Warmoth: easy to put together?

Shlogo · #1 03-10-2013, 04:48 PM

I'm slightly interested in Warmoth basses (particularly a Gecko 5).
...And this interest is growing with the thought of me being able to get a bass I designed (other than shape of course).
Being able to get the look I want for the price equal to or less than any big name brand I would want. Gah, I want it now!
Of course I would want to try to find somewhere to try one out, unless people can convince me to buy it blind (sound samples etc...).

But, other than me not really knowing what the bass feels like, my only other real problem is building it.
I've never built any bass/guitar.
I cant really imagine it being too bad, and I could find someone to help with the electronics.
What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

klaus486 · #2 03-10-2013, 05:02 PM

Warmoth products are GREAT! I love my bass. I sell instrument professionally and have done LOTS of setup work and things like that. Nevertheless I had my bass put together by professional luthiers. The temptation to do the work myself was almost overwhelming but in the end they have tools and techniques beyond me. I am SO PLEASED with the end result. Warmoth is a great way to go but trying to save money by putting it together yourself "may not" be the best idea unless you are experienced or have experienced supervision.

grisezd · #3 03-10-2013, 07:49 PM

I didn't have any trouble putting mine together, but I'd done quite a bit of butchering on instruments (and have started to butcher less!) before I built it up. I'd recommend that you maybe disassemble a cheaper bass or guitar just to get the feel of how these things go, maybe do a mod or two, then consider building your own. In the end it's just wires and wood and the parts are prepped very well by Warmoth. But before you screw up your dream pile of parts, scrape a screwdriver across something cheap first!

**awilkie84** · #4 03-10-2013, 10:18 PM

How do people find the frets on the warmoth necks? I'm debating getting a maple boarded P neck but I don't want to spend a couple hundred on a neck, just to turn around & drop another hundred or so having the frets crowned & levelled.

jazz41 · #5 03-11-2013, 04:45 AM

I just finished a Warmoth build and found it was pretty easy to do. I will say if you have any trepidations, look at a Carvin kit first. All the parts fit guaranteed, comes with instructions, and it is all there for you so you'll save some money by not having to hunt down parts (which can be an expensive proposition). I did the Carvin kit to build my confidence for a Warmoth build.

AltGrendel · #6 03-11-2013, 04:55 AM

Just make sure you order the neck with the nut installed and you should be ok for the most part. And remember there are can be a lot of little details you havn't thought of. Shielding for one, installing a bridge. They aren't hard, but it's a bear to get almost done and have a "Oh, yea. I need that too" moment.

fretno · #7 03-11-2013, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awilkie84

How do people find the frets on the warmoth necks? I'm debating getting a maple boarded P neck but I don't want to spend a couple hundred on a neck, just to turn around & drop another hundred or so having the frets crowned & levelled.

I have 4 Warmoth necks here , all with ss frets . Not one needed any fretwork .

Shlogo · #8 03-11-2013, 06:49 AM

I was thinking of just getting someone to put it together...I'd rather not destroy that which is awesome.
Any ideas how much something like that would cost?

Immigrant · #9 03-11-2013, 07:14 AM

If someone has a reasonable amount of mechanical ability (can turn a screwdriver, etc) they can probably do it. If you have concerns about destroying it and it costing a lot, don't. I'm pretty sure anything can be fixed, especially if you aren't finishing the body.

Try a Saga kit or one of those $130 eBay specials under "DIY Guitar kit". I built a 12-string Telecaster copy and it turned out great! It would be a good step building up to a Warmoth.

