Hmmm, tempting. Even so, I doubt you could put one together for the <$500 I have to spend.
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Hmmm, tempting. Even so, I doubt you could put one together for the <$500 I have to spend.
If my numbers are right, I SHOULD have enough to do a build by the end of the summer and I'm looking at a Warmoth neck, specifically a maple/maple with black B&B. (If you've seen some of my other posts you should know where I'm going with this 
) I have a few questions:
1. How much do they typically weigh? The steel bars seem like they'd make the neck stiff enough but at the cost of more neckdive risk.
2. (stupid questions) Where is the truss rod adjustment? Also, with the steel rods you have to do fewer adjustments?
3. How well do they drop in other licensed Fender bodies?
4. Can it be drilled to fit Hipshot UltraLites?
5. Will Warmoth install the nut for me? I don't want to experiment on a neck with binding and while I know of a few good repair techs in the area (Great Southern Music and Rockin Robin Guitars in Houston, Norman Music Center in.... Norman) this would seem like a slightly more convenient option.
6. How is their fret work?
Thanks a lot guys!
) I have a few questions:1. How much do they typically weigh? The steel bars seem like they'd make the neck stiff enough but at the cost of more neckdive risk.
2. (stupid questions) Where is the truss rod adjustment? Also, with the steel rods you have to do fewer adjustments?
3. How well do they drop in other licensed Fender bodies?
4. Can it be drilled to fit Hipshot UltraLites?
5. Will Warmoth install the nut for me? I don't want to experiment on a neck with binding and while I know of a few good repair techs in the area (Great Southern Music and Rockin Robin Guitars in Houston, Norman Music Center in.... Norman) this would seem like a slightly more convenient option.
6. How is their fret work?
Thanks a lot guys!
From what I've been told, since I've asked this question many times in the past, Warmoth makes an incredible body, if you're looking for something unique. If you're looking for a common Fender body (alder, sunburst or olympic white), Allparts may be a more economical choice. This place sells AllParts incredibly cheap.
http://www.dguitarparts.com/
Not a great website, but they respond via email quickly.
As far as necks go, I've heard Warmoth necks are rather thick. Two alternatives are AllParts for mostly stock Fender stuff, or USA Custom guitars which use graphite truss rods and more neck options.
http://www.dguitarparts.com/
Not a great website, but they respond via email quickly.
As far as necks go, I've heard Warmoth necks are rather thick. Two alternatives are AllParts for mostly stock Fender stuff, or USA Custom guitars which use graphite truss rods and more neck options.
If my numbers are right, I SHOULD have enough to do a build by the end of the summer and I'm looking at a Warmoth neck, specifically a maple/maple with black B&B. (If you've seen some of my other posts you should know where I'm going with this
1. How much do they typically weigh? The steel bars seem like they'd make the neck stiff enough but at the cost of more neckdive risk.
2. (stupid questions) Where is the truss rod adjustment? Also, with the steel rods you have to do fewer adjustments?
3. How well do they drop in other licensed Fender bodies?
4. Can it be drilled to fit Hipshot UltraLites?
5. Will Warmoth install the nut for me? I don't want to experiment on a neck with binding and while I know of a few good repair techs in the area (Great Southern Music and Rockin Robin Guitars in Houston, Norman Music Center in.... Norman) this would seem like a slightly more convenient option.
6. How is their fret work?
Thanks a lot guys!
1. No comment
2. The truss rod is in the usual heel location, just like on vintage Fenders.
3. It depends on what body you plan on installing it to. Specs can be all over the place, so you would have to figure out the exact specs of the body.
4. Yes! I had mine done that way. It's a $25 upcharge for the 9/16" tuner reams.
5. Yes, its a $25 upcharge. They only offer White Corian nuts though, so if you want bone or brass or something, you would have to do that yourself.
6. No comment (Both of my Warmoth necks are fretless)
SoonerMatt, - Let me supplement line6mann answer with a picture and a few comments. The picture shows the nut area of my Warmoth Padouk/Ebony J-neck, with Warmoth installed corian nut and stainless steel 6230 fret work (vintage Fender size).
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=123712&stc=1&d=1238246808
The Schaller BML light tuners (similar to yours hipshot) are installed by me and I had to drill the index holes myself (no big deal if you are careful). Unless, you are very nicky picky, you will find the Warmoth nut installation satisfying. If you want extreme low action you may want to take a bit more off for good reasons Warmoth leave the cut in a conservative height. The fret work is IMO excellent. I have two basses and there is nothing to complain about regarding the fret work.
It has been mentioned many times in this thread that Warmoth necks should be "thick" or "chunky", which I have a hard time to understand according to Warmoth they have a shape like the '62 J-bass. I have sold my old '79 J many years ago so I can't make an AB test IMO the Warmoth J's feel exactly the same shapewise as the original. However, I can imagine that people preserve them as being "thicker" because they actually have a thicker finger board than the original. Warmoth doesn't save on the finger board wood, which I believe is a good thing for stability. As also mentioned by many others these necks are very stable and very easy to adjust thanks to the double expansion truss-rod.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=123712&stc=1&d=1238246808
The Schaller BML light tuners (similar to yours hipshot) are installed by me and I had to drill the index holes myself (no big deal if you are careful). Unless, you are very nicky picky, you will find the Warmoth nut installation satisfying. If you want extreme low action you may want to take a bit more off for good reasons Warmoth leave the cut in a conservative height. The fret work is IMO excellent. I have two basses and there is nothing to complain about regarding the fret work.
