New Warmoth Strat

[MattPete]

Obviously, it's not done yet, but here's my new baby:




Swamp ash antique white body, Warmoth compound-radius neck with tilt-back headstock (no string trees + I can adjust the truss rod at the top).

The only thing wrong I can find is that the chrome is completely flaked off two of the ferrules for the Schaller tuning machines. I'm going to see if Warmoth can send me some new ferrules instead of me having to send the tuning machines back (I want to play with my baby!)

Oh, yeah: installing string ferrules sucks!

[ArtieToo]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

You got one of my favorite color combo's in a Strat.

Nice lookin' axe. Can't wait to see what you put in it.

[TheMist]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

forget the strat its nice to find another JC-120 user! You tha man!

[MattPete]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

I'm putting APS2's in the neck and middle, and a twangbanger in the bridge. In need to call GuitarElectronics.com tomorrow to see if they have an RWRP APS middle pickup (none is listed on their web site). [using ArtieToo's elegantly simple yet powerful wiring configuration he figured out for me last week]

I also bought a second pickguard in HSH configuration so I can experiment. Tonight I'm dropping in a 59 trembucker into the bridge and connecting it straight to the jack (no time for soldering, I need to play with my new toy!).

[xerxes]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

i normally dont like white strats, but with that pickguard its nice! hope you enjoy your new geetar!

[Curly]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

very cool, Matt!

I was planning on doing something similar myself! ...

[MattPete]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

Yep, that's about what mine will look like once I have the pickups in!

Well, I just had a shake-down with a 59 in the bridge. Boy, is it twangy! There are no tone controls or anything else connected. I think I'll try an A2 59 next. If it's still too twangy, then my next humbucking strat will have either a korina or mahogany body.

Having said that, the twang is sweet! I can't wait to put a twangbanger and some APS's in there. I have a feeling this is going to be one sweet sounding strat once the final electronics are installed.

[Fresh_Start]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

Looks really sweet and the APS/Twangbanger combo should be perfect with the ash body.

I vaguely remember something ArtieToo did, but do you mind posting a link or something about it?

Also, please let me/us know how the fretwork is after you get it all set up.

Chip

[MattPete]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

Artie's nifty schematics:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=1589&page=1&pp=20

As far as fretwork goes, it seems fine. I'm still in the adjustment phase, where I'm playing with the truss rod and saddle height until everything settles down. The one thing that bothers me (and maybe it will go away once everything settles down) is that the saddles don't have enough travel for proper intonation. For example, the low E saddle is pulled back as far as it will go, but the 12th fret E is still sharp. Maybe it will change with the final adjustments, or maybe I'll have to swap bridges. Otherwise, it's your standward Warmoth killer player.

[presa_tito]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

Very classy indeed!

[Young Angus]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

Sweet looking axe man! That ash should sound killer

[MattPete]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

i normally dont like white strats, but with that pickguard its nice! hope you enjoy your new geetar!

The flash washed out a lot of the color in that picture. It's an antique white, and the color in person is somewhere between what it looks like in the picture and the guitar in Curly's picture.

I tried to adjust the colors a bit in photoshop. For example, the walls in that room are a light beige, but in some of those pictures they look greyish (even on the blueish side).

[Fresh_Start]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

Hey Matt - thanks for that link. Artie really did a nice job on that design.

About the low-E saddle. I had the same problem when I put graphtech saddles on a MIM Strat. After cutting about 2/3 of the spring off with wire cutters, I was able to pull it back far enough. Not elegant, but effective.

Chip

[MattPete]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

Hey Matt - thanks for that link. Artie really did a nice job on that design.

Chip

Quick question: you have an APS in the neck and an SSL in the middle, right? How do you like that combo? The reason I'm asking is in case I find it hard to find an APS RWRP, I might want to use the SSL RWRP as a backup.

[Fresh_Start]

Re: New Warmoth Strat

Quick question: you have an APS in the neck and an SSL in the middle, right? How do you like that combo? The reason I'm asking is in case I find it hard to find an APS RWRP, I might want to use the SSL RWRP as a backup.

I've an SSL-2 in the middle of my alder Warmoth, but 2 APS-2's and a tapped Quarter Pound in the poplar MIM Strat. The alder guitar has much more of a mids-emphasis and handles strong bass better. The SSL's were originally in the poplar guitar, but that axe needs more mids and can't handle stronger bass well.

I'm guessing that your ash body will be brighter and more like my poplar guitar, so the APS may be better in the middle position. Also, the TwangBanger has an alnico 2 magnet, so it might be better to stick with alnico 2 for all 3 pups. That's no firm rule though - the bridge/middle position might be sweet with one pup alnico 2 and the other alnico 5. Now that I stop and think, that's exactly what I've got with the APS middle & QP bridge.

Could you try the SSL in the middle and use the 21-day exchange if you don't like it? I'm sure that Lew does the same, but John at Black Rose has been great in helping me out with the 21-day exchange.

Chip