I just configured the same neck I bought from Warmoth in 2019 to see how much it went up with inflation. It is $13 bucks cheaper now! Thanks for not being a-holes and stiffing people just because everyone else is doing it. serious.
My go to is the roasted maple / rosewood with standard default for all options. Needs no finish and only minimal prep before playing. Smooth the fret ends, set the truss, and rock. If you use Hipshot tuners, you don't even need to drill anything. It's that easy. And about as cheap as it gets in terms of $$$. But feels and plays like a million bucks.
Exactly, I’ve been using plain Roasted maple as my neck and fretboard choice, Gibson scale-length, stainless 6100 frets and I’m always happy, though I did a vintage tint gloss finish recently for a project and I love it, looks and plays incredible. Like you say, Warmoth necks will feel like a million bucks for very modest $. I built a SS p bass and a Strat last month, all the options I want and none I don’t, truly killer guitars that I assembled.
Last June I built a Roasted Maple Ebony Fret Board reverse Headstock Gold Block in-lay J Bass neck for about $427 - a nice balance of options. Fits nicely for a tribute to my late Father.
I know the roasted option on the cheapest build was because the warranty is void without a finish, but I've never known anybody whose warmoth neck failed them and a tung oil finish feels so good.
I loved this, I would have personally done a Roasted maple, with Ebony fingerboard and stainless frets with a reverse headstock, but that's just me lol
Love my Warmoth roasted maple neck. Unfinished yet stays straight, needs little to no adjustment even in humid Tokyo. The standard thin profile is a good profile. However, I will get the Clapton next time though. Just will fit me better I believe.
That was fun! I play with the body options and neck options often on the site. I wonder if anyone has ever ordered the most expensive neck and body possible for a build.
I've now got 2 roasted maple necks [one 12 string], 2 goncolo alves necks and a Gecko 5 wenge neck. All have stainless steel frets, Pau Ferro fingerboards. All are unfinished. They play great and are incredibly stable. No problems with setup or install...
If you're considering a Warmoth neck, I bought a strat neck in 2006. I got standard profile,6230 frets rosewood fretboard, precut white corian nut and drilled for Sperzel locking tuners, and clear gloss finish. The price, with shipping was $312.00. It was excellent in every way. I wasn't sure about compound radius but I really got to appreciate it. My experience with Warmoth was great.
Hombre necks get over $1000. I find the Regals are also some of the most expensive bodies. Really like the videos and really like your business. Keep it up.
These are great videos! It would be great to see a video with all the off menu options. I know you did a quick video that showed like 5 of them. Somewhere I saw a custom Warmoth off menu headstock that was so cool! I had no idea they existed!! So, show us please! : )
It's so funny how you don't realize until after experimenting with necks that you find out what's right for your greeting hand. I find that I love roasted Maple with no finish, and Ebony fretboard, Evo frets, 16-inch radius. And a 1-inch straight across the entire neck for thickness. I also like either 43 or 44 mm neck. it's so comfortable for me. my hand doesn't get fatigued like it used to with the standard radius and neck thickness. With the standard normal neck thickness come on my hand was constantly cramping up. It turns out I have a thick hand and when I use a 1-in neck it opens up my hand and doesn't fatigue my hand as much.
Re: mounting holes ... if I'm buying a neck for a kind of suspect body, I would actually have no mounting holes. Have had it happen before where the body holes were off kilter and I had to fill/redrill the neck holes.
Prices have gone up considerably if 269 is the cheapest you can get. I've never paid over $200 for any of my Warmoth necks, though the last one was purchased at least a decade ago.
Four comments. First, this was fun I often do the cheapest neck test but never the most expensive neck test. Second, I once asked what it would cost for a roasted Maple shaft quarter-sawn and they said that would be $100 upcharge. I don't know if that would make your most expensive neck even more expensive. Roasted and quarter-sawn is probably redundant so I didn't go for it but I always order it when I'm getting a Mahogany neck which at the time was only a $40 upcharge. Third, I don't think the neck I want is even available off menu which is a vintage 7 1/4 radius neck in 24 3/4 scale. Fourth, I would also like to see Warmoth make necks that would fit bolt on Paul Reed Smith Guitars. I hate their neck profiles and would order one with a boat neck profile and stainless steel frets, which PRS doesn't like, which I think iis a mistake. I agree with you Stainless Steel frets are a default and not an option as far as I am concerned.
your most expensive neck is incorrect. if you use ebony (black) as the fretboard, it will come out to $1,091. and then you could have the neck painted to match the body, tho I don't know why you would do that with 3a flame maple, but that's another upcharge. I don't know the cost of that, but the neck would definitely be more than $2000. just sayin.😢
The matching finish is an off-menu option, hence it was probably left out for that reason. Regarding the fretboard, there are options more expensive than black ebony. I am a little concerned that I seem to know Warmoth's menus better than Aaron does.
@@Robstafarianyeah me too! LOL. which fretboard wood is more expensive than black ebony on the warmoth site? I don't see one. or have I spent more time memorizing their menu than you! LOL. let the geek out begin! oh the reason I brought up the paint was he was building the most expensive neck possible and that is another charge, so I thought I'd help him make that price even more daunting!
I love the videos, but the current Squire Classic Vibes are priced between the cheapest and “sweet spot” necks, and it’s a decent guitar no matter which model, and their necks have been really nice lately. It seems counter-intuitive to spend that much on a replacement neck when you can spend the same or less and get the rest of the guitar, too 😂 Oh no, I’m officially old AND that guy. Forgive me, I worked 26 hours in the last two days and I’m frazzled 😂
I wouldn't say that Warmoth parts are about getting something cheap. They are about getting something unique. There will always be cheaper options out there, but can you have them made exactly to your playing style and preferences?
Yes, having a neck custom made just for you in the USA is more expensive than a mass-produced guitar from Asia. That should not be surprising. If you want something custom made for you, I think the warmouth prices are more than fair. Nothing wrong with the squier if it works for you though.
$35 upcharge for stainless steel frets is a STEAL. i can't imagine how that would ever be a profit. you see plenty of other builders charge over $100 for stainless steel frets.
And hence the Warmouth "problem" - cost. Much as I'd like to keep 'Murcan folks employed, is no me yob & the import stuff is pretty good & a lot less $....
you could drive a Chevy Alveo or a Mercedes S class. they're both cars so they're both the same right? quality is certainly not relevant, is it? ever heard you get what you pay for?
@@gizmotis Using a Mercedes S class as an exemplar detracts from your point. As for getting what one pays for, capitalism does not allow for linear comparisons.
@@Robstafarian I disagree. my analogy, at least for me, works because I'm using two examples of the same thing. in my mind to say that the Chevy is equivalent to the Benz is false, like the necks. the quality of the wood, while subjective, is also objective. lack of warping, staying in tune, intonation, feel, consistency of drilling and routing, fret metal are all factors that add or detract from the value of the product, and would remain so, I believe, regardless of the economic system behind it. MacDonald's dollar menu isn't cheap just out of the goodness of their hearts, the quality of ingredients, portion size etc are all factors that mitigate the price to allow them to charge less. why isn't the same true here?
