New Warmoth Memeber New Warmoth Body

[Valsmere]

Good Morning All

First and foremost I am a new member here so I hope all is well. a little background to start. I picked up my first bass this past summer, yeah late bloomer here I'm 47 but heck lets start this new learning journey! So a little while ago I was cruising the internet and stumbled upon the Warmoth site and was blown away at all the options. so with some lessons under my belt and help from my son who plays guitar we kicked off a new project.
A jazz bass alpine white build with stacked knob control plate with black hardware. I still need to figure out the neck options and other details. I am looking at Fender vintage jazz pickups from their custom shop.
I hope this is well received and of course I'm open to suggestions, Please!

 

[ghotiphry]

Welcome to the forum, I enjoy seeing a fellow bass player find the joys that is Warmoth.

I have an absolute favorite wood for necks.  It is pau ferro.  You don't see them all that often.  I've also got necks with roasted maple, bubinga, wenge, and maple with a satin nitro finish.  The roasted maple necks are just as fast as the pau ferro, I just happen to like PF looks more.  Maple with a satin finish is a very classic look, and plays very nice, I think there are a couple with black blocks in the showcase right now.

Read up on how to burnish a raw wood neck here.  http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=19901.0  If you choose this route you won't regret it.  All my necks except for the maple (which require a finish for warranty) are raw and burnished.

What questions do you have?

 

[ghotiphry]

If I were doing that alpine white, with black hardware.  This!  http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Bass=1&Body=1&Shape=38&Path=JBass&i=BN8925

 

[rgand]

Welcome to the forum. It's always good to see another person join.

That alpine white with black is a good choice. It'll look classy as can be. Definitely try a neck made from one of the woods that doesn't require a finish. The feel is great and you don't have to pay for a finish. That's a win-win. I started with roasted maple and when new neck time comes, I just keep getting roasted maple. I don't burnish them but the majority here does and swears by it. I suppose one of these days I'll have to step out and get one made from something else. But, that roasted maple just keeps calling me... :icon_biggrin:

 

[Valsmere]

Hey thanks guys! Wow I got some great advice already, thank you all very much. I am loving the ideas. One that I'm gonna through out also is a maple neck in either an ebony fret board or the pau ferro. My two Fender jazz basses have maple necks and rosewood fret boards. The one a '71 vintage has I think what Warmoth calls a slim taper and my 2010 American Special while a jazz as well the neck feels a tad more beefy as best explained. Both rose wood and glossy finish. So I am really liking the idea of a satin, or, unfinished neck for that smooth non sticky feel.
Has anyone done the moon glow side dots? They seem like a neat idea and feature.

 

[ghotiphry]

I personally haven't done the moon glow dots.  That would likely be a custom job as I don't think I've ever seen one in the showcase like that.  Sure!  Maple with ebony or PF would be really nice.  Just remember the maple neck meat does need a finish to be under warranty.  I believe it is acceptable to apply one yourself (within certain parameters that escape me, I think the finish needs to be "hard") but W does such a nice satin nitro finish for not much cash, if you decide to go that route.  There is a really nice maple/PF standard jazz profile neck in the showcase right now, with bonus birdseye.  Love the fretboard on this one.  Doing a white bass with a funky fretboard like this is, I think, a great idea.  http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Bass=1&Body=1&Shape=38&Path=JBass&i=BN9078

 

[ghotiphry]

A couple mockups for ya.  If you let me know what color pickguard you were thinking, I can swap that in.

 

[Valsmere]

OH Man That looks awesome. thank you very much! The top one is what I had in mind. My son and I were chatting about it last night and he had mentioned a matching headstock to the body, its been rolling in my mind too I'll admit. The pickguard I was thinking of is a three ply white black white, it just seems to go with the theme of the build. I have been doing some reading and I wanted to ask by feel how does pau ferro compare to ebony?
Again thank you  :yourock:

 

[Rick]

I know there's much love for pau fero, but I like the slickness of ebony, the softness of rosewood, the speedy oiliness of wenge and goncalo alves ... the only way to know for yourself is to get a fretboard of each and see which one you like.

If you don't know what you like, then go with the basics.  Maple neck, and either a rosewood, ebony or maple fretboard .  If you have one of those already, then sure try a pau fero with a goncalo alves neck.

I had a git with a pau fero fret board but couldn't bond with it, but always felt love for ebony.  Note the fretboard in my avatar, ebony, no inlays, just white side dots, painted black headstock, black tuners, pearloid buttons.  A classic.  Mahogany 59 sort of profile neck, with a satin finish.

 

[ghotiphry]

Glad to help out my friend.  For a fretboard I believe you won't notice a difference between ebony and PF.  Where I really notice a difference is in with the back of the neck, where your fingers are sliding.  You can get the head stock painted, it's just not a standard option from either the showcase or custom (I think.)  If you're thinking of going that direction, I recommend grabbing a roasted maple/ebony neck like this one, having the head stock painted, and leaving the back raw and burnishing it.  http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Bass=1&Shape=38&Path=JBass&nWood=20&i=BN9124  So, here's another mockup for you!

