Yesterday I bought an unused (essentially NOS because he had it a while) Warmoth Jazz neck from a local fellow. I've got a honey of a project going with a beautiful shedua/mahogany USACG Jazz body. (I know it's not real without pictures, but not till it's done. I'm not spilling the beans.) Initially I was going to use a Squier CV 60's Jazz neck on it simply 'cause I love the feel of the neck. It's the closest I've found to the feel of my long-gone '65 Jazz I never should have let go, short of selling the car to buy the real thing. Thing is, while the rosewood board is fine and really the neck quality is great, the maple headstock just doesn't play nice with the richness of the shedua. Enter Warmoth GAS.
Looking at the varieties they offer I knew I could get beauty to cure my desires, but I just don't have the change to drop on it at this time. The Squier could be a stepping stone, but given what I've got planned and the outcome I envision, romance says do it the best from the get-go; no half-way.
When I became aware of the Warmoth I just bought I was excited that I could preview it without buying it, and while it had much of what I'm dreaming of some features were compromises I wasn't sure I wanted to make. The flamed koa body and macassar ebony fretboard are wonderful, but I was thinking the slim contour and closer to the vintage frets were essential. Thankfully no binding and abalone dots are what I wanted, and I look at the graphite bars as a bonus. So, when I went to meet the neck, body tucked under my arm and Squier Jazz neck in hand for comparison, I was 50/50 about what I'd do. Then, he took it out of the box and I was reduced to mumbling. The beauty and apparent quality of the work was so great that my concerns pretty much just melted away.
While the frets are bigger than what I wanted, I'm thinking that I can have them dressed down as the project gets to that point. I really don't want a refret simply out of respect for the ebony. Why risk damage, even in the hands of an expert?
While it's difficult to tell exactly how different the contour is it doesn't seem as klunky in the hand as I had feared. I'm resigning myself to the fact that the contour can be adjusted if I really feel the need down the line.
Based on the staggering savings I made I couldn't pass it up. Duplicating this neck new makes it nearly $700 I don't have. I MIGHT have been able to buy a "sample example" i could later resell so as to cure my concerns for what I got this piece of art for. The self-contained beauty and the harmony it gives my project are awesome. The compromises I've encountered are minor in the face of advancing my project in a way I couldn't otherwise have managed for quite some time.
Bottom line? I'm thrilled to have my Warmoth and know now, based on what I've seen so far that had I waited to do the full-boat custom-ordered to my exact desires and paid the price to do so, I'm very confident I wouldn't be disappointed and don't think you will be either if you go the Warmoth way.
iJazz - No, it won't get a Fender decal.
Looking at the varieties they offer I knew I could get beauty to cure my desires, but I just don't have the change to drop on it at this time. The Squier could be a stepping stone, but given what I've got planned and the outcome I envision, romance says do it the best from the get-go; no half-way.
When I became aware of the Warmoth I just bought I was excited that I could preview it without buying it, and while it had much of what I'm dreaming of some features were compromises I wasn't sure I wanted to make. The flamed koa body and macassar ebony fretboard are wonderful, but I was thinking the slim contour and closer to the vintage frets were essential. Thankfully no binding and abalone dots are what I wanted, and I look at the graphite bars as a bonus. So, when I went to meet the neck, body tucked under my arm and Squier Jazz neck in hand for comparison, I was 50/50 about what I'd do. Then, he took it out of the box and I was reduced to mumbling. The beauty and apparent quality of the work was so great that my concerns pretty much just melted away.
While the frets are bigger than what I wanted, I'm thinking that I can have them dressed down as the project gets to that point. I really don't want a refret simply out of respect for the ebony. Why risk damage, even in the hands of an expert?
While it's difficult to tell exactly how different the contour is it doesn't seem as klunky in the hand as I had feared. I'm resigning myself to the fact that the contour can be adjusted if I really feel the need down the line.
Based on the staggering savings I made I couldn't pass it up. Duplicating this neck new makes it nearly $700 I don't have. I MIGHT have been able to buy a "sample example" i could later resell so as to cure my concerns for what I got this piece of art for. The self-contained beauty and the harmony it gives my project are awesome. The compromises I've encountered are minor in the face of advancing my project in a way I couldn't otherwise have managed for quite some time.
Bottom line? I'm thrilled to have my Warmoth and know now, based on what I've seen so far that had I waited to do the full-boat custom-ordered to my exact desires and paid the price to do so, I'm very confident I wouldn't be disappointed and don't think you will be either if you go the Warmoth way.
iJazz - No, it won't get a Fender decal.
