Thinking about getting a body and neck from Warmoth and then get the rest of parts from Allparts and Stewmac as it is cheaper. It would be an Iceman guitar.
I have a feeling as much as it would have the options I want, it would be pretty damn pricey.
it does add up pretty quickly. but if you are building a guitar that will have options that you can't buy, i guess it would be worth it.
I think Jerry Cantrel used Warmoth stuff in the early days.
I think if you can do all the work yourself you'll be okay. This includes paint, assembly and setup. It could still be worth it if you have to farm everything out even if it is pricey. I've always wanted to do one, just never made that leap.
Ive done 'em for customers. Its fun!
I plan to do this, at least order the body from them and finding a p bass neck doing the build myself. Jazz body, P neck and two humbuckers.
Make sure the heel isn't different on the jazz bass neck..
Quote from: Baltar on April 17, 2011, 01:56:59 PM
I think Jerry Cantrel used Warmoth stuff in the early days.
Jerry worked at Warmoth back in the day. I lived about a quarter mile from their old shop
There necks and bodies are top notch.
They actually make/have made necks for several big name companies custom or high end guitars (Yamaha pops to mind).
Great customer service too.
I've used their stuff for years and they're pretty competitive price wise on some of their hardware and pickups.
The only problem is the options on the body and neck start adding up fast. :P
What do Warmoth have that you can't get on an Ibanez? A specific type of wood, or pickup placement?
I'm seeing them all over Craigslist, cheaper than a neck and body from Warmoth.
I wouldn't part one up from Warmoth, to be honest. The cost will end up retarded high, and you have to factor in a bridge/tuners/pickups/pots/jacks/switches/caps/nuts/bolts/screws/washers/strings...
Nah.
buy a beater, make it yours. I do it every day.
Warmoth stuff is of excellent quality and made in the USA so, as such, it isn't exactly free. Once you end up paying consumer prices for hardware, electronics, finish, &c. you probably aren't going to save much money. Actually, I'd imagine it may well be more expensive than some equivalent USA-made guitars. So build a Warmoth guitar if it's the only way you can get exactly what you want w/o getting into the real nitty gritty of guitar building. Build a Warmoth guitar if it sounds like fun to you to put together your own guitar. Don't build a Warmoth guitar if your goal is to save money.
Quote from: SunnO))) on April 17, 2011, 05:44:12 PM
Ive done 'em for customers. Its fun!
Paint and all?
If so, how much did you charge?
Also, any chance you'd do Fender-esque Basses in cool colors?
Paint on a guitar is a totally different beast. It's NOTHING like painting a car, but the steps are effectively the same. Fill, sand, fill, sand, prime, sand, prime, sand, prime, paint, sand , paint, sand, paint, sand, paint, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand - buff to a shine.
There's so much that can go wrong, quality of paint, quality of clear, your own hands... I know guys who use auto-lacquer with great results, and I know some guys who use shit from http://reranch.com/products.htm (http://reranch.com/products.htm) with piss-poor results. It's all in the methods you use.
I don't know if Erik paints (but if he does,) he could shed a little more light on the process and all of the pitfalls you may encounter.
Personally, I do oil/wax finishes. I'm a huge fan of natural wood tone. Paint is a tone-killer IMO, especially that poly-paint they use these days on EVERYTHING.
If you have an instrument you want to experiment on, just sand the finish off of it, and listen for the 100% transformation of tone.
Alternately, the Warmoth woods are generally nice enough to oil finish, they usually weed out all the blems and bullshit before they make the bodies.
I also forgot to tell him to add in the LABOR for putting all those parts on, as well as the nut, and any additional fretwork...
Yeah, I think I need to just practice what I preach and just wait for an IC400 to show up on craigslist. Change the pots, nut, tuners (if necessary), bridge p'up, and see how it sounds afterwards.
What's your area?
http://columbus.craigslist.org/msg/2324871272.html (http://columbus.craigslist.org/msg/2324871272.html)
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/msg/2321096171.html (http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/msg/2321096171.html)
Houston :-\
Dan, if you find one, buy one off ebay, and the dude is willing to ship, have it shipped to me.
Quote from: Instant Dan on April 18, 2011, 04:29:04 PM
Houston :-\
Damn, just missed it, if you had $800 vs. $250 for the others
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120708330529 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120708330529)
one for Sunn in J-ville
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/msg/2323021193.html (http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/msg/2323021193.html)
San DIego or San Fran?
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/msg/2325754671.html (http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/msg/2325754671.html)
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/2320847954.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/2320847954.html)
Dan, if you want to front the gas, Jax is only two and a half/three hours away from me. I'll pick it and ship it.
yeah, but dan, what you don't know is that sunn drives a motorhome. everywhere. really. he's THAT guy . . .
PFFFF I drive for a LIVING, man. I'm a courier. It's a Ford Ranger. With a camper top/sleeper in it. Not even a motorhome, dickhead! :D
Quote from: SunnO))) on April 18, 2011, 05:41:13 PM
PFFFF I drive for a LIVING, man. I'm a courier. It's a Ford Ranger. With a camper top/sleeper in it. Not even a motorhome, dickhead! :D
that seems pretty cool. for realz.
OK I totally have Sunn0))) in the Tallahassee video now ;D
(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carl.taylor7/Car%20pics/ford-camper-van-blue-majorette.JPG)
courier hmm, leaving strung out hoes in your wake.
I only murder prostitutes if they don't swallow. :D
(http://www.trueimmortals.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Endless-corn.jpg)
Found a shot of all of Illinois!
That's got to be Northern Illinois, the corn is too short for round here :)
I just built a bass with Warmoth parts. It's not cheap but you do get a LOT of options when it comes to woods/paint/binding/inlays etc. I'm totally happy, the parts are all top notch and I really don't think I could get a bass like this custom built anywhere else for less money.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/8reverse.jpg)
Dude that is nice. Its got about four too many strings IMO, but very nice.
Quote from: SunnO))) on April 18, 2011, 01:45:38 PM
Paint on a guitar is a totally different beast. It's NOTHING like painting a car, but the steps are effectively the same. Fill, sand, fill, sand, prime, sand, prime, sand, prime, paint, sand , paint, sand, paint, sand, paint, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand, clear, sand - buff to a shine.
<snip>
I don't know if Erik paints (but if he does,) he could shed a little more light on the process and all of the pitfalls you may encounter.
Personally, I do oil/wax finishes. I'm a huge fan of natural wood tone. Paint is a tone-killer IMO, especially that poly-paint they use these days on EVERYTHING.
If you have an instrument you want to experiment on, just sand the finish off of it, and listen for the 100% transformation of tone.
<snip>
Nope I won't paint a guitar. Too much damn work, but I will Tint one.
Oil/poly is what I like, just use more oil than poly in the mix. I like the oil/wax but it can require maintanence. I need to experiment with carnuaba wax.
After refinishing my tele http://www.inductorguitars.com/series/telecaster-refinishing/ I can FEEL the body resonating now.
Check Benford Guitars if you are looking for a Strat/Tele type bolt-on.