Incoming Warmoth Regal

[Snake Aces]

Well, I have been ready to order a few new Warmoth Regals since about May now. I always like to take my time while planning out what I want when I do this, today, I finally pulled the trigger on the first of at least 3, maybe 4 incoming Warmoth Regals I will be adding to my collection this year (assuming they are finished before the year is over).

The first one? My personal ode to one of my favorite Les Paul players, with my own personal twists. This one is going to be named ZoSo. Whole Lotta Humbuckers, Indian Rosewood neck and fretboard, Gibson scale, SS frets, white pearloid trapezoid inlay, 59 Roundback profile.

The body? Another carved top swamp ash Regal, this one is chambered. As is often the case, I am going with a transparent blue finish, black hardware (similar to the one in my avatar photo). Satin finish on this one, I am really going to love the satin finish with the raw Indian rosewood. Most of my guitars have a glossy finish, I am excited to add another one where fingerprints will not always be showing!

Here is Warmoth's mock-up of my custom body order:



I will be ordering a few more of these this year, but only one more of them will be blue after this. I will not be doing the assembly and initial setup on this one, this will be the first time I hand off one of my Warmoths to a luthier for the initial work. I am ready to let a pro handle it so I can just focus on playing. I am very excited!

I need to place the order for the WLH eventually, no covers, I will be using push-push volume pots for splitting. Other than that, pretty basic on the wiring. It's been a long time since I rock and rolled...

[PFDarkside]

With everything Gibson style except the bolt-on neck, how much different does it sound compared to a Les Paul?

[Snake Aces]

With everything Gibson style except the bolt-on neck, how much different does it sound compared to a Les Paul?

It depends on which one I am playing. Obviously there are a lot of factors that influence the final tone in the end, but some of them have more LP-like characteristics than the others. If using a pretty standard Gibson Les Paul as a comparison, one of my Warmoths comes pretty close. I have one with a chambered mahogany body, quilted maple cap, all-Indian rosewood neck, 59 Roundback profile, SS frets, Gibson scale and it is loaded with Alnico II Pros. It pretty much sounds and feels like I am playing a Les Paul loaded with A2P pickups.

On the other end of the spectrum, the solid body swamp ash with the roasted maple neck in my avatar (also 59 Roundback profile) is loaded with WLH. It does sound like a Les Paul when I want it to, but it also nails a sound similar to the Raw Power or Voodoo series Les Pauls. It also has its very own range of tones I have yet to find another Les Paul capable of reproducing with so much brisk attitude and lively demeanor.

Other things I notice with the bolt-on, maybe it is just in my head, but the bolt-on versions do seem to lack a little sustain when compared to a decent quality glued neck Gibson. Of course, I have never had one of my bolt-on versions professionally assembled. For example, I called the luthier before placing the order yesterday, he requested that I do not have the holes in the neck pre-drilled from Warmoth. They want to line it up right. That could make a huge difference. In the past, I literally took my pre-drilled parts out of the box from Warmoth and just slapped them together. I am eager to see if a professional assembling a bolt-on Regal will make a noticeable difference.

I actually prefer the bolt-on approach now. From being a better design to handle flights to the potential accident of knocking one off a stand, the instrument can still be salvaged in many cases. One of my favorite guitars that I ever owned was this Gibson Les Paul:



I acquired it in early 2005 IIRC. I owned a house just outside of Minneapolis at the time and I was a naive musician. I left my back door unlocked so all my band members could come and go as they pleased. Well, one day, a cousin of mine shows up. He is the kinda guy who actually turns doorknobs instead of knocking. He surprises me with a visit. Eventually he heads down to my music space in the basement, he sees my Les Paul, picks it up, starts jammin and somehow lets the neck slip out of his hand. Just like that, a soft, quarter sized dent in the mahogany neck. So sad. I tried to find a decent Luthier at a reasonable price, but the guitar's very unique color made it expensive at the time. Like a rookie, I sold the guitar. I miss it so much.

