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Whats up with Warmoth?
- Thread starter Wes275
- Start date
I can't speak for others, but I can speak for myself. I personally cannot get enough of Warmoth basses! The quality is TOP NOTCH! I just think that people have an idea in their head of something they would like (sound-wise), it then doesn't turn out entirely as they hoped, and they then go for a more recognized brand in search of that special "something". But that says nothing about the actual quality of the Warmoth builds. They are stellar!!
Warmoth is great. Just not their inept buyers. 2 reasons:
1) "Wait until you see what I'm building. ."
2) "It sounds and plays nothing like I imagined. ."
1) "Wait until you see what I'm building. ."
2) "It sounds and plays nothing like I imagined. ."
Nailed it!
Warmoth quality is great IME. I have bought new parts from them over probably 20 years now. They do offer enough options for people to build something they end us disliking. I’ve sold numerous Warmoth parts over the years. Not because there is a problem but because there is a shiny new thing I have to have.
If number of pieces for sale indicated an issue, then Fender would probably be #1.
Maybe they simply find better basses that get the job done.
Plenty available every day of the week for less money.
Warmoth builds very high quality parts, but 'the catch' is that most people buy brand names which can hurt reselling one, plus it's really hard to buy the parts at retail + assembly costs and sell an expertly-built parts bass and break even for a lot of sellers.
Not everyone is experienced enough to look past the name on the headstock and evaluate an axe for what it really is, but if you buy with resale in mind, parts basses can be a hill to climb money-wise.
Not everyone is experienced enough to look past the name on the headstock and evaluate an axe for what it really is, but if you buy with resale in mind, parts basses can be a hill to climb money-wise.
Warmoths quality is great.
Sometimes I feel like those dream basses turn out like Clark Griswold’s Family Truckster. Every option doesn’t always belong together.
Sometimes I feel like those dream basses turn out like Clark Griswold’s Family Truckster. Every option doesn’t always belong together.
I go to Warmoth because what I want is not available anywhere else…like a Fretless 5-string Jazz neck….
My next parts bass will be a 5-string version of the Flea Active Jazz from Warmoth. It will cost $1k less than a new Stingray 5. I don’t plan on ever selling it like I did my actual Stingray…
My next parts bass will be a 5-string version of the Flea Active Jazz from Warmoth. It will cost $1k less than a new Stingray 5. I don’t plan on ever selling it like I did my actual Stingray…
I have several Jazz basses with Warmoth Fretles necks and they are great!
Pros: Great quality. Great service. Reasonably good lead time for semi custom products. Great cost point.
Cons: Shopping with your eyes 1 part at a time.
Cons: Shopping with your eyes 1 part at a time.
People sell just as many other basses, I'm sure the reasons for selling off a Warmoth align pretty closely with the reasons for selling off 'any other bass'. I've had quite a few Warmoth products over the years, and none of them suffered from deficiencies of quality or tone. I just sold them on to make room for 'the next thing' (or just to make room, period!).
I actually have a very nice Warmoth neck and body still in the boxes downstairs, just haven't had time to put it together. (I'm pretty sure that one will be a keeper, it was purchased a couple years ago to fill a specialty void in my arsenal...)
Sellers probably just need money for their next build.
I have two Warmoth parts basses. Excellent basses. Better than many costing double the amount of money.
Yeah. Those and Fender. Everyone keeps selling used Fenders. What’s up with that?
The ones that usually make me wince are the custom Kiesel/Carvin ads. That's someone's former dream bass, now being sold for far less than it was purchased for. Yowch.
I've bought two Warmoth necks over the last 25 years. Both were great quality.
What I was not ready for, due to the added stiffness of those necks, was heavier weight and a sound that was "not like a Fender." In a way it was better than a Fender (strong and consistent attack from every note), but not something I wanted or wanted to get used to. In a way, I was the problem - not the product.
What I was not ready for, due to the added stiffness of those necks, was heavier weight and a sound that was "not like a Fender." In a way it was better than a Fender (strong and consistent attack from every note), but not something I wanted or wanted to get used to. In a way, I was the problem - not the product.
The issue is another attack of G.A.S. . Warmoth makes quality products , but sometimes you build something you think will satisfy you and it doesn't . I've done it too many times to count .
JeezyMcNuggles
Inactive
- Feb 23, 2018
- 14,723
- 20,970
- Disclosures
- I suck, but nobody really notices
1: the quality is only as good as your skills, or the extra money you throw at somebody else with said skills.
2: the tone...it's a bass dude. They sound like basses. Again, whatever money your willing to throw into it after you've gotten it.
3: plans change. I could care less about my warmoth Jazz Master. But really, it's just the pickup routes I picked. I should've done a P MM, or just a JJ. Or, just a sweetspot MM. It never seems (to me) like the tone I want. Even though it's perfect to everyone hearing it. To me, there's something off about it. Looks dope though.
If you want a JMM jazzmaster body on the cheap, shoot me a line. It's the one in my profile pic.
Turnaround
Commercial User
I have serviced a number of basses made from Warmoth parts put together by DIY enthusiasts. The parts were all high quality, but the assembly quality varied greatly. But one thing that was most often overlooked when someone bought parts is the weight of the parts. A Jazz bass with a Bubinga body and rosewood neck with ebony fretboard may look like a million bucks, but it is likely to weigh a ton and sound really sterile. It's easy to get seduced by some sexy wood, but you have to understand the larger picture. Most of those Warmoth projects I have worked on were sold within 2 years of the build time.
OTOH, I know some serious builders that fashion their basses from Warmoth parts. Some are really superb. You gotta know what you're doing - years of experience helps.
