Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

[tone?]

i just wanted to see peoples view on part manufactures such as Warmoth and USA CustomGuitars.

if you get the right woods and combinations can the project come out in your opinion as good or better than lets say a store bought Fender custom shop guitar or a les paul, PRS etc?

it just seems to me that it will come out better cause the big manufacturers will cut out some costs in the mix. whereas if you make it you can make sure you get all good quality parts and woods.

 

[tone?]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

well?

anybody?

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

You're getting quality parts in exactly the cofifuration you want, for (most usually) less than $1,000. I can think of no Custom Shop attatched to a major brand who offers that sort of control at that price point. For any bolt-on neck guitar, I would not hesitate to buy/build a Warmoth.

 

[tone?]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

thanks St.Genesius.


it makes sense to me as well.
that is if these companies as Warmoth and USA custom really offer better woods than fender gibson etc...( do they?)
i think that it will really hurt these companies in the long run.

i recently ordered a body and nect from USA custom and i am really curious to see how the quality of the woods are.

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

Define "better." Every piece of wood sounds different. A $400 slab of beautifully figured Swamp Ash may or may not suit your ears, while a piece of Agathis in a Squire Standard might be just right. Ever played a Denelectro? It's made out of masonite -- essentially carboard with delusions of grandeur -- but it sounds cool.

I'm less familiar with USA Custom, having only glanced at their site a few times, but Warmoth certainly tends of offer a greater range of woods -- don't see too many purpleheart strats on the wall at GC -- with a particular eye towards really nice looking ones. I imagine you'll be happy.

 

[tone?]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

what is am saying about better is that im sure that for cost-sutting reasons some guitar companies probably get there woods from cheaper sources. which must make the wood lower quality. im not saying that it will definatly sound better though.

im sure that all Mohagany is not equal and that certain species must contribute to a better sound. this is what i am saying.

like i am sure that when Tom Anderson is looking to make a quality guitar he chooses the wood as well as the other parts carefully. dont you think?

 

[dani]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

i recently ordered a body and nect from USA custom and i am really curious to see how the quality of the woods are.

rest assure. tommy and gang in usacg gives good work and workmanship. tommy even tone-taps the wood to ensure you will have a quality piece.

 

[tone?]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

Yeah,

tommy was so awesome on the phone. real friendly and 100% customer oriented.
Like i said it just makes sense to me that these guitars should be much better than say mass produced fenders and gibsons.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

It really depends how it all comes together. Some of my best playing, best sounding Strats are just MIJ Fender Squires from the mid 80's that I paid less than $300 for!

I buy them cheap, live with them for a while, and if they're great I keep them and if they're not I sell them again.

But over time I've put together a nice group of inexpensive MIJ Strats that rival the tone and playability of the best Custom Shop and Custom Made Strats I've played.

I've always felt it's best to play as many guitars as you can get your hands on and then buy the best one.

But it's fun putting together your own with all the features you've always wanted.

My favorite Strat right now is an alder bodied '57 type that I put together from parts from differant sources. None are Warmoth parts.

Lew

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

You're getting quality parts in exactly the cofifuration you want, for (most usually) less than $1,000. I can think of no Custom Shop attatched to a major brand who offers that sort of control at that price point. For any bolt-on neck guitar, I would not hesitate to buy/build a Warmoth.

Same opinion here. If you exactly know what you need and bolt-on tone suits your style, you can end up with a guitar that equals with expensive Fender Custom Shop or EB/MM quality guitars - or even better because the axe is tuned to your exact needs. Don't worry about wood quality: neither USA Custom nor Warmoth can allow to deliver you less than perfect. There are other companies that make stuff but these are the bests. You can't go wrong with them.

Plus, add the fun of creating your own Frankenstein

 

[tone?]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

so Warmoth and USAcg are probably posing a pretty big future threat to these manufacturers for middle to high quality guitar ranges.

 

[Bluzboy66]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

i just wanted to see peoples view on part manufactures such as Warmoth and USA CustomGuitars.

if you get the right woods and combinations can the project come out in your opinion as good or better than lets say a store bought Fender custom shop guitar or a les paul, PRS etc?

it just seems to me that it will come out better cause the big manufacturers will cut out some costs in the mix. whereas if you make it you can make sure you get all good quality parts and woods.

Generally, I believe you get what you pay for. Although Fender and Gibson have been guilty of sneaking some second rate materials into their instruments in the past, the new guitars are first class. Yes, Gibsons may be overpriced to some, but you're guaranteed good wood and components these days. Fender offers guitars at every price level, from imported entry level players, up to VERY personalized, extremely fine-tuned Custom Shop guitars made from hand-made, matched components.

PRS cuts NO corners. They make the finest guitars from the finest materials avalailable. No if, ands, or buts. If you really like PRS guitars, then you won't mind paying the premium for matched tonewoods, and impeccable craftsmanship. You won't get that with 'kit' guitars. None of these aftermarket companies are going to lay down the phone, and go 'tone tapping' wood for you - bet on that. You'll get whatever they chuck in the box.

