These warmoth necks always need ?

[Mx481james]

  Ok I must be missing something , I read all the time that warmoth necks need fret leveling and cleanup to be able to play well . ??? I'm i the Lucky one because I've purchased 9 or 10 warmoth necks over the last year or two. None have needed any fret work what so ever.
Actually they've all setup easily and seem to be of the best quality hold on I've ever played. I've had custom shop fenders and really quality wise they're equal or better.
The best for me is I love 24 3/4 and there 6115 stainless wire add-in the 10-16 radius and BAM BAM !  :band:

 

[stratamania]

They don't necessarily need it, but they can benefit from additional work. It depends on the user etc.

 

[mayfly]

I've found that besides a nut setup and truss-rod tweak, the 10+ warmoth necks I've bought never needed any work whatsoever. 

 

[DieterDeux]

I did a touch of fret-end work just to be really excessive, but it was certainly playable out of the box.

 

[Mx481james]

Then it's not just me haha!
I second that whatsoever from mayfly .
I can get the action so low on these untouched necks that it's too low .
I did find the cutting of there nut slots a bit inconsistent which I find strange for a CNC machine. Most of the time the slot's are close but I've had a few much deeper than the others. Not a big deal unless your using pre-manufactured string nuts .

 

[ValeBliz]

Some need it, some don’t. I had 4 neck so far and one was unplayable without a fret level (I was slightly pissed tbh, it was a wenge and highly figured ziricote fretboard neck over 500$). The other 3 were all playable with a medium to low action, let’s say 2mm action low E side, but if you check them with a fret rocker they of course could benefit from a well done leveling.

 

[teleme01]

i have only bought 2 necks,  the 1st being ebony on ebony, ss6105,  1 11/16 earvana corian nut, and standard 10-16 radius.  Although i am not real knowlegable and never have done a fret job... I have played guitars for 50 years.  That 1st neck was so perfect to my eye that i could only make it worse by me trying to make better what the experts made.

i jumped,  literally,  jumped on the 2nd neck,  bucote on roasted maple, had a 42mm nut,  and again i did ss6105 frets and earvana but this time tusq.  havent really been able to compare the two necks since i took the 1st off and put on the 2nd,  if ever i learn to do fantastic fret work i may see something wrong with these out of the box necks... 

one day i hope to get a wenge and padouk,  will stay with earvana and ss6105 and 10.16radius,  with the 2 necks i have,  i will see which nut size i prefer, 43 mm vs 42mm

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

Part of the reason you had "good luck" is your choice of 10-16 compound radius.    Its makes the setup more tolerant of playing surface variations than if using a straight radius.  If your reference is a Fender neck with 9.5" straight radius, there is a reasonable chance a 10-16" compound radius Warmoth neck, after only having the nut-slots filed to height, will be playable with a lower setup.

 

[Mx481james]

Johnny, that makes so much sense  being I do 10-16 . Everything else is usually 12 for me . I never have a 9.5 around for very long .
I use 11-49 so not crazy heavy but far from light .
I like minimal relief , I set the neck straight with a straight edge using a very thin feeler gauge. Once up detention and rested overnight I fine tune truss rod. I don't really recall having to add any backbone on warmth necks like I've had to on so many brand's.
To Johnny's point of the 10-16 , I also only do the Gibson conversion neck. So shorter and modern construction with a double acting truss rode . 
  I'm thinking of ordering a 12 radius next , this makes it interesting on the next assembly..

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

To Johnny's point of the 10-16 , I also only do the Gibson conversion neck. So shorter and modern construction with a double acting truss rode . 
  I'm thinking of ordering a 12 radius next , this makes it interesting on the next assembly..

Warmoth do a really good job of fret installation, so that's something to be appreciated.

Almost all of my Warmoth necks are 25.5" scale and 12" straight radius.  Its only my Warmoth 7/8 neck I ordered with 24.75" scale and 14" straight radius.    I had the 10-16 compound radius in both scale lengths on 2 builds that I no longer own, so I found the difference in reducing fret buzz.

The heavy strings are less likely to have fret buzz due to the tension.  However shorter scale length means less tension so that aspect changes if using the same strings.  This type of thing is only really important if you are aiming for super low action height.  My approach is to choose the radius I'm most comfortable with and adjusting the action height as needed.  If the neck ends up needing some high frets filed and crowned, that can be done by a professional.  Not every Warmoth neck is perfect - there is a tiny bit of luck needed as well.

 

[SeattleScotty]

My neck was fine from the get-go, though I had the build done by an actual luthier so he set it up for me at the same time.

 

[Steve_Karl]

I've found that besides a nut setup and truss-rod tweak, the 10+ warmoth necks I've bought never needed any work whatsoever.

4 and counting for me and the only thing they've ever needed beyond truss rod and sometimes minor nut attention has been fret ends rounded a bit more.

Then with the SS frets I've been finding it's nice to put a polish on them with 3M Flexible Polishing papers.
I got the papers from StewMac. 400(Green), 600(Grey), 1,200(Blue), 4,000(Pink) grits.

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/supplies/sanding-and-polishing/sandpaper-and-finishing-papers/3m-flexible-polishing-papers/

(recommended by Cagy - Thank you!)

 

[Steve_Karl]

Some need it, some don’t. I had 4 neck so far and one was unplayable without a fret level (I was slightly pissed tbh, it was a wenge and highly figured ziricote fretboard neck over 500$). The other 3 were all playable with a medium to low action, let’s say 2mm action low E side, but if you check them with a fret rocker they of course could benefit from a well done leveling.

I agree. I've check mine with a fret rocker and there are some that are slightly out but also I can get the action on all of them lower than I want, so it's not an issue.
Even the worst one I have, that was re-fretted by a supposed pro, (not Warmoth original frets) is still not a problem for me because I like high action.

 

[ValeBliz]

more.

Then with the SS frets I've been finding it's nice to put a polish on them with 3M Flexible Polishing papers.
I got the papers from StewMac. 400(Green), 600(Grey), 1,200(Blue), 4,000(Pink) grits.

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/supplies/sanding-and-polishing/sandpaper-and-finishing-papers/3m-flexible-polishing-papers/

(recommended by Cagy - Thank you!)

I polished all my ss frets with a Dremel using a small buff wheel and 1 micron diamond paste, works wonders tbh

 

[Mx481james]

I stand corrected ;
I have 3 new necks all have ebony boards and very sharp edges with fret ends that are a little steep .
I love ss 6115 as I've said , but these are tough on the hands . I beveled and rolled the boards a little and re-shaped the fret edges . Fixed with a little bit of work , stainless is tough filing .

I thought I'd add, I think the ebony is so hard that it holds a edge much more then rosewood or maple. I also want to say the Ebony on all three necks  is exceptional quality. I have one more still on order in ebony. It's not that it had to be done , just not as comfortable as my other necks with the same frets .