The Guitar Pron Thread

[Paul Wesley 3275]

36 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

Closeup on the one most like yours.

That looks great. 

[jimmyjazz 45480]

9 hours ago, Paul Wesley said:

Okay, I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a custom-order Warmoth.  Any advice from you guys who have traveled that road?  Jimmyjazz?

I've built a few.  I've actually had Alex at Musical Exchange do the bulk of the assembly work, as he is meticulous and I am so far from what anyone would call a luthier that it just makes sense for me.  Maybe Mark Erlewine would have a guy, too.

If Alex' shop is open, you could ask him about alternative sources he might have for the hardware, because honestly, there's just a ton of it you'll need, from tuning knobs to jack plates to ferrules to you name it.  I don't really see any particular reason to buy those from Warmoth, and it wouldn't shock me if he could do better for cheaper.

One thing I strongly advocate if they have one that works for you is to go with a loaded pickguard from Sigler Music or one of their competitors.  It takes a bunch of assembly work out of the process and I believe it saves money.

[SwanderedTalent 5761]

33 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I've actually had Alex at Musical Exchange do the bulk of the assembly work

is that like, you take him a bag of parts and he puts it all together....? If so, ballpark what does that cost? I have an old Strat in pieces that I keep meaning to repaint but I really doubt even after painting that I'll want to reassemble it, and more to the point that it will be playable if I were to do that myself. 

[jimmyjazz 45480]

2 minutes ago, SwanderedTalent said:

is that like, you take him a bag of parts and he puts it all together....? If so, ballpark what does that cost? I have an old Strat in pieces that I keep meaning to repaint but I really doubt even after painting that I'll want to reassemble it, and more to the point that it will be playable if I were to do that myself. 

Usually between $200 and $250.  I figure if I'm assembling a guitar that costs over $1K and can hang with $3K Custom Shop models, I owe it to myself to have the thing put together correctly and dialed in far better than I could ever do.

Don't dismiss the usual "setup fee" many people pay to get a new guitar dialed in at the store, either.  That's usually $75-$100, and it's all part of what I pay Alex.

[tbone_ 14020]

I’ve had my guy assemble both a partscaster and a frankentele for me. He’s fantastic. About the same price as JJ’s guy.

One thing I have learned is I like the biggest fretwire they sell. Way easier to bend and sort of “grab a hold” of chords and notes. But you probably already know what kind of frets you like.

[Chad Fuck 17500]

2 hours ago, Paul Wesley said:

That looks great. 

I've been very pleased with how this one turned out.  I literally ruminated on it for years, collecting parts here and there.  I played with that design function on Warmoth over and over until I knew exactly what I wanted.  

It's a great couch guitar because it has a little more acoustic volume than a straight electric.  I can play it unplugged and still get some reasonable practice in without bothering the Mrs. 

[Chad Fuck 17500]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I've built a few.  I've actually had Alex at Musical Exchange do the bulk of the assembly work, as he is meticulous and I am so far from what anyone would call a luthier that it just makes sense for me.  Maybe Mark Erlewine would have a guy, too.

If Alex' shop is open, you could ask him about alternative sources he might have for the hardware, because honestly, there's just a ton of it you'll need, from tuning knobs to jack plates to ferrules to you name it.  I don't really see any particular reason to buy those from Warmoth, and it wouldn't shock me if he could do better for cheaper.

One thing I strongly advocate if they have one that works for you is to go with a loaded pickguard from Sigler Music or one of their competitors.  It takes a bunch of assembly work out of the process and I believe it saves money.

Or, you could just get a complete wiring harness while buying the pickguard from Warmoth, as it may match your guitar better. 

For the record, I paid a luthier to assemble both of mine as well.  Also found this guy who made me custom decals for the finishing touch:

https://bennettdecals.wixsite.com/decals

Always thought a headstock without a decal just looks wrong.  And I didn't want to label it as something it wasn't (i.e., "Fender").  So I told him what I wanted (Fender, late 50s spaghetti style, then the text) and he whipped it out lickity split, with extras thrown in just in case I messed up the application and needed more.  Great guy.  

 

[Chad Fuck 17500]

BTW, what JJ says is true:  Warmoth makes top quality parts.  If you use quality electronics and hardware, you will have a Custom Shop worthy guitar for 1/3-1/2 the price.  You won't regret having done it your own way.  

[Chad Fuck 17500]

Super Chet for sale.  There are several old ones on Reverb, but no re-issues, which is interesting to me.  

[Goredho 17291]

I started a stupid thread about the 10 albums that influenced your music tastes/playing.  I'd be interested in what the regulars from here have to say has influenced their playing/songwriting the most.  Link if you want to play along.
 

