What is the extensiveness of Warmoth's customization?

[AL131]

Hi I'm new and I'm sorry if this isn't in the right area but I wanted to know the ability of warmoth. I want to make a telecaster 72 custom/ tele thinline hybrid. The way I see it is that if everything works I could have the control route shaped for the four pots and order a different pickup route for the bridge pup. Could warmoth do this? Or should I do it on my own.
Also this is off topic but is it better to do a sparkle guitar finish in poly to preserve it's looks over time? Thanks a lot.

 

[line6man]

They aren't going to do custom control cavities shapes. Even if you have a template, it will require hand routing.

You didn't specify the pickup shape.

 

[AL131]

Sorry, single tele bridge and Wide Range in the neck. I probably could hand route it.

 

[Ace Flibble]

That's basically what a lot of people did to '69-style Thinlines, kept the bridge single coil but swapped the neck single coil for a Wide Range or humbucker. If you definitely want four controls then you should look at the Fender Telecaster Thinline Deluxe and have the pickguard copied and recut to take a single coil in the bridge.

Warmoth will do almost anything if you phone them up and are willing to pay an extra fee for every irregular change. What they won't do, without charging a fortune for a totally custom body (if they even still do that; they used to), is things like a totally original pickguard shape and routing to match. In those instances you're better off buying a more standard body and doing the additional routing and pickguard cutting yourself.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

A thinline with F-hole, wide range humbucker in neck, Tele bridge, and 72 custom control layout with toggle and 4 knobs?  I don't think they could do that as a top route because their wide range humbucker route is too big to use with a pickup ring, so it may necessitate a pickguard, which may interfere with the F-hole.  Also, they don't know of a place to source a pickup ring for that pickup.  Lollar sells one, though they claim it only fits their pickup, which may differ slightly. As for the control cavity, they use to offer the Les Paul style parallelogram cavity with plate on that.  The loss of Gibson shapes may have sent that option packing.

As a qualifier, I don't work for them.  I'm paraphrasing from memory things I've seen and read on this forum.  Call or email them.

 

[Telenator]

You can do it yourself with these new pieces from Telenator!

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Basically, the best way to find out what they don't offer as a "standard option" is to use the online builder, and if the option that you want isn't present, then give them a call.

 

[ihavenothingprofoundtosay]

There's also the option to get a regular humbucker sized WRHB, such as this or this. That will be much easier to pull off, with no special routing required. Obviously not vintage correct, though - if you're into that sort of thing.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I still think the route is bigger than the rings.

 

[Telenator]

I still think the route is bigger than the rings.

The route is bigger than any of the rings I've seen. To cover the route as supplied by Warmoth, Fender, or anyone else, you'd need a HUGE ugly pickup ring.

That's why we designed a template system with mounting rings that actually looks really good and works very well too.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

When you order a new car from Ford, you choose what options you want. It's not a "custom" car. That's Warmoth. They're not a custom shop, they make parts to order with options you choose from a menu.

If you want true custom, USACG are pretty good and comparable price. There are still some things they won't do, in which case you just need to go to a luthier who will hand carve a plank for you.