The Prodigal Neck Returns

[Verne Bunsen]

Hello all! I used to be a frequent contributor / participant around here, but the last few years have allowed me little time for guitar-related pursuits. Recently though, one fell in to my lap and I have chosen, enthusiastically, to embrace it! The forum software is a little different than it used to be so forgive me if I have to work the kinks out of formatting and such…

By long and circuitous route, a Warmoth neck that I bought back in 2019-20 but was never able to take delivery of has made its way home. It was initially intended to be the neck for THIS build. Long story short: At the time it was shipped directly from Warmoth to a third party for some work, but the guy it went to came on some hard times and it eventually ended up in storage somewhere with his tools and I ultimately just wrote it off as lost to time. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and I was contacted out of the blue about it by a family member of the gentleman (he’s ok for anyone reading between the lines), who had found the neck with my name on the invoice. And now here it is, at my home, and I daresay it was worth the wait! I am very appreciative of the honesty and character of the man who found it and took the time to track me down.

This neck clearly deserves to be bolted to a body, not stuffed in a box. I hope to do it justice! More to follow.

 

[stratamania]

Welcome back Verne.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Welcome back Verne.

Thanks! After a “dry spell” of a few years I had recently started making more time to play and try to get some of my chops back, and then this neck comes back to me. Feels like a great alignment of circumstances and I am excited to be back in this stuff.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

There’s only so much I can do with just the neck in-hand, so that’s where I’m starting. Gotoh Magnum Lock tuners. These have become my favorite tuners. My Go-toh if you will….

The order for the body is in. It will be a Mooncaster with two F-holes and the fiddley lower horn toggle switch. Mahogany with a Black Korina lam and black binding, finished in Caribbean Burst up front and clear on the back. I am very excited to see how that turns out… It will get a ToM / STP and I intend to mount a Bigsby B5 on a Vibramate plate to the STP studs. I have a TonePros roller bridge on hand to further this cause.

It will be routed for two humbuckers and I have obtained a set of Gibson 57 Classics for it. That’s what Johnny A uses, and if it’s good enough for Johnny A then it’s good enough for Verne B….