NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

[orpheo]

As most of us know, Warmoth got forced by the big G to stop making Les Pauls, and even though they're 'just a bolt on' guitar, I feel these guitars are better than most Gibsons, if not all Gibsons. (as a point of fact, I tried all Gibsons at NAMM '13, and I really was saddened by the quality of the fretwork, paint, pickups, etc etc, where as these 2 are lovely in all those aspects). As their Swan Song, I had them make me 2 of the best, greatest, lovliest guitars I could conjure. I just wanna show off, sorry

 

[BTMN]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Looking good. Tell us about them.

 

[orpheo]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

They are both almost identical with the exception being the top. One is flamed maple, the other is flamed (spalted?) koa.

Common for both are the mahogany back, rosewood neck (quartersawn, 1 inch thick), compound radius ebony board (lovely thick chunk of ebony by the way), medium weight mahogany backs, making the guitars a bit over 4 kilo's. CTS pots, (by now) switchcraft switch and jack, and silver zephyr pickups for both. Gotoh bridge, stop tail and tuners. Rosewood knobs on the koa, ebony knobs on the maple guitar. Putting them together, pulling them apart and putting them back together again proved no problem at all, nor did the 15000 km traveling I did with these parts in my bags. No cracks in the glues, no splits no nothin. I had to polish the frets with some compound, though. Some adjustment of the trussrod and boom: the action went from 3.5mm to a little under 2mm all across the board. The frets are super slippery now (again: why can't Gibson do that?), and the fretboards and necks were carefully oiled. I removed the regular plastic backplates for a purpleheart set on the purple guitar and a bubinga set on the koa guitar. why? ah because I can?

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Gorgeaous! Those two will have beautiful offspring.

 

[orpheo]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

These babies play and sound amazing. just 2 pickups, no coil splits or taps or phase or whatever. yet so incredibly versatile. I literally haven't touched another guitar of mine since I got these. I'm really proud at how these turned out. Warmoth did the finishing by the way (and so incredibly thin... amazing!). The tops look strangely 3D and well... sound amazing. I rounded the fretboards and beveled the frets to give it more of a worn in feel. I am not really that fond (anymore) of that 'spankin brand new feel' PRS has so strongly and brand new warmoths have as well.

 

[PunkMetalhead42]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

holy sh!t, those look amazing! Have fun with those beauties!

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

I don't think those really have all that much in common with a Gibson, maybe what you paid to assemble them. They look very nice. Not at all my style, but that said, I agree, I'd rather have something I pieced together from Warmoth than a Gibson too.

 

[orpheo]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

King Izzo, you're right they have virtually nothing in common with a Gibson. Not in terms of features, looks or tone nor in terms of finish or playability.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Gorgeous guitars. How do they sound? Can you hear differences between the two tops?

Warmoth did the finishing by the way (and so incredibly thin... amazing!).

What kind of finish?

 

[orpheo]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Yes, major difference actually. The zephyrs seem to emphasise that.

I believe urethane. I don't really believe in that nitro myth. As long as the finish is sprayed on thin. As thin as possible.

 

[scottish]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Im not a huge fan of the flame top style but that koa top is amazing! looks really good. I hope they sound as good as they look/

 

[elscorcho]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Two great looking tops you have there! Both unique, both cool. VERY NICE!

Congrats & enjoy them!

 

[0v3nm4n]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Do you have pictures of the backs?

 

[orpheo]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

just mahogany and no: not here. Hell, not even in this country! You guys will get A LOT more pics of these guitars soon. I just wanted to show them off

@Evan: forgot to mention the tone. Let's forget it's the zephyrs, but the koa top is warmer, fatter but with a lot of clarity and openness. The maple top LP sounds tighter, more aggressive. Santana versus John Sykes. Let's put it that way

I have these 2, my 3 crimsons and my 2 floyd rose les pauls as well as my 4 singlepiece top les pauls and my 2 oldies. I have the feeling I don't need anything else than these. (oh, and my 59's).

 

[AlexR]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Its a pity Warmoth didn't do their LP's as a glue in neck.....but bolt-on is their thing and they stuck with it.

.....actually my bank balance is VERY glad they didn't looking at these beauties.

 

[0v3nm4n]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Its a pity Warmoth didn't do their LP's as a glue in neck.....but bolt-on is their thing and they stuck with it.

.....actually my bank balance is VERY glad they didn't looking at these beauties.

Were these guitars pickupless? or did you replace for zephyrs

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Just got an lp warmoth on eBay. Unfinished. What color do you call the flame top?

 

[orpheo]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

@alex: why is it a pity? have you seen the super tight neckjoint of these? I've never ever seen a gibson with a neck joint this tight. really. and it's much nicer to have a bolt on when traveling.

and these guitars were of course empty. I assembled (halfbuild, mothbuild, whatever you wanna call it ) myself. Installed the tuners, pickups, pots, wiring, hardware etc etc.

@tubecrunch: which one? would love to see your body. I got my 22nd a week ago, a full black guitar. I'll load that guitar with a set of antiquities.... (pic, url? ) This color is a purplemist burst. you start with black dye, sand it back, then purple, and then you do a very small black edge and then a slightly bigger purple edge over that. and then clear coats.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Gorgeous.

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: NGD - koa maple rosewood ebony mahogany content

Put a single bid on this, and won... I'm liking the blue burst, but no two examples are the same. I'm trying to communicate the shade I like... Still have to decide on a neck. The body is white korina, and I'm obsessing over mahogany vs maple neck. Always wanted an lp w Floyd. The epi's were awful and I'm not paying for the gibby version. The one in my avatar is warmoth, I'm hooked.