European alternatives

[asilay]

Hello

At the risk of being rude (I don't intend to) what are some European alternatives to Warmoth. I'm just asking because the shipping from America may cost half of the guitar body I want to order.

I just found about Rockinger guitars, are those the same equivalent of Warmoth and do they match Fender necks and bodies? Or are those just knock off that just look a like but I wouldn't be able to fit a, let's say, Fender pickguard on it?

I've heard so many good things about making your own guitar (well sort of, without the woodworking) and I really want a unique guitar that only I have but as an European if I could save any money are there other alternatives than Warmoth?

Thanks a lot

 

[stratamania]

The shipping isn't half of the cost, even when customs is added on you would not be at that.

Perhaps add as a rough figure 25 % to cover shipping and import duties. Of course this will vary a little depending on where in Europe you are and is just an estimate.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Rockinger match Fender specs in their neck pockets.

Their quality is quit good. But the options are very limited and to be frank ... boring ... IMO and YMMV.

Through the years I have bought part from most suppliers in the EU.

I'm living in Denmark and even with import duties and VAT on the full amount including shipping I don't think you get a better deal than Warmoth parts.

 

[croquet hoop]

It shouldn't be difficult to source Allparts necks and bodies from European retailers, maybe even sellers who dismantle brand news Fenders and sell their parts separately. However, there is no real alternative to Warmoth, as none of these dealers will offer Warmoth's level of customization.

As stratamania said, you'll need to add shipping costs (~$80 for a body) and VAT/import duties, but it's doubtful it will double the cost of Warmoth order (unless your country's import duties are exceedingly high). Still, the final cost may be worth it if you want a really unique neck/body. If you just want an alder body with a maple/maple neck, that's another story.

 

[Kostas]

I haven't found a EU company with so many options and the quality of Warmoth. Wherever you see low prices know they don't make their parts, there are usually Asian imports. The only one I know that offers some options is this guy http://www.guitarbuild.co.uk/ but he makes only bodies, no necks.

 

[Dan Dare]

Allparts stuff can be expensive in the UK - don't know about the rest of the EU. Even with import costs, Warmoth looks pretty competitive for a lot of things.

 

[Cederick]

Yeah the options on Warmoth is worht the extra cost (I live in Sweden)

But you just want regular strat specs then go with Hosco parts or something, probably worth the price. I would have done that if I just wasn't so bitchy about having SS frets, double action truss rod... Gah. That's basically whats keeping me getting Warmoth parts. And then all additional options is cool too

 

[asilay]

Yes, I forgot to mention I just want a clean body, not because I don't have the money but because I want to do the paint job myself (I kind of want to make the guitar myself just not the woodworking, electronics).

But I agree Warmoth has so many options.. my must have is an Ebony fingerboard, I'm not really a fan of maple and I have a fender with a Rosewood fingerboard but I think it's too light, I want the oldschool Fender look with the dark Fingerboard.

Anyway, would you say I should just order an Alder body from an European retailer if I don't want anything special with it and a good Ebony Warmoth neck (well maple with Ebony fingerboard)? Because all the necks I see in Europe say Rosewood which I really don't like.

I'm afraid, once I finish one guitar I'll make other ones, it seems so fun... instead of improving my playing

 

[Hbom]

I'm afraid, once I finish one guitar I'll make other ones, it seems so fun... instead of improving my playing

You may be right! It can make you crazy. But it just may be the lunatic you're looking for.  :guitarplayer2:

 

[stratamania]

If you order a neck from Warmoth, I would say you may as well order an unfinished body from them also. For plain alder it won't cost much at around 175 USD and you know it's going to fit correctly and have one supplier.

 

[asilay]

Yeah that's true.. I've got a body laying around from a Stagg guitar (sunburst around year 2000 made) but I guess Warmoth parts or pickguards won't fit that body right? Or is that an option also?

 

[stratamania]

I couldn't say on the Stagg body never having seen one up close but it's likely it may be a different dimension.

Neck pocket dimensions are here. If you want to check.

http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/faq2.aspx

 

[Fat Pete]

I'm happy to recommend guitarbuild based on a couple of bodies I've had from them. They're made to 'standard' specs and Warmoth (and Musikraft) necks fit perfectly. They also sell as guitarbuild-online on ebay where you can usually pick up a basic alder body for under £50 ($80/€63) + delivery. The downside, as others have pointed out, is that they don't offer the options that Warmoth do and the prices for made to order bodies are much higher.

Just to remind our US friends how good they've got it, a $155 body - like the one I just ordered (oops) - will cost about £185 ($298/€235) by the time it's delivered.

 

[Cagey]

Anyway, would you say I should just order an Alder body from an European retailer if I don't want anything special with it and a good Ebony Warmoth neck (well maple with Ebony fingerboard)? Because all the necks I see in Europe say Rosewood which I really don't like.

To me, the neck is super-important and Warmoth does a super job on those. The body? Not so much. But, you have to make sure they'll fit together, and that's where you often run into problems. The standard Fender neck pocket is 2 3/16" wide x 3" long and .625" deep. If you can find a body with those pocket dimensions, you're most of the way there.

The other thing is the finish, which you say you're not as worried about, but I'll tell you that unless you can't find a standard Warmoth finish that will make you happy, it's probably foolish to do it any other way. They do an excellent job that's highly durable. Very tough to beat for the money.

I have a paint setup here and know enough about what I'm doing to be dangerous, but I'll still let Warmoth do it if I have a choice. There's no compromise there at all, and it's certainly a helluva lot easier. They do catalyzed polyurethane, which is a premium finish that's generally pretty difficult to do on your own.

 

[asilay]

Okay, thanks for the pocket dimensions I will look into those.

I didn't know the paint job is so hard to do yourself, the problem is I want a brown finish. I'm going for a classic strat look based on Elvis Costello's Jazzmaster http://www.partoch.com/images/materiel/modele/original/9470.jpg, not very original but I like it. And I can't find this color when I browse their stock.

Also, I want to put some work in the guitar and not feel like I just bought a drawer in Ikea, but if the paint job is that hard to do yourself maybe I should consider it.

 

[DarkPenguin]

Here are my simple finishing steps...

http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=23742.0

I would recommend buying a piece of wood and give finishing it a shot.  If you end up with the look and quality you want on a guitar you're about to spend a small bundle on and that will exist as a testament to your guitar building skills then by all means finish it yourself.

 

[musicispeace]

I highly agree with Dark Penguin and Cagey has tons of experience. I am on my second guitar build, the first one I bought a strat body from the showcase with a solid black gloss finish. No complaints and I wouldn't change a thing about it. The second I am going to have a full on luthier who builds and finishes $4000-$5000 guitars himself do the finish for me because when I bought the body I could not decide on a finish from the Warmoth options and would have been stretched for the money at the time anyway. So I just bought the body unfinished. I've seen some nice work people have done themselves with Tru Oil but even that requires sanding and building up layers of coats and buffing. Keeping me away from tools or any sort of shop work benefits humanity, so unless you are inclined in puttering around the workshop I'd either work up to it with some blanks as you research and practice and get it down or give Warmoth a call or email. Officially they don't do gold top finishes such as you sometimes see in the showcase but I was told by Warmoth you can pitch your finish idea and they will discuss with the shop to see if they can fit something in for a fee unofficially. Warmoth also told me they might also take an unfinished body back to finish for you if it was in pretty close to out of the box condition and there would be like a $65 fee on top of the finish charge.