How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar?

[Econ]

What do you think would be reasonable (price wise) to pay for having someone assemble a guitar (made of Warmoth parts)? Price to pay should reflect anything that needs to be done to the guitar to play smoothly (eg. setup, fret dress if needed, etc).

[hippietim]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar?

it depends really. you need to say what the guitar config will be and what finish work needs to be done.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

I THINK, if I remember correctly, my brother got one of my best friends (the budding luthier) to slap all the parts together and set it up for $75 Canadian. I personally would have done it myself if it were my guitar, and if the neck/body were bought finished. I don't know the first thing about painting a guitar body and I wouldn't want to send it to Dr Newcenstein to finish it for me. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Econ]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

I'm thinking a strat body with a bolt on maple neck, gotoh tuners, floyd rose (not recessed) and a pickguard with a hum-hum pickup combo, one vol knob and a three way selector switch. I would get both body and neck finished from Warmoth.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

In that case, I'd probably want to put it together myself. Over the past four and a half years of playing guitar, I've set up numerous friends' guitars and all of my own but have always wanted to put one together for myself. It would personally be a great learning experience for me.

I believe Warmoth can also do rear-routed Strat bodies if that is more your preference. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Econ]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

The thing is that I don't know anything about drilling holes on a guitar, installing pickups or do setups. I need to have an idea as to what would be reasonable for having a guitar assembled to see if I should do it.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

The holes are all drilled by Warmoth as long as you specify them. For example, on certain bodies on their Showcase section of their website, there are some that are totally unrouted/undrilled, and so you can specify any pickup routes and any number of control knob holes and such. The neck pockets will also come with the neck pocket screw holes, and so will the necks themselves. Tuner holes are drilled and the size is specified so you know exactly what type of tuners you should choose. Warmoth basically does all the difficult work for you (if you request it).

Yes, I can understand about the pickup installation. I don't know how to do that myself either. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Gonna get my luthier buddy to teach me this summer, finally. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Hmm, perhaps you could ask the person putting together your Warmoth if you could watch the whole process so that you could pick up some valuable tips. It'll probably be very rewarding. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Jacksonfan]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

A soldering iron/gun is your friend! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

It's not very difficult to wire pups, pots, jacks and switches, especially with all the wiring diagrams available online. Give it a try! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]


Chris

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

Yeah, I know. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I've been told a million times. My luthier buddy tells me it will take longer warming up the damn iron than actually teaching me to solder. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Truth is that I don't own a soldering iron... yet. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Time to get crackin... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Jacksonfan]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

Ain't that the truth!?! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I have a soldering gun with a two stage trigger. It heats up in just a few seconds! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

I made a huge thread resurrection in the Non J/C Related section regarding a certain soldering iron I looked into a year ago... could be my ticket to get crackin'. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Econ]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

The electronics part is what scares me away from doing this. I actually tried one time to install a pickup by myself and it was a disaster. Had to take it to my tech.

[Bengal65]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

Get yourself a copy of Dan Erlewine's book or better yet a DVD video on assembling a bolt on neck guitar. You can order on-line at www.stewmac.com. I started building my own guitars in 1984. Dan's books and video's are excellent. It's not really difficult and you can do your own set-ups after putting your own guitar together. With a few tools and the tricks he teaches it's straight forward. The only item you may want a luthier to perform is if you need to do a fret level. One area that may be prove difficult for the first time, is the neck to neck pocket fit. Every finished body that comes from Warmoth will have a certain amount of "paint" on the sides of the neck cavity. The finish on the neck also can vary, thus contributing to the neck pocket fit. You will have to carefully sand these areas to get a good snug, but not tight fit. In the 12 Warmoth necks I've setup, I've never had to perform a fret level, but have had to perform the neck pocket fit on all but one. Their work is pretty excellent.

[Superfly]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

[ QUOTE ]
Get yourself a copy of Dan Erlewine's book or better yet a DVD video on assembling a bolt on neck guitar. You can order on-line at www.stewmac.com. I started building my own guitars in 1984. Dan's books and video's are excellent. It's not really difficult and you can do your own set-ups after putting your own guitar together. With a few tools and the tricks he teaches it's straight forward. The only item you may want a luthier to perform is if you need to do a fret level. One area that may be prove difficult for the first time, is the neck to neck pocket fit. Every finished body that comes from Warmoth will have a certain amount of "paint" on the sides of the neck cavity. The finish on the neck also can vary, thus contributing to the neck pocket fit. You will have to carefully sand these areas to get a good snug, but not tight fit. In the 12 Warmoth necks I've setup, I've never had to perform a fret level, but have had to perform the neck pocket fit on all but one. Their work is pretty excellent.

[/ QUOTE ]

+1
Dan is the man with the master plan. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]
I have all of his books and he is one of the best in the biz.
Go for it bro, you can do it. How rewarding would it be to play a guitar that you actually built. Wiring is not all that bad. Especially with all the help online. Get Dans books man, you'll never look at your guitar the same way again. Good luck...

[hippietim]

Re: How much for assembling a Warmoth parts guitar

+2 this is the way to go.