As for building say, a 'Strat' or 'Tele' from parts - how do you intend to 'match' components? If you're dealing with mail-order, you can't match......you want a curly maple 'Strat' neck, and swamp ash body? Warmoth has stacks of them. Will the neck fit the pocket snugly, and will the neck and body compliment each other tone-wise? No guarantees. If the tremelo you install doesn't sustain, work properly, or sound good, will you spend more $$ for another one? What about pickups? Are you doing the finish, or paying someone else? How much do you have invested when it's all said and done?

How much does an American-made '62 Reissue Fender Stratocaster run these days? Not as much as an equally equipped, equal quality guitar that you assembled from mail-order parts. I can attest. I won't even mention resale value.....

If you want a custom 'kit' guitar for low $$, a guitar that you will have a blast building, a guitar that you can hot rod 'til your hearts content, beat on gig after gig, etc. - Build yourself a kit. I've built many, and they've all been great guitars for the $$. Not to mention, I've LEARNED a lot building them. I wouldn't pit any of them against my PRS. I would never talk anyone out of building a project guitar, but, to this day, I've yet to play one that felt like a professionally built, high quality guitar such as the Fender Custom Shop, Gibson Les Paul, or PRS guitars you mentioned.

Just my opinions.

Mike

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

Warmoth quality is second to none, it´s equal to early CHarvel parts (Considering that Warmoth WAS Boogie Bodies and they made many of the Pre-Pro bodies, that´s actually almost a given)

so Warmoth and USAcg are probably posing a pretty big future threat to these manufacturers for middle to high quality guitar ranges.

Considering that Warmoth has been around for over 25 years (originally as Boogie Bodies founded in ´78) and quite a few larger companies "buy their parts" from them (High end Yamaha Pacificas, for ex.): No, not really.

Wanna know why? Because over 75% of the guitars that are sold (new) are well under 1000$, at least in my experience and that of some other dealers I know personally.

Warmoth does "take away" some customers form custom shops, but these are often people that just "aren´t willing" to fork over 1500$ for a custom Jackson or aren´t willing to wait a year after ordering, which I can understand

But there are always things that custom shops can do that Warmoth can´t (Real MOP, different inlays altogether, neck-thru).

 

[tone?]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

thanks Bluzboy66,


i can see what you are saying.i think that if you know what you are doing and do something pretty straightforward it can come out pretty damn good. but i do agree that having the luxury of matching parts before assembly is something you cant do with a warmoth. unless you have a bunch of bodies and necks to swap around.
what i am trying to say is that if an experienced tech has access to Warmoths parts then he will make a great guitar for less i think.

you know what i mean?

i have seen some finished projects from Warmoth and USAcg and they are not all equal. some look like they were done by a crack head and some look like vintage instruments.

thanks for your feedback

 

[aleclee]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

so Warmoth and USAcg are probably posing a pretty big future threat to these manufacturers for middle to high quality guitar ranges.

I wouldn't think so. Warmoth has been around for at least 25 years and hasn't exactly taken over the market yet.

Also, a parts guitar is a pretty significant committment 'cause you're gonna take a big hit in depreciation if you decide to sell it--you're out a lot of $$$ if you decide it isn't the shiznit.

I also think some folks here underestimate things if they think that a run of the mill Warmoth part is going to be made from materials comparable to most Custom Shop offerings. I'd bet that they have at least the quality of OEM parts but I don't believe that they far surpass the quality of MIA Strat parts.

Finally, there's finishing. Whenever I've priced out a parts guitar, the cost of finishing the body (I'm often looking for an unfinished neck) is a hefty chunk of the total price. Sure, there are cost-effective DIY alternatives like ReRanch but it takes a lot of hubris to think that a DIY finish is going to exceed the quality of a MIA Strat let alone a custom shop offering.

IMHO, a Partsocaster is more about custom options (e.g, pau ferro neck on a chambered mahogany body) than about ultra quality. The reason I don't even mention set neck instruments is because finishing is even harder (i.e., more expensive).

 

[aleclee]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

what i am trying to say is that if an experienced tech has access to Warmoths parts then he will make a great guitar for less i think.

That depends on how much the tech is charging for his time. Even if "the tech" is you, there's a cost associated with the time you spend turning a box of parts into a playable guitar.

 

[Bluzboy66]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

thanks Bluzboy66,


i can see what you are saying.i think that if you know what you are doing and do something pretty straightforward it can come out pretty damn good. but i do agree that having the luxury of matching parts before assembly is something you cant do with a warmoth. unless you have a bunch of bodies and necks to swap around.
what i am trying to say is that if an experienced tech has access to Warmoths parts then he will make a great guitar for less i think.

you know what i mean? ...........

