Just joined the club

[Tomatonator]

Hi all,
I've been interested in putting together a Warmoth guitar as you might have seen from my http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=27791.0 thread but other than a unique neck I didn't have much specified in my mind yet. Recently I saw some nice demos of Seymour Duncan rails pickups and thought that could be a good basis for a setup.

Coincidentally an ad popped up on facebook for a red strat with a cheap body but a Warmoth neck and 3 SD rails pickups for the right price in my city... so although I'm unlikely to keep much but the pickups and some bits and pieces I've taken delivery of my 1st Warmoth and technically my project has begun except it's not just out of any box

I've yet to pull it apart and verify which pickup models are in it and any neck details W put on it but the construction is nice and at least I have something in my hands to feel the profile etc. Looks to be a maple neck and I reckon an ebony fretboard. The neck has previously had different tuners on it which have left a feint imprint/alignment holes on the back and an unoccupied string tree hole on the front:

 

[Logrinn]

The grain on the neck looks different - strange - to me. Either it's not maple, or perhaps it's maple that's quarter sawn. And if it's a quarter sawn neck, then you've got a more expensive neck on your hands.

Anyway, good luck and enjoy your build :icon_thumright:

 

[stratamania]

Looks like you have a good set of parts to work with and possibly the basis of a second guitar.

The neck is definitely maple.  The side of the heel on one of my birdseye necks has a grain pattern like that.  The neck overall is rift sawn but the side of the heel with that grain pattern in that plane would look more like a quarter sawn blank. (I am referring to the neck I have )

 

[Cagey]

I agree - that's a nice get. I think if it was me, I'd have the frets done along with a professional setup and play it as is. Another body might be more attractive if you don't care for red, but it isn't going to make it sound/play any better.

 

[DangerousR6]

Welcome to the madness, and Logrinn is correct that neck is quarter sawn, which is typically a more expensive neck and the stronger of the cuts. This pattern on the back of the head stock is indicative of quarter sawn maple..

 

[Tomatonator]

Thanks for the input all. I'm not sure if it shows up well in the photo but the dot inlays look to be pearl too. I've now disassembled the main parts so I can see the branding and the info that was hidden in the neck pocket.

It's got a Warmoth radius stamp which I figure means the 10-16" compound. It seems the frets are 6150 from a hand written number although not sure on stainless vs regular or how to identify the nut type which may be white corian. It's also got "1.698" written on it which I'm going to guess is the width at the nut - close enough to my ruler measurement.

I'm no pro but I'd say the frets have negligible wear. As for keeping it as is, I'm not much into solid colour guitars. If it's made of wood I want to see it and if it's not it probably should be I think I'll get a strongly grained unfinished neck so if anyone wants this one it will be available from Melbourne Aus with or without the tuners.

It's been a good chance to handle it to compare with what I had in mind to order. The pickups are exactly what I suspected and was interested in and are dated late 2013 - early 2014. When I was messing around before pulling it apart I noticed the Vintage Rail seemed to only have response on one side i.e. the G to high e strings so I might look for ideas on that in the Pickups or Wiring and Electronics forums.