WojTheElder
Newbie
- Messages
- 21
After years of delays and setbacks, and countless hours scouring the Warmoth website, I would like to share my "just of of the box" joy of receiving two long-awaited projects: a Spalted Maple/ Alder Strat and a Padouk/ Black Korina JBass. I know its been said many times across this forum, but I have no other choice but to join the chorus and say that I was "utterly and completely blown away by every single component that I pulled from that Warmoth shipping box." I knew the projects were going to be nice, but I wasn't quite prepared for the jaw-dropping that I had to endure.
Anyways, before I go any further, I wanted to convey the fact that I am fully aware of the "immorality" involved with top routing a spalted maple top. So before anyone responds with the "throwing a beer bottle at you" animated emoticon, please realize that I specifically selected a "low spalt" top from the Unique Choice section that would be minimally offended by a top rout. I simply wanted a spalted maple top, I don't like the look of the S-S-S rear rout, and I have a turtle-shell pickguard pre-wired with Lindy Fralin Blues Specials that has been waiting 4 years for a body. OK, now that the disclaimers are out of the way ...
The tobacco burst on the strat is absolutely gorgeous and I was very surprised by the flame in the top and the low weight of the Alder. Other specs include: cream binding, contoured heel, hardtail, and gold hardware.
For the neck, I jumped on the wenge bandwagon and topped it with a choice Macassar Ebony fretboard. I simply can't say enough about this neck right out of the box -- it is simply awesome. The open grain patterns look incredible, and the feel is hard to describe: waxy yet fast along the grain. The Clapton contour seems to fit my hand perfectly -- providing a bit more support without the "telephone pole" feel that a fatback would provide. I can't wait to get it strung up.
The JBass is another project that I was able to sneak in before baby #1 arrives in May. Unfinished Padouk neck with Ebony fretboard and the body is spectacular Padouk on Black Korina. I plan to go with chrome hardware and a passive pickup arrangement still to be determined.
I could write pages on how pleased I am with the quality and craftmanship of Warmoth products -- but I'd be preaching to the choir. I'll get more pics out shortly.
Anyways, before I go any further, I wanted to convey the fact that I am fully aware of the "immorality" involved with top routing a spalted maple top. So before anyone responds with the "throwing a beer bottle at you" animated emoticon, please realize that I specifically selected a "low spalt" top from the Unique Choice section that would be minimally offended by a top rout. I simply wanted a spalted maple top, I don't like the look of the S-S-S rear rout, and I have a turtle-shell pickguard pre-wired with Lindy Fralin Blues Specials that has been waiting 4 years for a body. OK, now that the disclaimers are out of the way ...
The tobacco burst on the strat is absolutely gorgeous and I was very surprised by the flame in the top and the low weight of the Alder. Other specs include: cream binding, contoured heel, hardtail, and gold hardware.
For the neck, I jumped on the wenge bandwagon and topped it with a choice Macassar Ebony fretboard. I simply can't say enough about this neck right out of the box -- it is simply awesome. The open grain patterns look incredible, and the feel is hard to describe: waxy yet fast along the grain. The Clapton contour seems to fit my hand perfectly -- providing a bit more support without the "telephone pole" feel that a fatback would provide. I can't wait to get it strung up.
The JBass is another project that I was able to sneak in before baby #1 arrives in May. Unfinished Padouk neck with Ebony fretboard and the body is spectacular Padouk on Black Korina. I plan to go with chrome hardware and a passive pickup arrangement still to be determined.
I could write pages on how pleased I am with the quality and craftmanship of Warmoth products -- but I'd be preaching to the choir. I'll get more pics out shortly.
