished product that Warmoth themselves have no quality control over! A Warmoth assembled by me, would have less worth than one assembled by say Tonar, =CB=, Jack, Tubby Twins, Orpheo or many more experienced asemblers here on this forum. I'm simply not that good at doing the fine finishing work & still learning heaps and making mistakes. These guys do superior assembly work from what I have seen here. And yes, in answer to your original question, a Warmoth assembled by guys doing this high quality work would compare favourably to a Suhr.

That summed it up very well, and it's what I expected I'd hear. Having never been down this road before, I just needed someone to smack me in the back of the head and tell me it'll be fine... unless I do the assembly. Then I don't know what I'll end up with...

 

[Strat Avenger]

I've never played a Suhr, but I truly believe that finish and assembly will determine whether or not a Warmoth compares to a Suhr.  I have played a Tom Anderson, and it felt (and sounded) awesome. I'd say my Warmoth/USACG comes pretty dang close to that. I hit a "home run" on my first (and so far, only) one, which I attribute to many years of experience working on other guitars. Everything came out great, BUT I must confess that I had the paint done by a professional, and I had help from a friend doing the contoured heel. I also did lots of research, and asked lots of questions.  Other than that, I completely assembled, wired, and set-up the guitar (I know how to do set-ups).  I'm pretty happy with it. The neck is awesome, and I believe it's as good as anything you can buy anywhere.

Warmoth products are top quality, so the question you need to ask yourself when comparing a prospective Warmoth to your Suhr is: "do I have the guitar assembly skills that the guys at Suhr have?"...

 

[OzziePete]

As I previously stated, I haven't had much experience playing Suhrs but you have to careful what you have in mind when you mention 'Suhr'. Like any reasonably sized manufacturer, they probably have a standard production and then a  Custom Shop. Because of their modest output from the production line they are probably capable of having a tight quality control but like Wyliee mentioned above, you could still conceivably strike a lemon. Their custom shop however, you'd expect things to be perfect.

One of the things I love most about Suhr is there is no "custom shop", all their guitars are built to the same exacting standards by master builders. Every guitar is started and finished by the same person, so even the cheap models (like my Pro) get the same level of fit and finish as the most expensive exotic wood crazy thing. I'm sure that comes from John Suhr's time as the head of the Fender Custom Shop. He wants EVERY guitar with his name on the headstock to be just as good.

So your chances of finding a lemon are significantly less than some other manufacturers.  :glasses9:

OK So Suhr rus the same line whether it's custom or lower priced models and that means a tighter quality control. Good. But that also means that your 'standard' that you are applying is also very high. Your wood selection and their balance with both body and neck and how they shape the tonal properties of the instrument will be critical and the quality of the wood you have to get. This issue isn't as critical on a solid body build as it is with acoustic guitar building, but nonetheless, if you are aiming for Suhr quality as a standard that's what you will have to start with. Then the componentry will have to be first class too. Oh, and by the way, the best quality wood doesn't necessarily mean the nbest looking. Consistency of weight across the body, the tightness of the grain etc. You'd be best served by talking to Warmoth and getting them to select good woods for you, it may come at a premium but again, that's the quality you are wanting right? An off the shelf $275 maple/maple strat neck may not cut it. Warmoth will do standard runs of decent wood but the quality I sense you are wanting would have to be discussed with Warmoth so you are staisfied with the wood quality. Then comes the manufacture and the finish. Warmoth finishes are very good. Their manufacturing tolerances are very good too. Neck and body will be a tight fit into the neck pocket, but that is what you want there. The neck pocket, if the body ahs been finished might need some very light sanding to fit the neck properly (sometimes a bit of the finish gets in there)

In all honesty, too, comparing Warmoth to guitar manufacturers isn't fair. You are taking their name and applying the quality of their work as a parts manufacturer to a finished product that Warmoth themselves have no quality control over! A Warmoth assembled by me, would have less worth than one assembled by say Tonar, =CB=, Jack, Tubby Twins, Orpheo or many more experienced asemblers here on this forum. I'm simply not that good at doing the fine finishing work & still learning heaps and making mistakes. These guys do superior assembly work from what I have seen here. And yes, in answer to your original question, a Warmoth assembled by guys doing this high quality work would compare favourably to a Suhr.

That summed it up very well, and it's what I expected I'd hear. Having never been down this road before, I just needed someone to smack me in the back of the head and tell me it'll be fine... unless I do the assembly. Then I don't know what I'll end up with...
[/quote]

I did my first project myself fully assembled and wired, all I needed to ahve done was the set up by a repairer. Many others have done the same. I made one mistake that is notcieable but that was due to my impatience at that point and I should have realsied I was getting like that and stopped work on it. Pre plan and engineer the way you want to assemble the instrument. Do a lot of dry fitting and pre planning LOTS of it! Shield the instrument if you are using single coils, read this forum's wiring tips etc. and learn from others' experiences. Take small steps and take your time, don't rush things and if things don;t work at one of your stages, stop, have a drink & leave it til tomorrow and think about a solution. Being a first project, maybe go for something that is a standard setup rather than a wild wiring scheme involving piezos, eq circuits and passive and active electronics! Are you aiming for a standard Strat or Tele, cause that's the bread and butter here?

