My first Warmoth Build! Have some questions :)

[adamwbenjamin]

Hello all,

I'm an intermediate player looking to build a guitar that's somewhat of a hybrid workhorse. The specs i've (mostly) decided on and have questions about are here:

- Tele Body simply because I love the look. Will contour heel for modern feel.

- Roasted Ash OR Swamp Ash body with a Black Korina top. I'll probably do a clear gloss finish, but I wish they had a semi-gloss option. Anyone have suggestions on whether or not roasted ash would look better with the Black Korina top? Or would the grey of swamp ash better match?

- Wilkinson Trem. What tuners would work best with this? I'm also on the fence about getting a trem cover- only because it will show less wood, and my pickguard is likely going to be cream.... which I don't think would look that great smack dab in the middle of the back of the guitar.

- HH Pickup configuration. I was thinking about doing an HSS to get more versatility, but I was never a strat guy as my picking sometimes interfered with the middle pickup, so I'm thinking about doing a coil tap knob using this loaded control plate... but is it compatible with the standard tele body Warmoth makes? https://www.amazon.com/Custom-Shop-Fender-Telecaster-Control/dp/B012DNS8LY

- I've mostly played with the body builder, and have yet to mess with neck options. I'm leaning towards a roasted maple neck with a rosewood fretboard, but again, i'm unsure if this will match the various woods i'm already throwing on the body. I've searched the gallery for similar setups, but I haven't come across this yet. I'm probably open to Ebony because of how the dark color will match the Korina top. I'm also curious if Warmoth does a compound neck.

Any help would be super appreciated! It might also be important to mention that I will probably bring the parts/pickups to a local luthier at a mom & pop to put it all together. I've read that this shouldn't cost more than $100. Is this accurate?

 

[stratamania]

The control plate you linked to from a Baja style tele will fit. But it is unlikely to give you what you want with humbuckers it is designed for the listed options with single coils. The pots are also 250k and normally for an HH configuration 500k pots would be a better choice.

What you would be better off with is a 5-way super-switch and 500K pots for an HH setup. This would also make it possible to do coil splits (a tap is technically a different thing)

For tuners any good set of locking tuners, such as those by Schaller, Hipshot etc.

For wood choices, it is your decision. Warmoth pioneered the compound radius and do indeed offer a 10 - 16" compound radius.

 

[adamwbenjamin]

The control plate you linked to from a Baja style tele will fit. But it is unlikely to give you what you want with humbuckers it is designed for the listed options with single coils. The pots are also 250k and normally for an HH configuration 500k pots would be a better choice.

What you would be better off with is a 5-way super-switch and 500K pots for an HH setup. This would also make it possible to do coil splits (a tap is technically a different thing)

For tuners any good set of locking tuners, such as those by Schaller, Hipshot etc.

For wood choices, it is your decision. Warmoth pioneered the compound radius and do indeed offer a 10 - 16" compound radius.

Thanks for the response! Sorry, my mistake. I'm actually looking to split the humbuckers. So, would this loaded plate with the button knob be able to accomplish that? Assuming I can find one with 500k pots to support the humbuckers I get.

Thanks,
Adam

 

[spe111]

I have a contoured HH tele with a regular swamp ash body and a korina top. The coils split with a push/pull tone pot. The neck is all Brazilian ebony and it looks good with that body combo and it looked good before I whitewashed it too.

The differences are I whitewashed the body and I have a hard tail.

Based on what this body looked like before I washed it, I think the korina top on non-roasted body would look great. I don't think roasted ash would look as good, but I haven't seen that in person.

If I were you, I'd consider a rear route with no pickguard.

Second pic is the final product, first is before I finished putting the white on the body.

 

[stratamania]

The control plate you linked to from a Baja style tele will fit. But it is unlikely to give you what you want with humbuckers it is designed for the listed options with single coils. The pots are also 250k and normally for an HH configuration 500k pots would be a better choice.

What you would be better off with is a 5-way super-switch and 500K pots for an HH setup. This would also make it possible to do coil splits (a tap is technically a different thing)

For tuners any good set of locking tuners, such as those by Schaller, Hipshot etc.

For wood choices, it is your decision. Warmoth pioneered the compound radius and do indeed offer a 10 - 16" compound radius.

Thanks for the response! Sorry, my mistake. I'm actually looking to split the humbuckers. So, would this loaded plate with the button knob be able to accomplish that? Assuming I can find one with 500k pots to support the humbuckers I get.

Thanks,
Adam

No problem Adam.

I thought I had answered that already but to be clear as it is wired you would not be able to split the humbuckers. You would have to alter it quite a bit. So if you are trying to use a pre-wired assembly no it would not be suitable.

 

[adamwbenjamin]

I have a contoured HH tele with a regular swamp ash body and a korina top. The coils split with a push/pull tone pot. The neck is all Brazilian ebony and it looks good with that body combo and it looked good before I whitewashed it too.

The differences are I whitewashed the body and I have a hard tail.

Based on what this body looked like before I washed it, I think the korina top on non-roasted body would look great. I don't think roasted ash would look as good, but I haven't seen that in person.

If I were you, I'd consider a rear route with no pickguard.

Second pic is the final product, first is before I finished putting the white on the body.

That is awesome! Is there a biding on there? I was going to do a natural mask but apparently it's only offered with a colored finish. I'm wondering whether or not I should even do a binding with these woods. Maybe a light wood accent.

You've made me consider black hardware... so I'm messing with these options now:

 

[spe111]

There's a dark natural mask binding on there but you don't really even notice it now because of the white.

I think your plan looks better with black hardware, but I always seem to favor colors other than nickel/chrome just because you see nickel/chrome so frequently.