I have two Warmoth builds, a Tele and a Strat. The Tele is solid swamp ash, contoured heel, quilt maple top, roasted maple neck with 59' profile, stainless steel frets. The Strat is chambered swap ash, contoured heel, flame maple top, quartersawn maple neck with stainless steel frets. I have several other guitars and I cannot really tell the difference between stainless frets and nickel frets in terms of sound. To me a bigger factor is the fretboard wood (rosewood is warmer, ebony is brighter) and the thickness of the neck (thicker necks transmit more vibration due to increased mass). The contoured heels are a big improvement over Fender standard block-type heels in terms of better access to the higher registers on the fretboard. I love the Bengal burst paintjob you chose for the soloist. I'd have gone with an Arcade headstock (right handed reverse!) instead of the Warhead but it still does it justice. The Floyd Rose locking trem is the best at what it does but you are right, until you get used to it, changing strings (and intonation! what a PITA with a Floyd!) is cumbersome at first. If you want drop D with ANY floating trem you need to block the trem or install a tremo-no or some such device to maintain the tension for the rest of the strings to compensate for the lower tension in the low E. But if you're that good a guitar player, you generally have more than one guitar and I prefer to drop D my stop tail guitars since lowering the E won't affect the other stings. I play some Soundgarden tunes on my SG with drop D, i.e Black Hole Sun, Switch Opens, Limo Wreck (not exactly drop D but still detuned). Blocking a trem on a guitar will also result in not being able to pull UP on the trem.
Great info and insight. I love the spec on that guitar too, cool thing about it is that you know no one else has that exact guitar in terms of how it looks as well.
Great video, and insight on your playing style. For me, I find stainless frets to be very bright sounding -- too bright really. Maybe if I played frequently in a real touring band --- my Walter Mitty fantasy --- the zing of stainless would disappear in the mix with all the other musicians and some EQ. But in my basement by myself, the stainless zing is distracting. So for my Warmoth necks, I now only use regular nickle and they sound perfect to my ears.
If you do not have a guitar tech, a well set up Floyd Rose is the best. I have played many gigs with Kramer American guitars in the 1990's, and I was a pro at getting the strings stretched out, and staying in tune. Love your videos Sam.
My anorak is seriously chafing! Thank you Sam, really enjoyed that. Have you ever tried threaded metal inserts and bolts for attaching a neck rather than the standard method of using screws? Two of my guitars have it and there is more resonance and sustain. I believe Malmsteen has Fender do that to his signature guitar.
This is a superior way to attach a neck. I'm sure it would probably give a bit more sustain as the connection would be more mechanically sound. Not only that... if you take the neck off for work alot or if you want to dissemble the guitar for travel ....this is the way to go. Eventually those wood screws will wear out where as a bolt into an insert basically won't unless you cross thread it. Bill Kirchen did this to his Tele......that being said ......I adjusted the truss rod on my Warmoth neck once ......22 years ago...strung with 11-50's and haven't had to adjust it since .....they are that stable in my opinion ......so 🤷♂️
@@ralex3697 I had a friend who owned a guitar shop, I had the privilege to play and own a load of Fender CS through the years and clearly... They're not that great. Even the most expensive ones. I guess it's a dream to play on a CS but in all objectivity you only pay the master luthier salary. My friend was in a blues band, he grew up with Fender and had some kind of veneration for the brand (everything else was crap to him) but he sincerely recognized that my Warmoth was way way way better than any other custom he was selling at this time.
I insert picks between the block and the wood if I want to Drop D it. Also, the more springs you install the less out of tune the guitar will get by dropping the D
Hello from Calgary. I have never had anything but my Epiphone Les Paul with stock pickups. I was thinking of changing the pups. Would it make much difference in tone ? I suppose you put high end pups in all your axes. Is there a set you could recommend for play rock and blues ? Did William ever find that pick that fell through the deck ?
Neil Dorin thanks Neil! After market pickups is great fun. My favourite low output pup that’s great for blues is the BKP mule. Cheers! (No sign of the pick lol)
Big mistake not having a phase switch to get the correct BoRap solo sound ;) Also I've got in one guitar the Burns' Brian May Tri-Sonics wires as Hum in the bridge and singel coil in the neck and boy do you get close to the sound and there is a pretty cool trick to get the BoRap sound out of a HS guitar.
