Two neck questions:

[oldmanriver]

1) What do you think of the 10"-16" compound fretboard radius? It seems like it would work and feel great but I have heard some negative opinions. Some people have said that it is impossible to set up because you can only achieve the desired action on one end of the neck. What has been you experience with it?

2) How much professional-level work do new Warmoth necks need? Do the frets need leveling or does the nut need filing (besides string slots, I can do those)? I need to know because I'm trying to figure out the total cost of a full build and I'm not sure If I should be prepared to pay a luthier for anything or not.

 

[mrpinter]

I have a Warmoth 72 Thinline that I paid a very Warmoth-experienced tech to build for me. My neck has the compound radius. It feels great to me and the tech didn't mention anything unusual about setting it up. As to needing fretwork the tech said it was fine as it came from Warmoth, but said that occasionally they will need some work - depends on the individual neck. He said the fretwork is usually OK. The nut my neck came with was cut inconsistently, and the tech found it necessary to either cut a new nut for it or shim the existing one and re-slot it. I chose the latter course, and all is now perfect with my neck. Your mileage, of course, may vary a bit. You should probably be prepared to spend some money on fret or nut work - just in case.

 

[Cagey]

I can't imagine why somebody wouldn't like the compound radius, unless they're pretending to feel that way because they're a shill for some company that doesn't provide that as an option.

It's not something that you even notice right away. All you sense is that no matter where you play on the neck, it doesn't cause you any grief. You want a tighter radius down where you play chords, and you want a broader one up where you're stretching/bending strings to a greater degree. The compound radius geometry facilitates that like none other. There's no fretting out, there's no strange buzzes, no dead spots, nothing. The strings respond the way you want them to.

I've owned a pretty good number of guitars over the 40 years I've been playing and played probably 5 times as many, and nothing compares. The compound radius is one of those evolutionary things that simply had to happen as people studied how guitars are played. There simply is no downside to them, and lots of upside. I don't know if anyone has a patent on it, but if they do, it'll eventually run out and all necks will have the compound radius feature.

As for how much work a Warmoth neck needs, that's a judgement call. Many, if not most people play them right out of the box because they do a very good job facing the 'board so the frets go in level to start with, and they're beveled and ground nicely. Plus, they do a great job on the nuts, although they do leave some room to lower the slots if you'd like. I have a couple here that I've never touched, and I'm a neck-working kind of guy. But, even Warmoth will tell you that they don't level or crown the frets, or dress the ends or polish them. They just build the neck. So, if you want the highly detailed super-slick version, you'll need professional attention. How much that'll cost depends on where you live and who you get to do it. In a major metropolitan area, you can probably get a good job done pretty reasonably. If you're in a smaller population center or out in the middle of nowhere, it could be expensive. If you're interested, I'm retired and I do that kind of work very reasonably.

 

[hannaugh]

In my opinion -

1- I like mine.  I didn't notice a difference when doing a setup on my Warmoths vs. a setup on my other guitars.  It might be a little bit different, but it would probably only bother you if you're really really anal and everything has to be on the exact micrometer that you want.  If it really worries you though, you don't have to get the compound radius.  You can get total vintage instead. 

2- It varies from neck to neck.  Both of my Warmoths were playable after I put them together, and I would say that is the norm, but there are always exceptions.  At some point I will have a professional fret job done on both of mine so they play perfectly, but right now they're both in the range of playability of most new guitars in their price range at any guitar shop. Actually, I would say my Strat is better than most.  The LP needs more work than the Strat, but that's because I did something dumb that messed up my 12th fret.  :doh:  

 

[Strat Avenger]

I have not heard any negative comments about the compound radius. Mine plays awesome, and if you set your action at the 12th fret like you're supposed to, it will be perfect everywhere on the neck. So whoever said otherwise is clueless.

Even Fender is now offering compound radius necks on their production guitars. The EVH Wolfgang has a compound radius. Others are catching on.

 

[Jusatele]

After getting my first compound radius neck I will say that they are great, play like a dream. I wonder why the system took so long to arrive.
So here goes my answer to your second point.

have a professional set it up, it will cost a bit more than a regular setup, but that is the beauty of it all, it seems that a professional can set it up so good it plays like butta. And it will be perfect all up and down the neck.

 

[mayfly]

1: compound radius necks are awesome.

2: I've had 9 warmoth necks.  None have needed fretwork.

 

[DangerousR6]

1: compound radius necks are awesome.

2: I've had 9 warmoth necks.  None have needed fretwork.

