Headstock veneer, TOM and a few other questions

[MVDW]

Hey there guys.

I'm a new member. I'm also new to the whole guitar building thing, but I've wanted to do this for a long time. So essentially this will be the first guitar I'm going to put together myself. I've built a few Marshall clones before so I'm pretty confident I can do this.

I've been busy with the body and neck builders on the website.  I think I'm doing a mahogany Soloist with a rosewood top. Neck will be mahogany as well with an ebony fingerboard. 24 frets, wizard neck profile preferably, 6100 SS frets, no inlays, reversed headstock. Whole guitar will have gold hardware, with some sort of gold direct mounted BareKnuckle pickup.

Here a quick mockup:

Few questions:

1) In the body builder on the website, I could not find a regular TOM bridge. Only a bunch of other bridges and a recessed TOM with string-thru body bridge. I don't want a recessed TOM. Am I doing something wrong? Has it to do anything with the neck pocket on the Soloist not being angled?

2) How is the satin finish? I've had a few satin guitars, one black, and the satin turned to glossy pretty fast where I touched it. Can I order it unfinished and oil it instead?

3) Is the ebony they use deep black or do you see the grain?

4) I was thinking that ebony veneer on the headstock would look really cool with the fingerboard. But I remember reading somewhere on the website that it's not possible on the Jackson headstock. Is that true? If so, why?

5) I've never had a guitar with gold hardware, will that coating come off easily?

Thanks a lot!

 

[rapfohl09]

Hey there guys.

I'm a new member. I'm also new to the whole guitar building thing, but I've wanted to do this for a long time. So essentially this will be the first guitar I'm going to put together myself. I've built a few Marshall clones before so I'm pretty confident I can do this.

I've been busy with the body and neck builders on the website.  I think I'm doing a mahogany Soloist with a rosewood top. Neck will be mahogany as well with an ebony fingerboard. 24 frets, wizard neck profile preferably, 6100 SS frets, no inlays, reversed headstock. Whole guitar will have gold hardware, with some sort of gold direct mounted BareKnuckle pickup.

Here a quick mockup:

Few questions:

1) In the body builder on the website, I could not find a regular TOM bridge. Only a bunch of other bridges and a recessed TOM with string-thru body bridge. I don't want a recessed TOM. Am I doing something wrong? Has it to do anything with the neck pocket on the Soloist not being angled?

2) How is the satin finish? I've had a few satin guitars, one black, and the satin turned to glossy pretty fast where I touched it. Can I order it unfinished and oil it instead?

3) Is the ebony they use deep black or do you see the grain?

4) I was thinking that ebony veneer on the headstock would look really cool with the fingerboard. But I remember reading somewhere on the website that it's not possible on the Jackson headstock. Is that true? If so, why?

5) I've never had a guitar with gold hardware, will that coating come off easily?

Thanks a lot!

1. I don't think Warmoth offers a non-recessed TOM, but you could always call and ask. They do some custom bridge mounting.

2. Can't comment on the satin finish, but you can absolutely order it unfinished and oil it yourself.

3. They have many types of ebony, I believe that if you specify "Jet Black" ebony, it will come an even black. You could also dye the board with some ebony stain. It is actually a black leather stain, and from what I hear it can make maple almost look exactly like ebony. Its pretty crazy stuff.

4. I don't know about this, sorry. You could always give them a call.

5. It really depends on you. It may sound weird, but it really does. The larger proponent I have heard about for gold coating corrosion is how much your hands sweat and release oils. Basically, if you have hands like mine that are constantly sweaty, gold is probably not a good choice. It is really different for different people. I will let someone else chime in, as I have never took the gold hardware plunge, again because my of my hands.

 

[Strat Avenger]

I had a guitar with gold hardware, and it never came off.

 

[MVDW]

Cheers, quick replies guys.

I'm in Europe so calling in wouldn't be very doable. But I can always email. About the TOM, there are a couple of bridge choices on the website that also require an angled neck pocket which they do for a $10 upcharge. Don't know why a normal TOM with the angled neck pocket isn't a standard option, but I'll email them sometime.

I think that I'm going with an oiled finish instead of satin, indeed. Satin turns to glossy way too quickly for me. I don't sweat all that much, so I guess I'll be fine then.

 

[DangerousR6]

Welcome to the forum,
The satin finish that warmoth offers will shine up where your arm rubs it.

They have different kinds of ebony, jet black and macassar...

The ebony is not available for the Jackson headstock, most likely because they don't have pieces that big enough.

I've never had any trouble with gold hardware, but if your sweat is very acidic, and you buy cheap parts, your sweat will ruin the finish on the gold...



Nice mock up, I love it...

 

[Strat Avenger]

I'd paint the headstock face gloss-black, but that's just Me. 

 

[AutoBat]

I would avoid gold hardware because it rarely looks good with anything.
Same with jewelry.

 

[MVDW]

I've been revisiting the idea of a black headstock. That's why I thought it might be cool to do an ebony headstock veneer to match the fingerboard. But that's a no go, so I'm sticking with rosewood.

I don't want the guitar to have any kind of laquer, and satin will shine too easily for my taste so I'm going to give it an oil finish. Will save me cash as well. A glossy black headstock won't look right I think with it. I also don't want the contrast of the colors of the mahogany and the face of the headstock to be too big, if you know what I mean.

About the gold hardware. I wasn't such a big fan of it myself. Until I saw a custom shop Jackson that had a rosewood top and gold hardware. Simply stunning. Black is still in the back of my head though.