Hey Brother, good video, I like it. But ... why do you keep comparing it to a Les Paul? You are comparing it to a model that is single cut, 24.75 inch scale length, set neck with extreme break angle at the headstock, tune-o-matic bridge with no tremolo, etc. This beauty is double cut, bolt on neck, Floyd Rose trem... pretty much as far away from a Les Paul as you can get. This thing is a lot more like a Super Strat from Charvel, Ibanez, Jackson, etc (which are my favorite style of guitar). Anyway, very nice and really shows the quality of what you get from Warmoth.
I'm not sure that in 2020 any guitar manufacturer should still be making neck heel joints like that. Guitar players demands the higher access on the neck to be much more comfortable nowadays and with even cheap guitar companies having a smoothed out heel, there is no excuse that Warmoth are still making guitars with really old fashioned neck heel joints.
Some great info here....great vid!
Warmoth Guitar Products thanks so much! Love your bodies and necks!!
I have two Warmoth builds, a Tele and a Strat. The Tele is solid swamp ash, contoured heel, quilt maple top, roasted maple neck with 59' profile, stainless steel frets. The Strat is chambered swap ash, contoured heel, flame maple top, quartersawn maple neck with stainless steel frets. I have several other guitars and I cannot really tell the difference between stainless frets and nickel frets in terms of sound. To me a bigger factor is the fretboard wood (rosewood is warmer, ebony is brighter) and the thickness of the neck (thicker necks transmit more vibration due to increased mass). The contoured heels are a big improvement over Fender standard block-type heels in terms of better access to the higher registers on the fretboard. I love the Bengal burst paintjob you chose for the soloist. I'd have gone with an Arcade headstock (right handed reverse!) instead of the Warhead but it still does it justice. The Floyd Rose locking trem is the best at what it does but you are right, until you get used to it, changing strings (and intonation! what a PITA with a Floyd!) is cumbersome at first. If you want drop D with ANY floating trem you need to block the trem or install a tremo-no or some such device to maintain the tension for the rest of the strings to compensate for the lower tension in the low E. But if you're that good a guitar player, you generally have more than one guitar and I prefer to drop D my stop tail guitars since lowering the E won't affect the other stings. I play some Soundgarden tunes on my SG with drop D, i.e Black Hole Sun, Switch Opens, Limo Wreck (not exactly drop D but still detuned). Blocking a trem on a guitar will also result in not being able to pull UP on the trem.
It's ALWAYS a pleasure to listen to Sam whether he's speaking or playing....jus a cool all around dude!
Triple S thanks for the kind words! 😊
Great info and insight. I love the spec on that guitar too, cool thing about it is that you know no one else has that exact guitar in terms of how it looks as well.
I recently bought a Warmoth Roasted neck and I love it! It sounds amazing, feels great and sustains beautifully!
Paul, thanks for all the insight to how you approach setting up a guitar. Great videos!
Who is Paul??
This is like the perfect combo between a Les Paul and a Strat.
Look at all the axes !
Great video, and insight on your playing style. For me, I find stainless frets to be very bright sounding -- too bright really. Maybe if I played frequently in a real touring band --- my Walter Mitty fantasy --- the zing of stainless would disappear in the mix with all the other musicians and some EQ. But in my basement by myself, the stainless zing is distracting. So for my Warmoth necks, I now only use regular nickle and they sound perfect to my ears.
If you do not have a guitar tech, a well set up Floyd Rose is the best. I have played many gigs with Kramer American guitars in the 1990's, and I was a pro at getting the strings stretched out, and staying in tune. Love your videos Sam.
Thorpenator agreed mate!
Great video, you did a really good job
Wish you would've talked a bit about the contoured neck heel and how it compares to a standard strat-like heel in terms of playability.
Love your videos man.
My anorak is seriously chafing! Thank you Sam, really enjoyed that. Have you ever tried threaded metal inserts and bolts for attaching a neck rather than the standard method of using screws? Two of my guitars have it and there is more resonance and sustain. I believe Malmsteen has Fender do that to his signature guitar.
