Newbie Question

[rambleon]

Hi all..my first time posting here, and also my first time building a guitar! I hope I'm posting this in the correct sub-forum here.
I have a custom body on order from Warmoth - sort of a Cabronita configuration - 2 TV Jones routes, binding, top-routed control cavity and American hardtail bridge.
My question is will the Warmoth body come drilled with a route for the ground wire from the bridge, or will this be something I'll have to do myself? It seems like something that would be quite tricky, especially for a first-timer.

 

[Cagey]

Welcome to the forum!

And yes, the ground wire passage will be already be drilled when you get the body.

 

[musicispeace]

Welcome to the forum. I have been helped greatly by many members as I got into the partscaster thing. Cagey is top notch and super knowledgeable, as just one resource.

 

[rambleon]

Thanks for the welcome guys!
Cagey- that's good to know!
I think I should get my Warmoth body by the end of january. I'll post my progress as it happens. The only part remaining for me to order is the neck. I've already spent lots of $$ on the body and other parts so I'm hoping for something less pricey than a Warmoth neck.
I'm looking for one with a rosewood FB, 1-11/16" nut, and standard tele headstock shape. I've been eyeing the oil finished Mighty Mite necks.
So far, here's what I've got:
1. Pickups (TV Jones Power'tron & Power'tron plus)
2. Bigsby B-50
3. Fender Schaller tuners
4. Callaham bridge (rear flange shaped to allow the strings pass to the Bigsby)
5. Standard tele harness- wired  with quality parts by someone who custom winds pickups, and I've used in the past.

I'm really excited about getting started! I'm planning on using a flat matte olive drab for the body's top and flat matte black on the sides and back, since the body is bound on the front.

 

[dmraco]

Welcome to the forum.  Sounds like a nice project you got going.  One suggestion would be to get a Warmoth neck.  Nothing wrong with mighty mite ( I have one) but you will find the quality of  a Warmoth neck is worth the price.    You can even oil it yourself.

 

[stratamania]

Welcome to the forum.

I'd also suggest going the extra mile if you can, even if you have to wait a month longer to get a Warmoth neck. You've got a good set of parts already and the neck is the business part of the guitar after all.

 

[ChristopherG]

Yeah, the price difference between MM and Warmoth isn't that substantial. Not like the difference between a Guitar Fetish and a Warmoth. If you are going to go with a MM, I would get one from this guy on ebay who takes MM necks and does a full fret job on them and you pay not much more than you would pay buying direct from MM, in some cases less. I will provide a link when I have the time.

 

[rgand]

Welcome to the forum, Rambleon. You're in the right place with the knowledgeable people here.

I've already spent lots of $$ on the body and other parts so I'm hoping for something less pricey than a Warmoth neck.

If you get a roasted maple neck it won't need a finish and you'll save that cost. You can get it with a rosewood fretboard and have everything you want. Also, the roasted maple without a finish is a spectacular feeling neck. I put one on my last build and will probably never get another neck that requires a finish again.

 

[rambleon]

Yeah, the price difference between MM and Warmoth isn't that substantial. Not like the difference between a Guitar Fetish and a Warmoth. If you are going to go with a MM, I would get one from this guy on ebay who takes MM necks and does a full fret job on them and you pay not much more than you would pay buying direct from MM, in some cases less. I will provide a link when I have the time.

Would definitely appreciate the link!
In general, I've seen MM necks for around $100-110 at the specs I want, with a finish. the Warmoth ones seem to start at a little over $200 last I checked.

 

[Fat Pete]

Why drop a lot of $ on an expensive bridge, good pickups etc. and aesthetic stuff like binding, but then skimp on the neck? The $100 or so extra is more than worth it. Properly set up, a Warmoth-necked instrument plays insanely well.

There are alternatives to W, but IMHO it's makers like USACG, Musikraft etc., not Mighty Mite or MIM Fender.

 

[DangerousR6]

Why drop a lot of $ on an expensive bridge, good pickups etc. and aesthetic stuff like binding, but then skimp on the neck? The $100 or so extra is more than worth it. Properly set up, a Warmoth-necked instrument plays insanely well.

There are alternatives to W, but IMHO it's makers like USACG, Musikraft etc., not Mighty Mite or MIM Fender.

Truer than true, the best necks I have are my Warmoth necks. Only ones i like as much are my Jackson Dinky necks...

Don't skimp on the neck... :icon_thumright:

 

[mark1178]

If you don't want to spend too much money on the neck, try an XPG neck from GFS http://www.guitarfetish.com/XGP-Necks_c_545.html. For the price they're not bad at all, you'll have to drill the mounting holes for the neck pocket but that's not difficult at all.

What you save on money though you lose in quality. I have an XPG neck on one of my guitars and for the price it's a decent feeling neck but, you won't get the profile customization, stainless steel frets, choice of nut material (the XPG feels like it has a plastic nut), etc. and you can get the XPG finished or unfinished.

I advise you to take the time to save cash for a Warmoth neck with stainless steel frets, I have 2 warmoth necked guitars and I play the living day lights out of both of them and have yet to see any kind of wear in them. Plus, if you get the neck from Warmoth, you don't have to worry about the mouthing holes being slightly off.

 

[Axkoa]

I just want to jump on the bandwagon of suggesting to go for the Warmoth neck. I would definitely go the extra mile and get a Warmoth neck. Maybe look at something like this:

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Spotlight=1&Path=Spotlight&i=SN19055#.VoeKCjYVh14

No finish required and you can always get it cut into the tele shape.

 

[ChristopherG]

For future projects is you have to choose between expensive high quality body and expensive high quality neck, choose neck every time. Setting aside any body tone debates, the body is there to hold the pickups and the electronics. The music is made on the neck.

You may not want to, but trust me--as someone who took 6-9 months putting together the parts for his first build--it is worth waiting to save up so you can put together exactly the guitar you want.

 

[Hbom]

I can't find the quote this morning but somewhere in my memory bank is a statement that went something like;

"You can put a good neck on a 2x4 and make music. But a fretted 2x4 on a beautiful body will only make noise."

So my 3 cents worth is actually someone else's 2 cents and me.
:rock-on:

 

[Cagey]

I would go along with that. The neck is the thing. The body is just a string anchor and mounting platform. You can certainly make it pretty, but where you want to spend your money for a nice axe is on the neck and hardware. Pickups are very important, but spending a lotta money on those isn't always necessary. Most of the money in the expensive pickups is in greed, marketing and hyperbole.

 

[rambleon]

OK guys, I did it- satin finish, rosewood fretboard, 1-11/16" nut, 9.5" radius from Warmoth.

 

[rgand]

Congrats. You can't go wrong with a Warmoth neck. You'll be pleased with it.

 

[rambleon]

Another stupid questions- the neck I ordered from W has a satin nitro finish, so I'm assuming I'd have to take the usual precautions that go with nitro and guitar stands with foam padding, right?

 

[DangerousR6]

Another stupid questions- the neck I ordered from W has a satin nitro finish, so I'm assuming I'd have to take the usual precautions that go with nitro and guitar stands with foam padding, right?

yes, it's the same stuff just not polished to a shine...But over time spots will start to shine up. I have the satin nitro on a body and where I rest my are has begun to shine up.