Just the Bodies: Warmoth vs. MJT

[Grinderman]

I've owned one FSO body made by Warmoth but nothing before from MJT.

There are so many extensive threads about these two brands in general that searching and gleaning useful inputs to my specific question would probably awfully time consuming, so here goes.

The Plan
I'm planning a new premium-quality '57-'58 inspired FSO P-parts bass build. Musikraft, Lollar, Gotoh Res-O-Lite, Fender, MJT, 8 pounds or less etc.

I've considered doing all of the nitro finishing myself. Spraying the neck easy--I'll do that much--but I doubt DIY is the best way to go for the body finishing right now, all things considered.

I'm nearly certainly going to have MJT at least do a closet clean White Blonde finish for me and I've gone as far as getting their price quote, including their Wildwood or USACG suppled 2-pc swamp ash body.

Considerations
I can buy a ready-made sexy naked 1-pc swamp ash body that's sub-5 lbs from Warmoth and have it delivered to MJT for finishing in a matter of days.

That way, up front, I'd know better what I'm getting in a body, as far as weight and appearance, and delivered faster.

Either way, the total price for body and finish would be close enough to call it the SAME PRICE.

PLUS, I'd probably get my finished body, ready to build, at least 8 weeks faster, going by my guesstimate.

My Query
I'm just wondering about Warmoth's vs MJT's bodies; the comparative quality of their CNC machined FSO wood products, not so much the merits of one's company's urethane finishes vs the other's nitro lacquer work.

Is it six of one and half a dozen of the other or am I missing something?

 

[PrecNut]

I just had two "Parts" basses done using MJT in the last month.
I like the relic finishes and the nitro paint.
When I ordered my two bodies, a week apart, I was told 10-14 weeks.
Actually took 21.
I am now working on a Jazz bass project. I just ordered a body this week.
At one point Matt Jenny said I could buy a Warmoth and they would finish it.
To buy a Warmoth off their website right now(what they have in stock) is $300
To have MJT finish that body is $279. That's A LOT!!
I got lucky getting one in progress. Just needs to go through their aging process.
What I've done is email them what I'm looking for and ask them if they have any bodies "in progress".
Meaning something they have started, perhaps to go in their Ebay store.
If you are open to colors, which I usually am. you may get lucky.
You can scour their Ebay store too. If you can get a finished body around $300, you are doing very well.
Incidently, right now they have several bass bodies posted

 

[Grinderman]

I just had two "Parts" basses done using MJT in the last month.
I like the relic finishes and the nitro paint.
When I ordered my two bodies, a week apart, I was told 10-14 weeks.
Actually took 21.
I am now working on a Jazz bass project. I just ordered a body this week.
At one point Matt Jenny said I could buy a Warmoth and they would finish it.
To buy a Warmoth off their website right now(what they have in stock) is $300
To have MJT finish that body is $279. That's A LOT!!
I got lucky getting one in progress. Just needs to go through their aging process.
What I've done is email them what I'm looking for and ask them if they have any bodies "in progress".
Meaning something they have started, perhaps to go in their Ebay store.
If you are open to colors, which I usually am. you may get lucky.
You can scour their Ebay store too. If you can get a finished body around $300, you are doing very well.
Incidently, right now they have several bass bodies posted

I passed on bidding for a MJT 3-tone sunburst P body on Ebay last week.

I need a specific closet clean finish for this project anyway. I'm doing a '58-like P bass--translucent White Blonde on ash, custom 10-hole black anodized aluminum guard, quarter-sawn 1-pc neck.

Right now I'm looking at two ready-made Warmoth options that are 1-pc swamp ash, under 5 pounds. One is $285 and the other is $220, but the main attraction is the 1-pc ash with known grain and weights, up front, that would be in waiting in line to be finished at MJT in a week.

Either way, it's around $500 total for that part of the build.

 

[Grinderman]

I'm essentially going for something akin to this but the White Blonde should be less drab than it shows in this image; more dark grain filled to accentuate the ash wood grain against a whiter whitewash. A white burst around the body perimeter, the way it's really supposed to be.

Much less reliced or road-worn (yet). No-name, no faux Fender decals though.

A seemingly contradictory combination of kind of classic, kind of subtle, kind of punk rock.

For about one-third of the price.

 

[2saddleslab]

I have one Warmoth body and MJT has done 3 finishes for me. Never bought an MJT body though, so can't compare.

Just wanted to say I'm happy w/ both companies. The turnaround times for MJT were spot on at 5-6 weeks [this was 2013, 2014, & 2019]. But I'd expect much longer under current circumstances.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Sounds like a cool build. Check out Klein for the pickup, he makes some really cool stuff.

 

[Pocket4]

Based on my understanding of your goals, wouldn't it be best that the neck have the same degree of relic treatment as the body? I'm impressed with both companies and choose for different reasons.

 

[micguy]

MJT's stock in trade is their relic'ing. Warmoth will make you a glorious new looking thing. If I were you , I'd pick based on what you want the thing to look like. Old, beat up? - MJT. New, in great condition? - Warmoth

I've bought a lot of stuff from Warmoth, but I'm usually going for nice woods (Another thing Warmoth does very well), and doing the finishing myself. Everything I have from them lines up really well neck to body (the necks and bodies are all Warmoth, save one fretless neck) - their cnc work is top notch. Don't know about MJT.

