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Warmoth SG build

Discussion in 'DIY Strat Forum' started by StratoMutt, Sep 20, 2020.

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  1. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    Ordered guitar parts for another assembly. SG style Warmoth bolt on. It'll be a Fudgsicle of sorts.

    Two P90s - unsure of which ones. Suggestions are most welcome.

    Warmoth:

    https://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Warmoth/Vortex/ChooseConstruction.aspx

    Gibson scale conversion. Mahogany / Ebony with clear gloss. Abalone dots. SS 6105 frets. I'm doing my own bone nut install. I have C.F. Martin branded chrome Gotoh or Grover tuners to use.

    I have some Martin reject rosewood headplate scraps I'll use to make my own truss rod cover. Know what I want to try already. Should look quite nice!

    https://www.warmoth.com/Pages/ClassicShowcase.aspx?Body=2&Type=10&Path=Diamondback

    Mahogany in clear gloss. Fudgsicle. I'm going to attempt a custom pickguard myself. Some vague ideas already.

    https://www.philadelphialuthiertool...with-plated-brass-saddles-for-vintage-gibson/

    Made in USA locking ABR-1 bridge, tailpiece and a made in USA "Strat" neck plate.

    I know the wanker who'll assemble it, also made in the USA.

    $735.53 thus far. I could be dead by the time the Warmoth bits arrive for all I know. They are still catching up on orders due to Covid. Could be well over three months...
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2020
    StratoMutt, Sep 20, 2020
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  2. CB91710

    CB91710 No GAS shortage here Double Platinum Supporting Member

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    Will be a fun project!
     
    CB91710, Sep 21, 2020
    #2
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  3. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    Yep.

    The waiting is excruciating!

    I went all clear gloss to keep the cost down. Not going to be a looker, unless you like wood grain. A fudgecicle. I spent a lot on the quarter sawn maple and Macassar Ebony on me StratoMutt project. I see no reason to do that here. I want a Gibson style P-90 guitar.

    The tilt back necks seem to all use scarf joints. I'm OK with that - should make for a stronger neck. In theory. The odd bit with this is they do not offer opaque poly finishes on the tilt back necks to hide the joint.

    I have no business behind any sort of spray gun, so I'm also fine with that.

    A strap button on that body looks tricky. I'll figure it out. I'd have preferred a LP Special double cut shape - not offered.
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2020
    StratoMutt, Sep 21, 2020
    #3
  4. AcrylicSuperman

    AcrylicSuperman Strat-O-Master

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    The wait is still a little long but i have been noticing warmoth starting to gain some ground on their orders so you might not have to wait as long as you think.
     
    AcrylicSuperman, Sep 21, 2020
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  5. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    Expecting bad, hoping for better. Still have much to plan out anyway.

    Lots of time to select pickups. I'm drawn to these already: https://www.mojotone.com/P-90Pickups_x#/

    Quiet or not to quiet? I'll be calling them to pick their brains on what makes these tick.

    By the vague description, they may be laid out like Lace Sensor Holy Grails, which I love in my StratoMutt. Two horizontal coils instead of vertically stacked.
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2020
    StratoMutt, Sep 21, 2020
    #5
  6. AcrylicSuperman

    AcrylicSuperman Strat-O-Master

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    I know that their quiet coils are definitely a side by side design. I've never used their quiet coil p90s, but I have used their strat quiet coils and love them. Despite the fact that they are humcancelling, they're actually pretty convincing in tone. Can't image their p90s being much different. The average joe is definitely never going to know.
     
    AcrylicSuperman, Sep 21, 2020
    #6
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  7. CB91710

    CB91710 No GAS shortage here Double Platinum Supporting Member

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    It's all going to be about balance.... the LPDC tends to be worse than the SG when it comes to neck-dive. It is occasionally an issue with lighter weight Teles.
    My Epiphone SG is terrible, it really is just not enjoyable to play (for more than one reason), but my 2020 Gibson, even with locking Grovers, is fine. I was concerned because the balance point was really close to the strap button, but it's solid. I was prepared to put wheel weights in the control cavity LOL

    Add the button last, after it's complete and you can find the balance point. You may end up wanting to put the button on the upper bout like Iommi, maybe still on the back to conceal it.
     
    CB91710, Sep 21, 2020
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  8. CB91710

    CB91710 No GAS shortage here Double Platinum Supporting Member

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    I've got a set of the MJT Quiet Coils in my SG.
    I like them... Hard to give a good comparison to a "true" P90 tone though, as my only other P90 guitar is the Harley Benton Goldtop and it's been over a year since I've plugged it in.

    They are a sideways stacked humbucker, IOTW, as if you took a conventional stacked Duncan or Fender Noiseless and laid it on its side, then separated the coils with the pole pieces.
    I guess the theory is that the direction of the current flow under the strings is the same as a P90, there is no flow off the ends of the pickups... and the "reverse" flow on the opposite side of the coil is deeper in the cavity.

    There are a few comparison videos on YT and their Strat QQ's compare favorably.
     