Absolutely yes. I think we're thinking along the same lines. One thing I always fall back on......where do Warmoth and other reputable companies get their wood? Who chooses the stock? Where do they draw the line on quality......what's 'good enough'? Paul Reed Smith refuses over 70% of the designated 'tone wood' that is presented to him. What's left over after he picks through it goes to the other guitar manufacturers. That's a fact. With people like Gibson, Hamer, McNaught, Anderson, Grosh, Suhr, Jaros, and McInturff in the pecking order, holy cow, you can imagine where the aftermarket bolt-on companies rate.

Many aftermarket companies will have a disclaimer that states something like this - "Our Promise - We at ______ strive to offer the finest components from the finest woods avaliable. While our products are guaranteed against defects in workmanship, we cannot guarantee against blemishes or natural defects in the wood itself." That's a paraphrase from MANY disclaimers I've read over the years. Kinda leaves it open, doesn't it? It all comes down to the raw materials.

Most costumers will go away very happy, to build monster playing and sounding guitars. But what about the guy who just discovered a split in the wood developing under his new finish, or a slight warp in the curly maple neck that he paid a premium for? I'd be wishing I had a receipt and Fender warranty card if it were me.

Mike

Mike

 

[rspst14]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

I think the quality of Warmoth parts is top notch, and I would rate their quality control as being better than Gibson's and in many cases, better than Fender's. Having said that, I would not get a Warmoth in place of a Les Paul, PRS, Hamer, or other set neck guitar. a Warmoth might look the same, but it's not going to sound the same due to the neck construction. Warmoth is an excellent choice if you want a Fender-style guitar built exactly to your specs. As far as the wood quality, my experience has been that it's very good. Companies like PRS and Hamer are extremely picky when it comes to wood, but you also pay lots of cash for that. I've seen some beautiful pieces of wood that came from Warmoth, you just have to let them know exactly what you want and you have to be willing to pay for it.

As far as getting a good fit between the body and neck, I think Warmoth is better than Fender in that respect. Warmoth uses much tighter tolerances than Fender does when it comes to the neck/body fit. I originally had a Fender body that I was using for my Strat project, but when the neck arrived, the fit was very poor. After asking around, the general response was "well, that's just how Fenders are. They don't usually have a tight fit between the neck and body." In my case, the neck wasn't even touching the sides of the neck pocket when bolted on. So I sold that body and replaced it with a Warmoth body. The fit between the neck and body is absolutely perfect. The neck woods are really nice as well, and the fretwork was perfect with no levelling required.

Ryan

 

[Bluzboy66]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

As far as getting a good fit between the body and neck, I think Warmoth is better than Fender in that respect. Warmoth uses much tighter tolerances than Fender does when it comes to the neck/body fit. I originally had a Fender body that I was using for my Strat project, but when the neck arrived, the fit was very poor. After asking around, the general response was "well, that's just how Fenders are. They don't usually have a tight fit between the neck and body." In my case, the neck wasn't even touching the sides of the neck pocket when bolted on.

It's understandable that a Warmoth (or any other neck) would not fit a Fender body perfectly. A perfect match for a Warmoth neck is a Warmoth body, and even then there are MANY variables. Finish thickness, climate where guitar is assembled - moisture content in the wood before finish is applied. It's a poor generalization to say that 'that's just how Fenders are". An experienced guitarist wouldn't say that. Many Fender neck pockets are SO tight, you risk chipping the finish around the pocket when removing a neck. There was a time when Fender had very poor quality control in the 70's, but they've come a long way since then. EVERY guitar manufacturer was building sub-par instruments in the 70's..........including Martin.

It seems as though many players will pass judgement on a run-of-the-mill, 'player-grade' $400 Mexican Stratocaster, when they've never experienced higher grade guitars such as a Stevie Ray Vaughan sig Strat, or a Custom Shop '54. Again, these guitars are priced accordingly.......you want 'perfect', spend the money. I can assure you, you'll find a higher level of fit and finish in a higher priced instrument. "Hey, why won't my Chevy Cavalier keep up with that Corvette??!!"

A good guitar = the sum of its parts. If you're going to build a guitar from parts, choose the VERY best......insist on it. And even then, make sure the bare wood of the neck fits the BARE wood of the pocket snugly......and then fine tune the pocket to fit allowing for finish. That's the ONLY proper way.

Mike

 

[Loserchief]

Re: Are part built guitars better than store bought ones?

warmoth parts are definetey good things and building a guitar out of them wil have good results but they can't stand against real custom shop guitars.My B.C. Rich is aperfect example for this: a neck thru stealth with body out of brasiian rosewood,neck,hedstock and fretboard are completey black ebony(ebony just rules and looks killer). The finisch is a translucent back in the same tone as the ebony so it's uniform. Then i have small chrome pentagramms where the dot-inlays are on normal riches(and some blasphemic writings in the 7th and 12th fret). And emg 85 and 81 pups and to make it complete a kaher fatmount tremolo. It took lots of time to ahdn those specs over and more to get it done(waited 7 months). But it was worth the 3600€(which is about 4600$ at the current exchange rates) and i could never have it done with warmoth parts.