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Be honest: Was your Warmoth build worth it?

#201
fretno said:
I weighed several necks a while back.. the Warmoth are only a few oz. heavier than a Fender ,not as much as you might think . Also Slim ftw !
Click to expand...
I just weighed what I have on hand:
Warmoth = 2lb 2oz
USACG = 1lb 7oz
Mighty Mite = 1lb 10 oz

I don't know specifically about Fender. They weigh somewhere between Mighty Mite and Warmoth. But I wouldn't own one. I've never been able to get a Fender neck to play with as low an action as the other aforementioned brands.

"Just a few ounces" matters a lot when one is designing a lightweight, well-balanced bass. It become an issue of stacked tolerances: an ounce here, an ounce there, and you have a 10+ lb bass. Sticking a 2+ lb neck on a 3 lb body will be a neck-diver.
 
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#203
MODEL:
Super Bass Construction Tele® Bass
WOOD:
Quartersawn Maple/Quartersawn Maple
RIGHT/LEFT:
Right Handed
NUT WIDTH:
1-11/16"
NECK PROFILE:
Slim Taper
FRET SIZE:
SS6230 (Stainless)
TUNER REAM:
BML (17.5mm)
INLAYS:
Black Pearloid Blocks
SIDE DOTS:
Moon Glow Side Dots (3mm)
RADIUS:
Straight 10"
SCALE:
34"
FRET #:
21
MOUNTING HOLES:
Standard 4 Bolt
PRE-CUT INSTALLED STRING NUT:
GraphTech Black TUSQ XL - Standard Nut
BINDING:
Black
STIFFENING RODS:
Graphite Rods
FINISH:
Clear Satin Nitro
Price: $755.00

MODEL:
54 P Bass®
WOOD:
Quilt Maple on Swamp Ash
SCALE:
34"
RIGHT/LEFT:
Right handed
UC FRONT LAMINATE:
LT2703
ROUT:
Rear Rout
PICKUP ROUT:
Single Coil P Bass®, , Music Man
CONTROLS:
V-T-I (PBass)
BRIDGE:
Gotoh 201
JACK ROUT:
7/8" (22mm) Side Jack Hole
F-HOLES:
None
NECK POCKET:
Standard Bass Pocket
MOUNTING HOLES:
Standard 4 Bolt
COUNTOURS:
/ Tummy Cut / Forearm Countour
BATTERY BOX:
Double Battery Box
BINDING:
Natural Masked Accent
TOP FINISH:
Washed Black Dye
BACK FINISH:
Black Burst
FINISH TYPE:
Gloss Finish
Price: $850.00
 
#204
Yet they have a body very similar to the one I'm making listed at $400?!?!
 

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#205
Goad said:
I must be doing something wrong then, My neck comes out to just under $800 without tuners and body alone comes out to about $850. Throw in another $500 for bridge, pickups and parts and I'm at $2150
Click to expand...

I have spent more. Depends what you want. Showcase stuff is cheaper and doing your own finish can be cheaper.

You will never sell for what you have in it, but you can get spectacular custom stuff for less than you would pay a boutique builder.
 
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#207
buldog5151bass said:
What do you think that build would cost from a custom builder?
Click to expand...

Usually starting around $2400. But the custom build will be worth $1800 resale and the Warmoth, $800. The difference is in the quality of the labor. Warmoth has quality parts, but you never know who built the bass. I’ve seen sketchy builds. Get something from, say, Valenti and it’s going to be quality all around.
 