Every time I screw around on the Warmoth site, I end up with $800 worth in the cart because I'm option crazy.

fretno · #10 03-11-2013, 07:39 AM

The most critical thing I can think of , assuming you have the nut installed and neck holes predrilled are the tuner screw holes . Just measure on the drill bit and wrap a piece of masking tape around it as a guide . You don't want to drill all the way through the headstock . The holes must be drilled for those screws if not they will snap off in the headstock , as me how I know that...

jazzbo58 · #11 03-11-2013, 01:43 PM

I built one with no previous experience.I even finished the wood myself. I joined their forum and found plenty of answers to my questions. Just take your time and don't rush.
Before:

After:

Cheers,
Jim

Shlogo · #12 03-12-2013, 06:48 AM

I would more than likely get it pre-finished. That way I, or some luthier, can get it together as fast as possible....
This thread just has me wanting one more more....damn it!

blockinlay · #13 03-12-2013, 06:59 AM

I have assembled several warmoth guitars, and installed a warmoth neck on a fender jazz bass body. Unfinished parts require a lot of time and work or you'll end up with a crappy looking bass, unless you like that look. Electronics are easy if you can solder, but there's a learning curve if you've never done it. If you are unsure about your skills, pay a luthier to do it. Probably be $100 plus any parts. Talk to him first, he may have some good recommendations and give you an idea of cost. Warmoth makes very nice quality parts IMO.

fretno · #14 03-12-2013, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzbo58

I built one with no previous experience.I even finished the wood myself. I joined their forum and found plenty of answers to my questions. Just take your time and don't rush.
Before:

After:

Cheers,
Jim

that is purdy

Nephilymbass · #15 03-12-2013, 08:24 AM

I think warmoth is a great way to get a "custom" instrument at decent price. But it is more expensive to build a warmoth jazz than say the costs of a Mim jazz. And the gecko to me looks like a peavey copy so its not a totally original body shape. I think they are great though if you want something no one sells for example a 4 or 5 string fretless jazz bass with wenge neck and an ebony fingerboard. That's a situation where I would turn to warmoth.

Syco_bass · #16 03-12-2013, 08:52 AM

Hey Shlogo, Warmoth makes decent products and are relatively eazy to assemble. I have built several Warmoth basses. All of the holes for your bridge, neck, etc. can be orderred the way you want them, however, for the most part it's like putting together a kit car. While it's ez to assemble it's not so ez to get something you are proud of and looks and plays like high quality bass.

The parts are easily capable of becoming a great custom bass, but you will have to do the fine work of dressing the frets, sheilding, grounding, aligning tuners, (and drillng tuner screw holes) finish filing the nut and levelling, dressing, polishing the frets for the most part. Then you have to complete the setup and final adjustments. If you have never done this before and you don't have the proper tools, it is best left for the professional.

That's not to say you can't do it with some learning and some practice, but I would practice on a used Squier or inexpensive kit first.

Have fun! Good luck.

Liam76 · #17 03-12-2013, 09:13 AM

I had a lot of fun building my first one. I'd say the only remotely difficult part for me was wiring up the active pickups and preamp. Oh, and I bled all over while shielding the control cavity. The woodwork was amazing to me, though. I remember opening up the box for the neck (wenge/ebony), and it had this awesome, tropical scent. I ordered all the parts custom, so it took a few weeks to build and I was still deciding on the electronics. But it was worth it.

My second build was cake. I ordered a finished body along with pickups, rest of the parts I already had, so I had it built the same day I received the parts.

blindrabbit · #18 03-12-2013, 09:58 AM

That's gorgeous, how did you finish that Alder? Is that Tru-Oil or something similar?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzbo58

I built one with no previous experience.I even finished the wood myself. I joined their forum and found plenty of answers to my questions. Just take your time and don't rush.
Before:

After:

Cheers,
Jim

simenandreas · #19 03-12-2013, 10:52 AM

I am building myself a gecko 5 right now

But I have sent the body to a guitartec to mount the pickups, shield the electronics and ground the pickups to the bridge. I have only mounted the tuners to the neck myself :P I asked for a straighten neck from warmoth and got the a very nice maple neck. I have also checked every fret compared to each other for any high spots - but the frets seems very even! I cant wait to mount the neck to the body and try the bass!