Let me see if I can address some of your concerns.
- Initial work on necks and bodies is done by CNC, but final sanding is done by our staff. The old necks you refer to as being so smooth have had their edges rounded by decades of play. When those necks were brand new, they did not have that same rolling. The edges on Warmoth necks are not rolled like a vintage neck. Just how much to roll an edge is a personal preference and once the wood has been sanded off, its pretty darn difficult to put back on. Better to leave that to the customer if they so choose.
*****I realize that older necks MAY have their edges more rounded from years of play, but I've seen plenty of 30+ year old basses that weren't played enough to even wear through the finish on the edges of the neck, let alone wear the wood down. I'm sure SOME necks from 30-40yrs ago WERE pretty sharp on the edges as Fender's quality control was always lacking. But in no way were "most" basses over the years sent out the door with sharp edges such as this. I've picked up some brand new Fenders that had sharp edges on the fretboards...and put them right back on the rack. I realize that Warmoth necks are "not rolled like a vintage neck," but a sharp 90 degree edge is just a little harsh. I can't imagine anyone would actually prefer a neck THAT sharp.
- Unfinished bodies as sanded to about 220 grit. That leaves some grain left to allow the finish to bite. Necks are sanded much finer. If you wanted to play them raw, you certainly can. No additional work is absolutely necessary. (Though maple still requires a finish for warranty purposes.)
*****The neck's sanding regarding the finish and the quality of the wood is impecable.
- Frets are pressed and glued in. Standard procedure is to bevel the frets approximately 30 degrees. You can request no bevel. We don't do a fret level as it it our opinion this is best done with the instrument assembled and strung up. Our fretting process gets them pretty darn level though. The vast majority of players can string them up and play. If you have specific, low, action requirements then a setup and fret level may be necessary.
*****The fret leveling is superb as is the detail on the bevel on every fret. It's just that they are so damn sharp...and they ARE beveled on this neck. And, I WOULD hope that for the money Warmoth necks cost new that the vast majority of players BETTER be able to string them up and play...that's a basic requirement.
- If you feel sharp ends, I would ask if the frets are stainless steel. They can feel a little rougher. You mentioned vintage, so I'll guess 6230. That should not take much work if you want to round the fret ends. How much to ball and roll fret ends is another matter of tastes. Again, once you take it off, you can't put it back on. Additionally, unfinished wood, even exotics to a lesser extent, can absorb or release moisture. If you or the previous owner are in a much drier climate, the wood could have shrank and left the fret ends slightly exposed. I've even had this happen on my prized F-Bass. No wood is immune.
*****The frets are not stainless steel; and, they are 6230 as indicated on the heel. I realize that how much to roll the fret ends is a matter of taste, but again...I can't imagine ANYONE wanting them specifically sharp like this. Even my $50 Johnson Jazz bass copy has reasonably rolled fret edges and a rolled fretboard...but I am in no way comparing Johnson quality to Warmoth. But, the EDGES of that Johnson neck (though not the rest of it) are much more inviting to the touch-and that's a big statement to make. Also, I am down in the swamps of Louisiana; we are literally soaking in humidity at all times.
- All necks are dipped in a deep penetrating oil sealer. If you want to sand the edges of the neck, you should be OK. I use an old metal file to take down any exposed fret ends when I work on necks. After that, I use 3M Frecut sandpaper (I'll have to look up the grit.) and finally steel wool to clean up the edges.
*****This concerns me. So, unlike say a Fender rosewood fretboard neck which has NO sealer or finish at all on the fretboard, you're confirming that all Warmoth rosewood fretboards (and necks) have an oil sealer applied...even on, say, a Warmoth-painted maple neck with a rosewood fretboard? If I sand parts of THIS neck, won't that sealer be removed changing the character of the wood's "finish" where I sand if there is an oil sealer on it? I definitely do NOT want that. I realize a penetrating oil sealer is NOT the same as a "finished" neck, but I want to confirm that if I sand any part of this neck (using a properly graded sandpaper regimen) will or will not a finish will be removed at those areas? Again, I do NOT want the wood's appearance/finish to be different at the areas that I sand along the edges. When I used to hand-sand scallops, I would go down to around 600 grit sandpaper and then use a machine disc polisher with a terrycloth bonnet soaked with lemon oil to polish raw rosewood to a mirror shine. Is this possible with a Warmoth neck, or will the "penetrating oil sealer" pose a problem? Or, will the oil-sealed wood polish out the same as raw rosewood would?
- You're welcome to shoot some pictures and send them to me if you're still concerned about the neck. I may be able to make additional suggestions. (
[email protected]) You'd still need to go back to the seller for any reparations/solutions though.
