Hello from a Warmoth n00b, and questions re. binding

[Cagey]

So... get yourself a bullet nut! $3.70 in the box, out the door.

Put that on a decent neck, and call it a love story.

The Warmoth Truss rod uses that exact thread (10-32) - I just checked it on one of my necks. So, you can get one of their "vintage" necks, one of those nuts, and you're all set. While you're at it, get the 10"-16" radius. You'll love it. It's nice and round down where you play chords, and nice and flat up where you play leads, so you don't trip over the strings and you can have a low action that doesn't fret out. Works out really well. I don't know anyone who's tried a compound radius that didn't get converted. It's a very comfy thing that only takes about 14 milliseconds to get used to. Finally, get stainless frets. Trust me on this one: you'll love them to death, and they'll last that long, too.

 

[alterbridgefan]

Watch out with that one, Cagey. The thread is the same, but on a squier neck, you have to drill the hole out on the headstock to get the bullet nut to fit in the hole at the headstock.

Just a caution.

 

[Cagey]

Watch out with that one, Cagey. The thread is the same, but on a squier neck, you have to drill the hole out on the headstock to get the bullet nut to fit in the hole at the headstock.

Just a caution.

I try to watch out. Really. I do.

We're not talking about cheap Squire necks, we're talking about Warmoth parts. The nut they use is 5/16" (.312") on the flats, and I pulled it off to check the thread with a socket that has on OD of .465". The bullet nut has an OD of 11/32" (.344") and is adjusted from the end with an 1/8" (.125") hex wrench, not the OD. I think we're covered.

 

[alterbridgefan]

We're not talking about cheap Squire necks, we're talking about Warmoth parts.

It has nothing to do with the parts being cheaper, but a few guys tried to pretty them up by adding bullet rods, and the hole was too small, they had to widen the access, apparently a PITA.

 

[Cagey]

It has something to do with them being cheaper. With Squires, what Fender wants is the fastest, easiest, least expensive route to a guitar that will look good enough and tune at least long enough to sell it to some high school rock star wannabe that doesn't know any better. Don't get me wrong; they're not bad instruments for the money. But, they're also not paying any attention to details that don't matter to that demographic. It doesn't matter if aftermarket parts will fit - by the time you realize you want/need better parts, you aren't looking at Squires any more. Or, at least you wish you weren't.

 

[alterbridgefan]

Fair point.

 

[Tony Ounsworth]

It has something to do with them being cheaper. With Squires, what Fender wants is the fastest, easiest, least expensive route to a guitar that will look good enough and tune at least long enough to sell it to some high school rock star wannabe that doesn't know any better. Don't get me wrong; they're not bad instruments for the money. But, they're also not paying any attention to details that don't matter to that demographic. It doesn't matter if aftermarket parts will fit - by the time you realize you want/need better parts, you aren't looking at Squires any more. Or, at least you wish you weren't.

I don't agree with this. Or rather, it depends on what Squier guitar you're talking about.

The recent Classic Vibe models for example. They trump Mexican Fenders in many respects. No great feat you may say, but my CVC Tele has properly finished frets, a correctly filed nut, a lovely fast neck (thin, but I have small hands so I like that), and sounds great. The same could not be said of a friend's Mexican Classic Series Strat, which has needed all sorts of things doing to it. It also had a lovely mint three ply scratchplate, but a nasty single ply white back plate. How's that for cost cutting, it's a tiny bit of plastic! But check out the Squier Vintage Modified 70's Strat - matching three ply front and rear guards.

And I say this as someone who has been playing since the mid 80's and who's main guitar since 1989 has been this Squier Strat. I've had Fenders come and go, and this is still my favourite guitar:

http://youtu.be/-Bs0E_EZl4Q

Ok, so I've upgraded the pickups and the machine heads. But it's the neck that makes it my favourite guitar. Thin, flat, and fast. Over the last 20 odd years I've played it to death, and it's become something my hand has made my own.

All I'm saying is, there is a vast range of quality in both Squier and Fender guitars, and the days when you can say that the latter trumps the former by default are long gone.

I'd take my old Squier over a Custom Shop Fender any day.

 

[ORCRiST]

Thoughts?

I've always been a sucker for Rosewood myself...

And regarding anything made by Fender in the 70's... just say no kids!

 

[Tony Ounsworth]

Phew, that's ok then. This will have been made in 2013!

 

[Cagey]

"recent" models don't really count. Any manufacturer who has the slightest hope of being in the business uses CNC machines to cut/carve everything and shoots poly, So, you can make a cheapie just as easily (and as good) as a "boutique" instrument. It comes down to the wood, which you can buy anywhere in varying grades, and the appointments, also available anywhere. So, it's a matter of marketing and setting price points. Past that, it's detail that can't be easily automated. Fretwork, setup, etc.

So, I have no doubt you've got a fine Squire.

 

[Tony Ounsworth]

Well, you know - I doubt anyone else would love it like I do. Guitars are so personal aren't they?

Anyway, I like the look of that little bullet add on. Might suit a Tele project I've got on the go...

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

What's funny, the CBS era brought us the Tele Deluxe, Tele Custom, and Starcaster.  Good editions?  The CBS era introduced the 3 bolt neck and bullet truss rod nut, which Leo was no part of.  G&L uses a 3 bolt neck and bullet truss rod nut, and Leo was a part of that.

 

[Tony Ounsworth]

So how do these Stewmac bullets work, do they just "mate" with the hex nut that's sunken into the headstock already?

This is what my Tele neck looks like:

It adjusts with a 1/8" hex wrench, will the Stewmac nut work?

It'd be so nice if it did, as the neck already has a 70's logo and tuners.

 

[Cagey]

It's tough to say - I've never taken one of those apart. On the Warmoth design, a bit of threaded rod protrudes and a nut is threaded onto that after a washer is placed to bear against.

 

[Tony Ounsworth]

Ok, we'll it's inexpensive enough to give it a go.

 

[alterbridgefan]

The CBS era introduced the 3 bolt neck and bullet truss rod nut, which Leo was no part of.

False, he came up with these ideas during his short period of involvement after selling to CBS.

And Tony,  that was what I was referring to. That rubber/plastic insert is probably going to have to be drilled out.

Assuming the truss adjusts one way, turn it counter clockwise until it comes out, and(After widening, if necessary) simply screw the new nut in, clockwise, of course.

 

[Cagey]

Ok, we'll it's inexpensive enough to give it a go.

That's the spirit. It's also how you end up with a drawer full of misfit parts <grin>

 

[mullyman]

Quick question for you guys, I see a lot of you guys posting mock ups of bodies and necks from the showcase. The end result has strings and everything. What software are you using to do that or am I missing something around the site?
MULLY

 

[Cagey]

If they're using bodies/necks from the Showcase, they're using Photoshop. Some of these guys are really good. But, you can create vitual guitars from a library of parts and effects using the Kisekae utility at USACG.

There was also a member here writing a similar system that looked really good, but I can't remember the name of it. Maybe somebody can help me out here.

 

[Tony Ounsworth]

My mock ups are VERY rough. Almost Heath Robinson! I grab the best body image I can from Warmoth, then grab images from the Fender website with the closest matching pickguards or pickups, mainly so I can show the strings. Or I google images of knobs etc with plain backgrounds.

Then I spend ages doing fiddly cropping and pasting in...wait for it...PowerPoint! Purely because that's what I have access to on my work PC.

Oh and Cagey - my mis-matched parts drawer is already pretty full!