Choose between Warmoth Vintage & double expanding truss rod.

PylonRacer

New member
I'm building a Warmoth Strat that will have a vintage vibe (SSS); but modern playability. Help me choose between Warmoth Vintage & double expanding truss rod.
 
Re: Choose between Warmoth Vintage & double expanding truss rod.

For 1pc maple configuration I would go with single acting.

Can't say how dual acting trusses sound in mahogany etc because I don't have experience with dark woods.
 
Re: Choose between Warmoth Vintage & double expanding truss rod.

Here are some differences that I have noticed with my Warmoth necks.

Vintage modern:

Vintage rod adjust one way and has a more traditional sound. You may have to adjust it more with seasonal changes, and a tad bit lighter weight.

Pro

Double rod adjust both ways, and will have a slightly "brighter" sound. More stable, and will need little to no adjustments with weather. Heavier and more "solid" feeling.

Having said that, I really don't prefer one over the other. I buy my necks out of the Warmoth showcase, and buy whatever neck style fits what I want. The truss rod does not matter to me.
 
Re: Choose between Warmoth Vintage & double expanding truss rod.

I'm building a Warmoth Strat that will have a vintage vibe (SSS); but modern playability. Help me choose between Warmoth Vintage & double expanding truss rod.

You basically have to consider three possible ways in which the truss rod can change the sound:
  • it's heavier, which might increases sustain.
  • the Warmoth Pro is IIRC a flexible band going back and forth in one piece, braced against each other. It might work like a shock absorber, absorbing sound as opposed to a stiff piece of steel, killing the thing.
  • it's bigger, so more wood is removed.

Or it might do nothing.

The only way to know for sure would be to have two necks cut from the same piece of wood and let them put in one of each rod.

Since most people consider vintage Fenders a holy grail, it's logical to go vintage, because the Pro either does nothing or ruins it, but it cannot possible improve it. So there.

But most people then go around and order flamed or birdseye maple, large frets and other options that weren't on the original Fenders either.

Myself, I decided to take the risk because I got a Pro neck I liked in their showcase, cheap. It's a boatneck so it has enough wood left. Should be heavy either way. If the thing sucks, well, at least I have a self-defense bat with a Brazilian rosewood side to smack a burglar :)
 
Re: Choose between Warmoth Vintage & double expanding truss rod.

I'm planning on a Goncalo Alves, standard thin neck w/ Pau Ferro finger board and stainless frets, so who know what it will sound like. Hopefully not too far from a Maple neck w/ rosewood board tone.

I wan't sure if more or less wood would increase sustain or add or detract brightness.
 
Re: Choose between Warmoth Vintage & double expanding truss rod.

Well, if you're getting stainless steel frets and a double expanding truss rod, that neck is going to be fairly bright, but if that's what you're going for, do it to it my man. I prefer the vintage construction though, my attitude is "if it ain't broke...", but YMMV

edit: FWIW, metal sustains better than wood, so more metal = more sustain, generally speaking (but it sounds like ass which is why there aren't very many all-metal guitar; don't say jay trussart, I know about him). I don't think the loss of wood has any effect on sustain, but it might on the tone of the neck.
 
Last edited:
Re: Choose between Warmoth Vintage & double expanding truss rod.

On my Warmoth Pro neck, both the fingerboard and the headstock are thicker than a normal Strat neck would be. The channel for the double-expanding truss rod is big and square, not an arc-shaped bottom like a vintage strat truss rod channel would be. Frankly the Warmoth Pro killed the high end of my MIM Strat when I put it on that body, but it has a rosewood fingerboard on it. (the MIM neck has a rosewood board too, just thinner)

For me, Warmoth Pro construction might be fine for an all-maple neck. However, I would avoid it when using any other fingerboard wood because of the thicker fingerboard.

Chip
 
Back
Top