Warmoth Tele = on it's way!

[thekiwidisciple]

Hi All,

As I've mentioned in a few threads I ordered a Warmoth Tele with strat pup and trem routing. I just got an email from UPS, it's due in Melbourne on Thursday!

I wanted to ask some advice as to what I can expect in terms of work needing to be done on the neck. I can't expect it to be perfect, so I guess I'll have to get a tech to do some light work or something.

Also, I've taken necks off guitars and replaced them and adjusted them quite a few times so I've got a bit of an idea as to how it is supposed to be done, but never on anything more expensive than a Squier Strat. I do want to do all the assembly myself, so should I do more homework and try it myself or is it really that difficult a job that I should let a tech do it.

Also (again), when it comes to directly mounting pickups, what is the best way to do that? I guess there will be fixes in the pup cavity for a the pickup screws so that the height can be adjusted?

Thanks guys! :bravo:

P.S. (also) (again again) :- has anyone ever seen any wiring schematics for Strats with only one tone knob by any chance? LOL!

[sunvalleylaw]

That's great! I have said before it looks like a cool project. I will enjoy watching your progress with it.

[thekiwidisciple]

Yep, I'm very eager to see it lol. I'll post pics straight away when I get it!

[markb]

Strat, 3 s/c, 1vol, 1tone, 5-way (http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=3s_1v_1t_5w)

Courtesy of seymourduncan.com. They have a lot of useful diagrams there. For more wacked out wiring schemes try deaf-eddie.net

[thekiwidisciple]

Oh, awesome. Thanks for that bro!

[Tibernius]

I wanted to ask some advice as to what I can expect in terms of work needing to be done on the neck. I can't expect it to be perfect, so I guess I'll have to get a tech to do some light work or something.


I've heard that most Warmoth necks need the frets levelling slightly, but other than that they shouldn't need much - if any - work.



Also, I've taken necks off guitars and replaced them and adjusted them quite a few times so I've got a bit of an idea as to how it is supposed to be done, but never on anything more expensive than a Squier Strat. I do want to do all the assembly myself, so should I do more homework and try it myself or is it really that difficult a job that I should let a tech do it.

Shouldn't be any harder than adjusting the neck on a ready-built guitar.
At least it wasn't with the partsocaster I built.

[thekiwidisciple]

Thanks, Tibernius

[thekiwidisciple]

Also, I'll be burning a design into this guitar. Until then, is there any damage that might occur because of it not having a finish? What care do I need to take with it? And afterwards, what is a good satin finish I can apply that will not take away from the looks of the wood or the design?

[M29]

Here is what my Warmoth neck looked like when it arrived.

http://webpages.charter.net/tankm4/warneck2.jpg

I got an unfinished one and did a nitro lacquer finish on it. The frets where fine and I did not have to do anything other then the finish and add a nut. I really like it.

If you are not letting it set very long it should be fine. Just keep it in a dry area Some have used Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil gun stock oil for a finish and had good results. I have not used it and am not sure how glossy it is or if you can get it in satin. Here is a description. http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/sport/wood_index.asp?categoryID=5&subcat=11

M

[markb]

Also, I'll be burning a design into this guitar. Until then, is there any damage that might occur because of it not having a finish? What care do I need to take with it? And afterwards, what is a good satin finish I can apply that will not take away from the looks of the wood or the design?

You could simply seal the wood with something like tung oil or danish oil. Just wipe on.

On the wiring front, have you considered adding a push/pull switch on the tone pot. With this you can add the neck (or bridge) piclup to whatever selection you're using. This gives you the full tele/strat hybrid range of tones.

[Bloozcat]

The one neck I got from them (on my Koa Strat) needed only a finish and a nut and it was good to go. Frets were fine.

If maintaining the Warmoth warranty is important to you, avoid oil finishes. Warmoth expressly warns that oil finishes void the warranty.

The MinWax Wipe On Poly is a good finish that can be applied in nice thin coats. It comes in gloss and satin and is acceptable for complying with Warmoths warranty requirements.

[thekiwidisciple]

It arrived today! It's beautiful. Pics will follow soon, not that it's possible for those to show just how beautiful the guitar is!!!

After I've burnt the guitar, I'm thinking about applying a satin nitrocellulose finish...

[thekiwidisciple]

Well, here you go. There's only a couple and the one of the neck didn't turn out fantastically...

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/6512/s7300087vk6.jpg
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/5305/s7300084db9.jpg
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1492/s7300089ot4.jpg

[markb]

Looks nice, in fact, very nice. Try www.tdpri.com for finish tips. They have a lot of guys building partscasters over there. Tons of useful info.

[thekiwidisciple]

Cool, I'll have a look. I've seen that forum a couple of times.

[M29]

Man that looks sweet!! That body has a really nice grain pattern:AOK:

[thekiwidisciple]

It does. I'll take a photo at some point, but at the top of the tummy cut, there's a dark strip in the grain that looks awesome.

[warren0728]

that body painted transparent orange would be oh so sweet.... :pancake:

[thekiwidisciple]

that body painted transparent orange would be oh so sweet.... :pancake:
It won't be! :P

[sunvalleylaw]

Looks good to me!

[thekiwidisciple]

Thanks, SVL. My brother and I just drew the design to be burnt...the drawing is only in pencil so can't realy be photographed yet, but I'll take a pic of the final product!

[markb]

that body painted transparent orange would be oh so sweet.... :pancake:

Transparent orange, bigsby, Filtertrons. Oh, sorry. Just one of my fantasies :)

[thekiwidisciple]

Sounds nice, boys! I just found a professional pyrographer to do it, rather than me doing it and messing it up. She's very very talented, teaches overseas, and does seminars. She says she doesn't normally take commission work, but seeing as it's a guitar, she'll take it. Can any of us blame her?