 

[Rip76 4909]

Has anyone played one of these.  Quality/Sound/Action, etc.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Epiphone/Hummingbird-PRO-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-Faded-Cherry-1354813880933.gc?cntry=us&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoMiUkce46AIVIeeGCh2BuAe6EAQYAyABEgIXqfD_BwE

Currently don't have $3,000 laying around to just throw on an acoustic.

[tbone_ 14020]

Not sure about those but the epi mastercraft (masterbuild?) get great reviews.

[Rip76 4909]

11 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Not sure about those but the epi mastercraft (masterbuild?) get great reviews.

Awesome, thanks for the heads up.  This quarantine has me writing songs like crazy.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Rip76

[Chad Fuck 17500]

@jimmyjazz - You ever posted your Warmoth projects here?  Can you refresh our recollection?

[jimmyjazz 45480]

1 minute ago, Chad Fuck said:

@jimmyjazz - You ever posted your Warmoth projects here?  Can you refresh our recollection?

A couple.  I probably have photos lying around.  

I only still own one of them.  One I donated to a charity auction, and one I did for a friend.

[Chad Fuck 17500]

Just now, jimmyjazz said:

A couple.  I probably have photos lying around.  

I only still own one of them.  One I donated to a charity auction, and one I did for a friend.

Cool.  For those who need Warmoth inspiration, there's a lot of it here:

https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=d8dc7440b7519685e1f4136af63fb4f9&board=42.0

Lots if imgur images that won't play on Surl, but the "Guitar of the Month" contests are worthy of a look.

 

https://www.warmoth.com/Gallery/#!/Tele/6

[Goredho 17291]

You guys are going to get me to forego the Fender custom shop red sparkle tele at Wildwood and get my guitar tech to build a red glitter hotrod tele from Warmoth.  How do you make an educated choice on things like pickups and the like?  There are a lot of options that I don't know how to choose the better of for the tone I'm after.

[topochico 1049]

1 hour ago, Chad Fuck said:

Or, you could just get a complete wiring harness while buying the pickguard from Warmoth, as it may match your guitar better. 

For the record, I paid a luthier to assemble both of mine as well.  Also found this guy who made me custom decals for the finishing touch:

https://bennettdecals.wixsite.com/decals

Always thought a headstock without a decal just looks wrong.  And I didn't want to label it as something it wasn't (i.e., "Fender").  So I told him what I wanted (Fender, late 50s spaghetti style, then the text) and he whipped it out lickity split, with extras thrown in just in case I messed up the application and needed more.  Great guy.  

 

I can see it now. Spaghetti style Fender font "C. Fuck"

[Chad Fuck 17500]

I can see it now. Spaghetti style Fender font "C. Fuck"

Very classy. Trust me.

[tbone_ 14020]

The good news about pickups is they are easy to change.

[jimmyjazz 45480]

Found some photos of one of the Warmoth Strats I put together -- was for a drum & bugle corps that historically wears green, white, and black:

 

 

[Chad Fuck 17500]

You guys are going to get me to forego the Fender custom shop red sparkle tele at Wildwood and get my guitar tech to build a red glitter hotrod tele from Warmoth.  How do you make an educated choice on things like pickups and the like?  There are a lot of options that I don't know how to choose the better of for the tone I'm after.

Go to the pup maker sites. They get into detail on the descriptions and have tons of vids about what to look for and how to make your choices. They also have comparison vids. The great thing about pups is of you don’t like them, they’re easy to replace and sell.

[Buzzrock 14867]

I’m currently twisting my aforementioned buddy’s arm to buy this and send it to Evertune:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ENCKNAGH--epiphone-les-paul-custom-pro-koa-natural

He’s close.

[Goredho 17291]

1 hour ago, Chad Fuck said:

Go to the pup maker sites. They get into detail on the descriptions and have tons of vids about what to look for and how to make your choices. They also have comparison vids. The great thing about pups is of you don’t like them, they’re easy to replace and sell.

Research?  I was hoping I could tell you "I want to sound more like Led Zeppelin 1 and Prince vs Chicken Pickin' Nashville" and you could tell me a couple that might appeal to me

[Buzzrock 14867]

If I ever do a Warmoth build I’ll likely go with this:

[DougO 5239]

I'm gonna hold out for the PRS Hendrix tribute guitar.

[Paul Wesley 3275]

Warmoth temporarily shut down their factory (they're in Seattle area).  

Shit just got real.

