Please advise on new build (neck carve of a DGT)

[Guitarfixer]

Hey folks..

I have realized that I need to build my own guitar since my favorite brand doesn't offer exactly what I need or what I wish is over the top expensive (suhr modern)

I went through warmoth's builder for the neck and the body and have a few questions. If anyone with experience here would please chime in.

1) Neck. I own a PRS DGT and LOVE the neck carve.
Which of warmoth's neck shapes would be similar to my DGT? Tough question since the DGT is not a widespread model but it is similar to a Pattern Regular of their current line, but is narrower at the neck pocket making the neck feel from nut to last fret feel narrow.. really nice.

2) I will get SS 6100 fret wire. I wonder if they actually come ready to play or will need leveling and smoothing of the tangs. Etc..

3) If I choose a 24 fret. I see that it is a board extension. Is this a less desirable option vs 22 frets? It just feels to me like it is a work around and it should have been done properly and have wood under the board like other manufacturers build 24 fret necks. Thoughts?

4) Can I request they route for a Gotoh Gotoh 510 2 post trem instead of a wilkinson, or maybe a PRS trem?
Which is better for "feel" and would stay better in tune after heavy use, the wilkinson or the gotoh 510?

That's all for now.. I need to do a lot more research.. thanks for any insight

 

[Patrick from Davis]

Dunno about the profile, but you can get a caliper and measure your neck, then look on Warmoth's site to find the most similar profile.  The frets generally come very nice.  A Fret level and polish will make it incredibly nice.  The tangs are left rather square, you would need to bevel them if you like that.  Some do, some don't.  This is why they are left the way they are.  The 24 fret extension is done that way so that the neck can be put in most strat style neck pockets and not have issues with scale length, no getting around that.  Read up on bridges, there are a lot of views on them.  I prefer fixed bridges so my opinion is not going to be very helpful.  Others will add more, I am sure of it.
Patrick

 

[AutoBat]

1) I can't help you on the neck carving.  If you're going raw and want to adjust it yourself start with something large and go from there.  I have SRV & 59 Roundbacks and like them both, but I prefer beefier profiles.
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/BackContours.aspx

2) I haven't touched the SS frets on either of my necks, I'm happy with how they came. Most will want them leveled, dressed, crowned, whatever else it is people do with frets.  The default option is for them to be at ~15 degree inward angle on the ends, you can add a note when you're ordering (or tell them if it's by phone) to leave the frets unmolested.

3) 22 Frets is technically an extension too.  The reason it's an extension is to maintain the standard neck pocket across all models. 
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/Options/GuitarNeckPocket.aspx
If you're making a build with a pickguard it'll be flush with the 'guard.  If not the 720 mod may be what you're after: (not applicable if you're after a carved top body)

^Standard pocket - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 720 Mod pocket^

4) On the bridge routing page (at the bottom) says what other less common routings can be done for $45 extra. Gotoh 510 TS-RS1 2-Hole Tremolo is on there.
If you send in the PRS bridge they may be able to route for it (I'd ask first)
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/Options/BridgeRoutingOptions.aspx

 

[Cagey]

re: fretwork

Warmoth discusses how frets are supplied here, if you want more detail. The bevel is actually ~30°, not 15°, although as Autobat says you can ask that they be unmolested.

If you want your frets perfect, shoot me a PM and I'll tell you what I do with necks. A number of people here can attest to what you'll end up with.

Also, it hasn't been mentioned yet, but you may want to seriously consider a raw, unfinished neck made of an exotic wood. The feel and playability is sublime.

 

[Guitarfixer]

thanks for all the replies guys!

Regards frets: I dig the PRS treatment for the frets, but not sure what angle is it they do.. might be a 30 degree like warmoth? You guys that are in the know might be able to tell me.
As far as leveling, I might consider getting it plek'd after a few months of using the neck and letting it move a little.

As for the 24 fret. I know that PRS moves the bridge pickup and trem closer to the neck in order to compensate for a longer neck. So I am not sure how warmoth's way of moving the neck pup towards the bridge affects the tone. I am sure this has been discussed before. If there is a sweet spot how does it play out buy moving the neck pickup south? You know what I mean?

I am not really going to mess with carving the neck myself, and having that done might be really costly going through a luthier... is it too difficult?

I also am thinking the soloist carved body looks really good. Is there a Strat carved option? I didn't see any.. that would be killer.. So I am in between a Strat body and a Soloist.

As for woods I was thinking a Rosewood neck with an ebony fretboard. Basswood body and maple top.

For the maple, if you don't choose a select flame, do you get a crappy looking flame pattern? That option is expensive.

 

[ocguy106]

just curious but are the pleq machines set up to do SS

 

[Patrick from Davis]

Depending on what style of construction you get for the neck, it might move some, or with the "Pro" necks, they pretty much stay where you set them.  The bevel is not hard to do, I prefer more of it because the larger modern fret styles seem to rub against my hand in a way that annoys me.  So bevel and round the frets and that is not a problem for me any more.  Beyond that, I don't mess with the frets anymore, because it works fine enough for me.  I also prefer raw necks, and I am a Wenge guy.  That doesn't mean I will not try every type I can, but I seem to go there the most.

I don't believe that there is a carved Strat.  Tele yes, soloist yes, Strat no.  The offerings of figured woods that Warmoth has are pretty incredible.  Carved tops of figured woods are expensive, just the way it is.  As far as moving the pickup route more to the bridge side of things,  do not have any personal knowledge of how that effects the tone, just ideas about it.
Patrick

 

[Cagey]

just curious but are the pleq machines set up to do SS?

I'm sure it depends on the service provider, but these guys only charge $15 extra. Of course, the basic service is $235 so...

I'm a much better deal, and I don't charge extra for stainless.

 

[Guitarfixer]

just curious but are the pleq machines set up to do SS?

I'm sure it depends on the service provider, but these guys only charge $15 extra. Of course, the basic service is $235 so...

I'm a much better deal, and I don't charge extra for stainless.

ask them how much is JUST for the plek.. Here they charge $130.00 just for the plek job and if you want full service they charge 35 for nut adjustment and 50 for bridge adjustment. I am not sure they charge more just for SS, but they might add a little to the $130.00. On a warmoth neck I might have them do the nut and plek, as I can fiddle with the trem adjustment.

How annoying is this verification letters thing? really terrible feature.. can't tell what the letters are...

 

[Cagey]

Every shop's different, depending on what they think their market is interested in. For instance, there's a local shop here that's very a la carte about it. They call leveling, crowning, dressing, polishing, truss rod, nut and bridge adjustment 7 different operations, and charge $25 apiece for them. I don't know what their adder is for stainless, but it's a pretty safe bet that the full monte would run you $200. Then, if you need a new nut, tuners installed, threaded inserts, etc., those are all $25 + parts adders as well. It makes sense if you're coming at it from a situation where some things are already good. You might only want dressing and polishing, for instance.

 

[Jason Penn]

i had a couple of dgt's and the necks measured on 1 around .840 and the other was around .850 and they both had around a .090 taper from nut to 12th fret.  the 59 carve is in the same ballpark but it has more shoulder than the prs necks do.  u might be able to knock some of that down or have someone do it for u.  i'd also go for the 1 5/8 nut width as the dgt is just a tad smaller than their standard 1 11/16.