Soloist/VIP body carve

[tnt]

Hey everyone, first post after lurking for a while!

I am looking into a Warmoth build using either a Soloist or VIP body and noticed some differences in the carved top. Specifically, the VIPs do not seem to have routes for the control knobs anymore and neither appears to have a carve at the horns.

Am I going crazy, or did Warmoth change the way they do the carve over the years?

 

[Cagey]

Welcome to the He-Man Keyboard Haters Club!​

Not sure when the last time was you saw either of those designs, but the recessed knob wells have been gone for a number of years, and the top carve changed slightly a year or two ago. The top carve change was not dramatic, but the curves are smoother so they don't photograph as well. The tops are what they call "dual lam" construction, where the top wood is carved and a laminate is applied, instead of carving the entire top out of a rare piece of wood. Because of that, you can't have dramatic feature changes. Smoothing things out took care of the problem.

 

[tnt]

Ok, thank you for that info! I was primarily looking through the builds posted to Warmoth's site and noticed the differences from what is offered in the showcase now.

I kind of liked the more angular carve from before, but I guess a veneer is more cost effective than a full size cap.

Thanks again!

 

[Cagey]

Well, it's more than just cost-effective, it's also more responsible. I'm no rabid tree-hugger, but the reality is it can take 100 years or more to grow some species to the point where they're useful for certain things, so we're cutting them down faster than they're growing up. If you use a thick piece where a thin one will work just as well, you get fewer instruments out of the deal and we eventually run out of wood. I don't think anyone wants that.

 

[Hendrix]

USA made PRS 's carved top got less and less beautiful in recent years ( and they don't have that 10top thing you need to pay more some yeas ago , every one is 10top by then )  , for the same beautiful top 10 years ago on a $3000 PRS , you need to pay 3 to 4 times private stock price now . and some time a  $3000 PRS got less  beautiful top than a $700 PRS SE using  thin laminate top .

that show the supply and demand reality of  beautiful top .

 

[BroccoliRob]

Yeah brotendo, a guy at Warm oth said if they tried to recess the knob holes it would go right into the second laminate and look real bad. I think it would look rad af, tho. They still wouldn't do it for me. That was like 2 years ago