Vintage Strats vs Warmoth and dating vintage fenders

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:14 pm

This friend has had a small PA of mine and an acoustic if mine for quite a while now. Which is fine. I need neither and dont care but its that kinda deal.

Anyone else a warmoth fan here? Ive been playing a strat with a warmoth neck for a few years now intending to do another whole warmoth strat because I have to say, the neck is the best playing, easiest adjusting, best action fender neck Ive ever played. The wood is phenominal. Its really worth the word superb. Its got a big fat V shape liek the 50s necks. Similar to my friends strat but his is a bit different somehow. I dont think a real 50s neck would be an easy player and I love the feel of his but it aint an easy player. Great feel thoguh.

MacGaden · Post by **MacGaden** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:18 pm

Hi Billy:

How did it go with the Strat ?
BTW: I love Warmoth parts, and their necks are great.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:36 pm

I never got there. I may stop by tonight though.

Eoin · Post by **Eoin** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:12 pm

Billy Batz wrote:Anyone else a warmoth fan here?

I haven't bought from them yet, but I have plans...

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:28 am

Got the guitar and the pics. Ill post them tomorrow.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:24 pm

OK. Here they are

We know the bridge is from the 70s. The body is obviously not a stock 50s or 60s single peice but someone said it could be a factory replacement? The bridge pickup isnt original but the neck and mids could be pre CBS. Ill take the P/G off soon. Everything looks right about the neck though. The string guide is wrong for 50s but early 60s. But on close inspection the finish looks wired on the neck. One person suggested it could be a forgery but that seems wierd given the close detail of the neck considering some of the rest of the guitar (bridge and bridge pickup) obviously arent vintage.) Ill get the pencil numbers on the neck when I get time too. I never looked that closely at this strat but it is pretty rough I guess.

MacGaden · Post by **MacGaden** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:55 pm

Hi Billy:

Nice Strat. What do you know of it´s history ?

Have some commets, but:

I´m late and it´s drunk, and I´m off on holiday..

Have some comments in a few days when I can see straight !

Tatosh · Post by **Tatosh** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 11:10 pm

I know a thing or two about strats. I researched a bit a long time ago and also built mine with Warmoth parts.

From the pics I am pretty certain the body is a replacement, because of the finish. The neck, if it's vintage, its probably a 50s one, because it has a maple fingerboard. Fender started using rosewood fingerboards in the 60s. 70s is a no no because it has the small classic and logo headstock. The pick ups might be easy to find out if you open it: Duncans usually have a logo in the back or something.

The most important thing is: do you like it? I know for a fact that I like my warmoth built more than any fender that I have tried, either on a store or those that my friends have. And they seem to like it too...

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 12:55 pm

Tatosh wrote:I know a thing or two about strats. I researched a bit a long time ago and also built mine with Warmoth parts.

From the pics I am pretty certain the body is a replacement, because of the finish. The neck, if it's vintage, its probably a 50s one, because it has a maple fingerboard. Fender started using rosewood fingerboards in the 60s. 70s is a no no because it has the small classic and logo headstock. The pick ups might be easy to find out if you open it: Duncans usually have a logo in the back or something.

The most important thing is: do you like it? I know for a fact that I like my warmoth built more than any fender that I have tried, either on a store or those that my friends have. And they seem to like it too...

The body is a replacement. I knew that. But its an early replacement. Someone told my buddy replacement Fender bodies could be matched and not one peice?

Thats were all the forgery business comes in with the neck. I know it has to be very early. The thing that makes me think it can be an aged 50s Relic strat neck passed off as real is the cigerette burns in the headstock. Thats one of the things those relic starts always have to try and look vintage. The finish is weird too. But it could be just old.

I will open it. I know the bridge is a Duncan of some kind. Its the others that are still uncertain but I think they are the most sure thing of the whole guitar. PreCBS. Ill tyake a closer look.

As far as my liking it. I liked the neck a lot other then my Warmoth neck which is just insanely good. The reason I would buy this guitar if the neck and pickups do prove to be original is a) having an original Fender neck, and b) having original pickups. But I am leaning far towards a total warmoth build right now.

I dont know if I mentioned this or not. One problem with the guitar is the string spacing. The bridge is die cast and definitely a 70s or later replacement. I dont know if tahts doing it but the string spread is too wide for the neck. The e strings are both nearly off the neck as you get past the 12th fret. I wonder if replacing the bridge would fix that?

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 1:13 pm

it looks like my 50's reissue !

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 4:49 pm

It's very common on old Strats for those E strings to be almost at the edge. Even on my 60's RI they're close (not quite as close as yours example) and you have to kind of "learn" how to play it without dropping the strings off the fretboard.....

gnugear · Post by **gnugear** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:19 pm

I love the weather checking on the finish.

I've been through four Warmoth necks and I'm now giving USA Customs a shot. My new neck should be here sometime next month. I went with USA because they have a '54 contour that's almost exactly like the contour on the Eric Johnson signature strat ... soft V to a C.

HeeBGB · Post by **HeeBGB** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:40 pm

Hi Billy,

Looks like a cool guitar.

As far as your Warmoth questions.... I have a Warmoth strat.

Here's a pic

It is without doubt better than or equal to ANY custom shop strat I have played and cost half as much. I got unfinished parts and sent them to Lays Guitar in Ohio for nitro finish and gentle relic'ing. A friend of mine is a professional Luthier and did the nut for me. The PUP's and wiring I did myself. PUP's are used Fralins from Ebay and they sound awesome. Fretwork is excellent. I also paid the extra $20 for the Braz fingerboard. Total cost was probably about $1100. My only mistake was not getting a fatter neck profile. I got the standard thin. I have been considering selling this neck on ebay and getting a fatter one but it's so good the way it is I think I'm just gonna leave it. Body is Swamp Ash as well.

If you have any other questions about Warmoth let me know.

Greg

SB Monster · Post by **SB Monster** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 2:35 pm

Dan,

The neck is definitely fifties or a very good repro, fat, skunkstripe on the back and the string spacing you describe make it sound pre 58 IMHO. The lack of magnet stagger on the pickups makes me suggest they're from the seventies, that's if they're even fender items but they're NOT 60's or before. The bridge saddles are very definitely 70's perhaps late 60's. i've seen them like that on late 60's hardtails.
The body looks great very 50's contours so who knows, it's the one thing I can't be sure of from the shots. the whole guitar looks cool.

What he's asking for it is probably ok, if it plays good then it is in my book. I've yet to hear a set of 70's strat p/ups that i really liked though and I think a vintage magnet stagger would would work better with that neck profile.

Happy new year,

Paul

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 3:10 pm

Hey thanks for all that insight. I think Im probably gonna go the Warmoth route. I dont want to buy something that isnt even totally a complete vintage guitar yet still worry about gigging it as if it were.