New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

That is beautiful! It needs a P-90 type in the neck. Like a Mean-90 or a P-Rail and a slightly hotter PAF type in the bridge or a 59/C.

This is a very interesting line of thought...I LOVE the way P-90's sound when others play them but have not had any luck with them personally. I was thinking something PAF style and I usually go for hotter pickups.

Ahh, an Alnico V or ceramic guy. Ok, that pretty much rules out my third suggestion being the Pearly Gates. The 59 might be worth a try considering the ebony board but there is always the Seth Lover set if you do not plan on coil splits. I'm a Duncan guy, so yeah, there's that disclaimer.

No matter what pickups you choose that guitar is going to be awesome!

Haha! Coil splitting is not a necessity for me--would be cool to be more versatile in such manner but not a "must have." And thanks! I'm definitely looking forward to this project!

Wait until you get it together with the rest of the hardware and decide based on it's acoustic properties. However, a Custom/59 Hybrid in the bridge and a 59 in the neck may work really well here based on the woods. It's all going to depend on how that body and neck play together.

Very good advice--I haven't played an Ebony on an electric in years. While I could go to a store and find one, it will not be THIS guitar.

EMG 57/66 set in black chrome, and all black nickel/cosmo hardware on the guitar. Black pickup rings and a half-Tele type of guard (kind of like a Cabronita) in translucent gray plastic.

I like the all black idea--but I have not had an EMG set that I liked in guitars...doesn't mean I wouldn't like it in this guitar. Hmmm, I really don't think the guitar needs a pickguard--I want all of that flame redwood to show ;)

Man, that's gorgeous. Whatever combo you'd choose, please put covered pickups without rings. And no pickguard too.

Thank you very much! And like the idea of black covers on the pickups without a pickguard.

My Explorer is mahogany w/ ebony board, and currently has a Jazz and Custom; I've also tried both '59 and A2P neck pickups, as well as JB and C5 bridge pickups. I found the A2P too dark (clean tone wasn't great, but OD was pretty sweet) and the C5 I found scooped and shrill. The JB/59 combo was pretty good, but I like the current pickups better. The Custom & JB were pretty similar in the bridge, but the Custom is just a bit more full. I REALLY like the Jazz in the neck since I can get over driven tones that are almost Strat-like.

The Custom would probably more along the lines I'm going--I love the JB but don't think it would be a good fit on this guitar...

Thanks again for all of the advice!
 
Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

The EMGs I mentioned are the most passive-like and PAF-like of all EMG humbuckers, but they still give you the active advantages (dead quiet, better e.q. adjustment, more shapable/versatile).

The guard I mentioned would still show the wood grain, just tinted a bit darker. I think it would be a cool effect. The reason I suggested a guard is because it would punctuate the guitar's lines and make it seem less naked. To my aesthetic tastes, the lines of a Strat (or any guitar, really) get "blobbed up" without a guard.

Here's is a very rough idea of what I'm talking about. Please excuse the super-crappy rendering. I don't have Photoshop or a pen on this computer, just Lightroom and a trackpad.

Warmoth%20Strat%201.jpg
 
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Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

The EMGs I mentioned are the most passive-like and PAF-like of all EMG humbuckers, but they still give you the active advantages (dead quiet, better e.q. adjustment, more shapable/versatile).

The guard I mentioned would still show the wood grain, just tinted a bit darker. I think it would be a cool effect. The reason I suggested a guard is because it would punctuate the guitar's lines and make it seem less naked. To my aesthetic tastes, the lines of a Strat (or any guitar, really) get "blobbed up" without a guard.

Here's is a very rough idea of what I'm talking about. Please excuse the super-crappy rendering. I don't have Photoshop or a pen on this computer, just Lightroom and a trackpad.

View attachment 61016

Hmm, I will have to do some research on those pickups. I like that train of thought--could be the perfect fit!
a
Seeing it makes it look better than I thought it would. If it didn't have the serious flame I would probably be more inclined to go that route. Me personally, I never liked flamed/quilted tops with pickguards. For my semi-hollow strat I used a Wenge guard because the Sitka Spruce top has super straight grains. The Wenge gave (in my opinion) it a nice contrast to the Sitka Spruce.

I've never been a fan of clear pickguards; however, a grey one might look awesome! Will just depend on how the top turns out. I will put some stripper on it to see how it looks with a clear coat--might do some light staining to enhance the flame.
 
Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

I typically prefer a guitar with a pickguard. Not with the cut of wood you have though.
 
Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

*Project update*

Special thanks to Jolly for getting me connected to Thane, worked at the Fender/Guild Shop in TN, who did the binding work on this project. Thane sent it off to a co-worker who did paint/finises at the same Fender/Guild shop and I got my first pic today of the guitar. It is still wet and they think it will be dry enough next week to start buffing but here is the update so far.

View attachment 65914

Only pic I got but I love the wood grain on this thing. Already received my 500XL and 500L from Becky Lawrence (not to be contronversial here, but the quality of her pickups are 100times better construction than the 500XL&R from Bill Lawrence USA...like night and day difference in quality) and will try out the Q-filter on this guitar.

The neck is Mahogany+Black Ebony...should come together very nicely. Looking forward to getting this finished up!
 
Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

Mmmm,Caramel...

:)

Don't you dare put a p/g on that....
:p

Haha! Caramel, that's a good name for her lol They went with a natural finish on the top with a dark Walnut stain on the back and sides...don't have pics of the back nor the neck yet.

And don't worry, no pickguard for sure ;)
 
Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

That looks great. I'm glad they fired you up.
 
Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

Put some PATBs in that beauty...

Ha! I bet it would sound amazing! However, I already received my Bill n Becky Lawrence 500XL and 500L. Looking forward to trying those out in it. :)
 
Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

That body is gorgeous! I look forward to seeing it all put together. I may have missed it ... what color are you going with on the hardware?
 
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Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

Thats awesome. I have several exotic Warmoths. IMO, you can't get a better proverbial "$1000.00 dollar guitar" than Warmoth,that can play , look, feel ( this is the hardist part) and sound so much better than a 1000.00 dollar off-the-shelf production guitar, although you have to remind yourself, its still a budget 'partsocaster', lest you have delusions of grandeur like I did, till I came to my senses.
 
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Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

Thats awesome. I have several exotic Warmoths. IMO, you can't get a better proverbial "$1000.00 dollar guitar" than Warmoth,that can play , look, feel ( this is the hardist part) and sound so much better than a 1000.00 dollar off-the-shelf production guitar, although you have to remind yourself, its still a budget 'partsocaster', lest you have delusions of grandeur like I did, till I came to my senses.

partscaster or not, the point is when they're right, they're some of the best guitars out there. Warmoth makes better parts than Fender IMO and there is no doubt they have more appealing options available. Everything from wood, scale length to bridge type, chambering and finish options. With Warmoth you can pick and choose what's right for you and like you said, it's tough to find a better guitar for the money Warmoth charges.
 
Re: New Project - Warmoth Mahogany with Flamed Redwood Top

Tip and or top my pal.

Thank you very much! More of a traditional approach to guitar body than your recent Shinobi Wrath of the Metal Gods but still has an exotic top that is not widely available ;)

That body is gorgeous! I look forward to seeing it all put together. I may have missed it ... what color are you going with on the hardware?

Thank you very much! I've never seen a Flame Redwood top before I bought this, I've looked it up and saw some more examples and really dig the natural coloring. I am currently going with Black–Schaller offers an antique copper finish that looks amazing but the only ones I found for sale to the States were extremely overpriced...still wanna check them out eventually because I think the color would be a better match for the top...

View attachment 65983
View attachment 65984

Thats awesome. I have several exotic Warmoths. IMO, you can't get a better proverbial "$1000.00 dollar guitar" than Warmoth,that can play , look, feel ( this is the hardist part) and sound so much better than a 1000.00 dollar off-the-shelf production guitar, although you have to remind yourself, its still a budget 'partsocaster', lest you have delusions of grandeur like I did, till I came to my senses.

Thanks!

Per vinta9e "Re: NGD - US Fender Stratocaster: "Technically, every bolt on guitar is a partscaster."" ;)

IMO, Warmoth and Musikraft offer the best quality parts to build your own custom guitar. Both offer a variety options (not as customize-able as some may like but they do offer quite a bit) and both are very high quality...at least that has been my experience.

I really like the flame on that top, nice!

Thank you very much! I was planning on a Mahogany body+Mahogany Neck/Ebony Board project and when I saw this Mahogany body with the Flamed Redwood top I had to get it. lol Thanks again!


partscaster or not, the point is when they're right, they're some of the best guitars out there. Warmoth makes better parts than Fender IMO and there is no doubt they have more appealing options available. Everything from wood, scale length to bridge type, chambering and finish options. With Warmoth you can pick and choose what's right for you and like you said, it's tough to find a better guitar for the money Warmoth charges.

I would agree that their quality is at or above a lot of Fender offerings (maybe not the Deluxes but definitely the Standards, IMO.)
 
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