[Chad Fuck 17500]

1 hour ago, Goredho said:

Research?  I was hoping I could tell you "I want to sound more like Led Zeppelin 1 and Prince vs Chicken Pickin' Nashville" and you could tell me a couple that might appeal to me

Where's the fun in that?!?

Once you figure out "I can have anything I want...want are my options?"  it's all about the journey.  There are 50 bajillion types of tuning pegs, bridges, knobs...which one is going to work best for you and your vision?  What's it all going to look like together?  A GT-40, or this?

[Chad Fuck 17500]

48 minutes ago, Paul Wesley said:

Warmoth temporarily shut down their factory (they're in Seattle area).  

Shit just got real.

More time to play with their guitar builder.

[Goredho 17291]

3 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:

Go to the pup maker sites. They get into detail on the descriptions and have tons of vids about what to look for and how to make your choices. They also have comparison vids. The great thing about pups is of you don’t like them, they’re easy to replace and sell.

Looks like this will give a decent starting point https://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup-selector-step-1

[Chad Fuck 17500]

1 hour ago, Buzzrock said:

If I ever do a Warmoth build I’ll likely go with this:

 

Right handed body with the bridge pup at a reverse angle.  Cool.

This is what I put in my Jazzocaster:

 

[Chad Fuck 17500]

For the Custom Telecaster Thinline Deluxe:

Bridge:

 

[tbone_ 14020]

I have a SD Custom in the bridge and a SD alnico II in my Les Paul. I was looking at all kinds of pickups. My tech guy who has worked on all kinds of famous guitars for years said get the custom alnico combo. You’ll love it. He was right. I can get any kind of classic rock tone I want out of that combo. Just fantastic.

[Chad Fuck 17500]

7 minutes ago, Goredho said:

Looks like this will give a decent starting point https://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup-selector-step-1

indeed.  And don't forget about Lollar, or any number of others.  But really, SD is the one stop shop.  

[tbone_ 14020]

So many great songs have been recorded with SD pickups. And they are cheap.

[Chad Fuck 17500]

15 hours ago, tbone_ said:

So many great songs have been recorded with SD pickups. And they are cheap.

I was thinking about this.  Do you have list?  I know basically anything by Jeff Beck, but did you have some particular tunes in mind?

[Buzzrock 14867]

I have a ‘59 and a Pearly Gates in my HH Strat and they are wonderful.

[tbone_ 14020]

That was another combination I considered. Lots of rave reviews about that combo.

[Buzzrock 14867]

Tapadupe

 

[DougO 5239]

The 5-2 sounds awesome.  Could be especially handy for playing through a Vox amp.

[Chad Fuck 17500]

59 minutes ago, DougO said:

The 5-2 sounds awesome.  Could be especially handy for playing through a Vox amp.

I've been real pleased with it.  My #1 goal was for my Tele to approximate the sound of, well, a classic Tele.  At least as far as the bridge pup goes, this one fits that bill.

The Pearly Gates is the one I'm very pleasantly surprised with in the neck.  I had heard the video (like above) and given the name, I had certain expectations, but you never know what you're going to get until it's solder in and you turn on the amp.  It is an extremely versatile pup.  Just like that video, you can do great jazz tones all the way to screaming, harmonic squawking metal.  I used it mainly for blues.  SD really nailed it with that one.  

[noharleyyet 2832]

Guitar Shelter is the best gents....

[Chad Fuck 17500]

1 hour ago, noharleyyet said:

Guitar Shelter is the best gents....

This is very vague.

Did we get a new guitar?

[Deej 76467]

22 hours ago, tbone_ said:

So many great songs have been recorded with SD pickups. And they are cheap.

Put an SD Broadcaster pup in my Esquire. Zero complaints.

[noharleyyet 2832]

Guitar post uptick...much thanks

[Deej 76467]

If you want some really nice, relatively inexpensive pickups, check out Cavaliers. Guy that makes them posts on TDPRI. His stuff gets nothing but love.

[Buzzrock 14867]

Quit screwing around and get the Seymour Duncan Zephyrs.

[noharleyyet 2832]

 

[tbone_ 14020]

I was thinking about this.  Do you have list?  I know basically anything by Jeff Beck, but did you have some particular tunes in mind?

Here’s a start

 

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?275891-Name-Every-Famous-Guitarist-You-Can-Who-Used-A-JB-(SH-4)

 

 

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/the-tone-garage/classic-solos-played-with-the-jb-humbucker

[jimmyjazz 45480]

Dumb question -- could one built a frankencaster using a couple of JB or Pearly Gates or whatever?  How close to a crunched up Les Paul could one get using Strat-like parts?