Looking at Fenders makes me want a Warmoth even more

[Logrinn]

I went to a couple of my (not so local) guitar shops today and tried out some amps and guitars. Particularly Fender Teles and Strats with maple necks, since that's what I'm planning on getting on my Warmoth build (although I'm getting roasted, not one with clear finish on the fretboard).
And what a disappointment that was. I know that guitars in stores are seldom well set up, but looking beyond that I'm amazed that Fender continues to sell so much of their guitars when a lot of them have so low standards.

• Sometimes (often) the high and sometimes the low e-string were much too close to the edge of the fretboard (neck not screwed on at the right angle).
• Wrong neck pocket angle (one Tele had the saddles crazy high and on another, identical model, the saddles wouldn't get low enough, making me scrape my hand on all the sharp screws and metal edges sticking up).
• String trees that grabs - literally - the strings (trying to tune the high e-string I lowered the pitch somewhat on the tuner so that I could turn it up to pitch - nothing happened at first - the string was stuck in the string tree(!).

Half of the guitars I picked up to try I put back as soon as my hand closed on the neck. They all felt like a $50 crap guitars.
The other half - the ones that I tried - were some of the ones I've described.
There was actually a really cheap Squier Tele (in a cool transparent amber color - thinking about that for my future build now ... :glasses9 that felt ok. Not great, but about as good as the best of the genuine Fenders I tried today costing three to six times as much.
Quality control? What's that?

Going home I couldn't stop thinking about my future Warmoth and what joy that will be - getting a guitar the way it's supposed to be.

Ok, I'll stop ranting now ...

 

[Timmsie95]

I spend most of my days dreaming about the day that my VIP body and Warmoth neck will show up, and just holding it, appreciating the build quality...  :glasses9: (Monday will mark 2 weeks since I ordered it..)

 

[Glimmer]

I have felt the same way coming home to my Warmoth Jazzmaster after hitting the shops and sampling some of the Fender offerings. It was funny how unsubstantial and frankly uninteresting they felt in comparison.

By pure coincidence I happened to be in a guitar shop just this morning. :laughing7: Couldn't help but try out a couple of the Fender / Squire JMs. There was a decent custom shop JM – $4k – and a Squire J Mascis JM – $500 – that were pretty nice. Didn't plug 'em in, tho', and definitely didn't feel: "Wish I had this one instead."

 

[Cederick]

Stock Fenders (and most other brands!!!) comes with ridicolously high action at the nut, which makes every single guitar feel like crap.

I know it's because some people like it different, but sometimes it's just way beyond playable at all.

Personally I lower the nut action until it's JUST about to start buzzing, and you just have to touch the strings to get notes from the first frets. Then I like low action overall, but it's actually the nut action thats my main preference for a guitar

But yeah, Warmoth parts are very good too  ccasion14:  :toothy12:

 

[musicispeace]

Agreed all around. Since I have gone the partscaster route I am just not very interested in factory guitars 99% of the time I encounter one. (Maybe if its a really interesting tele or something but otherwise not) I did make it to the west coast "tour" Rob Chapman did with his guitar line and checked those out. I liked them more than I have felt anything for Fenders recently. He has a tele style thing with a really slick feeling satin finished neck that impressed me but I've read people often upgrade the insides (pots and switches) on his stuff (which is fine since its a relatively cheap upgrade of components) or put their favorite pickups in. But then you still have to live their ideas about neck profile etc that you can't really change. (their idea seeming to be a C shape about .83 or something and with 1 11/16 nut width and a fairly flat radius) But the Chapman's are the only factory thing that has drawn me in these days. I'd conclude good value for the money but I'm very happy with my very personal parts strats. (one of which Cagey here on the forum did for me)

 

[ghostrider25]

Anyone want to buy a mint condition 2012 Fender American Standard?


(so I can finance another Warmoth)  :icon_thumright:

 

[Timmsie95]

Anyone want to buy a mint condition 2012 Fender American Standard?


(so I can finance another Warmoth)  :icon_thumright:

Not even kidding, if you said this about two months ago, I would have jumped on this, but now there's only room for Warmoth in my heart  :laughing7:

 

[Glimmer]

Yeah, barring an amazing bargain on an equally amazing instrument, my next guitar will be another Warmoth (kinda hankering for a Mooncaster... )

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Yeah, barring an amazing bargain on an equally amazing instrument, my next guitar will be another Warmoth (kinda hankering for a Mooncaster... )

 

[ghostrider25]

Anyone want to buy a mint condition 2012 Fender American Standard?


(so I can finance another Warmoth)  :icon_thumright:

Not even kidding, if you said this about two months ago, I would have jumped on this, but now there's only room for Warmoth in my heart  :laughing7:

Dangit!

 

[MikeW]

Yeah, barring an amazing bargain on an equally amazing instrument, my next guitar will be another Warmoth (kinda hankering for a Mooncaster... )

I just had this experience. Saw a beautiful 2010 FSR Strat at the local Big Box and it was a total steal. I just happened to have enough room in the finances to bring it home. So much for saving up for a Mooncaster. LOL

 

[kevin_guitars]

First time posting. It has been 3 weeks since I ordered my swamp ash tele with roasted maple neck and I am dying. I similarly feel this way when I play "new" Fenders at the "center". It really is like testing out rental cars to see how they drive. They are in all sorts of neglect and all just need some love. I've been playing the dog crap out of my MIM '98 powerhouse strat to hold me over until my warmoth package arrives. Mind you not much is original except the neck and body on my strat, but that's what I love about fenders is with time and care they become " your" guitar.

 

[Cederick]

First time posting. It has been 3 weeks since I ordered my swamp ash tele with roasted maple neck and I am dying. I similarly feel this way when I play "new" Fenders at the "center". It really is like testing out rental cars to see how they drive. They are in all sorts of neglect and all just need some love. I've been playing the dog crap out of my MIM '98 powerhouse strat to hold me over until my warmoth package arrives. Mind you not much is original except the neck and body on my strat, but that's what I love about fenders is with time and care they become " your" guitar.

Have it not arrived yet? Then you dont know if it's going to be good, you know

But hey... It's Warmoth.  ccasion14:

 

[musicispeace]

First time posting. It has been 3 weeks since I ordered my swamp ash tele with roasted maple neck and I am dying. I similarly feel this way when I play "new" Fenders at the "center". It really is like testing out rental cars to see how they drive. They are in all sorts of neglect and all just need some love. I've been playing the dog crap out of my MIM '98 powerhouse strat to hold me over until my warmoth package arrives. Mind you not much is original except the neck and body on my strat, but that's what I love about fenders is with time and care they become " your" guitar.

I've always been happy with what I got from Warmoth. I've gotten two swamp ash strat bodies and about three necks so far. Have to agree about the comparison to rental cars for instruments hanging on the wall at "the center." The waiting game is part of all this and if it makes you feel any better I once waited three months for a set of pickups to get wound for me. In the end I loved them from the very first chord.