If anyone ever sees one of these for sale, please let me know. I want one again.

Anyway, I definitely like the idea that a bolt-on guitar has a better chance of making it through life, even if the neck eventually needs to be replaced. Plus, you never feel guilty playing a Warmoth in the elements, on stage, traveling with it, outdoors, etc. These are player's guitars, day-in and day-out. That is all I really care about when it comes to playing. Collecting is another story...

[Mincer]

That is certainly a unique color LP...I've never seen one that color. What did the cousin do after it happened? Just hand it back and say 'Sorry man, so what do you have to eat around here?'

[PFDarkside]

Very cool, thanks for the info.

Here‘s a very old Warmoth I built almost 20 years ago. I’d like to swap the 25.5” maple neck for a 24.75” mahogany one.

[Snake Aces]

That is certainly a unique color LP...I've never seen one that color. What did the cousin do after it happened? Just hand it back and say 'Sorry man, so what do you have to eat around here?'

Actually yes. He always made me pay for lunch back then. Always. He thought since I owned a house that I had money. No... it means I now had less disposable income. Pure genius.

Yes, that was a special run of Les Pauls from 2003 and 2004 IIRC. I thought they made less than 300 of them or something. I really want one again.

[Snake Aces]

Very cool, thanks for the info.

Here‘s a very old Warmoth I built almost 20 years ago. I’d like to swap the 25.5” maple neck for a 24.75” mahogany one.

Wow, that is absolutely gorgeous! Man, I think a 24.75" mahogany with P-90 tones accessible is always a good choice, but in that guitar, it would probably be capable of smelting the gates of hell into chimey church bells. I think you should do it...

[Mincer]

Yeah, that's one hell of a Warmoth, too. I am constantly amazed at the creative combinations people come up with, rather than just building another sunburst Strat. I really enjoyed building my Warmoth, and would love to do it again.

[Snake Aces]

Yeah, that's one hell of a Warmoth, too. I am constantly amazed at the creative combinations people come up with, rather than just building another sunburst Strat. I really enjoyed building my Warmoth, and would love to do it again.

It becomes even more addictive as you keep doing it. Then, eventually, you find yourself fiending for the good stuff. Eventually you start asking around... hey, do you know somebody who can get me this or wire me that way? By the time you are all amped up with what you thought you needed, you are already moving on to your next fix.

Such is the life of a custom electric guitar enthusiast. What did you think I was talking about?

[muttznmongrelz]

You know I'll be watching this thread as it develops! Going Maple Fretboard again?

Pretty sure I'll be building out a Super Tele Custom before long...as this found it's way into my eBay purchases.

[Snake Aces]

You know I'll be watching this thread as it develops! Going Maple Fretboard again?

Pretty sure I'll be building out a Super Tele Custom before long...as this found it's way into my eBay purchases.

This one specifically will have an Indian rosewood fretboard, however, I will be doing one more with maple in a few weeks. Stay tuned!

Haha, gotta love it when items such as guitar necks find their way into your eBay cart...

[PFDarkside]

You know I'll be watching this thread as it develops! Going Maple Fretboard again?

Pretty sure I'll be building out a Super Tele Custom before long...as this found it's way into my eBay purchases.

That’s a cool neck. You know if the project didn’t happen or something...

[Snake Aces]

Yeah, that is a sexy neck.

Another thought I have regarding bolt-ons is that the three best sustaining guitars and basses I have ever owned are a mix and match.

The best sustaining basses are my current Warmoth bolt-on J bass and my old Music Man SUB I used to own. Also a bolt on.

The best sustaining guitar was the aforementioned blue Les Paul. Obviously not a bolt-on.

[Wonker]

Very cool, thanks for the info.

Here‘s a very old Warmoth I built almost 20 years ago. I’d like to swap the 25.5” maple neck for a 24.75” mahogany one.

That looks awesome!

[Snake Aces]

Just received a shipping notification from Warmoth... the wait is over (and still worth it)!