I think this is going to be it, with an angled neck pocket and regular TOM. Will be a classy, simple but brutal guitar. Now to save up some cash.

 

[DangerousR6]

With a few hand tools some glue and some clamps, you could add the veneer yourself to the headstock. I'm sure you could find some veneer ebony just a few mm thick.. :dontknow:

 

[elgravos]

It looks like the standard TOM is a non starter on a flat top guitar, even if they angled the neck pocket.  If you got a carved top soloist you could do it...  I also suggest you go for a rosewood neck.  Sounds similar to mahogany however you don't have to bother with a finish - they only come raw.  I find a rosewood neck with an ebony board to be a very nice combination.  Also, on a rosewood neck the  peghead would match the body laminate so no need to worry about the veneer.  I realize that would add some cost to the body though as a rosewood top probably doesn't come cheap, though maybe they can do a double laminate or something along those lines. As for the gold, well that's a personal taste thing.  I can't say I'm a fan but your mockup doesn't look half bad.  Good luck with the build.

 

[Disco Scottie]

I say go with gold hardware! Your mockup looks great with it. I have gold a on couple guitars and have never had a real issue with them.

 

[drewfx]

It looks like the standard TOM is a non starter on a flat top guitar, even if they angled the neck pocket.

TOM + STP is fine on a flat top with angled neck pocket.

 

[Updown]

TOM + STP is fine on a flat top with angled neck pocket.

Yep .... thats what's on my 'Emubird' / Firebird.  :icon_biggrin:
Plus mine came with Ebony on the headstock .... was a showcase neck thou.

I would email and ask if you can get it done. You just never know !!
All at Warmoth are very helpful in many ways.
(But then again ... it would look off balanced) Don't you think ?

I think a rosewood neck with ebony fretboard (like someone else said) would look best.  :icon_thumright:
Great looking mock-up.

Gold dose look OK with the rosewood ... that all just comes down to personal choice ... go with what YOU want !!

Edit ... have a look at the 2nd guitar in this months GOTM it has a angled neck pocket with a wrap around TOM
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=17924.0

 

[MVDW]

A rosewood neck with ebony board definately sounds interesting.

My biggest concerns are that it would add up to the already pretty expensive neck, it also isn't an option in the Neck builder. Secondly, would a bolt-on rosewood neck look good on a mahogany body if you look at it from the back? It would eliminate the need for a headstock veneer, but I kinda liked it.

The possibility that they wouldn't do the regular TOM at all kinda concerns me. A TOM with string-thru is by far my favourite bridge ever, and I like angled necks. The recessed TOM will bring out the mahogany under the rosewood top, which is what I'm trying to avoid.

I got my inspiration from this guitar. I fell in love with it the second I saw it. Apart from the fretboard and the neck the woods are the same. I kind of did my own thing with it, and I think the gold hardware looks really good. But black is also still a possibility, would look good with the fingerboard.

EDIT:

I did another mockup, this time with black hardware. I think it looks great too, it doesn't pop like gold but it does bring a more balanced look. I was thinking of putting my initials as a logo on the headstock with ebony veneer inlay. No complex shapes here so I think it's doable. This will look better with an all rosewood neck. But how much more will that approx cost me?

 

[Disco Scottie]

:headbang: on the logo... very subtle and cool.

 

[elgravos]

I stand corrected on the availability of TOM on flat-top.  Though it doesn't look to be on the body builder page.  Should know better though as half the options on my last build were not on the web page either.  With Warmoth, you should ALWAYS call.  It's worth the extra time - and long distance is pretty cheap in this day and age.

As for the looks of rosewood neck / mahogany back.  I think they are pretty good.  My point of reference is my last build which I shall shamelessly plug;

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=13623.0

The back is one piece mahogany with a clear gloss.  The neck is rosewood with a jet black ebony finger board.  I didn't find it all that expensive once you factor in the fact that you don't have to pay for a finish.

Cheers.

 

[Strat Avenger]

I would avoid gold hardware because it rarely looks good with anything.
Same with jewelry.

Hogwash.

 

[MVDW]

I stand corrected on the availability of TOM on flat-top.  Though it doesn't look to be on the body builder page.  Should know better though as half the options on my last build were not on the web page either.  With Warmoth, you should ALWAYS call.  It's worth the extra time - and long distance is pretty cheap in this day and age.

As for the looks of rosewood neck / mahogany back.  I think they are pretty good.  My point of reference is my last build which I shall shamelessly plug;

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=13623.0

The back is one piece mahogany with a clear gloss.  The neck is rosewood with a jet black ebony finger board.  I didn't find it all that expensive once you factor in the fact that you don't have to pay for a finish.

Cheers.

That's a relief, man. It will definately be a regular TOM, I'm so used to them.

I absolutely love the look of your rosewood/ebony neck. I'm not a Fender type of guy. But that's really nice, you have every right to post that!
I wasn't planning to give it a gloss finish anyway, will probably tru-oil the whole thing for a sweet natural finish. I can only select rosewood on the strat, tele and LP necks though, makes me think that they don't have rosewood big enough for the Jackson neck.

The more I look at my second mock-up the more I like it. Black hardware does look slightly better now I look at it and it will match the other colors nicely. And Scottie, thanks for the comment on the logo. Some nice dark ebony there will be a good finishing touch I think.

 

[chubs]

I stand corrected on the availability of TOM on flat-top.  Though it doesn't look to be on the body builder page. 

It is on the body builder page, TOM/STP with angled pocket, it is definetly an option.