+1, I have 5 or 6, can't remember at this moment. And mine needed nothing... :icon_biggrin:

 

[Disco Scottie]

Compound is WINNING

 

[tfarny]

I'm going to chime in and agree with Warmoth's official policy that their necks DO need fretwork out of the box. Every neck I've gotten from them has been great, but the ones that I've taken to a good shop to get full fret work done are so much better, that I now consider it part of the cost of the build. Basically, out of the box, Warmoth necks are as good as anything you'll normally see at guitar center, but if you want a custom shop-quality part, plan on a full fret level and crown, fretboard edge rolling and fret end filing.

And the nuts ALWAYS need a little work - but nut specs are really up to the player's preferences so I don't see how it could be otherwise. If you are out there playing on an untouched warmoth nut, I guarantee you that 20 minutes with nut files and some graphite will drastically improve your low fret action, feel, and intonation. Again, that's warmoth's own policy as well.

 

[Jusatele]

I'm going to chime in and agree with Warmoth's official policy that their necks DO need fretwork out of the box. Every neck I've gotten from them has been great, but the ones that I've taken to a good shop to get full fret work done are so much better, that I now consider it part of the cost of the build. Basically, out of the box, Warmoth necks are as good as anything you'll normally see at guitar center, but if you want a custom shop-quality part, plan on a full fret level and crown, fretboard edge rolling and fret end filing.

And the nuts ALWAYS need a little work - but nut specs are really up to the player's preferences so I don't see how it could be otherwise. If you are out there playing on an untouched warmoth nut, I guarantee you that 20 minutes with nut files and some graphite will drastically improve your low fret action, feel, and intonation. Again, that's warmoth's own policy as well.

I agree

 

[jackthehack]

I've bought over 20 Warmoth necks and never needed to do anything other than normal setup, or modifying the nut for heavier strings if the neck was for somebody else. That being said, I'm not real picky about neck width/fret size/etc. that apparently bothers some people a lot.

If you're old school and are used to the older Fender 7.5/9.5 radius straight necks, when you first play a 10-16 compound radius it feels a little weird above the 12th fret.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I have a compound radius, and had I not known it was, my hands wouldn't tell my brain.  I've read the advantages and reasons for it, but I think most (myself especially included) couldn't feel the differences between a straight 12 or compound.  If and when it needed servicing, you wouldn't need a good tech, but a great tech to work on it.  For those reasons, I'll go straight radius next go round. 
IMO

 

[Strat Avenger]

  If and when it needed servicing, you wouldn't need a good tech, but a great tech to work on it.  For those reasons, I'll go straight radius next go round. 
IMO

That makes absolutely no sense.
I asked my Luthier if fret-work was any more difficult on a compound radius neck, and he said that it's not even an issue.
As for set-up, you set it up just like any other guitar.

 

[Cagey]

I've never had any issue with levelling, crowning, dressing, polishing or setting up a compound radius neck. Maybe it's time you looked for a different "luthier".

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Street Avenger, you have a good one then.  To say there is no difference in fret level on a straight radius and a compound is to say there's no difference in the radii.  The two fretjobs I've had done, 2 different guys, the compound guy asked me, the straight radiused neck one used his gauges.  They have to know what they're starting with and where they're going, especially the in betweens on the compound.  Even the guys that have a straight radius with tall frets and have it filed to a compound radius, they know what they've ended up with.  I'm more hesitant to take it to a guy that says, "there's no difference" because he basically just told me in not so many words that a cylinder and a cone are the same thing.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Street Avenger, you have a good one then.  To say there is no difference in fret level on a straight radius and a compound is to say there's no difference in the radii.  The two fretjobs I've had done, 2 different guys, the compound guy asked me, the straight radiused neck one used his gauges.  They have to know what they're starting with and where they're going, especially the in betweens on the compound.  Even the guys that have a straight radius with tall frets and have it filed to a compound radius, they know what they've ended up with.  I'm more hesitant to take it to a guy that says, "there's no difference" because he basically just told me in not so many words that a cylinder and a cone are the same thing.

Funny, now you're questioning the experience or competence of my luthier, and my experience in selecting one to work on my guitars. He never said "there's no difference". He SAID that it is no more difficult to do fret work on a compound radius than on a straight radius. Most real luthiers use radius gauges, and know what they are working on before they start filing.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Not funny, not questioning, just misread.  I say they're different to work on as do you and your guy.  My apologies.  Pissing contest over.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

...  you wouldn't need a good tech, but a great tech to work on it. 

I wouldn't consider anyone but a great tech working on my guitars no matter what :sign13:

 

[oldprospector]

The compound radius allows for better (lower) action all the way up and down the neck. Much easier to play. But some people play with a monkey grip and won't care about this. So go with a tight single radius 7.25 or 9.5. Good for them; everyone is different. But,  for the sake of us fret guys here at warmoth please go with either the compound or just a traditional radius. Like the above mentioned. Makes it easier for us to dial in how well the fret job turns out. As always though a level and dress is recommended. We do our absolute best. But we are still human.