Custom Tele Build (White w/black binding) - Detailed info for UK/Europe buyers

[James _R]

Customer Service update:

Sent an email to cancel the decal and said i would wait for the new version...

For those looking for an example of Warmoth's customer service... I emailed only a few hours ago and already Brian has come back to me with an extremely helpful email. See below:



It's all looking very positive so far!!  :icon_biggrin:

 

[Cagey]

They're a great company to do business with.

 

[frown]

Hey James,

Regarding costs, watch out for the HMRC's Import duty fees!

When UPS arrived with my two separate builds [neck and body for both], there was a charge of £183 each - which is based on the value of the items in that shipement of 2 parcels. The charge needs to be paid before UPS release it to you - thankfully the UPS driver can call to make the payment on your behalf, use your credit / debit card while he's there.

Hope this helps avoid a surprise when it turns up on your doorstep!

Mike

 

[James _R]

Cheers for the info frown! I'll expect a sharp intake of breath when the UPS guy comes then...

After much deliberation I think i've decided to get a couple of humbuckers in my tele. After watching a few videos and playing another American Standard, I think i'm going to struggle to cope with the hum you get from single coils. I play live quite a lot and the cleans need to be as crystal as possible for the 'nice' bits in my post rock band's songs.

I've narrowed down my decision to a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails for the neck and a DiMarzio Super Distortion T in the bridge.

My thinking is - I never use the bridge for cleans (even with my EMGs in my RG) as it's too thin. So, I want a pickup that will sound nice when distorted, with a fair amount of bite but not too thin. The Super Distortion T is hum cancelling and it sounds nice in a few videos I've found on YouTube. Seems like a winner to me....

The Hot Rails in the neck sounds nice and thick and i tend to play all my cleans either on the neck or in the middle. The Hot Rails seems to have a nice amount of mids and bass and when distorted sounds pretty damn smooth.

Any thoughts on this combination? Am I a Tele traitor for putting two humbuckers in my guitar?....

Also, would you stick with 250k pots for these?

 

[Stonker]

I have a set of Kinman SC pickups in a strat which are completely noiseless.  That might be an option if you want SC. 

Warmoth's shipping is quite expensive.  I've not shipped a guitar from the US for a few years now but I'm sure it was possible for under $50

 

[Cagey]

Warmoth's shipping is quite expensive.  I've not shipped a guitar from the US for a few years now but I'm sure it was possible for under $50

It's not Warmoth, it's the carriers. Least costly way I've gotten bodies to England has been via USPS and the last time I did that it was $65 from Michigan, which is substantially closer (~2,300 miles) to England than Washington. Don't know what a whole guitar would cost, but being an oversize box certainly won't help.

 

[Stonker]

Yeah, I appreciate it's not Warmoth that set's the charges.  I would have thought there were cheaper options though.  I think London is a similar distance from New York to Seattle.  I don't know where Warmoth are.  I don't know if their charges for Int shipping is distance based or not

 

[stratamania]

I think the shipping itself is fairly reasonable all things considered. Its the import charges levied including on the cost of the shipping as well as the goods by the carrier which gets me. How can the carrier charge import duty on shipping, I mean it's not like the shipping is being imported.

 

[Fat Pete]

It's Her Majesty's Revenues and Customs that charge the 20% VAT on imported goods and services (plus import duty - about 2.5% - on shipments over a certain value) - the carrier just collects the money for them; though they do charge the recipient an additional fee to cover the cost of doing so.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

I'm not in UK but in Denmark. I find the Warmoth shipping charges more than reasonable when compared to other US companies like StewMac, Rondo etc. And I'm always impressed with that most deliveries are made using just 3 working days from Warmoth to my door using UPS.

The import duties and VAT are funding our welfare - so I'm quiet ok with that too.  :sign13:

 

[bagman67]

Two buckers in a Tele?  Hmm....


Worked for this guy.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuQEhVr15RM


Although the (flashy!) axe he's playing in that video ain't his number one, it's also equipped with double buckers.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Although the (flashy!) axe he's playing in that video ain't his number one, it's also equipped with double buckers.

Damn - that is one ugly guitar  :tard:

 

[James _R]

That really is an ugly guitar!  :sad1:

I think i'm set on the bucker for the bridge but i could be persuaded by a noiseless single coil neck pickup for the neck - just needs to be as full as possible!

Best tele neck pickup......? Suggestions please!

 

[James _R]

IT HAS ARRIVED!! I was like a kid at Christmas when i got the tracking email!

From order to delivery it took 8 1/2 weeks - not bad at all!! Ordered on 1st September and was delivered on the 5th of November.

For those in the UK who are interested, below are the import etc costs...

£24.14 import duty
£184.84 VAT
£11 (which i think was for some kind of UPS admin fee or something...).

Anyway..... pictures  :toothy10:

 

[James _R]

 

[James _R]

Really, really pleased with the service from Warmoth and incredibly happy with the finish of both the body and the neck.

The ebony on the fretboard is beautiful and really dark! I'm glad i went for the higher grade woods for the neck as the fretboard and maple look incredible. The neck feels amazing, such a lovely profile!

I haven't got the tools handy to start on the big things, so thought i would start by printing out a template for my home-made pick guard (without control plate cut-away).

Got myself some copper shielding with my order, so I managed to shield both pickup cavities. Unfortunately I didn't quite have enough for the control cavity so will need to get some more! I need to cover the back of the control panel cover and the pickguard anyway, so it's no biggie!

I'm sure there are people out there who have done neater jobs, but i think i've done OK so far. I had to line up the bridge to double check i hadn't left too much copper over the lip of the bridge pickup. Luckily it was all fine and dandy!

 

[stratamania]

The body looks very nice. Have you considered going without a pickguard ?

 

[SoundAsAnOldEngineer]

That's a nice looking Tele body. I recently ordered one from the Showcase in Mary Ash White (which should really be Mary Ashe (with an "e") or White Blonde) and black binding. Great minds think nearly alike. I would have specified the tummy cut too if this had been a full custom item. I'll send you a photo when it arrives.

I'm also in the UK. Fortunately I work for an employer that has an office in the US. I feed my addiction by getting stuff delivered in the US, and then bringing it home by hand. The Tele body has been waiting since September - quite frustrating. The dear old HMRC allow us up to £390 worth of contraband before charging VAT and duty, which makes a big difference, but it does mean that body and neck have to be split between two trips.

Good luck with the rest of your build!

 

[James _R]

The body looks very nice. Have you considered going without a pickguard ?

Cheers! I did consider it but I actually prefer the look of the Tele with a pickguard. Hopefully I will do a good job of it!!

 

[Cagey]

That is going to be a beautiful instrument! I'm really looking forward to seeing it done! Another member here (Updown) did a similar build with a Strat that set up my lust for that combination. Very attractive.