First Warmoth build, off to rocky start

[Ballistic]

Been lurking around the board for a while and finally decided to bite the bullet and do a complete build.  Overall I'm real impressed with Warmoth's work on the neck and body.  When I ordered I asked for a lot of contrast in the body wood grain and even birdseye figuring in the neck.  Even though they told me "we generally don't take requests" they pretty much gave me what I asked for, which is cool.  Here's the specs:

Neck: Vintage/Modern Strat, basic 1-piece birdseye (all that 3A-5A is overkill for me), 1 11/16" width, 6150 frets, Boatneck profile, 10" radius, clear gloss

Body: Swamp ash, MK White, contoured heel

All the other good stuff: single ply white pickguard, Fender '69 CS pickups, Gotoh 510 bridge (big steel block), Schaller locking tuners, will be wired just like the G&L S-500 Passive Treble Bass controls with push/pull volume to kick on the bridge pickup with the neck pickup

The neck is outstanding.  The boatneck profile is my new favorite, I like it even better than the Std Roundback profile on my Grosh Electrajet.  I should have done my research on the fretboard edges... I really like rolled edges and with clear gloss over maple I'm pretty much stuck with these hard edges.  I also should have gone with jumbo frets, medium/jumbo means different things to different people and to Warmoth it means a fairly small fret.  Not a deal breaker but I know now for next time....  The fretwork looks great as is.

The issue is with the body.  It's got a killer grain pattern (my pics are a little washed out) but there's black lint under the clearcoat in a few places and it's noticeable.  I sent an email to Warmoth, hopefully we can work something out so I don't have to wait another 8 weeks to fix this.  I'm also going to have to do some routing to get the Gotoh bridge to fit in the body.  Other than the lint, the fit/finish on the body is really nice.

Anyway, here's the pics.  More as the build progresses....

 

[Updown]

I should have done my research on the fretboard edges...
I really like rolled edges and with clear gloss over maple I'm pretty much stuck with these hard edges. 

That's how they come from Warmoth.

Can still roll them over to your preference.  :icon_thumright:
This might help you.... http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=20080.0

Or  :dontknow: just send it to Cagey

 

[Ballistic]

I should have done my research on the fretboard edges...
I really like rolled edges and with clear gloss over maple I'm pretty much stuck with these hard edges. 

That's how they come from Warmoth.

Can still roll them over to your preference.  :icon_thumright:
This might help you.... http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=20080.0

Or  :dontknow: just send it to Cagey

The fret ends are fine, I was talking about the fretboard edge.  In order to roll the edges I'd have to refinish the neck and I'm not about to do that.

 

[musicispeace]

That's gonna be one sharp looking guitar. I'm on with getting a second build put together and in this partscaster thing I think you make small trade offs but still end up with a superior instrument compared to off the rack. See what forum members say about the frets. I had a neck with 6150 SS frets done at Warmoth on my first build and get used to it very quickly. Ultimately on following builds you can always get the neck with just slots and have a qualified person install the frets however you prefer.

 

[Updown]

The fret ends are fine,
I was talking about the fretboard edge. 

*Note to self ......... must use my glasses when reading posts  :doh:

Sorry about that.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Surf n Music]

She is gonna be a beauty. Hopefully after some playing the nonrolled edges don't bother ya to much. Can't wait to see it together.

 

[Ballistic]

That's gonna be one sharp looking guitar. I'm on with getting a second build put together and in this partscaster thing I think you make small trade offs but still end up with a superior instrument compared to off the rack. See what forum members say about the frets. I had a neck with 6150 SS frets done at Warmoth on my first build and get used to it very quickly. Ultimately on following builds you can always get the neck with just slots and have a qualified person install the frets however you prefer.

I should have ordered the 6105 fretwire, which is what I have on my Grosh.  Next time....

 

[Ballistic]

Well it's going back to Warmoth.  I'll post an update in 6 weeks...

 

[adked]

Well it's going back to Warmoth.  I'll post an update in 6 weeks...

Hi,

Been following your thread... what's going back, the body with the lint under the finish or the neck for edge rolling?

The lint thing worries me, I'm waiting on a custom body myself and hearing about this is a surprise.  You must be frustrated after such a long wait!

adked

 

[dmraco]

any photos of the flaw in the body?

 

[Ballistic]

Well it's going back to Warmoth.  I'll post an update in 6 weeks...

Hi,

Been following your thread... what's going back, the body with the lint under the finish or the neck for edge rolling?

The lint thing worries me, I'm waiting on a custom body myself and hearing about this is a surprise.  You must be frustrated after such a long wait!

adked

The body is going back.  The edges on the neck are a minor deal, I played Hamers for a few years so it doesn't bother me.  I just forgot to look into it before ordering.  The neck is awesome, as is the body, but the lint (or whatever it is) is a deal breaker for me.

 

[Ballistic]

any photos of the flaw in the body?

Yep.

There's another spot near the output jack but I haven't uploaded that one to photobucket yet.  If the guitar was a tobacco burst it wouldn't be an issue, but it's very noticeable on a white guitar.  The body itself is a real nice piece of ash.  I hope the replacement body is as nice as this one.

 

[adked]

Those look pretty obvious, can't imagine that was missed before being sent.

I guess that amazing neck will have to wait a while.  I don't blame you though, I'd send that right back to be redone. 

 

[Ballistic]

Those look pretty obvious, can't imagine that was missed before being sent.

I guess that amazing neck will have to wait a while.  I don't blame you though, I'd send that right back to be redone.

Warmoth reviewed the pic and said it was within their acceptable tolerances, and that there's a possibility that the replacement body will have the same issue.  I'm not trying to slam Warmoth since they haven't gotten it back yet and told me what they are going to do to fix the situation, but they shouldn't have taken the defensive stance right out of the gate.  I don't think it's unreasonable to send it back in it's current condition.

 

[dmraco]

Those look pretty obvious, can't imagine that was missed before being sent.

I guess that amazing neck will have to wait a while.  I don't blame you though, I'd send that right back to be redone.

Warmoth reviewed the pic and said it was within their acceptable tolerances, and that there's a possibility that the replacement body will have the same issue.  I'm not trying to slam Warmoth since they haven't gotten it back yet and told me what they are going to do to fix the situation, but they shouldn't have taken the defensive stance right out of the gate.  I don't think it's unreasonable to send it back in it's current condition.

I would not consider that acceptable and I spray my stuff in a GARAGE!!!  Looks like someone needs to trim their nose hair!!!!

 

[jay4321]

I could use that body if I could get the paint off of it.

 

[Surf n Music]

I would be bummed if I got a body like that!  :sad:

 

[BigSteve22]

Holy crap, Warmoth thinks that's acceptable? Did they get a new QA guy? As DMRACO said, I wouldn't thing that's acceptable either, and I do my spraying in a basement with an exhaust fan. (Just one guitar neck, but ALOT of woodworking projects)

Stand your ground, brother. That needs correcting.

As far as the Trem rout goes, I needed to enlarge the rout on my Strat to get the Hipshot bridge to sit right. But I'd rather have it that way, than have it routed too big.

 

[Vallhagen]

I'm checking this thread now n then just of curiosity. Any progress?

Cheers
/Bengt

 

[fdesalvo]

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