My VIP and How a Warmoth Box looks unopened and how it's packed.

[Rick]

Everything arrived in good order.  The orange in real life is a little less orangy.  Looks to be Orange fading into a yellow center, with the maple giving a hint of brown to the orange and a hint of green to the yellow. The cell phone doesn't really capture the color exactly right nor the chatoyance.  I was a little scared when I saw some dust on the back that had collected into what appeared to be scratch, but with some rubbing with my thumb it disappeared.  It was like dust from inside the shipping pouch, it must have rubbed off in the shipping.

From here on, any scratches will be my adding character, because the finish job is absolutely perfect!

Really nice.

The binding is so nice, now I have to consider if I want binding on my neck.  The job is that good.

Will post more when I figure out the neck ...

EDit:
It weighs 4Lbs 10.9 Oz.  It's a hollow body.

 

[mayfly]

that looks really really nice.

 

[stratamania]

Looks really good Rick...congratulations... :icon_thumright:

 

[PhilHill]

Very Nice ! That's gonna look outstanding when your done........... :icon_thumright:

 

[Logrinn]

Wow, stunning.
ccasion14:

 

[rauchman]

Hotness!

 

[JPOL007]

That is beautiful looking forward to the finished build :icon_thumright:

 

[Rick]

I have to thank warmoth because the workmanship is impeccable and the paint job flawless.  Binding is excellent.  Thanks whoever you are ... :icon_thumright:

I'm thinking about the neck ... All bloodwood and no fret markers or rosewood shaft with a bloodwood board with cream dots and binding. 
:icon_scratch:

 

[stratamania]

In terms of the neck Rick one of the things to consider is the mahogany back of the guitar has some colour tones in itself.

Ideally you need something that compliments in some way the mahogany in the shaft of the neck.

 

[Rick]

Interesting ... besides rosewood and bloodwood what would be a good shaft fretboard combo?

 

[stratamania]

Interesting ... besides rosewood and bloodwood what would be a good shaft fretboard combo?

The closest would be mahogany or koa. Though both of those need a finish so then it might be a case of stalking the showcase and looking for a neck that might work. Or the other way might be to go for something dark that doesn't try to match in terms of red tones too much.

 

[Rick]

Well ... I've settled on everything about the neck, except the fretboard, if anyone has thoughts on what would look right, much appreciated ...

Vortex Right Handed 1 3/4 width
Wolfgang Profile
Rosewood Shaft
Pearloid Diamond Fret Markers
Cream Binding
Hipshot Gold open back locking tuners with pealoid hex type tuning buttons.
Stainless Steel frets 6150
White Graphtech Nut
Standard 10-16 radius
Gold screws (which by the way I noticed were sold out until March)
Custom Chrome neck plate with a black plastic pad.

I keep facilating between bloodwood, ebony and macassar.  On each letting Warmoth do the picking since on my two last build they did such wonderful job matching the fretboard to the neck.

I think they all would work, and would all look nice.  The thing is I'm going to have to pick one to look at forever and they all seem good to me.

 

[stratamania]

Hey Rick, if you are going with gold for most of the hardware why not consider EVO frets and a gold neck plate.

 

[docteurseb]

Oh that's gonna be good. Is that the one your ordered around the same time I ordered my Strat body, when the unique choice had just been replenished ?

 

[Rick]

Indeed ... it’s a cousin if not a brother.  It looked to me as being cut from the same tree.  I can’t wait to see how yours comes out. 

I’m now down to macassar or bloodwood for the fretboard.  I almost don’t want to pull the trigger and buy it because the planning is so much fun.

 

[Tipperman]

Indeed ... it’s a cousin if not a brother.  It looked to me as being cut from the same tree.  I can’t wait to see how yours comes out. 

I’m now down to macassar or bloodwood for the fretboard.  I almost don’t want to pull the trigger and buy it because the planning is so much fun.

My vote would be for the macassar. I have an ebony fretboard on my red VIP, and it just looks killer with that body. But then again, I think part of that is having no inlays. When it's oiled it's just a flat black looking fretboard, contrasts nicely I think.

I can definitely see bloodwood working nicely there, though.

 

[Rick]

Need to stew on it.  I can definitely see if no inlay the ebony would be nice.

 

[Tipperman]

It's going to look downright gorgeous either way, I reckon.

 

[Rick]

The gold would look sharp too.  I have to decide if I want the silver from the hunbuckers to creep up to the neck or if I want to harmonize with the neck color hence use gold.  Decisions decisions ....

 

[docteurseb]

Indeed ... it’s a cousin if not a brother.  It looked to me as being cut from the same tree.  I can’t wait to see how yours comes out. 

I’m now down to macassar or bloodwood for the fretboard.  I almost don’t want to pull the trigger and buy it because the planning is so much fun.

Agreed I remember at least one piece, which I think is the one you picked, that was the same exact piece of lumber. We can double check for fun, if you have the LT number on your order I can dig up the pics from Warmoth.

I too would vote for macassar ebony for aesthetics reasons: more contrast, and I feel like bloodwood could be hit or miss in terms of color matching. However we're talking aesthetics and that's all subjective, it's ultimately up to you.

Matching quilt maple veneer could be fun, though that's best done when ordering neck and body together for an exact color match.