    CB91710, Sep 21, 2020
    #8
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  9. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    The first of the parts have arrived:

    https://www.philadelphialuthiertool...with-plated-brass-saddles-for-vintage-gibson/

    https://www.philadelphialuthiertool...ar-tailpiece-set-studs-and-anchor-for-gibson/

    https://www.philadelphialuthiertool...guitar-neck-plate-104-thick-chrome-no-screws/

    I'll get those out to Warmoth tomorrow. All the Philly stuff is made in the USA - a bonus for me.

    The bridge is comparable to the much pricier Faber nickel - no chrome offered: https://www.faberguitar.com/ABRL-NG...em-Gloss-Nickel-Brass-saddles-nickel-plated_1

    $73 currently.

    You are better off buying from Germany as the USA site items are pricier yet: https://faberusa.com/product/3031-tone-lock-bridge-gloss-nickel-for-abr1/

    $99. German shipping is more expensive, but you still save $ over the US site.

    I have a Faber aged gold on my Lester. The locking studs are superb. The machining is tight and precise.

    The Philly bridge is nearly as well machined, except the saddles and screws can fall out despite having C clip retainers. Not as bad as original wired ToMs, but something to be aware of.

    The Faber screws and saddles are quite secure as they take some real effort to remove the tiny C clip retainers.

    The chrome on the Philly stuff is excellent:

    IMG9935s.jpg

    IMG9942s.jpg
     
    StratoMutt, Sep 24, 2020
    #9
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  10. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    I have Martin rosewood head plate rejects to use. Definitely will make a truss rod cover out of some and am considering a pickguard too.

    IMG9927s.jpg
    This is a roasted maple example of the Warmoth Vortex tuning head - just pretend it is mahogany in clear gloss.

    Images without and with an actual scale sample of what I'm considering. A flush mount cover would be ideal. Still trying to figure out how to secure it in place.

    VortexHead3.png

    VortexHead3a.png
     
    StratoMutt, Sep 24, 2020
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  11. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    What height do you have them set at? I'm considering three P-90s again. The middle pickup on my StratoMutt build sometimes gets in the way, using Lace's recommended heights. Mildly annoying, mostly gotten over by now.
     
    StratoMutt, Sep 29, 2020
    #11
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  12. CB91710

    CB91710 No GAS shortage here Double Platinum Supporting Member

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    I set the neck as I typically do... 1/8" then dropped it a little to taste.
    The bridge won't go high enough because the neck angle is pretty steep and the bridge is higher than I'd normally like.. coupled with the body was built for humbuckers and I opened it up for P90s, so the bridge pickup cavity is much deeper than needed... Right now it's barely resting on the foam and I could still drive a truck under the strings.

    When I get time, it's going to get spaced up properly, and top-wrapped so I don't have to jack up the tailstop.

    But I love the feel of the SG, and the neck pickup sounds great. Bridge sounds good, but much lower level than the neck of course.

    SG-Bridge2.jpg
    SG-Body.jpg
     
    CB91710, Sep 29, 2020
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  13. nadzab

    nadzab Play Don't Worry Silver Member

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    Perhaps small magnets? Carve a small scallop at the top of the cover recess - just big enough to slip a fingernail under to remove the cover.
     
    nadzab, Sep 29, 2020
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  14. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    Excellent images!

    Learning as I go... Been a top wrapper for over 40 years and plan to do so on this build.
     
    StratoMutt, Sep 29, 2020
    #14
  15. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    That is what I'll try. I got a similar similar suggestion from another member on another forum.

    A big triangle with three ugly screws seems overly sloppy.
     
    StratoMutt, Sep 29, 2020
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  16. nadzab

    nadzab Play Don't Worry Silver Member

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    I was going to try the magnet thing on a kit build I did a few years ago, but after a lot of planning and consideration, I bailed on the idea, and just used black screws. I like your idea with the flush mount, though, and I bet the magnets would work. I just went with a rosewood & abalone cover from eBay:

    image.jpeg
     
    nadzab, Sep 29, 2020
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  17. CB91710

    CB91710 No GAS shortage here Double Platinum Supporting Member

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    I top-wrapped my Epi SG and didn't feel there was any benefit.
    The V and Lester don't need it... there's clearance with the tailpeice decked, and the V has gold hardware so I'm happy not to mar the top of the tailpiece.
    You can see how high the SG is.... it needs it.

    BTW... those chrome covers came from Philadelphia, and yes, it was a nail-biting experience carefully removing the plastic covers from the Quiet Coils... I was really worried I was going to break the interconnection wires when I saw how they were wound.
     
    CB91710, Sep 29, 2020
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  18. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    A Warmoth head and the supplied "that'll do" cover. To me it is a what does not belong here kind of image.

    [​IMG]
     
    StratoMutt, Oct 2, 2020
    #18
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  19. CB91710

    CB91710 No GAS shortage here Double Platinum Supporting Member

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    Was the HS pre-drilled for the cover?
    I've seen some covers similar to the Taylor cover on Amazon.
     
    CB91710, Oct 2, 2020
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  20. StratoMutt

    StratoMutt Senior Stratmaster

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    OOH, I better make sure they do not!

    Another post of yours ... do you think the Philly covers provide additional shielding?
     
    StratoMutt, Oct 2, 2020
    #20
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