It has been mentioned many times in this thread that Warmoth necks should be "thick" or "chunky", which I have a hard time to understand according to Warmoth they have a shape like the '62 J-bass. I have sold my old '79 J many years ago so I can't make an AB test IMO the Warmoth J's feel exactly the same shapewise as the original. However, I can imagine that people preserve them as being "thicker" because they actually have a thicker finger board than the original. Warmoth doesn't save on the finger board wood, which I believe is a good thing for stability. As also mentioned by many others these necks are very stable and very easy to adjust thanks to the double expansion truss-rod.
Attachments
I'm not only an employee, I'm also a (repeat) customer. Here's my newest build.
Spalt & flame top, ash back
Maple/maple neck
Hipshot A (17mm bridge)
Nordstrand Fat Stacks & Aguilar OBP-2 under the hood.
That's an awesome looking bass!
If my numbers are right, I SHOULD have enough to do a build by the end of the summer and I'm looking at a Warmoth neck, specifically a maple/maple with black B&B. (If you've seen some of my other posts you should know where I'm going with this
1. How much do they typically weigh? The steel bars seem like they'd make the neck stiff enough but at the cost of more neckdive risk.
2. (stupid questions) Where is the truss rod adjustment? Also, with the steel rods you have to do fewer adjustments?
3. How well do they drop in other licensed Fender bodies?
4. Can it be drilled to fit Hipshot UltraLites?
5. Will Warmoth install the nut for me? I don't want to experiment on a neck with binding and while I know of a few good repair techs in the area (Great Southern Music and Rockin Robin Guitars in Houston, Norman Music Center in.... Norman) this would seem like a slightly more convenient option.
6. How is their fret work?
Thanks a lot guys!
I never had neck dive on a Warmoth neck, especially if you go maple maple. My current neck weighs around 2.4 lbs with ultralite tuners. Neck dive is usually due to heavy tuners. think about it, the steel bars go the length of the neck, heavy tuners are at the tip of a long lever.
Ultralites that have the 1/2" posts fit nicely
The fretwork and nut on both my Warmoth necks is great. I've been playing for 42 years and I've played many different Basses and the Warmoth have no neck dive (as far as I can tell) compared to any of my other Basses (that I have now or have had in the past). The fretwork is really good. I have a Jazz neck (maple/maple) and a Deluxe 5 string (maple/rosewood) and they don't feel "chunky" or "clunky" or anything like that. I have seen Warmoth necks that have had the back shaved to suit the owner, but both of mine are just fine YMMV.
I think that this is a great question! How much did you put into your Warmoth. Maybe a different thread all together, but really, How Much??
I have 2. The first I bought a Modulus neck for it and by the end, I was into it for just about $1200 total.
My second was a trial for me. I never played a 5'er and this was my way to start. I shopped big time for pieces components and parts. All total, Warmoth neck and body +
everything, $600.. I did all the finish work and set up myself.
Not bad though
I sure hope your neck dont warp. I have Birdseye maple on Birds eye maple and they would not warranty it unless it had a finish.
this is going to look amazing...
post pics when it's done
post pics when it's done
Mine's comming soon!
Quartersawn maple neck/rosewood fingerboard - high gloss poly finish
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Quilted maple top on Swamp ash body - blue dye + high gloss poly finish
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Walnut eagle with hipshot 4 string trem. put it together right at the time hipshot started making the trems and warmoth started installing them.
Stainless steel (dunlop were they?) frets. I don't remember what height... too high if you ask me.
Hipshot bass tremolo, black of course.
All black hardware, walnut body, DiMarzio 123's J-Pickups...
Stainless steel (dunlop were they?) frets. I don't remember what height... too high if you ask me.
Hipshot bass tremolo, black of course.
All black hardware, walnut body, DiMarzio 123's J-Pickups...
Wow! Very nice! I've been thinking about doing one just like this but with a maple neck. How hard was it to use the blue dye?
high gloss finish was harder.. i failed 
but still, looks nice 
The fretwork and nut on both my Warmoth necks is great. I've been playing for 42 years and I've played many different Basses and the Warmoth have no neck dive (as far as I can tell) compared to any of my other Basses (that I have now or have had in the past). The fretwork is really good. I have a Jazz neck (maple/maple) and a Deluxe 5 string (maple/rosewood) and they don't feel "chunky" or "clunky" or anything like that. I have seen Warmoth necks that have had the back shaved to suit the owner, but both of mine are just fine YMMV.
+1.
The fretwork and nut on my Warmoth neck were perfect. Granted, it's a slightly heavier neck than a standard Fender, but I'll take that trade-off to have a neck that stays as stable as this one does.
I have now had my Warmoth Maple/Maple neck/board for over 3 years with no finish at all. I love it. Not one single problem. Set up only 1 time when it was bright and shinny new, but nothing after that and it is still perfect. By the way, I am not a big fan of the finished look. Does nothing for me and I like how the oil and sweat treats the wood and gives it that used look. Very natural to me.
