Unique necks

[Tomatonator]

Hi all,
1st post for me and I've recently browsed the Warmoth site quite a bit cause it seems I must assemble a custom guitar some time
I've got a question regarding necks though and although I've done a fair bit of reading and browsing I haven't answered my own question yet.

I see you can choose from a selection of unique fretboard blanks but I don't see a similar option for neck shafts. I'm interested in possibly a goncalo alves or canary neck but I'd like to have at least a bit of input into the level of grain on the neck and probably the fretboard too. The thing is according to my tastes goncalo ranges from too bland to too much grain and from the examples I see of canary I'd be leaning towards the more heavily grained pieces.

I'm also considering a Mooncaster headstock but there are not many in the showcase so not much chance of an already existing neck catching my eye. There are some nice Strat necks there but often not with a fretboard that's desirable to me. How do you all go about neck selection? Do you just leave it to the pros to come up with something to your liking?

Thanks

 

[stratamania]

There isn't a unique choice for necks. I would suppose that until the stock is cut to a neck shape you are not really going to know how it turns out. 

From the showcase its a case of keep looking and if something turns up you like then go for that.  With a Mooncaster thats less likely though.

The only other thing I could suggest would be to find something wood and grain wise in the showcase you like, make a note of the stock number and then contact Warmoth sales to ask if they could make something similar for you.

 

[Logrinn]

Plus the fact that the fretboard is what you and everybody see, whereas the (back of the) neck is not visible to anybody but yourself and not to any larger extent when you're playing. It's also not the thing you normally first see when looking at a guitar on a stand or it hanging on wall.

Ironically though, when it comes to violins, the front (of the body) is often more plain than the back:

That said, you can get, for instance, 3A flame or birdseye maple necks, and although you are not able to choose from a unique choice, you will get a neck where the back of it has a pretty grain.

 

[Tomatonator]

Thanks for the replies.
Yeah I figured the part about the different neck models that could possibly come out of a blank and that removing mass would change the visible grain in the end. 2 points about Logrinn's post... a) Nobody is likely to see me play any time soon and b) The neck shaft still determines the headstock grain

So I guess the short story is everyone pretty much leaves it to the good people of Warmoth and sometimes asks for some input via order notes or emails, possibly including links to showcase examples of interest. I'd love to see if people have examples of these out-there grained woods they got where they expressed a preference for crazy or not-so-crazy grain.

 

[Logrinn]

... 2 points about Logrinn's post... a) Nobody is likely to see me play any time soon ...

Don't say that. Shoot a video and post it on Youtube and millions might watch you :icon_thumright:

... 2 points about Logrinn's post... b) The neck shaft still determines the headstock grain ...

True, of course. But you can get a headstock veneer. (Although I don't think you can choose from a unique choice of that either).

... I'd love to see if people have examples of these out-there grained woods they got where they expressed a preference for crazy or not-so-crazy grain.

Did you see the Chechen necks?

Unfortunately it was a small batch and they're all gone now, but they were stunning.
And coming here to this forum might give you a heads-up on new and exciting stuff to come on the Warmoth site.
So in conclusion, keep on hanging here, and welcome to the forum ccasion14:

 

[Tomatonator]

Yeah I saw those but most were 1 piece and my mind is saying ziricote or macassar ebony fretboard. Plus they cost a fair bit more than what I've been looking at I think and were all strat/tele. Strat is a possibility but we'll see when it comes buying time.

Pale moon ebony would be an interesting fretboard too but I don't think that's a possibility from Warmoth and might be visual overload depending on the neck. I'll become addicted to the Warmoth site and the G.A.S. thread

I do have several videos online but they probably have a grand total viewership of 200 or so between them. I should spend more time on learning and practise, then maybe I'd share!

 

[Cagey]

If you aren't in a huge hurry, you can subscribe to the RSS feed and wait for your dream neck to show up there. They'll send you pictures of new additions to the showcase daily. I'll warn you, though - you'll see a helluva lotta really nice necks show up that'll drive you crazy to own even if you don't need them. If you don't have a good grip on your impulse control and your credit card...  :laughing7:

 

[frown]

If you're after a straighter grain, then I'll suggest looking at a quartersawn cut shaft.

 

[Tomatonator]

I'll read into that.. although for me it's not really about straight grain, more about too much dark grain as far as goncalo alves goes e.g. I prefer these

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?i=vms11600
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?i=vms12187

to these
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?i=VMS11186
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?i=vms11608
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?i=VMS12129
as far as back and headstock goes with something like a macassar fretboard even though some of the grain is is still nice on those.

The top ones would also be more accomodating of any small decal I might consider putting on a headstock. I'll ponder for a while...

 

[musicispeace]

I suspect you'll never see pale moon ebony from Warmoth, although I agree there are some mind blowing examples of it roaming around on a few guitars. As mentioned you can spend (extra $50?) and get a headstock veneer but be forewarned that there are some of the exotic wood necks they won't do it on because they don't think gluing to those woods is consistent enough to offer it for them. I've ordered maybe half a dozen custom built necks sight unseen and there was only one that did not have pleasing headstock grain but that is also a very subjective statement. Even a headstock veneer will be sight unseen since there is not a unique choice function for those in the website. On the bright side sometimes you get a surprise bit of flame in your neck if the neck blank is hiding some, happened to one neck I have and is nice. For something like Goncalo Alves I personally would buy a neck off the showcase as that is one wood where if you have your heart set on a certain texture or grain for that wood you could end up with the most plain custom blank if you order off the neck builder.

 

[Cagey]

For something like Goncalo Alves I personally would buy a neck off the showcase as that is one wood where if you have your heart set on a certain texture or grain for that wood you could end up with the most plain custom blank if you order off the neck builder.

That's true of that wood. I recently had a Goncalo Alves neck here that if I hadn't known any better, I might have identified as Mahogany. None of the typical telltale markings at all.

Otherwise, I agree that Warmoth is usually quite good about choosing attractive pieces even in the absence of a "unique choice" upgrade from the customer. Makes me wonder what happens to all the plain-Jane cuts. Even from an unusually attractive species, it can't all look good.