Warmoth Tele Builder Options Questions

**NSJ** · 01-08-2013, 06:31 PM

Going through this website, lots of variables, some questions for those of you who have gone through this, in terms of building a custom Jazz oriented box from Warmoth website:

Neck Builder:

Recommended neck contour? Boatneck?
Recommended fingerboard radius?
Any benefit to "Scalloping"?
Recommended "String Nut"? Looks like bone is not an option.

Body Builder:
Carved Top/Hollow: lightest, best jazz option?
Best core wood for laminate/body? Maple and maple? What difference does "Swamp Ash" make?
Recommended input jack route size?

Anyway to not order a bridge pup? I.e., neck pup only?

**RonD** · 01-08-2013, 06:48 PM

Hi NSJ,
I've done a few builds from Warmoth.
You might want to visit the Warmoth forum for info.
There are guys who have built dozens of guitars from Warmoth parts, and tons of threads addressing most of the things you mentioned.
Unofficial Warmoth - Index

Cheers, Ron

**Frank67** · 01-08-2013, 06:53 PM

Recommended neck contour? Boatneck?
me - 59 roundback. But I haven't tried the other options. I just like round and a bit chunky neck profiles. It is not over the top.

Recommended fingerboard radius?
I find the 10-16 compound radius incredibly comfortable to play on.

Any benefit to "Scalloping"?
naaahhh - not for me - I guess that is more for the hard'n heavy string bender fraction.

Recommended "String Nut"? Looks like bone is not an option.
White corian should work. I have a Graphtec on mine which I think is a great high tech nut ... but others will have a more informed opinion.

Carved Top/Hollow: lightest, best jazz option?
No opinion here. I went with solid. That was an intuitive choice as it is "the classic" way to build a tele. They are really pushing for the chambered bodies - I lack a reference point. The tradition is solid (well, then you have the thinline tells. But depending on who you believe they do not sound all that different)

Best core wood for laminate/body? Maple and maple? What difference does "Swamp Ash" make?
They have a pretty informative chart on the warmth vs brightness of different tonewoods. I guess it depends on what you want. Mahagony or Black Korina for a "LP tele" and Maple for a really really bright tele (I would be afraid that it gets too bright - but it depends on what pickups and bridge you choose). Swamp ash appears to be in the middle and is a "classic" tele tonewood. That is why I went with it - I wanted a tele that is recognizable as a tele, just with a few modern aspects (like tummy cut, forearm contour ,heel contour etc).

Recommended input jack route size?
I went with 7/8th and find the result pleasing and comfortable.

Anyway to not order a bridge pup? I.e., neck pup only?
Why would you? I don't think that the bridge pub has a negative influence on the tone, it is easy to install and adds extra tonal options (the both pub position is really not so bad!) The wiring may get a little bit easier and you can skip the selector .... but really, it is not such a big deal. I guess, I do not see a huge point in skipping the bridge pickup (you can save a few $$$, but ...). I went with other than their available pickups anyways and judging from their gallery many people appear to. I guess there is nothing wrong with SD or Fralin pickups.

Enjoy building! I had the greatest time and will surely do it again.
Cheers,
Frank

**Jim Soloway** · 01-08-2013, 07:09 PM

I bought my two bodies from the showcase, pre-finished. You can get quite a saving and eliminate most of the wait that way. You can also be much more specific about the weight since it's listed for every body. They will also re-route the neck pickup on those bodies for no additional charge. Both of my bodies are standard models, chambered swamp ash with arm contours and belly cuts. One also has a contoured neck pocket. I find this configuration to be more comfortable than a carve top body because of the way the forearm is able to roll over the arm contour.

I have an absurd about of experience with swamp ash. My guitar building business has used swamp ash backs on about 320 guitar (many of those also with swamp ash tops). I find it to be a very musical wood with a tight but prominent low end and a lot of acoustic presence. It's easily my favorite wood for this sort of guitar.

Scalloped frets are something that really doesn't apply to many players. They're almost exclusively used by extreme rock shredders.

The neck profile is really an issue of personal preference. A boatneck is extremely large and will require a bit haier body to maintain balance. They offer a lot of profiles. My personal favorite is the 59 round back. It has some serious heft without being excessive.

They offer a number of different neck types, including a 24.75" conversion neck. Both of mine are Warmoth Pro types, one in standard scale length and the other is a 24.75" conversion. The conversion neck definitely makes the guitar warmer with less of the classic Fender snap. I think a lot straight jazz players would actually like it quite a bit.

