Stewart-MacDonald vs. Warmoth

Jared

Junior Member
Messages
36
What do you guys like better. Stewart or Warmoth? I need to know where to order guitar parts from. I think I might order one of these bodies (link below) for my first guitar or should I order on from Warmoth? I like these cause they're not too expensive but I need you experts opinions. I'm just starting to make them. I need a lot of help. I'm probably a little young but I have a lot of woodworking experience. Well what do you think?
 
Warmoth gives you much more options and is higher quality.
Stew-mac is less expensive and will probably be quicker.

Everything I've heard puts Warmoth at a higher level than Stew, and I think that I've heard there's been neck pocket problems on the Stews, but I'm not sure.
 
They're two totally different things. For tools and some supplies I would prefer Stew Mac, but for bodies and certainly for necks I would (and do) certainly go for Warmoth. If you're experienced in woodworking, why not go for a Warmoth body blank? You'll still be able to shape the body to your liking but the critical areas will be finished to very high specs.
 
yeah, totally different.
I order all my tools/supplies from stewmac but everything else from warmoth :)

both have awesome service  :headbang:
 
I want to make a Strat style guitar without the pickguard. What would be a good quality,looks awesome,and good priced guitar body from Warmoth? :tard: :icon_scratch: ???
 
A rear-routed body, but looks are subjective, as well as good priced.  Do you mean cheap?  Check the showcase, and modify the search filter for "rear routed" and choose finished or unfinished.  If you see anything you like and it's priced right, click on by it now.  If the stuff you see is close, but not quite, go the custom order route.  The showcase prices and custom order prices are the same unless it's an old item. 
 
Stew-Mac sells Mighty Mite bodies - that maple "top" is a 1/16" veneer.... I buy some tools and stuff from Stew -Mac, but they're definitely in business to make money. They sell a 6" steel ruler for $11+, yes it's the same one your hardware store sells for $1.29. Their "essential nut-making kit" is nuts - you need about 1/4 of that stuff. I like LMII for everything I can get from them, Stew-Mac for what I can't. Most of my files & stuff aren't even "guitar" tools, look at gunsmith and jewelry supplies and you'll see the same tools for less money. I use Warmoth & USACG wood, and Warmoth hardware IF they have the hardware I want - if I want some other hardware, I'll just get is somewhere else.

It's good to find the real hardware store in your area, not the Ace Hardware but the funky dark place with bins and bins full of weird little screws.... they can order you the exact shellacs & stuff you want.

http://www.lmii.com/
 
For my first guitar,would it be a good idea to get an already finished body? I'm gonna get a figured maple one.
 
It depends... are you experienced in finishing?

Warmoth's finished are really good quality. They're recommended by a lot of folks here.
 
For a Strat style body,what do you guys like better....

Single,Single,Single

       or..

Single,Single,Humbucker


This is for the pickups.
 
Also what's the difference between a boatneck contour and a fatback contour? Thanks! :icon_scratch:
 
What kind of music do you like/what sounds are you trying to get?

And I think the difference between the boatneck and fatback is the shape. Not size.
boat.jpg
fat.jpg
 
I like rock. Like I said I'm a beginner at making and playing a guitar so I don't know much about it. I'm only 16. It's a Strat body. What would you choose?
 
I think you'll need to have a better idea of what you want before you start  :icon_thumright:
I'm 16 too, and I'm working on a tele.

Start a thread in the work in progress board, and we'll try to help you get what you need.
 
Well if you're 16 and you're not sure what you want, but you want a quality guitar, you should build something versatile and cheap-ish.  Maybe a HSS strat with a 2-point tremolo... that's what I'd make if someone asked me to build a guitar for their kid who was just starting out.  You could get a finished showcase body for like $250, or one of those rear-routes from StewMac for like $1, but I have no idea if they're any good.    A finished maple neck will cost you like $250, but you can find some sweet raw necks for about that, which I recommend.  Or if you're really broke you can get a plain maple neck for $150 and finish it for $10 with tru-oil.  It's still gonna cost you $500 total but you would have a really nice guitar to start out on.

DIY finish, that depends on what your situation is... do you have someplace you can spray?  If you don't have experience or equipment you will not be saving time or money by doing a DIY finish, and Warmoth will do a way better job than you.  Believe me, I learned that the hard way.

If you're not sure if you're going to stick with it you can get a cheapie guitar for like $150 at Guitar Center, play it for a while, and sell it on Craigslist for $100.

How much playing have you done so far?
 
Gotta agree with Max and dbw on all counts

If you're into rock, then you're best off going HSS.  This will give you more options 'down the road'.  Once you've developed your tastes and your ear a bit more, then you can start getting clever with your electronics like coil splitting humbuckers (which would give you SSS anyway) etc.

For now, I'd keep it simple.  HSS will get you a great rock sound if you choose your pickup brands carefully.

Definitely get Warmoth to do the finish for you.  I wouldnt normally tell anyone not to do something if it's what they want, but in your case, you say yourself that you have little experience with guitars.  If it were me...... I'd have a go at bolting the (finished) parts together and get a taste for what I want, then start to get adventurous later. In fact that's exactly what I did, except that I haven't actually got round to build number 2.......YET  :icon_tongue:

Also.............and I mean no disrespect here.........  Seeing as you are a total beginner, I'd avoid any of the 'complicated' neck contours for now.  I'd go for standard thin (unless you have massive hands).  I would'nt want you to put together dream guitar and than never be able to play it cos the neck is so fat you can get around the thing.  I put a fatback on my strat having never played one or even seen a neck so big before, however, I've played tons of guitars, big and small and I thought I could handle it.  However it took me ages to work out what I liked.

There are a lot of factors in building guitars which could put someone off playing altogether. and that would be a waste of time, money, effort and most importantly......fun.
It's almost worth dbw's suggestion
dbw said:
If you're not sure if you're going to stick with it you can get a cheapie guitar for like $150 at Guitar Center, play it for a while, and sell it on Craigslist for $100.
Give it 6 months and work out what you think you like and then come back and hit the ground running.

With all that said, hang around here on the board and have a look (and in some cases listen) at some of things that others are coming up with and get a feel for what you think you can acheive.  We'll be here and help you all the way with whatever choices you make.

 
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