IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

[Diminished Triad]

If anyone knows I'm sure it will be someone from this forum.

Whether Musikraft or even Fender itself, there doesn't seem to be another company offering as diverse alternatives for those wanting to design their own guitars - compared to Warmoth.
I've read a number of posts from guitarists very satisfied with their chosen luthier's work but haven't yet read one about a company competitive with Warmoth. And, I'm thinking there has to be another company offering similar wide-spread/ranging choices because it/they fill that middle nitch. Not as good or expensive as a personal/custom luthier but lots more self-design than what you can get off any retail or internet shelf.

Thanks for any info you might be able to share!

 

[epi]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

If anyone knows I'm sure it will be someone from this forum.

Whether Musikraft or even Fender itself, there doesn't seem to be another company offering as diverse alternatives for those wanting to design their own guitars - compared to Warmoth.
I've read a number of posts from guitarists very satisfied with their chosen luthier's work but haven't yet read one about a company competitive with Warmoth. And, I'm thinking there has to be another company offering similar wide-spread/ranging choices because it/they fill that middle nitch. Not as good or expensive as a personal/custom luthier but lots more self-design than what you can get off any retail or internet shelf.

Thanks for any info you might be able to share!

every custom shop lmao Carvin, Daemoness, Jackson, Halo, Agile, my buddy at Chronicle Guitars, and a bunch of others....

 

[Brian Griffin]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

Of course. Mighty Mite.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

Unless its a hollow body, I would suspect that those who don't want Warmoth parts will get their neck with a paddle head and cut their own bodies or wings.

 

[jumble jumble]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

USACG, right?

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

Warmoth occupies a unique place in the market. They offer a large set of options but at the same time whats available outside of those options is extremely limited. In my case I wanted a very light soloist shaped body which they were happy to oblige and found me a very light piece but they were adamant that they could not drill the control locations anywhere but where they already designated. There are small builders who are more willing to do custom work and have wider options but either the price is higher or the wait is longer. The closest to warmoth is probably either USACG or Musikraft.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

there doesn't seem to be another company offering as diverse alternatives for those wanting to design their own guitars - compared to Warmoth.

Oh and I would argue that Warmoth doesnt really let you design anything. You can just pick from options. Ask them for a neck shape not in their catalog and you will receive a polite but unmoving no.

 

[Diminished Triad]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

I went back and checked most of the sites listed in the posts here and while I'm sure they have great employees and products, at the same time their websites imply strongly they have limited choices/offerings when compared with Warmoth. I'm still wondering why none of those companies or a new venture does not give Warmoth a run for its money with those that prefer a relatively large selection of choices and large range of quality from unfinished ash through flame koa/maple, etc. They also carry a large number of SD pups and some decent parts.

Like any large shopping center, always nice to see another one come along to take on the big guy on the block. It keeps things competitive and with the large market for electric guitars, seems to me there is enough room for another relatively large competitor. Because Fender developed such an option on its site (relatively tiny), and there are at least a handful of smaller competitors doing the same, it may not be too long before another very large site is developed leading to more choices for the guitar player/builder. With Warmoth you are even able to pick the exact wood used for your guitar top/laminate and fretboard, I hope these other companies step it up and expand their offerings. As I've said before, for the same or lower amount of money, seems like we receive more guitar when designing and building ourselves.

I am satisfied with Warmoth and hope their investment is working out well for them. Like the SD representatives, they also engage and are willing to go back and forth during a build. Thanks again!

 

[Ayrton]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

Warmoth is the least flexible of the "big three" (Warmoth, Musikraft, and USACG) in my experience. Warmoth sticks to what they know, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am just saying you can tweak certain things with the other two that you can not with Warmoth.

 

[jumble jumble]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

USACG's website is very out of date. Call them instead and you will discover that it's much more "custom", as opposed to choosing from a list of options like Warmoth.

Buying a guitar off the shelf is like walking into a car dealership, finding a car on the lot that you like, and buying it.

Buying Warmoth is like going into a car dealership, and making a factory order with your choice of paintwork, gearbox, engine size, upholstery etc.

Buying from USACG is more like walking into a car factory, looking at their blueprints and then tweaking them until you've got what you want.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

I worked with a local guitar body on two projects. One used an AllParts neck and the other a Warmoth Neck. The Warmoth was by far nicer and IMO looked like better quality of work. Both of my bodies are ordered from Richard Saylor who lives in the North West. The bodies were very cheap because they weren't sanded. So if you are willing to do some sanding and staining/painting yourself then I would recommend his bodies. The AllParts neck is decent...but it feels like a Mexican Fender neck as opposed to the Warmoth that feels like an American Fender neck.

