It's a gloss finish
I'm not a fan of satin finish
Edit: I forgot I had a squier 70s body and a warmoth flamemaple neck in satin, I hated it because of the tackiness when running my hands up the neck
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Be honest: Was your Warmoth build worth it?
- Thread starter BusyFingers
- Start date
I'm not a fan of satin finish
Edit: I forgot I had a squier 70s body and a warmoth flamemaple neck in satin, I hated it because of the tackiness when running my hands up the neck
My first build using Warmoth parts was a disaster. The bass played horribly and really didn't sound very good. I used a lot of premium quality parts but the whole did not add up to the sum of the parts. I found this very frustrating and did a lot of work to try and make my "dream" bass play better. I have had better luck using parts from USA Custom guitars. I don't really have an explanation as to why it has worked out better but it has. That said my next bass build will be using Warmoth parts. I want to try it again just to see.
I tend to dream of things that don't exist. So yes it's worth it for me.
this is a 30.5" scale 9 string instrument tuned aaA ddD ggG.
Each bass string has two octave strings exactly like a 12 string bass would.
It sounds very chorus-y.
The Warmoth body build quality and paint job exceeded my expectations!
(Neck is D.C. Kunkle, not Warmoth)
I think it depends on what your goal is. If you want to build a functional bottom feeder parts bass from scrounged parts, that is completely do-able. If you want to build your ultimate dream bass (which you say you do), I'd advise against it. Save up for the bass you really want. You will be miles ahead. Also, if your dream parts bass doesn't come together the way you want it to, you're out big money.
There is value in learning to build an instrument - if that is something you want to do then it can be worth spending the money. If you are just looking to get a good instrument, you will pay a lot more for the parts than a comparable instrument would cost factory built - and you will pay A LOT more for the parts than you can sell the finished instrument for. (oddly, you could take the instrument apart and sell all the parts for more than you could sell the instrument)
Myself, I much prefer to buy an inexpensive used bass that has parts on it that I want. I mean I can buy a bass for $100 because the finish is beat up or the tuners are broken etc. and end up with a usable body and neck (and they've already had years for the wood to settle) -- Then I can have just as much (more) fun and learn just as much (more) with the parts from that used bass. It helps that I have the skill to level and dress frets or do a refret if needed - but even with a new neck there's a good chance you'll need to level/dress frets as the wood ages and settles. Personally I'd much rather have an old neck (even a slightly warped one) than a new neck.
There are also A TON of parts for sale at low prices that other people bought and then never got around to building. I picked up parts from the classifieds here and built a bass for about $200 that I'd put up against any bass at any price for sound and play-ability.
Myself, I much prefer to buy an inexpensive used bass that has parts on it that I want. I mean I can buy a bass for $100 because the finish is beat up or the tuners are broken etc. and end up with a usable body and neck (and they've already had years for the wood to settle) -- Then I can have just as much (more) fun and learn just as much (more) with the parts from that used bass. It helps that I have the skill to level and dress frets or do a refret if needed - but even with a new neck there's a good chance you'll need to level/dress frets as the wood ages and settles. Personally I'd much rather have an old neck (even a slightly warped one) than a new neck.
There are also A TON of parts for sale at low prices that other people bought and then never got around to building. I picked up parts from the classifieds here and built a bass for about $200 that I'd put up against any bass at any price for sound and play-ability.
For the money yes. Nice playing and sounding bass. I've done two. They lose money if you re-sell them. That's jut part of the game.
My sweet baby. Fender 77 P body, ash, with finish removed and tung oil applied. Warmoth wenge neck and board, original tuners from the old Fender neck, Bartolini's, BA-II bridge, random knobs I found in the shop. With the exception of a 79 fretless P I received in a trade a few years ago, this is the only bass I've felt the need to play in 20 years. No regrets. Cost is kind of hard to nail down, as I bought the original P with all original parts for $800 in 1996 - safe to say, those kind of deals do not exist these days. Was it worth it? infinitely. Currently planning on building her a matching J sister...
Yes, they were worth it!!!
Each bass cost around $1200 to build, but out of all of the basses I own, or have owned, the Warmoth's are my favorite.
Each bass cost around $1200 to build, but out of all of the basses I own, or have owned, the Warmoth's are my favorite.
I'd highly reccomend you play a LOT of basses in music stores before you start buying parts. My experience suggests that Warmoth isn't the cause of not liking your bass - it's either you don't really know what you want, or you don't have the skills to put the thing together properly. I bought a bunch of cheap basses, swapped parts until I figured out what I liked, and then, after al that (long story) built a P bass from Warmoth parts. that bass (good wood and hardware) was a revelation. Not long after that, my whole herd (OK I don't have that many) turned over, one at a time, to where it's now almost all Warmoth stuff (there's a stray fretless nech that's an exception).
In modifying the cheap basses, I both figured out what I really wanted, and at the same time, developed my skills in assembling things to where, once I started making Warmoth based basses, most turned out to be gems - they work really well for me. I did have one (that was an experiment), and the result of that experiment is...I don't like that kind of pickup - nothing in that shape works for me.
IMO, Warmoth builds are worth it - until you try to sell the bass. Then you take a huge hit. Buy the parts on sale, if possible, and that will help minimize your loss. Or better yet, buy a used Warmoth bass with the resale hit already baked in.
I currently have two Warmoth basses (well, actually I have one-and-a-half, but for the sake of brevity I won't go into explaining that fractional bass as it's not germane to this thread!) and both of them came in at over $1000. But that's because I had a professional do the complete assembly/installation. I could probably have kept the prices under $1k if I'd done all the work myself...but then I guarantee the basses wouldn't be nearly as nice! Hey, I know my own strengths. 
But as it is they were definitely worth it. Especially the most recent, a fretless 5-string tuned EADGC with a single Bartolini quad-coil wired up to a Bart NTMB preamp as if it were two separate pickups. Killer tone, phenomenal feel, super comfortable, plays like butter...meh, maybe it's a little heavier than my other basses. But definitely worth the $1000+
I suspect I will someday buy yet another Warmoth and I'm almost positive I will pay over $1000 for it and that doesn't bother me at all. Totally worth it.
But as it is they were definitely worth it. Especially the most recent, a fretless 5-string tuned EADGC with a single Bartolini quad-coil wired up to a Bart NTMB preamp as if it were two separate pickups. Killer tone, phenomenal feel, super comfortable, plays like butter...meh, maybe it's a little heavier than my other basses. But definitely worth the $1000+
I suspect I will someday buy yet another Warmoth and I'm almost positive I will pay over $1000 for it and that doesn't bother me at all. Totally worth it.
OK Wow! I was just lurking but I actually signed in to comment, that is awesome! I have never seen a double neck Fender!
Jazz bass build - birds-eye maple neck, rosewood FB., stainless steel frets, binding with block pearl fret markers, flame maple top on swamp ash body, Three tone sunburst, Duncan Antiquity IIs, Aquilar OP2, Gotoh hardware.... Parts cost $1200. I think is an amazing instrument. Resonant, full of life. As good as anything I own... easily! (and I own some good basses)
