Please Talk Me Into A Warmoth

[Megatron]

+1 on a first build using a showcase body.

For me warmoth customizability was centered around the neck. I don’t think anyone else competes at this price point. You can specify shaft wood, fretboard wood, fret size, fret material, inlay material, neck carve, headstock shape and tuner holes. The neck makes or breaks the instrument for me. I started with a neck and gotoh 510 bridge and added a body to finish it off. The price I paid for a roasted maple neck with stainless frets and custom inlay is cheaper than a MIM Official fender replacement neck.

If you use the showcase right and buy Some parts on sale or used you can end up with a made in USA strat with custom pickups for under $1k which is still better than a used American professional because it’s tailored to your needs.

For me the only downside is resale. But all new guitars suffer there. Plus I built it to play it, and it’s so easy to play because of the personalized neck.

I would say, scour eBay/reverb for the hardware and pickups and see if you can save a bit on the build. Take your time and check in here for pro tips. It’s a very rewarding experience to assemble and then play your very own custom instrument. 

 

[JWR]

+2 on showcase body.  True the value has already been added, but they are a good product.  I watched a vid last night with a builder that bought a budget body and then a Warmoth and compared them.  5 pc. of wood vs 1 pc, thickness was off from the top to the bottom, flatness was off (warped), weight was mid 5.6 vs an accurately published 4.6 for the Warmoth.  Neck pocket was excellent on both.  I thought is was a pretty factual pro/con on "what you need" or want it for.  The Warmoth site shows you exactly what you are buying and accurate description. 

 

[swarfrat]

I use the Johnny Cash build method (except I'm not stealing them)

 

[bagman67]

If you want to start slow, I agree you should start with the neck, which is where you'll feel the difference most significantly.  And then, when you realize how lovely your new neck is, and you succumb to the urge to add a body?

Add my vote for a Warmoth-finished showcase body for the first time around the block.  Finishing is hard and doing it for the first time will be bad. That's just the way it is.  You have to do poor work for a while to develop the skills to do good work.  The time and trouble it would take you is likely worth far more than the adder for Warmoth to do it.  And Warmoth does flawless work, as a rule.  As others have said on this board, why do it yourself when it's so cheap to pay a wizard? 


And if, one day, you eventually get the yen to swap things out, a factory- or pro-finished body will bring better value in the aftermarket than one you did yourself with beginner-level skill.

 

[PhilHill]

You guys are overthinking this. It's simple, OP. I throw down double-dog Dare you to buy from Warmoth! There, that should take care of things.
Wait,.....Err, that is after, they open up again. :headbang: