Showcase or Custom?

[Sp4zRX]

I am new here but have learned a lot from reading this forum. Thanks to all you contributors!

I am currently in the process of modding/building a new guitar. My plan has been to mod my current guitar until it is a whole new guitar, then reassemble the old. That way I can buy the parts a few at a time rather than shelling out all the cash at one time. This way I also have a sweet guitar to play in the meantime!

I started with a highway one strat. The last thing I have to change is the body and bridge, then I have a whole new guitar. My original plan was to hold no reserves and make this thing the best. But now I have a conundrum and would be great to hear your thoughts.

I want a Black Korina Jazzmaster body, preferably black to clear burst with natural binding, and a contoured heel. However, the showcase does have some really nice black korina jazzmasters but without a contoured heel and they are brown to clear bursts. So being that I wanted to make no comprimises with this guitar and get EXACTLY what I wanted, maybe custom is the way to go. BUT Warmoth doesn't offer black korina as a unique choice so I am worried I will get a boring piece of korina and the whole reason I want that wood is for its exotic appeal and some are quite boring. If I go showcase, at least I already know what the grain looks like.

So.... what to do, what do......  :dontknow:

 

[Kostas]

Do you want a top or rear routed Jazzmaster? Warmoth goes along with the Fender crowd so you won't find too many top routed Jazzmasters with contoured heel. Specifically for the Jazzmaster that's ironic because the vintage correct guys wouldn't touch a Warmoth Jazzmaster body as Warmoth's version is different from Fender. But it seems contoured heel is not popular, you won't find many bodies with a contoured heel no matter the wood, weight, finish etc. Right now, there are over 100 Jazzmasters in the showcase, only 2 have a contoured heel. As a person who wants specific things I can tell you it doesn't matter if you wait forever, some things don't show up in the showcase.

You can buy a black korina piece of wood you like from a wood store that sells to guitar companies. Usually these stores have dried woods ready to be used. You can send it to Warmoth or to another parts company to make you a body with contoured heel.

The most extreme solution is to buy a body you like in the showcase, then send it to someone to make the contoured heel and apply the finish. Usually the nice looking Korina bodies are already finished so you will pay twice for a finish but it's the only way if you want a Warmoth body. Even if you find an unfinished body in the showcase they won't do the contoured heel.

 

[Updown]

I've had 2 custom builds ... but both were a solid colour. That won't help ya.  :doh:

Well a custom build will cost ya more than a showcase.
As ya say a showcase you see what ya get.

There is this one in your spec's
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseItem.aspx?i=JMP524&Body=2&Path=Body#.U1TPSo4zgUU

With no contoured heel thou.
:icon_scratch:  I'm not so sure that's a huge issue, as i've got both and they don't really play any different in my hands.
But that is for you to decide on.

Something like that showcase one above would be heaps cheaper than a custom build.
You see what ya getting and only difference for a larger price tag, would be getting a contoured heel.

You could send them off an email asking if they can do a custom build to your spec's.  :icon_thumright:

All the best on building your dream  :guitarplayer2:  .... I love my Warmoths 

 

[croquet hoop]

One of the things to keep in mind is that there is potentially enough variation in wood grain and bursts to make a BK body with clear to brown burst look better in your eyes that another one in clear to black, although it is what you want in the first place.

Take a look at the showcase, there is surely a body which really appeals to you (not taking into account features such as pickup routes or contoured heel), and another one which you find okay, but not worth the price of a custom order. Now, if you order a custom body, you could get anything between those two. Would you rather pay the full custom price to potentially get something you find "meh" (although someone else will probably find it gorgeous) or the showcase price for something you'll still like even if it departs slightly from your original intent?

If you really do not want to compromise and want a custom build, I think it is possible to mitigate the risks by submitting a few pics to Warmoth with your order with the note "is it possible for you to use a piece of wood with this type of grain and not that one?". Send them an email even before you order, that way you'll know what you can expect.

 

[Sp4zRX]

Do you want a top or rear routed Jazzmaster?

I am looking for a top routed.

You can buy a black korina piece of wood you like from a wood store that sells to guitar companies.

I have actually thought about this but I thought I read somewhere that Warmoth wouldn't do this? I could be mistaken though.

Well a custom build will cost ya more than a showcase.
As ya say a showcase you see what ya get.

There is this one in your spec's
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseItem.aspx?i=JMP524&Body=2&Path=Body#.U1TPSo4zgUU

With no contoured heel thou.
:icon_scratch:  I'm not so sure that's a huge issue, as i've got both and they don't really play any different in my hands.

Yes, that is the dilemma  :sad1:    The one you linked is a really great looking piece of korina! But that one is a JazzCaster. I would prefer a JazzMaster. Only a small difference but it is one that I have looked at and considered because it is another one that is almost what I want just a different compromise to make.

Not having played a contoured heel before, I don't really know how much of a difference it would make but I would imagine only a small difference and I only go that high every once and a while. I just don't want to have buyers remorse a few months later thinking "This guitar is so awesome! I just wish it had a contoured heel, then it would be complete."  :-\ With that being said, and all things considered, I think I am probably gonna be going the uncontoured heel showcase route.

One of the things to keep in mind is that there is potentially enough variation in wood grain and bursts to make a BK body with clear to brown burst look better in your eyes that another one in clear to black, although it is what you want in the first place.

Good point. I only wanted to do the black to clear because I already have a wenge/ebony neck that will be going on this body (and it plays like a dream  :icon_biggrin: ) and I just thought black/clear would match slightly better than brown/clear but brown/clear will still look awesome, i think, so its a compromise I am willing to make.

Send them an email even before you order, that way you'll know what you can expect.

Yeah, I think I am gonna do this just to see what they can do. I won't have the cash until next week and I don't like calling and wasting the time of a business when I don't even have cash to buy. Once I do and I am ready to pull the trigger, I am going to give them a call and see what they say. Should be next week.