Decisions. I could use some help.

[ClassicMetalMatt]

So I know that my next guitar, once i get the money, will be a warmoth. I just cant decide what i want. I have it down to 3 options and I would like to know you guys' opinions on them. If you guys want more info, just ask.
Option 1.
Strat.
Green dye, quilt maple, basswood or alder body. Top route S-S-H with black pickgaurd. all black hardware. Maybe run BKP or DP100 and Area 67's. strat headstock. Birdseye Maple neck with black ebony fingerboard. with a green dye quilt maple headstock veneer. Wilkinson tremmy. 
Option 2.
Explorer.
Black-red-yellow burst, solid black korina body. H-x-H route. Double battery box, ill put in either EMG 81 and 85, or a DiMarzio X2N and a sustaniac. I would go with a black floyd rose special if i can find on new online. If not, just a standard floyd. Black pickgaurd and hardware. Neck would be Maple on Maple, reverse explorer headstock.
Option 3.
Soloist.
Washed black dye on quilt maple. Basswood body. S-x-H pickups. Staggered string-thru. all black hardware. I would run an injector and a dimarzio x2n. reverse jackson headstock. Maple on maple, with a quilt washed black headstock veneer.

So if you are still reading this, im pretty much a kid(im always a kid) in a candy store. At the moment, a very broke kid whos looking for a job where he doesnt have to cut his hair

 

[AutoBat]

They all sound like solid choices and very different guitars.
option 2 I'd swap the Floyd Special for a Schaller or Original Floyd.  1) they route for Schaller & OFR 2) German made is usually higher quality than made in korea with zinc (as on the Special)

 

[Updown]

So I know that my next guitar, once i get the money, will be a warmoth.

Option 1.
Strat.

Option 2.
Explorer.

Option 3.
Soloist.

At the moment, a very broke kid whos looking for a job where he doesnt have to cut his hair

I'd say build them all ..... But  :icon_scratch: .... that's not gunna happen without some income.
BTW  I was young once .... guess what !! ..... Hair grows back.    ....... Hey and mine still dose these days  :cool01:

Stuff what your mates or the people you hang around with say.
Sometimes though-out life you have to make sacrifices, from the time you are born till the time you die.

I'm NOT telling you what to do  !!
But .... isn't a Job with income MUCH MORE important than your 'bloody hair'.  :doh:

If it's going to worry you that much, just by a long wig for when you go out  :laughing7:

Jeepers Creepers whats the world coming to  :dontknow:

 

[greywolf]

I'd vote for #3

the other option is to build all 3 over time

 

[DustyCat]

Guts, as in, go with yours.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

So I know that my next guitar, once i get the money, will be a warmoth.

As I see it the next 3 guitars will be Warmoth!  :laughing7:

Just start out with option #1 and work your way through them all.  :sign13:

 

[DustyCat]

I just played a guitar endorsed by a very well known instrumental jazz/rock virtuoso guitarist. I respect the skillz so as to not mention any names... but c'mon...

Retail: $2100??? HA HAHA I think not!
I think maybe for the same price I'll get a signature series of my own!

 

[Mad Hatter]

A pony tail tucked into a hat always worked for me (back when I had hair anyway)  arty07:

As far as the axe goes, I would build the one that will be the most versatile for the kind of playing you do out of the gate, since it sounds like you will have to wait a bit for the next two.  You want something that will do everything you need it to do, and not be a one trick pony and leave you frustrated two months later.

 

[MikeW]

Option 1 sounds the best to me as far as a first build goes. Flexible as far as tone and application. Then save and build the other two over time.

One suggestion that I would make is to consider Canary as a neck wood over Maple. It's got a very similar tone (a little richer in the mids to my ear, YMMV) but is unfinished and feels smoother and slicker the more you play it.

 

[keeper006]

If you're short on cash, I suggest starting with the one that will be most versatile to you and the different types of music you like. That will, at least, keep you from chomping at the bit to have another faster than you already will once you get one. I have built an Explorer that I pick up for blues or metal, and a Soloist that I seem to focus on classical and shred with, but when I don't know what I'm in the mood for before I start playing, I usually pick up the VIP. But obviously you can play all genres on any style axe... You have to decide which you want the most 1st. You'll get the others later, ask anyone here. I'll be interested to see whichever it is.  :icon_thumright:

 

[ezas]

I'm with MikeW on this. 1st build top route strat.

Also why so high end if money is tight? My 1st project was a solid alder body and plain maple/rosewood neck and parts mostly from GFS (import stuff) that I painted myself and finished the neck myself. Everything came from the Showcase to keep the price down.

And I love it. I like it as much as the tits-end partcaster I did for my friend with Quilted/Birdseye this and that and pickups from BKP, and a custom made wiring harness, and that includes how it sounds.