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#208
Goad said:
MODEL:
Super Bass Construction Tele® Bass
WOOD:
Quartersawn Maple/Quartersawn Maple
RIGHT/LEFT:
Right Handed
NUT WIDTH:
1-11/16"
NECK PROFILE:
Slim Taper
FRET SIZE:
SS6230 (Stainless)
TUNER REAM:
BML (17.5mm)
INLAYS:
Black Pearloid Blocks
SIDE DOTS:
Moon Glow Side Dots (3mm)
RADIUS:
Straight 10"
SCALE:
34"
FRET #:
21
MOUNTING HOLES:
Standard 4 Bolt
PRE-CUT INSTALLED STRING NUT:
GraphTech Black TUSQ XL - Standard Nut
BINDING:
Black
STIFFENING RODS:
Graphite Rods
FINISH:
Clear Satin Nitro
Price: $755.00

MODEL:
54 P Bass®
WOOD:
Quilt Maple on Swamp Ash
SCALE:
34"
RIGHT/LEFT:
Right handed
UC FRONT LAMINATE:
LT2703
ROUT:
Rear Rout
PICKUP ROUT:
Single Coil P Bass®, , Music Man
CONTROLS:
V-T-I (PBass)
BRIDGE:
Gotoh 201
JACK ROUT:
7/8" (22mm) Side Jack Hole
F-HOLES:
None
NECK POCKET:
Standard Bass Pocket
MOUNTING HOLES:
Standard 4 Bolt
COUNTOURS:
/ Tummy Cut / Forearm Countour
BATTERY BOX:
Double Battery Box
BINDING:
Natural Masked Accent
TOP FINISH:
Washed Black Dye
BACK FINISH:
Black Burst
FINISH TYPE:
Gloss Finish
Price: $850.00
Click to expand...
That does seem high for the neck. As for the body I think you have two different finishes going on front vs back and that might be an issue.

Finishing anything through Warmoth is expensive.

FWIW i think the moonglow is way overrated.
 
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#210
Whatever the route, I'm wanting to go a Total of $2000 for completion. Although, the Nordstrand JC-3B Pre amp is $275 alone. Once decided, I'll start a build thread on here so you guys can take my word for it: Ceiling limit $2000 so let's see how far I break that... lol
 
#211
Goad said:
I must be doing something wrong then, My neck comes out to just under $800 without tuners and body alone comes out to about $850. Throw in another $500 for bridge, pickups and parts and I'm at $2150
Click to expand...

Stainless frets, black pearloid blocks, quarter-sawn neck and board, moon-glow side dots, graphite rods, Nitro finish... Yeah, you're doing it wrong if you want "inexpensive". You've pretty much selected all the options, and that's a lot of hand labor you're asking Warmoth to do. Nothing wrong with that, but that's a lot of extra stuff on an otherwise reasonably priced neck. My standard Maple/maple Warmoth J-neck has given me almost 20 years of perfect service. The only upgrade I did was no inlays. I really wouldn't change a thing about it.
 
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#212
  • MultiScaleMale said:
    Usually starting around $2400. But the custom build will be worth $1800 resale and the Warmoth, $800. The difference is in the quality of the labor. Warmoth has quality parts, but you never know who built the bass. I’ve seen sketchy builds. Get something from, say, Valenti and it’s going to be quality all around.
    Click to expand...
I did a build of a '51 P a few years ago. Granted, I did the wood finish work, but the cost for everything, including a upgraded pickup, was about $650.
 
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#213
lowfreqgeek said:
Stainless frets, black pearloid blocks, quarter-sawn neck and board, moon-glow side dots, graphite rods, Nitro finish... Yeah, you're doing it wrong if you want "inexpensive". You've pretty much selected all the options, and that's a lot of hand labor you're asking Warmoth to do. Nothing wrong with that, but that's a lot of extra stuff on an otherwise reasonably priced neck. My standard Maple/maple Warmoth J-neck has given me almost 20 years of perfect service. The only upgrade I did was no inlays. I really wouldn't change a thing about it.
Click to expand...
Well, Go big or go home right? I figure if it's the bass I really want, the price should reflect. The more custom it is, the less the resale value. I'll make some changes and go from there. I really do appreciate the input guys!! This will be my first build. I might do that neck and take the premade body (which looks awesome IMO) for the $400!!
 
