I've finally found my holy grail

[endrju.m]

Aaaand... here it is! My first Warmoth Strat. Even though I've ran into some problems while building this Strat (more later in this post), the result is... well, let's put it this way.. I was making this kind of noises after pluging it into amp: OMG!  @#$@#$%$@ @#$%@#$@1SFDGB#@!!!  :headbang1:  :headbang:

This thing put my other guitars into shame. The sustain, the overall sound... yummie!

Photos

Neck after sanding with 2000 grit - super slick!!

Neck specs
Construction: Warmoth Pro
Neck Wood: Pau Ferro
Fingerboard Wood: Ebony (Black)
Nut Width: 1-11/16"
Back Shape: Standard thin
Fret Size: SS6150 (Stainless)
Pre-Cut Installed String Nut: Earvana GraphTech White TUSQ
Inlays: No Inlay, Side Dots Only
Side Dots: Mother Of Pearl Side Dots

Body specs
Showcase Body
Quilt Maple on Alder, Rear Rout
Bridge: Wilkinson Tremolo
Jack Rout: 3/4" (19mm) Side Jack Hole
Tummy Cut, Forearm Contour, Contoured Heel
Top Finish: Brown to Clear Burst
Back Finish: Transparent Brown

Hardware
Dimarzio Transition humbuckers (Lukather Set) - definitely my new favorite ones!! Simply Amazing!!
Dimarzio Area 67
Tremol-No

The Color - A bit of a sad story

The color specs of a body are not mistake, as this is how body looked out of a box:

Unfortunately the brown laquer layer the base coat was not rough enough for the paint to make a molecular bond (that's what Warmoth said) and it started to come off. I was able to easily peel off the whole layer leaving the base clear exposed. I like the wood, so I didn't want to return it. I got my refund, buffed the base clear and now I have super nice natural finish, so no biggie! You might not agree with me, but I like better how it looks now.

Acknowledgements

Thank you all, who kindly answered all my questions while I was trying to figure out what is best for me. This forum and it's members rocks. Really you add great value to Warmoth itself. Seriously I vote that Hero Members and up should get paid from Warmoth.

 

[stubhead]

+time-and-a-half for world-weary cynicism! Yay! When does this start? :icon_thumright:


(Pretty Gitty, too. Wow. Don't peel any more...)

 

[DangerousR6]

That is spectacular, one of the best book matched quilts I've ever seen. :headbang1:

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Looks like you could dive right into that finish. Noice!  :headbang1:

 

[Cagey]

That's a spectacular guitar! Very nice!

Pretty strange about that finish, but at least they made it right for you and it still looks fantastic. You don't see quilt like that very often.

 

[crash]

Glad you were able to save that.  I think it looks great with just the clear.  That is one hell of a quilt.  The knob placement looks great too.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

:headbang1:

 

[mullyman]

Oh yeah, I like that much much better without the burst on it. That piece of wood just screams "Don't hide me under some dark color". FWIW, this top makes me want to puke.
MULLY

Let me explain, I live in Japan. The Japanese people say that quilting like that looks like waves in the ocean and that is so wavy it would make you sick to your stomach. Trust me, it's a good meaning.  :headbang1:

 

[bbl4ck]

That is one beautiful strat my fine feathered friend  :headbang1:
And I agree, I like much better in it's current state!
Sweeeeet...
:kewlpics: :rock-on:

 

[LushTone]

I like it the way it is. That quilt is pretty! And so is that pau ferro.  :headbang1:

 

[hannaugh]

Wow, great top on that!  I love the neck too. 

 

[swarfrat]

All the clear maple haters can pound sand. That rocks. Especially with the no-inlay black ebony board.

 

[anorakDan]

Stunning. Simply stunning! Great save on that body.

 

[greywolf]

Way sweet  :headbang1:

 

[croquet hoop]

I am baffled by what happened to the body, but since you arranged things with W and it still looks great, I think everything is fine.

Otherwise, the neck is astonishing, and matches the body really well. This is a true stunner. Let us know if you make samples, I'd be curious to hear how it sounds.

 

[LushTone]

All the clear maple haters can pound sand. That rocks. Especially with the no-inlay black ebony board.

:toothy12: Pound sand, that's a good one.

This is my favorite type of quilt. If the quilt has the high dark to light contrast like this, it looks great clear or with dyes. Once again, awesome!

 

[DangerousR6]

All the clear maple haters can pound sand. That rocks. Especially with the no-inlay black ebony board.

I agree, fades and bursts look good. But I would reserve that for sub par tops. Altho I do like nice tops that have been dyed.. :toothy12:

 

[swarfrat]

Makeup can enhance beauty, but true beauty needs no makeup. Au naturele.

 

[stubhead]

Altho I do like nice tops that have been dyed

Yeah, this seems like curious ordering of the procedure... ever since Paul Reed Smith began cranking out some really startling, weird and gorgeous guitars with the totally evil-chemical MEK dyes directly-on-wood, it's been kinda the accepted way if you really truly want your dyes to "pop", as they say; to put the dyes on first and then the clears deepen that. <- (boy was that ever a weird sentence construction!)

Meanwhile Warmoth sez

Hard Maple is a very hard, heavy and dense wood. This is the same wood that we use on our necks. The grain is closed and very easy to finish. The tone is very bright with long sustain and a lot of bite. This wood cannot be dyed. It looks great with clear or transparent color finishes.

I mean they have to do what works for them or they can't stay in business - but it perhaps would be clearer to say that they don't dye hard maple tops, and it ain't easy. I don't spend much time wandering the Showcase, AKA "Satan loves your credit cards!" But if they just roll the Warmoth-0-Tron up to a maple forest, press "start" and out pops a pile of clear-finished quilties, which they then put bursts and shades and such - works great from an "efficiency" standpoint, but peeling off your burst with a fingernail isn't supposed to be easier than picking your nose with said implement.  :sad1:  Good news is that they avidly monitor these type of posts, and even now are feverishly slaving away in their secret fortress working on a "fix."

 

[ghostrider25]

Dat neck!