Hey I Have Some Questions.

[Axex]

I stumbled upon this website from the Dean forum. And I was shocked by all the stuff here. I can finally build something that I want. But I have some questions. The guitar I'm interested in is this one

And I want this guitar to be pretty versatile. I'll use this for blues, instrumental rock (steve vai esque etc.) and maybe some harder stuff. I'm not a genious when it comes to wood. I know a little bit. I want this guitar the way it is. Alder wood because that's what Fender always uses, and I like the sounds of Fenders in general. Is this finish a laminate btw?

Now on what neck I use, I want a maple neck. Not sure what kind though. I have large hands. I wan't something really fast and smooth. What do you suggest?

Now about this guitar http://www.warmoth.com/showcase/sc_guitar_bodies.cfm?type=guitar&start=1&itemNumber=PS2140&menuItem=1&subMenuItem=2&subMenuItem2=0
You see that it's a S S H right? I feel really stupid asking this. I should know it. But can I use a S S S setup even though it's meant for a S S H?  :icon_biggrin:

Now about the pickups, knobs and switch. I want something that will match the pickguard completely or as much as possible. I'm huge on things matching. Will I be able to find some? I saw some cream and parchment ones, but they didn't really seem to match that great. Bad picture maybe?  :icon_scratch:

I don't have a price limit on it. I'm looking at the $1,000-$1,500 range. I won't be building this guitar for a good amount of months. Right now I'm looking at getting a custom Dean made. But this will be my next. I have a dealer that will put it together for me, since I don't trust myself, and I want the best work possible.

One last question. How do these things play? Good as Fenders? Or better? I want something very fast comfortable and smooth. Thanks!  :guitaristgif:

 

[riarojr]

it's an alder body with a quilted maple laminate top and the finish is fuckin gorgeous!!!  after seeing that pic i'd say to go with birdseye maple and abalone dots would top it off nicely i think.  as far as the pickuprouting goes you won't have any problem using all single coils since it's top routed.  a SSS pickguard will fit over it just fine and sound just the same as if the body were routed that way.

now when it comes to matching the pickguard to the knobs and pickup covers that's something you'll really have to decide once you actually have the pickguard in your hands.  the ivoroid knobs i have on my strat look like they'd match from the picture, but you may also be able to find some wooden knobs that might come close, and i'm not sure if creme or white pickups would go best with the color scheme since as i said you'll have to judge that once you see the pickguard in person....

 

[jackthehack]

Yes, that's a laminate top; with a maple neck you will wind up with that "Strat" sound to a T.

In general; the quality of wood components used will make a properly configured/assembled Warmoth sound equal to or better than Fender Custom Shop type quality instruments.

You can simply purchase the appropriate pickguard to use S-S-S config on this body.

I don't know if you'll find something that matches EXACTLY to the pickguard; I typically key the knobs/pickup covers to match the finish or hardware being used or compliment them. If you look around on the web there is a huge assortment of knobs/pickup covers/available.

 

[riarojr]

oh and i'm sure just about everyone else here will agree with me on this one.  these things play great :guitarplayer2:  if you get the neck with some stainless steel frets and maybe a satin finish it should be nice and smooth for you.  a gloss finish will bring out the figuring of the wood more, but i haven't played a warmoth with that neck finish so i can't tell you from experience.  hope that helps...

Rico

 

[Nando Vallart]

This Vintage Pearl pickguard is beyond the 'matching', dude.... getting aged cream (or gream and do a ageing it) knobs and pickup covers will look outstanding, for sure...

 

[Nando Vallart]

You can do it too:

Vintage Pearl with that white pickups looked nice to me!

 

[-CB-]

Now on what neck I use, I want a maple neck. Not sure what kind though. I have large hands. I wan't something really fast and smooth. What do you suggest?

I'm huge on things matching.
Get over that.  Even Gibson cant make things match perfectly.  The thing to do is provide pleasant contrast.  That is.. creme knobs with vintage pearl.  Or parchment pickguard with creme knobs, etc... something that looks great together, but is not meant to match. 

Good as Fenders?
No worse, and if your skills are good, even better.  Thing is - Fender's play really well, so they're hard to beat.  But, you can get all... ALL... the features you want, in an axe that plays as well, sounds maybe a bit better.

 

[Axex]

Hey all, thanks for the replies. Yeah I thought about it, and looked at some vintage Fender Strats and I'll try and get the contrast right. Here's some of my bad photoshop (GIMP) skills to show you what I'm aiming for. Not the best but it shows you what I'm going at

Didn't want gold hardware, Hardly ever see it on Fenders even with this color scheme. Still gotta put a different tremolo knob on it and a switch. Like? I gotta head off right now. I'll reply tomorrow and ask a few more questions. Tell me what you think!  arty07:

 

[nathan a]

I think it looks great Axe. Though I really did the look of the amber gibson knobs on the strat NonsenseTele posted. But that definitely doesn't keep the fender look, so I'm assuming it's out. I love the contrast there though personally.

 

[Axex]

Yeah I'm going for the traditional look. I did another photochop, just to see what gold hardware would look like. The thing I don't like aobut gold hardware is that 1) it's too dark 2) is fades. I sharpened the pics massively to try and give it a "natural look"  :icon_biggrin: the first photochop looks better just for the fact that the size of the tremolo is pretty spot on.... hmmmmm  :icon_scratch:

***EDIT*** BETTER PIC

OLD PIC

 

[jackthehack]

I think the chrome looks better on that body.

 

[Axex]

Yeah me too. The finished product will look sick.