Oh, there's a PF one also!
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Bass=1&Shape=38&Path=JBass&nWood=20&i=BN9125

 

[rgand]

Glad to help out my friend.  For a fretboard I believe you won't notice a difference between ebony and PF.  Where I really notice a difference is in with the back of the neck, where your fingers are sliding.  You can get the head stock painted, it's just not a standard option from either the showcase or custom (I think.)  If you're thinking of going that direction, I recommend grabbing a roasted maple/ebony neck like this one, having the head stock painted, and leaving the back raw and burnishing it.  http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Bass=1&Shape=38&Path=JBass&nWood=20&i=BN9124  So, here's another mockup for you!

My vote would be with this one. It's really classy.

 

[Valsmere]

Glad to help out my friend.  For a fretboard I believe you won't notice a difference between ebony and PF.  Where I really notice a difference is in with the back of the neck, where your fingers are sliding.  You can get the head stock painted, it's just not a standard option from either the showcase or custom (I think.)  If you're thinking of going that direction, I recommend grabbing a roasted maple/ebony neck like this one, having the head stock painted, and leaving the back raw and burnishing it.  http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Bass=1&Shape=38&Path=JBass&nWood=20&i=BN9124  So, here's another mockup for you!

Oh, there's a PF one also!
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Bass=1&Shape=38&Path=JBass&nWood=20&i=BN9125

Oh WOW I am really loving the ebony mock up!! Thank you very much. I am leaning towards the roasted neck as well it just seems to flow with the overall build. Yes the painted headstock is a custom option, I had emailed Warmoth with that question a few weeks ago and got a prompt reply. I am already a huge fan of this company quick service and Quality is amazing. I am looking into the burnishing neck treatment as well and I am certainly leaning in that direction. I just need to do a more diligent research of the process. I know there is great guides on this forum. I seriously cant wait to get this build underway, I will be ordering the rest of the parts soon! Plan on a build thread detailing the process as soon as I gather all the parts up.

Thank you very much for the mock ups they have helped beyond measure. You rock SIR! :headbang: :blob7:

 

[stratamania]

How would you burnish the neck and also have a matching painted headstock?

It is my understanding that a matching painted headstock is offered as an addition to a neck finish rather than as a separate item.

 

[Rick]

Sounds like a call to the mother ship.  For $120 you can get your solid color on the peg face and your choice of different finish on the back, and the question is:  Is "no" finish a different finish?  I don't see why not.

 

[stratamania]

Sounds like a call to the mother ship.  For $120 you can get your solid color on the peg face and your choice of different finish on the back, and the question is:  Is "no" finish a different finish?  I don't see why not.

I have a neck that just arrived and I have not opened it yet. It has a satin neck and gloss on the headstock face. I would have preferred just the headstock finish but I would be surprised if it is an option.

 

[Valsmere]

I could be wrong but I think I could do a burnished neck and still leave the headstock? Not sure as of yet but I know research on my part still needs to be completed. If anything the face would be painted and the back left, not sure hmmmmm.

 

[stratamania]

I could be wrong but I think I could do a burnished neck and still leave the headstock? Not sure as of yet but I know research on my part still needs to be completed. If anything the face would be painted and the back left, not sure hmmmmm.

I would suggest checking with Warmoth sales. They will be able to verify for sure. To burnish the neck shaft the wood, of course, needs to be unfinished and to the best of my knowledge a matching headstock is in addition to a gloss or satin neck finish.

 

[Valsmere]

Cool that and yeah that would be the best course of action, thank you for the heads up! :headbang:

 

[stratamania]

Cool that and yeah that would be the best course of action, thank you for the heads up! :headbang:

Cool, report back with what your findings are  :icon_thumright:

 

[Valsmere]

Ok just got an email back from sales this is the reply in part, I say in part because I saw an in stock neck that was finished already and I asked if the headstock could be painted onto that show case, in stock neck.
From John Thrasher,
We can finish the headstock face for you but I’m afraid we cannot on that particular showcase item due to it already has a satin finish on it so you will need to choose an item with no finish.
Once you’ve chosen an unfinished item we can then add the peg face color along with the finish of your choice.
Price estimation for finish: $120.00 (Pegface included)

The show case item number is/was: BN7468
So according to this the neck wood needs to "unfinished" and the pegface would be the "finish"

I hope this helps others as it certainly has helped me. I think the roasted maple back and the ebony fret board with the alpine white pegface is the ultimate choice for this build.
He did also spec out the neck for me and provided a link in the body of the email.
Thank you all in helping with my build now time to order parts and get this gong!!!