Turnaround Times - Backlog Of Orders

Freakoftheweek75

Junior Member
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Hi everyone.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a custom build for a new band I'm joining. The 2nd set of all of our shows will be 80's rock themed and as I've mentioned in a couple of other threads, my guitar build will be super Sunset Strip Shred oriented.

The warning on the site states in part; "Due to the large backlog of work we are currently experiencing, please note the following before placing your order: All production times will be delayed several weeks beyond the normal times stated on our website."

I was just wondering if anyone else had any input / intel on if this is running true to your orders if you've placed one recently - or if any employees around the board here can chime in on it.

I'm perfectly good with it stretching a couple to a few weeks beyond the typical 10-12 weeks for production.  The only thing I can't really do is plunk down $1,500 something dollars if it's going to stretch much (or a lot) beyond that.

Any information?
 
To give you a reference point:
- I ordered a showcase neck that only needs frets to be installed a day prior to the shutdown. No news yet.
- I ordered a custom Warhead neck on April 17th, I requested a headstock veneer on it not available through the online builder selection and haven't heard about it yet. Normally a sales person would send you an updated quote adding the cost of the veneer for approval.

Not only were they forced to close for 2 months, but Aaron said lot more people than usual have also been placing orders during that shutdown.
People just got bored (I am) and started buying more, at least the ones lucky to still have an income. I definitely noticed increased activity on Reverb.
 
EDIT: I had missed the update below.

Until Washington state or Warmoth provide further guidance, it may be best to consider Warmoth "closed" until Pierce County is approved to enter Phase 2. I've seen a few people say they got orders (presumably unaltered Showcase buys) during this time, but any "production" calendar won't start until most can return to work.This may be a overs-simplification to the real operation situation, but there is no use speculating when anything will be finished, I doubt even Warmoth knows when they can be begin. Still, I'm impatiently waiting for the body and neck I ordered. I could use a project right now, otherwise I have to ...practice (shudder).

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Latest is always here: https://www.warmoth.com/Ordering/Covid19.aspx
Good news! Warmoth is adopting a Safe Start Program which is a phased approach to resuming operations. Beginning Monday, May 11 about half our staff will return to work. We plan to bring all remaining staff back to work by June 1st.

My order was a showcase neck with a nut. I'm sitting here reading "Change requests will significantly delay your order. Please make sure your order is correct before you submit it." and wondering 1) Does a nut  actually require fitting, or do they pull one out of the bin and stick it on, and 2) Would calling to say "forget the nut, just stic it in a box and  drop it in the mailbox" send it back to the end of the line or speed it up?  I'm inclined to think it would slow it down.
 
I placed 3 orders: 2 on 3/22 for a custom Strat body w/ Wilkinson bridge & neck, and 1 on 4/18 for some locking tuners. I have received 2 of them so far consisting of a showcase neck and locking tuners. Only thing I am waiting on is a custom chambered Strat body & bridge. I am certain it will be worth the wait, and I have a other guitars I can play in the meantime.
 
swarfrat said:
My order was a showcase neck with a nut. I'm sitting here reading "Change requests will significantly delay your order. Please make sure your order is correct before you submit it." and wondering 1) Does a nut  actually require fitting, or do they pull one out of the bin and stick it on, and 2) Would calling to say "forget the nut, just stic it in a box and  drop it in the mailbox" send it back to the end of the line or speed it up?  I'm inclined to think it would slow it down.

Yes, any change at all will slow it down. This isn't just due to the production end of things, but also the admin. Every change requires people to pull up your order and change it. This effects the price, so then there is money to refunded or charged. All of which necessitates a lot of back and forth with the customer, and all of which requires human people logging hours. For six weeks prior to May 1 Warmoth was completely shut down. Now we're working at 50% as we phase back in. Meanwhile, the volume of orders has been staggering....WAAAAAY above normal for this time of year. Some daily totals have been quadruple the norm.

So....massive volume of orders, skeleton crew. Anything - literally any change you make to order, no matter how small - will delay your order. In essence, your paperwork gets pulled from its place in the "in progress" pile and moved to the back of the "change requests" pile, where it will sit until someone can get to it. Once that's complete it will go back to the end of the "in progress" and wait in that line again until someone can get to it.

