Walnut and Roasted Maple

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7
Hello everyone,

Been playing bass for a while now and have decided that I want to plan for my next bass to be a Warmoth - custom from the ground up. I've already decided on just about everything in terms of pickups, hardware, etc. but I've reached a crossroads when it comes to the appearance of the bass - what I'd really like is a Walnut body (no top) and a Roasted Maple neck.

My only concern is that if I get a particularly light piece of walnut, or a particularly dark piece of roasted maple, that they will look too similar to each other, and since there will be no pickguard on this bass it will end up looking rather drab and boring even though Walnut and Roasted Maple are each very beautiful by themselves.

Has anyone done this combination of a Walnut body and a Roasted Maple neck that would care to share their thoughts, pictures, or experiences?

I have decided that if I do end up changing one wood or the other, I'd much rather keep the roasted maple neck and switch to maybe a swamp ash body finished in Clear, or possibly Honeyburst - I definitely want the natural woodgrain of the body to be a focal point of this bass, aesthetically speaking.

Thanks!
 
I know it's not an assembled guitar, but here's some photos for reference.

Unfinished Walnut
Walnut with Black to Clear Finish in Satin
Roasted Maple Neck
 

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I say this as someone who doesn't love roast maple, so on the face of it, I'd do straight maple.

However.

What about a fallback of bleaching the walnut in the event the neck is too dark? For that matter, you could bleach the neck, depending on your finishing plans? Actually, I'd consider bleaching both, and nitro finish both also?
 
Wolff05 said:
I know it's not an assembled guitar, but here's some photos for reference.

Unfinished Walnut
Walnut with Black to Clear Finish in Satin
Roasted Maple Neck

Damn, those are great references.
 
Wolff05 said:
I know it's not an assembled guitar, but here's some photos for reference.

Unfinished Walnut
Walnut with Black to Clear Finish in Satin
Roasted Maple Neck

Thanks! That's really helpful - it seems like there's enough of a sort of amber or caramel color to the roasted maple that it would keep it away from the rich brown of the walnut.  I'll probably finish the neck with a few coats of tru oil which I think might help that caramel color pop even more.


Sadie-f said:
I say this as someone who doesn't love roast maple, so on the face of it, I'd do straight maple.

However.

What about a fallback of bleaching the walnut in the event the neck is too dark? For that matter, you could bleach the neck, depending on your finishing plans? Actually, I'd consider bleaching both, and nitro finish both also?

Yeah I was thinking about just plain maple, but unfortunately I don't want a gloss neck/fretboard and I definitely don't want nitro, and to my knowledge Warmoth doesn't offer a satin poly neck finish.  The body will be getting a clear gloss finish
 
middlepillarpath said:
Wolff05 said:
I know it's not an assembled guitar, but here's some photos for reference.

Unfinished Walnut
Walnut with Black to Clear Finish in Satin
Roasted Maple Neck

Thanks! That's really helpful - it seems like there's enough of a sort of amber or caramel color to the roasted maple that it would keep it away from the rich brown of the walnut.  I'll probably finish the neck with a few coats of tru oil which I think might help that caramel color pop even more.


Sadie-f said:
I say this as someone who doesn't love roast maple, so on the face of it, I'd do straight maple.

However.

What about a fallback of bleaching the walnut in the event the neck is too dark? For that matter, you could bleach the neck, depending on your finishing plans? Actually, I'd consider bleaching both, and nitro finish both also?

Yeah I was thinking about just plain maple, but unfortunately I don't want a gloss neck/fretboard and I definitely don't want nitro, and to my knowledge Warmoth doesn't offer a satin poly neck finish.  The body will be getting a clear gloss finish

If you call or email, you can request a poly satin finish for your neck. They can tell you if it's an upcharge or not also.
 
i have this here walnut thinline with a roasted maple/bucote neck,  i tried to dye the walnut red,  was somewhat successful on the sides,  less so on the back,  and i sanded the front back down and put wipe on poly.  asthetically my project is not super,  but it plays really well,  the combination works for me.
 

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I really like satin nitro on my acoustic, tho it's definitely become gloss where I contact it most.
 
I sometimes wish my Bubinga body Roasted Flamed Maple neck (maple fretboard) was a little more distinct. I get that. When it's freshly oiled the darker tones of the neck chatoyance come out and it starts to look more like one wood all the way through.

I think finish type will matter most in regards to your direct situation.
 
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