 

[bikeplate]

Ive got basses with both. Either work. I would avoid a Warmoth neck. Tone suckers, IMO

 

[808P123]

I ordered a 54 body from MJT that took about 5 months. They forgot to drill the hole from the pickup to the control cavity and they also didn't drill for the jack cup. They said to send it back, did not offer to pay for shipping back or give a discount for their screwup. Would never do business with them again.

 

[ashtray]

I’ve done a bunch of Strat and Tele builds over the years with Warmoth and MJT bodies. Typically the Warmoth bodies are heavy. Not sure why. The MJT bodies I’ve used have all been light. One Tele body I got was super light - almost too light!

Meanwhile I ordered a chambered swamp ash Strat body from Warmoth with a maple cap. It isn’t heavy, but weighs about what a typical Strat body weighs, at about 4.25 lbs. It seems most of their painted bodies are up around 5+ pounds, for Strats. For bass bodies, even more.

If weight is a concern, either buy a premade Warmoth body that lists the weight, or go with an MJT. My MJT bodies I have been very happy with.

 

[Grinderman]

Based on my understanding of your goals, wouldn't it be best that the neck have the same degree of relic treatment as the body? I'm impressed with both companies and choose for different reasons.

I'm planning to spray the neck myself, that's easy enough to do at home--outside--and have MJT do the body "closet-clean". I expect the two will look fine together and leave it to environment, wear and tear to execute the relic treatment naturally.

 

[Grinderman]

MJT's stock in trade is their relic'ing. Warmoth will make you a glorious new looking thing. If I were you , I'd pick based on what you want the thing to look like. Old, beat up? - MJT. New, in great condition? - Warmoth

I've bought a lot of stuff from Warmoth, but I'm usually going for nice woods (Another thing Warmoth does very well), and doing the finishing myself. Everything I have from them lines up really well neck to body (the necks and bodies are all Warmoth, save one fretless neck) - their cnc work is top notch. Don't know about MJT.

I'm ordering the neck from Musikraft with a standard modern 1-1/2" wide heel. It's all CNC work. I expect the neck will set in Warmoth's body neck pocket fine.

I could and would lacquer the neck and body myself out in my detached garage work space but to spare my partner I'll just do the neck, which is quick and easy. She's super sensitive to chemical odors, she's pretty much insisting at this point that send the body out for paint.

I'll have MJT do a "closet clean" on the body which should like fine with my neck and let nature take it course from there.

 

[Grinderman]

Ive got basses with both. Either work. I would avoid a Warmoth neck. Tone suckers, IMO

I've have a jazz body and now disused neck from Warmoth. That Warmoth body, part of another working bass, is fine but I've already decided I'm getting a custom neck from Musikraft this time for this new P.

 

[bikeplate]

I've have a jazz body and now disused neck from Warmoth. That Warmoth body, part of another working bass, is fine but I've already decided I'm getting a custom neck from Musikraft this time for this new P.

I have 3 basses with USA Custom necks from a while back before the merger. Theyve been tremendous and sound and feel killer.

 

[Grinderman]

I ordered a 54 body from MJT that took about 5 months. They forgot to drill the hole from the pickup to the control cavity and they also didn't drill for the jack cup. They said to send it back, did not offer to pay for shipping back or give a discount for their screwup. Would never do business with them again.

Ooof... not good. That's cause for concern. I'd drill the hole between cavities myself with a 12" aircraft extension drill bit but I'd rather not mess with boring out a side jack cup on a body with a fresh new lacquer finish. That's a leap too far.

I score this story as another point in favor of Warmoth's body and only leaving the paint work to MJT.

 

[Grinderman]

I’ve done a bunch of Strat and Tele builds over the years with Warmoth and MJT bodies. Typically the Warmoth bodies are heavy. Not sure why. The MJT bodies I’ve used have all been light. One Tele body I got was super light - almost too light!

Meanwhile I ordered a chambered swamp ash Strat body from Warmoth with a maple cap. It isn’t heavy, but weighs about what a typical Strat body weighs, at about 4.25 lbs. It seems most of their painted bodies are up around 5+ pounds, for Strats. For bass bodies, even more.

If weight is a concern, either buy a premade Warmoth body that lists the weight, or go with an MJT. My MJT bodies I have been very happy with.

I buy that. That's part of why I believe a pre-made Warmoth body with listed weight is a good option.

 

[hypercarrots]

Ooof... not good. That's cause for concern. I'd drill the hole between cavities myself with a 12" aircraft extension drill bit but I'd rather not mess with boring out a side jack cup on a body with a fresh new lacquer finish. That's a leap too far.

I score this story as another point in favor of Warmoth's body and only leaving the paint work to MJT.

this is my experience with mjt
MJT jazz bass build
and i learned a lot from this thread as well
MJT finished bodies?

 

[Grinderman]

Another point for the Warmoth body is that I know it has the rout for truss rod access at the neck heel. It's a nice alternate for access to have for when I'd rather not mess with the neck set in the pocket.

//

I just bought the ready-made body from Warmoth. 1-pc swamp ash, 4 pounds, 12 ounces. Nice grain pattern too.

MJT would only do a 2-pc ash body.

They said it would be 4 pounds, 8 ounces or less but I'd have to trust them to actually deliver that weight months down to road... I'd rather not.

 

[Grinderman]

Sounds like a cool build. Check out Klein for the pickup, he makes some really cool stuff.

That does remind me, they do make a correct '58 P pickup if I want to stick that close '58 specs. Also, the same price as a Fralin or Lollar.

I don't know anyone else making, or selling, a proper '58 pickup, with the raise A-string magnets, right now, including Fender!