As far as turnaround times, I can't give anyone a firm timeline. All I can say is we are working through things as fast as we can. Showcase items that require few changes will ship fastest. Showcase items that need a finish, frets, or nuts will take longer. Built-to-order items will take longest.

My advice is: if you want something order it now and secure your place in line. That is the fastest way.

One other thing to be aware of: 100% of our manpower is being directed towards filling orders. That means 0% is being directed towards restocking the showcase. By summer, that showcase is going to be lean. It will likely be fall before it starts to fill up again. So again...if you want something, grab it now.
 
Although it may take some time, it's good to hear things are moving towards normalcy.
 
I expected the backlog but not a spike in volume with the economic goings-on. Strongly suspect that lot of the credit has to do with your YouTube content.

Appreciate the heads up, even if it kills any custom order ideas for a bit.

Question though - Would it be reasonable to expect in-stock items needing zero work to ship out somewhat close to normally (say a week or so)? I mean like a neck or body that I don’t want fretted or routed or anything at all, just stuffed in a box and shipped.

This time at home is gold for me, and trying to tie up my various projects and rebuilds.
 
jay4321 said:
I expected the backlog but not a spike in volume with the economic goings-on. Strongly suspect that lot of the credit has to do with your YouTube content.

Appreciate the heads up, even if it kills any custom order ideas for a bit.

Question though - Would it be reasonable to expect in-stock items needing zero work to ship out somewhat close to normally (say a week or so)? I mean like a neck or body that I don’t want fretted or routed or anything at all, just stuffed in a box and shipped.

This time at home is gold for me, and trying to tie up my various projects and rebuilds.

From what I have observed lately, the problem may not be how long Warmoth takes on a non custom order. It may be more in the area of how long the various shipping services take to get there act in order. I have been waiting 4 days now for a piece of mahogany that is sitting at the Post Office facility 45 minutes from my house. The seller says it's UPSMI's problem. UPSMI say's it's the USPS's problem. The USPS say's that they are still within the 7-10 day time frame that it should take to ship something from MI. to northern IL. A distance that I could drive in one day. So....I wait. Because, even though it's only a 45 minutes away, the paperwork says that it isn't time for delivery yet.  :sad:
 
Aaron thanks for the detailed update. I too would have thought the economic uncertainty would have caused cancellation in orders rather than a 400% increase. I guess Warmoth customers are not hurting for $. Or maybe a lot of those $1200 stimulus checks will be heading to Warmoth.

How was it to restart the machinery? Did some of the paint supplies have to be thrown out? Are supplies to Warmoth not getting delivered? I had plans for a new neck now and a body from the showcase that I would finish myself this summer while the weather was warm. I guess the body may have to wait for next summer. In the meantime I will just have to spend more time with my existing Warmoth stuff.  I pity the person who only has factory guitars and gear to practice with.  :>)

 
I ordered a showcase neck on 4/15 and another one on 4/24, along with a custom build swamp ash thinline body on 4/24. I’m guessing the necks will arrive first after frets and nut are installed - both are roasted maple without any finish. The body is also unfinished. I get the reasons for the delay. I did have some special requests (jack and pickup rout) for the body so I’m sure I’ll be contacted eventually confirming those.

In the meantime, I’ve been practicing guitar and testing stains, dyes, and finishes on wood I’ve bought from HD and Rockler. Spent a small fortune on all that...maybe even more than I did for the Warmoth orders just to keep myself busy. Even bought a new practice amp.
 
Ordered 4/23. I just got some non-guitar stuff that's also in crazy high demand that was ordered on 3/31 and it just shipped finally. I was initially quoted like 3 weeks, then 5 weeks, and it ended up shipping in 6.5 weeks.  I'm going to have some actual down time here soon, so that might be great.
 
I think if I put in a custom build neck now I will get it sometime in late August. If I wait until early July I will probably get it in the same time period. So I'll wait until the backlog is completed and put in my order then. Even though I really want the new neck now. But if I put in an order I will agonize during the wait period and if I don't put in the order now it will be less painful for me.
 
Ordered a showcase neck that was already fretted and had a nut on 5/12 along with a pickguard and some hardware, hopefully shouldn't take too long since nothing is custom.
 
I don't want to discourage you but I don't think they triage the orders that way. I think they are just put in line and are dealt with in turn. Although they may put finish and no finish required in different lines.
 
What you mean witty posts and my GOTM winner from a few years ago means nothing when it comes to priority?
 
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