Fingerboard radius and fret size are very personal decisions so you'll want to check some of your favorite guitars. I like flat boards with bog frets so I got a 10-16" compound radius with 6100 frets. that's the flattest they offer in the showcase and largest frets in common commercial use. (Fretting on showcase necks is generally done after their purchase so you get to specify).

I'm not certain, but I don't believe that Warmoth does offer a body with neck pickup route only. I see to recall that they use the area of bridge pickup for an index hole for the CNC machine. My solution to that was to get a custom bridge from Hipshot is the size of a standard Tele tray-style bridge with no opening for a bridge pickup. They areed to sell those to the public on a per order basis. If you decide to go that rout, let me know and I'll send you all the contact info.

I have no advice on the nut. I got mine with no nut and we cut one in bone but that may or may not be something you want to mess with.

If you have any other questions, feel free and I'd be happy to share whatever info I can. These are my two.

**rpguitar** · 01-08-2013, 07:19 PM

I won't rehash some of what others have contributed, but I have built 7 Warmoths, including 3 Tele style. The boat neck is huge (I have one). Standard thin is a bit thin but acceptable, and 59 is very nice. Their necks tend to be heavy. I prefer the rolled edges of modern Fender necks; Warmoths can be a bit sharp. Also, nuts are sometimes cut a bit high over the first fret with the "you can always take some off but you can't put it back on" mindset. Frets are sometimes less than perfect. I've had two necks with a low fret, usually 11th or 12th for whatever reason.

Maple will be heavy. Go with ash or alder. If you get a chambered body, pay attention to the weight of the neck, or it might end up neck-heavy. My boat neck is rosewood on rosewood paired with a semi-hollow thinline ash body. Tonally it's great, but ergonomically it was a mistake.

**NSJ** · 01-08-2013, 07:43 PM

Thanks, everyone for the feedback. Very useful. Looks like Swamp Ash, 10-16" compound radius and 6100 frets are the way to go. I'm going to compare this to my 52 RI Tele, when I get it back (a friend has had it for several months, now.).

**Jim Soloway** · 01-08-2013, 07:46 PM

Good luck and if you're interested in a showcase body, here's one that they have in stock that I think would be an ideal candidate.

Showcase Body

**rpguitar** · 01-08-2013, 09:35 PM

All of this Tele talk is giving me dreadful GAS. At least it's not as dangerous as $5k archtop GAS, though.

**RonD** · 01-08-2013, 09:42 PM

Roger, think of all the Tele's you could build for $5k... mmmm....

**Steve Z** · 01-08-2013, 09:45 PM

Jim, Those are some very classy t-style guitars you put together. I really like the burst with the black hardware.

**Jim Soloway** · 01-08-2013, 09:52 PM

Thanks. They were originally just supposed to be an easy way to do some prototyping for the guitars I was planning to have us build but they turned out so well that they're getting a lot of playing time.

**RonD** · 01-08-2013, 09:56 PM

Jim, you have given me serious GAS with that sunburst beauty!
Could you comment on why you went with the chambered vs solid body?

Cheers, Ron

**Jim Soloway** · 01-08-2013, 10:06 PM

Three reasons:

First, I have a weight limit on any guitar I own of 7 lbs and preferably a few ounces under.

Second, I've been playing chambered thin bodied guitars pretty much exclusively since we began building guitar ten years ago. I find that chambering makes a big difference to the tone and makes it a bit easier for me to get my sound dialed in to what I want.

And third because as I noted earlier, these were meant to give me an easy way to do some prototyping for the guitars I was planning for us to build. That's probably easier to understand if you see what we were headed towards. This is from our first pair of T-shaped guitars.

**RonD** · 01-08-2013, 10:14 PM

Thank you, sir. That's exactly what I needed to know.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 01-08-2013, 10:32 PM

I'll just add that if you want a bone nut it's not expensive to get one made for your guitar.

**barry2tone** · 01-08-2013, 10:38 PM

Well, apologies if the OP was going to be interested in the body Jim flagged up, but that one's gone (buttons pushed,fingers crossed).
Only defence is that I've had this GAS for a year or more, and don't merit a Soloway beauty.

Advice on picking a (251/2") '59 profile, 1.75" nut, 10-16" radius neck that won't be too heavy for it, much appreciated

How does wenge/ebony tip the scales?

I'll get a friend to take photos, and keep you posted.