This is a superior way to attach a neck. I'm sure it would probably give a bit more sustain as the connection would be more mechanically sound. Not only that... if you take the neck off for work alot or if you want to dissemble the guitar for travel ....this is the way to go. Eventually those wood screws will wear out where as a bolt into an insert basically won't unless you cross thread it. Bill Kirchen did this to his Tele......that being said ......I adjusted the truss rod on my Warmoth neck once ......22 years ago...strung with 11-50's and haven't had to adjust it since .....they are that stable in my opinion ......so 🤷♂️
Ronnie Nose thanks! I haven’t tried that but I would like to for sure!
Spring holder is called the claw. Are you still in Calgary or did you move to England ? Sept 3 2021. You must practice tons !!!!
Awesome guitar
Nice guitar Sam, stainless rules!
Cool guitar! Love Gary Moore too!
Warmoth is amazing. I would buy one over a Suhr or Tom Anderson or Fender CS (I owned the three) anytime!
Not over a Custom Fender but definitely Suhr and Tom Anderson
@@ralex3697 I had a friend who owned a guitar shop, I had the privilege to play and own a load of Fender CS through the years and clearly... They're not that great. Even the most expensive ones. I guess it's a dream to play on a CS but in all objectivity you only pay the master luthier salary. My friend was in a blues band, he grew up with Fender and had some kind of veneration for the brand (everything else was crap to him) but he sincerely recognized that my Warmoth was way way way better than any other custom he was selling at this time.
I was hoping you would play a little, maybe next time. Nice axe.
Love it❤❤❤🎸🎸🎸🔥🔥🔥😎
I insert picks between the block and the wood if I want to Drop D it. Also, the more springs you install the less out of tune the guitar will get by dropping the D
Nuno Carmona nice man! I like less springs for that super loose feel
I think it would be awesome if you tried a Kiesel guitar on your channel.
Any chance putting the links to all the parts would be amazing
Hello from Calgary. I have never had anything but my Epiphone Les Paul with stock pickups. I was thinking of changing the pups. Would it make much difference in tone ? I suppose you put high end pups in all your axes. Is there a set you could recommend for play rock and blues ? Did William ever find that pick that fell through the deck ?
Neil Dorin thanks Neil! After market pickups is great fun. My favourite low output pup that’s great for blues is the BKP mule. Cheers! (No sign of the pick lol)
Thankyou for sharing your specs and going into details. I love Floyd rose.
You got on some great points .
Do you expriment with strings?
Being in tune is overrated , just ask Jimmy Page haha, but seriously this video was great , enjoyed your tour of this beautiful guitar
Big mistake not having a phase switch to get the correct BoRap solo sound ;) Also I've got in one guitar the Burns' Brian May Tri-Sonics wires as Hum in the bridge and singel coil in the neck and boy do you get close to the sound and there is a pretty cool trick to get the BoRap sound out of a HS guitar.
Zhaggysfaction great idea. I didn’t think of that to be honest.
How much did the whole guitar cost thanks
Hey Brother, good video, I like it. But ... why do you keep comparing it to a Les Paul? You are comparing it to a model that is single cut, 24.75 inch scale length, set neck with extreme break angle at the headstock, tune-o-matic bridge with no tremolo, etc. This beauty is double cut, bolt on neck, Floyd Rose trem... pretty much as far away from a Les Paul as you can get. This thing is a lot more like a Super Strat from Charvel, Ibanez, Jackson, etc (which are my favorite style of guitar). Anyway, very nice and really shows the quality of what you get from Warmoth.
The volume knob doesn't look like one of the standard options from Warmoth. Did they drill that for you or did you do it after it was finished?
I would also love to know the answer to this question
how well does the neck fit?
I'm not sure that in 2020 any guitar manufacturer should still be making neck heel joints like that. Guitar players demands the higher access on the neck to be much more comfortable nowadays and with even cheap guitar companies having a smoothed out heel, there is no excuse that Warmoth are still making guitars with really old fashioned neck heel joints.
To be totally honest with you, this is still my favourite bolt on neck joint. Feels great to me
How heavy is this guitar?
Are there finish on the neck?
Daniel F it’s got the satin finish
Man you have to try a prs custom 22 😉
alexdelby yes they are great!