While I definitely recommend Warmoth and while they have a ton of options to choose from, they do not seem to be very flexible for anything outside those options. But they make a great neck and were spot on for the delivery estimate date.

 

[uOpt]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

Warmoth is the least flexible of the "big three" (Warmoth, Musikraft, and USACG) in my experience. Warmoth sticks to what they know, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am just saying you can tweak certain things with the other two that you can not with Warmoth.

Ayrton speaks truth.

The moment you want a light truss rod (which I strictly require, I don't do double action rods, much less double truss rods which I think Warmoth's standard is) your options tumble.

And the non-vintage Strat bodies are all wrong, including the trem route, and if you go vintage they suddenly don't do what you want anymore.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

...I don't do double action rods, much less double truss rods which I think Warmoth's standard is...And the non-vintage Strat bodies are all wrong, including the trem route, and if you go vintage they suddenly don't do what you want anymore.

Just curious, have you checked their vintage modern necks? They have a single vintage truss rod...that's what I used for my build.

I ordered the body separate...much cheaper having a smaller shop with a CNC machine and a correct template cut it out for you...

 

[uOpt]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

Just curious, have you checked their vintage modern necks? They have a single vintage truss rod...that's what I used for my build.

I ordered the body separate...much cheaper having a smaller shop with a CNC machine and a correct template cut it out for you...

Yes, for my Black Korina Tele I got a Warmwoth neck with bullet style truss rod and straight 10" radius. I liked that a lot better than their "standard" neck with the side adjust and the compound radius, although the latter had a Brazilian rosewood fretboard.

The ebay buyer of the standard neck loved it, though. Every time I sell something that I think might not sound as great as I want it to I get an enthusiastic mail back about how great the piece is. Shrug.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

Yes, for my Black Korina Tele I got a Warmwoth neck with bullet style truss rod and straight 10" radius. I liked that a lot better than their "standard" neck with the side adjust and the compound radius, although the latter had a Brazilian rosewood fretboard.

The ebay buyer of the standard neck loved it, though. Every time I sell something that I think might not sound as great as I want it to I get an enthusiastic mail back about how great the piece is. Shrug.

I agree on wanting a single truss rod. I ordered a Mahogany neck with Rosewood fretboard–one of the best necks I've played. So do you like Brazilian Rosewood better than Indian on the fretboard? I've only played on Indian Rosewood boards...

Some people don't mind the double truss rod...and that's why companies make both. lol

 

[uOpt]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

I agree on wanting a single truss rod. I ordered a Mahogany neck with Rosewood fretboard–one of the best necks I've played. So do you like Brazilian Rosewood better than Indian on the fretboard? I've only played on Indian Rosewood boards...

Some people don't mind the double truss rod...and that's why companies make both. lol

No, I found that the Brazilian rosewood is nothing special and went with ebony instead. As far as rosewood is concerned, I seem to like those really pale looking pieces that you find on 1980s Ibanez Roadstar IIs and on some modern Music Mans such as my Stingray classic.

I really like that neck, too bad I never had time to finish that Tele.

 

[speed2dirt]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

No experience with TK Custom Guitars, but I'm seriously looking at them for a custom body. They seem more willing to do actual custom work than Warmoth, and their wood looks amazing.

http://tkcustomguitars.com/

 

[Zombiemetl]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

ive read good things and a couple not so good things, but have you checked out Halo guitars? you can build guitars right on the website...there are traditional body shapes and some not so traditional..but you can build pretty much ANYTHING on there

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

Rockinger, Musicraft, USACG and Carvin. Warmoth's strength is the ability to be more than a parts supplier and they allow a customer to pull together their parts into a concept guitar before ordering.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: IS THERE ANOTHER WARMOTH?

I find Warmoth to be the worst of the big aftermarket guitar shops. Everything is stuck into pre-set patterns, and they refuse to stray outside of them IME. You can't get this radius with this neck, or this finish or whatever. Everything is very cookie cutter there; they are nowhere near a true "custom" shop. I wanted to do something as simple as sending in my own fingerboard dots one time, since they don't offer Bakelite dots. No dice. Musikraft, OTOH, not only let me do that, but actually worked with me on another project to write completely custom CNC programming for a one-off neck that I needed! I even find their quality to be nicer.