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Warmoth build fitment issues

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  • Warmoth build fitment issues

    Recently received a body and neck. It's taken about 2 months for me to receive all the parts for this build. After finishing the body myself and installing all the parts, the neck fitment is way too high. I can't adjust the saddles high enough for the strings to clear the frets. It's basically unplayable. I took a bunch of pictures and have sent them to Warmoth comparing their product with my American Fender stratocasters and it's blatantly obvious that something isn't right. Regardless, it seems as if Warmoth is dismissing my issues. Any thoughts?

  • #2
    Both the body and neck pictured are Warmoth products?

    Are you using shims of any sort in the neck pocket?

    Looks like the neck pocket wasn't routed deep enough. I don't think I've ever heard of that issue with a Warmoth product. Can you take pics of the pocket and back of the neck with the neck removed?
    Last edited by Masta' C; 03-31-2021, 07:47 PM.

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    • #3
      I have had this issue with my warmoths. I think they should make their necks sit lower. I solve the issue by cranking the neck in as hard as possible and then my saddles end up high. Sometimes paint or finish can make the pocket shallower and you can sand that out.
      The things that you wanted
      I bought them for you

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      • #4
        I have a Warmoth build here and have no issues with the neck pocket. My bridge is a Gotoh 6-screw vintage style. I see yours is a hard tail using the block saddles. There has to be some space below the 2nd fret extension or a pickguard won't fit. One way around this is to make a shim to go under the bridge. It will require drilling 6 holes for the strings to go through but Hamer did this back in the day with their hard tails. I think it was a stained piece of maple under the bridge. It would definitely give the clearance you need.

        Another way to prove your case would be to remove the neck and measure the depth of the pocket front, back, both sides and the middle to make sure it is good and flat. Then compare the depth of yours with what is spec'd on the web site. If there is any finish on the bottom of the pocket (and there shouldn't be), remove it down to bare wood. Layers of finish could definitely cause this.

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        • #5
          You may have better luck at the Unofficial Warmoth Forum. Warmoth takes a good 12 weeks for any custom work as they make their way out of the pandemic year. In fact, they just put out a video explaining that they are way behind on production.
          Warmoth has a warranty, so I would use it. Whatever is going on with your build isn't their usual. I've never had any issues, but if this is indeed a manufacturing issue, they will make it right.
          Administrator of the SDUGF

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Clint 55 View Post
            I have had this issue with my warmoths. I think they should make their necks sit lower.
            I have 4 Warmoth bodies and this hasn't been an issue with any of them. I have to wonder if the neck isn't seated fully, the nut is cut too low, the pocket is angled, and/or one of the parts isn't Warmoth-made. Of course, production mistakes do happen, but they aren't very common.

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            • #7
              All my warmoths work but they cut it close. I would like the neck to sit lower. It's possible the op could be user error but I could def see how this could be a problem. Try cranking the neck in hard hand tight but without injuring yourself and if that doesn't work contact warmoth and see what they think or maybe have them give you another 1/8" of pocket.
              Last edited by Clint 55; 03-31-2021, 10:26 PM.
              The things that you wanted
              I bought them for you

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              • #8
                Their neck pocket dimensions are true to Fender's. Do NOT crank the screws tighter. It will crush the wood, mess up the paint around it and bend the neck plate. First make sure there is no paint anywhere in the neck pocket. Next, measure it and compare to the dimensions below. They cut everything on a CNC machine so there is very little margin for error.

                Now, they do have the 720 mod which lowers the floor of the neck pocket but that is available on rear-routed bodies only because when that it done, a pickguard will not fit due to the 22nd fret overhang touching the body.

                https://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodie...eckPocket.aspx
                • Width = 2-3/16" (56 mm)
                • Length = 3" (76 mm)
                • Pocket Depth = 5/8" (16 mm)

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                • #9
                  I really can't tell what's going on from your pictures - they don't show enough of the problem to determine a solution.
                  aka Chris Pile, formerly of Six String Fever

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by ErikH View Post
                    Do NOT crank the screws tighter. It will crush the wood, mess up the paint around it and bend the neck plate.
                    Bruh that's physically impossible. Noone on earth has enough strength to screw the neck in by hand with enough force to bend the neck plate lol. The screws and/or screwdriver would strip first anyway. Maybe it's not necessary to be reckless about 'cranking' it in, but the neck still has to be relatively tight in the pocket to sit right. It can sit a good 1/8" too high if it's loose.
                    The things that you wanted
                    I bought them for you

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Clint 55 View Post

                      Bruh that's physically impossible. Noone on earth has enough strength to screw the neck in by hand with enough force to bend the neck plate lol. The screws and/or screwdriver would strip first anyway. Maybe it's not necessary to be reckless about 'cranking' it in, but the neck still has to be relatively tight in the pocket to sit right. It can sit a good 1/8" too high if it's loose.
                      Trust me, it's possible. I've done it on cheapy guitars. Bent the plate at the corners, could hear the wood crackle. LOL But yes, the neck definitely has to sit tight in the pocket. I'm curious if there is finish in the pocket that is making it sit up too high. It could even be paint that pooled up in the corners where the sides and bottom meet. Doesn't take much.
                      Last edited by ErikH; 04-01-2021, 05:08 PM.

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                      • #12
                        Yep
                        The things that you wanted
                        I bought them for you

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                        • #13
                          Bolt-On neck pockets should be 5/8" deep.
                          So that's the most crucial and epic pic I would need to see, the rest of the pics have no context or meaning w/o that.
                          The neck removed and a ruler sitting upright next to the heel to see final height.
                          If you finished it yourself, did you go back and sand all, or nearly all, of the finish out of the pocket?
                          That is a standard issue protocol for anyone building their own guitars, to level-sand the neck pocket after finishing/before assembly.
                          Nearly all the way back to wood, with just a slight amount of (dead-flat) finish left on it.
                          You'd be surprised how fast a glob or blob of finish will jack your action up.

                          And...Warmoth, I'm sure, is well aware of exactly what I just mentioned for people not used to rolling their own.
                          Take the neck off, measure the pocket, sand out all your finish except a paper-thin and flat layer.

                          THEN, resultant string action pics will have some context and meaning.

                          There is no reason to have to over-tighten neck screws.
                          That is some sort of band-aid instead of identifying and fixing the real problem.
                          On a Mahogany neck, you'll strip out the screw holes faster than you can blink your eyes.
                          Maple is tougher, yes, but you can still strip them out, depending on the particular piece of wood.
                          All necks are not the same as far as screw-tightening abuse is concerned.
                          Some strip out very easily, some not so much, just depends.
                          But the moral here is that it is never necessary to do that to 'fix' something.

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                          • #14
                            Noone on earth has enough strength to screw the neck in by hand with enough force to bend the neck plate lol.
                            You are just wrong SO OFTEN. Seen it myself a number of times.
                            aka Chris Pile, formerly of Six String Fever

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                            • #15
                              So buy a torque wrench poindexter and torque it to the exact spec.
                              Last edited by Clint 55; 04-01-2021, 06:35 PM.
                              The things that you wanted
                              I bought them for you

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