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#215
I built a Warmoth 5-string Jazz back in the mid-90's. Swamp Ash body rear routed with quilted maple top, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and Bartolini pickups and preamp. It sounded great and looked terrific, but the body wasn't as light as I was expecting from Swamp Ash and the neck with 2 steel reinforcing rods was stable but heavy. I sold it after about a year. I still wonder if it's still being played.

Rick B.
 
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#216
GIBrat51 said:
Well, first of all - my Warmoth is not my "Dream Bass". To be honest, I don't really have one. I have a list of brands/models/bass types that I want; and since I'm left handed, finding a 4 string, passive lefty 30" scale solid body bass in the $750 - $1500 range is a daunting challenge. They are around, but tend to be "Vintage", and almost always more than a little overpriced. So, a year or so ago, I bit the bullet and had a Warmoth built. It's basically my '78 P-Bass' baby brother - ash body; 3 tone burst nitro finish; maple neck; but, with a Shaller bridge and BM4 tuners, and an SD vintage pickup. There are lots of Fender bits and pieces in it, too. Including having the luthier at Cowtown Guitars build it, the total cost was just under $1400. So, was it worth it? Yes, I think it was. It looks great, and plays (and sounds) as good as it looks. Happy as I am with it, it's not going to replace my "Favorite" bass, though; a '73 Rick 4001....:whistle:
Click to expand...

Warmoth Mini P 1.JPG Warmoth Mini P 2.JPG I guess I should post a picture or two of mine; everybody else has... On other "Warmoth...?" threads, I've said that the trick with a Warmoth is:
- Have a very clear idea of EXACTLY what you want - down to the last wire and screw - Before you start ordering the thing; and
- Don't change your mind.
Warmoth offers so many options that it's absurdly easy to get carried away, and before you know it, you've spec'ed out an $800 body, and a "$1,000 neck. Which is perfectly OK - if that's what you really, really want. Few of us do, though... I fiddled around with the spec sheet for mine several times over the course of 6 - 8 weeks before I was sure I would get what I really wanted. Musta worked; I'm still very happy with it. Still hasn't replaced my Rick as the favorite, though...:whistle:
 
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#217
M0ses said:
Totally. I don't think you can get a better bass for the price. Where else are you gonna get your "ultimate bass" for a little over a grand? Nowhere, that's where.
Click to expand...

THIS.

Warmoth is the only place I can get a small-body Jazz Bass V (since Fender discontinued that style after 2009), and specify literally every thing about it, like a quartersawn roasted maple neck with an ebony fretboard, no inlays, stainless frets, and a 5-inline painted headstock with a finish to match the Alpine White body and a gloss finish. I'm planning on Bill Lawrence-designed Fender SCN J5-J5 pickups, a Hipshot KickAss bridge with GraphTech Ghost saddles, Hipshot mini tuners, and a piezo preamp and mixer from Andreas Richter. The pickguard will be black pearl from Chandler. I will probably never buy another fretted bass.

This build will be essentially the improved replacement for my first bass, a 1992 Fender Jazz Bass Plus V that was my main bass for 20 years, before I sold it in 2012. The only other place I could possibly get a bass like this would be the Fender Custom Shop, where it would cost me probably more than double what it will cost me to build via Warmoth.
 
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#218
RickBlair said:
I built a Warmoth 5-string Jazz back in the mid-90's. Swamp Ash body rear routed with quilted maple top, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and Bartolini pickups and preamp. It sounded great and looked terrific, but the body wasn't as light as I was expecting from Swamp Ash and the neck with 2 steel reinforcing rods was stable but heavy. I sold it after about a year. I still wonder if it's still being played.

Rick B.
Click to expand...
Pretty much all things Warmoth, especially necks, are heavy.
 
#219
At some point it should be noted that building a bass is always a crapshoot. You never know what it's going to sound like when together.
I've built a lot of basses and occasionally have one that just won't come around. There is a point where you just have to cut and run. Ive had to dump some beautiful Warmoth bodies because nothing would bring them to a good sounding place.

Just saying...
 
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