Besides Quilted/Flame tops is so 90's

Just my .02

 

[Mad Hatter]

I don't know if I agree with the quilt/flame being 90s (I've got a quilt top LP on order  :icon_thumright, but I will definitely agree that some my most successful and satisfying builds have been done on a budget.  Start with a solid base, spend your cash on the features that are most important, and go cheaper in the areas that are more forgiving. It's amazing what you can coax out of cheaper parts if you do a proper, in depth setup and take the time to get it right.  Not to mention that those intermediate builds often shape what you want for your eventual "dream build" based on how they turned out.

 

[JonatanOTG]

Well, there's no one else that can make the decision for you. But... I like option 3! :toothy11:

 

[AprioriMark]

Another good option for your first "build" is to mod an existing guitar, especially if you're not swimming in income.  In my mind, this is the truest purpse for Warmoth parts, because for me, that's how it all started.  Warmoth is a "replacement parts" company, and my first Warmoth experiences were with slapping a new neck on a guitar I had.  After that, pickups followed, and hardware... then I was hooked.

Honestly, though, pick up a Squier or Mexi Strat in a color that you can stand and buy a Warmoth neck.  You can grab some decent guitars for bodies on Craigslist for next to nothing if you keep your eyes open.  Don't be afraid to *kindly* offer someone less than what they're asking.  (message me if you want advice on how to best do this, or which specific models are *better* for bodies)  You can acquire better parts/pickups as you have the money, and you'll learn what you do and don't like.  You can swap parts in and out and not worry that you're ruining your baby.

-Mark

 

[keeper006]

Another good option for your first "build" is to mod an existing guitar, especially if you're not swimming in income.  In my mind, this is the truest purpse for Warmoth parts, because for me, that's how it all started.  Warmoth is a "replacement parts" company, and my first Warmoth experiences were with slapping a new neck on a guitar I had.  After that, pickups followed, and hardware... then I was hooked.

Honestly, though, pick up a Squier or Mexi Strat in a color that you can stand and buy a Warmoth neck.  You can grab some decent guitars for bodies on Craigslist for next to nothing if you keep your eyes open.  Don't be afraid to *kindly* offer someone less than what they're asking.  (message me if you want advice on how to best do this, or which specific models are *better* for bodies)  You can acquire better parts/pickups as you have the money, and you'll learn what you do and don't like.  You can swap parts in and out and not worry that you're ruining your baby.

-Mark

I'll vote for that too. I'm a lefty , so Warmoth is a haven for bodies not made lefty by original companies, but there are tons of bodies that fit Warmoth necks.  :icon_thumright:

 

[keeper006]

...of course when you get the cash, you'll want the Warmoth body too. They're the best.  ccasion14:

 

[pabloman]

Get a haircut and get a real job......................or donate plasma :headbang1:

 

[ClassicMetalMatt]

Another good option for your first "build" is to mod an existing guitar, especially if you're not swimming in income.  In my mind, this is the truest purpse for Warmoth parts, because for me, that's how it all started.  Warmoth is a "replacement parts" company, and my first Warmoth experiences were with slapping a new neck on a guitar I had.  After that, pickups followed, and hardware... then I was hooked.

Honestly, though, pick up a Squier or Mexi Strat in a color that you can stand and buy a Warmoth neck.  You can grab some decent guitars for bodies on Craigslist for next to nothing if you keep your eyes open.  Don't be afraid to *kindly* offer someone less than what they're asking.  (message me if you want advice on how to best do this, or which specific models are *better* for bodies)  You can acquire better parts/pickups as you have the money, and you'll learn what you do and don't like.  You can swap parts in and out and not worry that you're ruining your baby.

-Mark

I like your way of thinking. Ill probably go browse around my local music stores lookin squier or mexis. This may be a stupid question, because im not really knowledgeable in this area, but how do i tell a mexistrat from a non-mexi strat without checking serial numbers? and actually, feel free to PM me with that. It would be much appreciated

Get a haircut and get a real job......................or donate plasma :headbang1:

Saying plasma instead of blood is interesting, im still at the age where my mom controls alot of my actions, and something tells me she wont like me donating "plasma" lol.


And on an off note, my hair is not overly long, and for me its more than just appearance. If you want more than that, i do take PM's.

 

[Tipperman]

Price range, hang tags. A hang tag will generally say something like "Fender Standard Stratocaster - $500" That's a Mexican Strat. Look on Craigslist for them, it's cheaper that way. For my first "build" I chose to build off of a mexican strat I founfd on craigslist for $300, instead of the $450 at the store. Played it stock for a time while I saved up for a new neck. Got my neck, then moved on to pickguard/pickups/etc, finally replaced the neck with a Rosewood slab board and then replaced the body. The only original parts on it are the pickguard screws.

Point is: Check  Craigslist, and learn to play Funk. Pow!

 

[AutoBat]

My current strat began life as a Mexican Standard.  I've contemplated changing the body to make it all Warmoth, but I'm very happy with the heavy Alder that it's got now.
original bits: body, paint, output jack, trem screws/springs/block, trem cover, strap pins.
modified: bridge, saddles, pickguard, pickups, screws (originals rusted, replaced w/stainless), neck, tuners, nut.
It's as good as I like it without switching to EMG SAs.