 

[hannaugh]

Fun of putting together a Warmoth and forever taking pride that this awesome guitar you own was assembled by you > buying a guitar from somewhere.  Let's not lose sight of that.

 

[Jusatele]

Fun of putting together a Warmoth and forever taking pride that this awesome guitar you own was assembled by you > buying a guitar from somewhere.  Let's not lose sight of that.

And another point
Being made on computerized CNC Machines means you get a very exacting quality, Hand carved means each one is different and how that effects the product is that each one has flaws from the original because the master builder cannot turn out the same product each time, he works witht wood but the wood determines the final product.
To see that in perspective, Computerized CNC quality control is way higher than hand carved.
Now, once out of the machine it is up to the person who next touches it and then the finisher.
So you order your wood, pick exact piece, have Warmoth carve it and do a light sand inspection for final quality control, After that the build is up to the next person who gets it, You.

Now on our side, do we have what it takes to turn out a product like a custom boutique shop?
I can say I only have the experience of doing 1 neck, and that was a long time ago, I got the finish and worked the neck for the next 3 weeks applying and sanding til it was finished. At that time birds eye maple was the hot ticket, I then put the tuners in and put the neck on.  That was what I could do and the neck was a work of art as far as I was concerned, Everyone Who looked st it loved it. So I brought it to a shop renowned for their neck prep and they did a setup and fret job on it. When I got it back it played like Butta.

My experience is that yes if given a quality part such as Warmoth produces and if you go about doing it carefully anyone can turn out a boutique quality Axe. You just have to sub out the parts you cannot do.

We have a boutique maker about 45 miles from here, Mollenhauer, up in the high desert, I have been to his place to play his guitars, each type of hos guitars has 2 classes, touring or master, and the price doubles from touring to master, Thing is the body woods are the same, he upgrades all the hardware and electronics, and does a really nice neck prep fret job on the master class. Wow can you tell the difference between them. The touring class is really a nice axe, just the master begs to have you wrap your fingers around the neck and take off.

 

[mullyman]

I've always said this about my Warmoth's, I have a Custom Shop grade guitar(s) at a fraction of the price. Alder body, highly figured maple top, triple A grade birdseye maple neck built to my request, DiMarzio Tone Zone S, DiMarzio Area 61, and DiMarzio Heavy Blues II pickups, Wilkinson trem, stereo jack, braided wiring under the hood etc... etc... In my opinion there isn't a Suhr, or any other manufacturer out there, that makes a guitar up to the level of my Warmoth. I've played guitar for close to 25 years now and have been through just about everything imaginable. The only guitar I have that satisfies me as much as my Warmoth's is my Music Man. And yes, that Suhr headstock is one ugly mother. hehe!!

Even as small as this pic is you can still see the figuring in the fingerboard. There aren't any production guitars out there even remotely close to this.

Yeah, the quality of the parts (neck and body particularly) can show up any cost cutting that a manufacturer may employ. By us specifying a flamed maple neck or flame top body to Warmoth and then getting a professional grade finish on it, we can of course, show up the guitar very well, and also source good hardware and elctronics, all to our own choice. But we end up paying near retail for each piece & customer delivery charges (not bulk delivery which may be cheaper per peice), but we 'cut' our costs by having very cheap labour (lol us!) & we usually don't set out to build a project and then sell it for profit  (there are a few professional assemblers, I will admit and they seem to do a  good job, but most of us here just have that hobby interest)

Your Strat looks very classy and well made, the finsh and styling is modest & balanced.   :cool01: It would sell better than say the guitar that had personal political messages all stickered over it or made into some Frankenstein mish mash of 2 or more standard models.

I agree, we end up paying pretty much close to retail for parts etc... but in the end I look at it like this. After all was said and done, on that cherryburst Strat pictured above, I had a total of about $1800.00 in it. If the headstock said "Fender" and there was a "Custom Shop" logo on the back of the head I wouldn't be able to touch this guitar for less than 4 grand or more.
MULLY

 

[Bruno]

Here we're talking about *comparing Warmoth a Suhr*.
Well, but wondered to myself.... who of you has a Suhr?
I've a Suhr classic and my warmoth *like a suhr* is different ok, I'd say "no better or worse".
Simply different  :icon_thumright:

Maybe if my next Warmoth will be assembled by John ...
ccasion14: ccasion14: ccasion14: ccasion14: ccasion14: ccasion14:

 

[Disco Scottie]

I appreciate all the input on this... didn't know I was going to be popping such a can of worms! Now I'm that much more hyped to build something of my own. Even if I wanted to spend the money they'd ask, I don't think Suhr would build the exact dream guitar I have in mind (actually, I have two in mind). I own quite a few more than just the Suhr, so I'll have plenty to compare and contrast with when it happens. Thanks guys!