Question about Standard Thin / Wizard vs Fender Modern C

[andrius]

I'm new to the hold DYI guitar thing and I'm thinking of getting a Warmoth electric guitar body and neck, but I have several concerns that I need to make clear for me to make a decision.

Necks. How does a Warmoth Standard Thin neck compare to current Fender Modern C necks found on American Standard Stratocasters? Any minor differences in the profile shape? Thicker or thinner - and by how much?

How does Warmoth Wizard neck compare to actual current Super Wizard found on current Ibanez Prestige guitar? From the pictures I would think Warmoth Wizard is rounder and thicker - is that really so?
Maybe someone could tell me how it compares to ESP M-II bolt-on or neck-through-body neck in terms of profile shape and thickness?

I'm kind of on the fence between the Standard Thin and the Wizard. Current Ibanez Wizards as found on mid-high end RGs (Premium/Prestige) is too thin and too flat on the back with too big a shoulder for me. Fender American Standard Stratocaser feels much better in my hand even if I wish it was slightly thinner.
I'm going to try some more of the Fender American Standard Strat to see if I'm really cool with it, but then I'm worried: if the Fender neck is alright with me, will Warmoth Standard Thin be too?
And if I decide I want a thinner neck, according to the pictures, Warmoth Wizard seems to be quite round (less shoulder than I imagine a Premium/Prestige RG Ibanez has). But maybe I'm wrong?

I'm also thinking about getting a body from Warmoth and a neck from USACG. What do you guys think about it? What would you say are the pros of getting a neck from Warmoth as opposed to the one from USACG? I am particularly drawn to the option of a titanium rod that USACG offers and their flexibility of neck thickness.

 

[NovasScootYa]

IMO...The more wood in a neck the better for tone especially when it comes to Pro Construction. That rules out standard thin and Wizard if you're concerned about tone. You also have to consider fret size and neck width at the nut, board radius, etc. And of course Warmoth necks do not arrive with the fret ends and board edges feeling Custom Shop. Every detail adds up to how well a DIY instrument feels, plays and sounds.
Building a guitar to look at is easy. Building a guitar to play correctly is not so easy. The last thing you want is to spend a bunch of money piecing together a guitar that doesn't play better than something hanging on a Squire rack.

 

[bagman67]

The Warmoth standard thin feels pretty comparable, in my hands, to a standard off-the-rack USA Fender.  I've been very happy with the several I have.  That said, if you like something a little thinner but not as thin as the Wizard profile,  you are looking at two possible approaches:  1, buy a Warmoth standard thin and do some after-market contouring; or 2, buy something that's more to your taste in the first instance. 


If you prefer not to attack a brand new neck with sandpaper and rasps, I would recommend Carvin for an off-the-shelf solution. They are very solidly constructed and are well priced as well.  There are fewer options than Warmth offers, though.  But while they only offer the one neck profile, which is a tad slimmer than the Warmoth standard thin, I think it might be what you're after.  Note you cannot get a compound radius fingerboard from Carvin, nor most of the tropical hardwoods, so if those are selling points for you, you may be back to the drawing board.


Best of luck, in any case.  Welcome aboard!


Bagman

 

[misterfinn]

And of course Warmoth necks do not arrive with the fret ends and board edges feeling Custom Shop.

i'd love to hear (read?) some more detail on this when you've got a moment, please.

 

[stratamania]

The Warmoth standard thin to me is similar in thickness to a modern C but not as round. It perhaps has a little more shoulder. I have a Jem but no WArmoth wizard neck so I cannot comment on that.

In terms of the Frets, many find warmoth necks out of the box ok for them. However some of us tend towards doing a final level, crown, end dressing and polish to taste. I also like to roll the fingerboard edges.

If you don't have the tools to do this there are some members on the forum who offer the service. Or some take their Warmoth for a final fret work and set up to a tech.

Tools to do a decent fret job can cost more than having it done, so it really depends on how many fret jobs you plan to do. You also might not want to do this on a new decent neck if you haven't done the job before.

Per tone the standard thin neck I have has tone to die for. So has the 59 roundback and the Jem.

 

[misterfinn]

In terms of the Frets, many find warmoth necks out of the box ok for them. However some of us tend towards doing a final level, crown, end dressing and polish to taste. I also like to roll the fingerboard edges.

thanks, stratamania. man, always something more to learn! :tard: now that i can solder, file a nut, and straighten a neck...might as well pick up fretwork too! no shortage of guitars and basses (Warmoth and otherwise) around here to work on.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

If you're going to pick up fretwork, you might want to ask around for people's old acoustics. It's pretty common to find old fiddles laying under beds, in the attic/basement/garage that nobody cares about, and they're perfect for learning the craft on. Generally speaking, you can't make them worse so you're always doing somebody a favor. Pay the tool entrance fee and have a ball!

 

[misterfinn]

If you're going to pick up fretwork, you might want to ask around for people's old acoustics.

great idea. thanks, cagey.

 

[stratamania]

Go for it. Fretwork can take a while to do but it's quite absorbing and the results are rewarding.

 

[MikeW]

How does a Warmoth Standard Thin neck compare to current Fender Modern C necks found on American Standard Stratocasters? Any minor differences in the profile shape? Thicker or thinner - and by how much?

As others have said, the Fender Modern C and the Warmoth Standard Thin are very very similar. I think if you like what you're feeling with the Modern C, you'll be fine with the Standard Thin.

How does Warmoth Wizard neck compare to actual current Super Wizard found on current Ibanez Prestige guitar? From the pictures I would think Warmoth Wizard is rounder and thicker - is that really so?

Maybe someone could tell me how it compares to ESP M-II bolt-on or neck-through-body neck in terms of profile shape and thickness?

I really like the Wizard neck profile that Warmoth offers. I find it to be the most comfortable contour (in conjunction with the compound radius) of about anything I've played. I think the Wizard contour most closely matches the Charvel San Dimas back profile though. As you say, the Ibanez Wizard and Super Wizard contours are a bit flatter on the back than the San Dimas and Warmoth Wizard.

The ESP M-II is pretty close to the Wizard as well, but feels just a bit thicker in the upper registers to my hand. I think that may also have been that the neck I was playing was narrower (1 5/8 vs. 1 11/16) though.

Of course, YMMV, but I find that the more I like a neck profile, the more I'm going to like playing that particular guitar.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Also, if tackling fretwork in the learning stages, ya might consider buying some of GFS's clearance necks.  They make practical, inexpensive practice compared to yours or someone else's "working" instruments.