Does my neck have a satin finish or is it raw?

[isabel@cf-1.com]

My neck was supposed ship in 8 to 10 weeks but after only three weeks it was showing on my account that it had shipped. So I checked my PO box for the next week or so and nothing so I called sales and they said this was in error and the neck will not ship for at least another 4 weeks.

Well it turned out that the neck had shipped and was sitting in my PO box for the next week or so.-- so much for the ten days to check the neck for errors-- All the while sales continued telling me it has not been shipped. So customer service, although very friendly, didn't know what was going on, nothing new in this day and age of corporate smiling face bull.

But my problem is that the neck looks unfinished. I ordered the satin finish but neither I nor my friends can tell for sure if it had been finished. The same sales person assures me it has been finished but this is the same person that didn't even know if the neck had been shipped.

Is there a way to tell if the neck has the satin finish. Please help.

Thank You

 

[alterbridgefan]

But my problem is that the neck looks unfinished.

It's finished. Tons of Newbies complain that their neck has not been finished, and you can always bet they ordered the satin finish. :icon_thumright:

 

[DangerousR6]

First of all welcome, and second, we need a little bit more info. What kind of wood was the neck made from? and some pics would help too.

 

[line6man]

Is there a red dot on the heel?

Warmoth gets this question so often that they manufacture their necks with a red dot under the satin finish. If you can't scrape it off, it's finished.

 

[isabel@cf-1.com]

That's the answer I was looking for, the red dot thing. That's what the sales person said, thanks. With a three hundred dollar investment I just needed to confirm. I'll tell you a satin neck is faster than any raw neck out there, it's so good you can't tell it's finished.

Thanks

By the way the neck is beautiful, it's just dealing with the aftermarket junk on the market can be time consuming. Like the tuners screws that are not designed for the job. And becareful newbs, if your refitting a cheep starcaster that has a really great sound the screws to screw the neck in could be too long. What is it about screws these days?
I don't know if it's the screws are too long or the body of the starcasters are thinner than a regular strat body. That's the one measurment they don't give on the "Will it fit" page.

Great forum, Rock On  arty07:

 

[DangerousR6]

.... I'll tell you a satin neck is faster than any raw neck out there, it's so good you can't tell it's finished.

I beg to differ, I have several of both. And while they both serve a purpose, i wouldn't say satin is faster than raw.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

It slows down once it, and it will, glosses up with use.

 

[line6man]

I'll tell you a satin neck is faster than any raw neck out there, it's so good you can't tell it's finished.

I also beg to differ. Satin nitro can't compare to Indian Rosewood.

 

[Cagey]

By the way the neck is beautiful, it's just dealing with the aftermarket junk on the market can be time consuming. Like the tuners screws that are not designed for the job. And becareful newbs, if your refitting a cheep starcaster that has a really great sound the screws to screw the neck in could be too long. What is it about screws these days?
I don't know if it's the screws are too long or the body of the starcasters are thinner than a regular strat body. That's the one measurment they don't give on the "Will it fit" page.

The tuner screws are the ones the manufacturer supplies, and they are correct for the job. They're just very small and very easy to break if you aren't familiar with how to handle them. You have to drill the appropriate-sized pilot hole, which is particularly important on very hard woods such as necks are made of, and you have to wax them to reduce friction as they thread in. Otherwise, you'll almost certainly twist their little heads off. Also, a good screwdriver fits is important, lest you strip the driver slots. Watch those things, and screw breakage/stripping ceases to be a problem. I've put in probably thousands of the little rascals, and of all those I've only broken a few. And I know why - I thought I could get away without waxing the screw. Sometimes you can, but it's a serious risk.

Now, the hardware manufacturers could include screws made of something larger or more sturdy, but it would increase costs for no good reason and people would bitch about that. Sperzel went so far as to eliminate the screws altogether in favor of a drift pin, and people bitch about that. "How'm I s'posedta mark those holes? You can't see 'em!"

As for neck screws, it's up to the builder to get that right. Warmoth is not a kit supplier; they're a parts supplier. The user has to specify and obtain the right parts and apply them properly. Taking Warmoth to task over fastener issues is like taking Lowe's or Home Depot to task when the screws that came with your door hardware aren't what you'd prefer or the nails you bought to build your deck are too long.

I'm sure it's a large part of the reason they bear the cost of maintaining this forum. A community has developed that loves nothing more than to encourage and educate those who want to put together electric guitars from Warmoth bodies and necks as well as learn new skills and trivia from others who've done it. It's free and it's usually pretty fast to get good answers here.

 

[Updown]

I'll tell you a satin neck is faster than any raw neck out there, it's so good you can't tell it's finished.

:dontknow:  Not so sure on that one.

You need to try this, on a RAW neck then .... http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=19901.0
Just make sure you have a good grip on the neck when you pick it up.
Or it'll slip straight outta your hand.  :laughing7:

 

[isabel@cf-1.com]

Well I got my neck up and running and yes I can see the finish now, and your right this neck is not as fast as a raw neck once the shine came through, although perfect in every way it was intended to be, thank you Warmoth!!!!

Warmoth, the last American company that understands perfection and the old American way.
Warmoth is the present day reason "Made in America" meant something years ago.

As for the tuner screws, screws that lose their heads are defective and no one should put those screws on a perfect Warmoth neck. I didn't, I used the china made screws that came with the Starcaster, only one drill bit needed and they were not too long as to endanger the head stock.
There are always a million good reasons why junk is junk, but junk is still junk. But I have to admit that with a tooth pick for the high strings, vintage tuners are so easy to use and they seem to hold the tune in spite of the wrong and defective screws shipped with them.

Proof they are defective, a screw should strip out before the head comes off and you need two drill bits to make a proper hole for the screws, and they are way too long for the purpose they are used for.

As for stainless steel frets, I did lose a bit in the low end, and I would not recommend maple on maple with SS. I have heard some strats with light strings, with maple on maple, with SS frets and they do sound like banjos.

As for Warmoth quality, I was able to set my action to 1/16 with no fret dressing and no string buzzing at all, just a truss rod adjustment as described in the instructions that came with the neck.

As for using a Starcaster body, which by the way is the same wood the super strat uses at 3 grand a pop, I did have to do some drilling and leveling of the neck pocket and I used two metal plates because the screws, that came with the gold plate I ordered, did seem a bit long, or the body of a Starcaster is a bit thinner than a regular strat. But in the end a great sounding and playable guitar with SS frets. Nothing is standard with a Starcaster, the chinese do a great job of taking whats at hand and making it work. The neck holes were off to one side and the pocket was just chewed up hap-hazerdly to fit the neck. But with a little work the Warmoth neck fit like a glove.

Now all I need is some new puppies and I'll be able to bring down the house.

So thanks again Warmoth, quality does make a difference, right off the bat I'm playing faster and more accurate, tested with a metronome.

One last question, how tight should the screws be on the neck, I don't want to strip the wood of the neck?

Should they be as tight as I can muster or just so-so?

But thanks to every one here, I hope to pass on some knowledge as I learn.

 

[line6man]

Proof they are defective, a screw should strip out before the head comes off

Dude, have you ever used tiny screws before? That's not how it works. The heads snap off if you look at them funny.

 

[dmraco]

Per-drill and soap.

I have a small collection of snapped screw heads.  Maple necks are particularly difficult.

 

[isabel@cf-1.com]

I keep forgetting I'm 61, the world is not what it used to be. When you design an item such as a screw you design into it a deliberate break point. A properly designed screw will strip out the head before the head breaks off thereby causing the least amount of damage control.

And you are probably right in saying that the screws today break in the fact that people today just accept it as life. But there was a time when all hell would break loose if someone just had a screw break off in their 300 dollar guitar neck. But this was back when everything in America was made in America and you could call the plant and scream at the owner. Not so today, everything is over seas and most of the time you couldn't find the owner if our life depended on it. So why bother making a proper screw. Also today screaming at some one responsible for messing up your prise guitar with their junk could land you in jail.

But believe me, we have the technology to make a screw that won't break off in the process of using that screw the way it was intended to be used. China for example puts out hundreds of cheepo Starcasters using slave labor so their screws have been designed not to break off at the head. I know because I used their screws on my vintage tuners with no soap and a tight pilot hole. AND these screws did not break before they changed the design of the screws on the vintage tuners. The fact that the old screws did not break is more proof we are all being punked. But the reality today is, your right, we all need a good bar of soap.

 

[isabel@cf-1.com]

line6man I do have to agree with you, this is the real world we live in now, you just need an inside track, use the product corporate works with. I don't think fender has a broken screw department that pulls all the broken screw from their products, their screws don't break off at the head. When ever a product is destined for the consumer, WATCH OUT, it's junk.

 

[isabel@cf-1.com]

It slows down once it, and it will, glosses up with use.

Your right, the shine is beginning to show and it's not as slick as it was but still the best neck and sound I have ever had the pleasure to play on. arty07:

It's like driving a new Caddy in the 60's

Congress is thinking about outlawing "quality" so hurry up and get your Warmoth necks and bodies while you still can. lol

Thanks Warmoth

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

On a side note.
You may consider changing your username.

Spammers are notorious for targeting forums, and your username appears as an open invitation for your inbox to be flooded beyond belief. 

I would hate to see that happen to you, and Warmoth has no way of preventing it from happening when displayed publicly like that.

Just want your experience here, and everywhere else, to be a pleasant one.  FWIW.

 

[isabel@cf-1.com]

Thanks so much, I just noticed that my user name was the only one with my email address, default settings I quess or I'm just high with the quality of Warmoth necks. lol

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[mullyman]

How much have you been playing for that satin finish to shine up in only 3 days? Mine took months.
MULLY

 

[isabel@cf-1.com]

Just a bit, but I do have a heavy hand on the back of the neck, I like to feel the back of the neck when I play. But it is shinning up and one can now tell that it has been finished. But when I first got it I almost threw my shoulder out it was so slick. lol  arty07: