The CHEAPEST vs the MOST EXPENSIVE Warmoth BODY

[@silverjaw138]

People think old fender guitars are somehow special. Man, Leo was slapping whatever the hell he had laying around, multi piece, knots and all. There’s no such thing as “matched” necks and bodies, all bolt on guitars are partscasters and we can build better guitars through Warmoth than any $5k custom shop guitar from the big companies.

[@karlsonkab51]

yep - about 50 years ago I stripped my 1972 Precision bass in hopes to do a transparent red finish - it probably had 5 pieces of "whatever" - a Glarry Burlywood body looks far better

[@Robstafarian]

Anyone who did not know immediately that poplar is the least expensive body wood lives a healthier life than I, at least in some respects.

[@zeusapollo8688]

Poplar is not even good firewood

[@Joe-mz6dc]

@zeusapollo8688 Poplar is excellent furniture wood.

[@schmoemi3386]

There has to be a reason why it is so cheap... 🤔

[@Robstafarian]

@@schmoemi3386 Poplar can be thought of as a wood about as soft as basswood which holds screws better than cheaper examples of basswood while sounding like alder and being heavier than alder typically is. It is cheap because it is plentiful domestically and is used in fewer applications than other, typical guitar woods such as mahogany.

[@tMatt5M]

Poplar is so cheap because poplar trees grow relatively fast

[@huskeryu]

I've got two guitars built from Warmoth parts and I did the wood finishing myself on them; it really is that simple, really satisfying and I think natural wood finishes look terrific.

[@frankbrown3717]

The placement of the volume knob, on the guitar body being held at the beginning and the end of the video is very interesting. Also interesting, out of two guitars painted and three mock orders, four were green... that is four out of the five were green.

[@krasnodarling]

Definitely makes me feel good about the $135 multi-piece roasted ash body I just bought. Turned out to be a 3-piece with very nice grain-matching, appreciate seeing that kind of attention even to the lowest-priced items.

[@TommySG1]

Cool video Aaron, what’s funny is I’ve been on this site so often I can probably navigate through it almost as fast as you man ahah! This is a true sign that I do seriously have a Warmoth GAS issue 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@doubbledonkeydude]

WarMoth fans when PeaceButterfly walks in

[@Push-Pull]

problem with pricing is international shipping costs

[@GuillermoSmyser]

Any time I play around on the custom design menu it always ends up lookin sweet.

[@schmoemi3386]

What about insanely expensive off menu options? 🙈

[@JoeR203]

I switched from a Strat body to a Soloist in Alder. It will have a humbucker in the bridge and a single coil in the neck. A 3 way blade switch and the volume control will be in the tone control position. It'll have the recessed Floyd Rose rout and be finished in Taos Turquoise. I'll get red pickups and a red Floyd Rose from their "Special Vibe" series. Now, if only I had the money.

[@miguelnewmexico8641]

you got me at the end there. if money was no object, oh man the things i'd buy...

[@stringspicksandfiddlestick6388]

Warmoth makes great pickguards too. I thought Poplar was cheaper than Alder.

[@4stringz.]

Warmoth videos been CRANKIN’ lately! Love it!! 🎸

[@themobseat]

Warmth?

[@4stringz.]

@@themobseat love that auto correct! 🤣

[@DBSG1976]

Alder Strat body in Daphne Blue with universal route

[@JoeR203]

I like that color but I like the Taos Turquoise better. I had a strat body spec'd out but changed to a Soloist. It'll have a humbucker in the bridge and a single coil in the neck. The volume knob will be placed in the location for the tone knob. The blade switch will be in its normal position. It will have the recessed Floyd Rose rout and I think I'll go with red pickups and a red tremolo from the Floyd Rose Special Vibe series.

[@JimboMidge]

Last year I bought an alder body in Daphne Blue from Warmoth. SSS route though. I went with a 60s vibe with the whole thing so I'll always have 3 single coils in it. I love it. The paint job is perfect. Worth every penny.

[@workdogwern4716]

Maybe I'm remembering wrong. Didn't you guys used to do scheduled color runs way back? I'd love a candy red body, but I get turned off by the price every time I spec it out. Maybe like "order your body by this date for $xxx off the finish charge". My issue is the weight. I need a featherweight body due to back and shoulder issues, and a swimming pool route because I'm always messing with stuff. I can find pre painted bodies for cheap, but not with those specs. Scheduled color runs might drive sales and keep your paint guys from going insane.

[@metalfatigue]

Thanks. I wish you would do a video on dos and dont's of oil finishes (which woods need to be sealed, for example). It could be a win-win because you always seem to be behind with finishing.

[@andrewsmith1520]

Thanks again for the side adjust video last week! I have finally used it now that I knew how to use it and not break it. Worked like a charm! Such a nice feature!

[@bevinmodrak4997]

Interesting location on the controls on that initial strat body in the opening of the vid.

[@warmoth]

That's the "DeLonge Mod", which you can get on our Strat Replacement pickguards.

[@Rob_Zingler]

In the past you've done a video comparing regular and roasted maple necks. Do you think you could please do the same with regular alder and roasted alder bodies (preferably. Stratocaster)? As a customer that would be a much more useful comparison, thanks.

[@SeytonWallace]

Warmoth is the best ever. Customer service. Quality of videos. And best products.

[@chrisfain3612]

How close is the grain match is my concern

[@WindsurfMaui]

Nice video as usual, Aaron. I've purchased a couple of Warmoth bodies, finished and unfinished. My last unfinished body was identical to your cheap body except made out of mahogany which I really love. But I think the best deals are actually the unfinished bodies in the Showcase. I saw some really nice Maple capped bodies at very reasonable prices. If I were going to buy another body it would probably come from the Showcase.

[@CaptainNoDoze]

The weight of any wood can vary greatly. Take an alder strat for example. The range can be between 3.3 and 5.5 lbs. It appears that many people don't understand why this is important.

[@RudeRecording]

Like to see the return of clear back finish over roasted swamp ash with a dye lam top. I have one on a Jazzmaster body and it's awsome!

[@andrewarnold9642]

Could you have a strat body routed to take an evertune?

[@pmdinaz]

Still a value even at the most extravagant option choices. Gotta pay for that expertise! I've only seen a handful of the premium builds, and have to say..they are absolutely flawless.

[@spenser330]

Where is the neck comparison video?

[@warmoth]

It's already shot. You'll see it in a few weeks.

[@EothaG]

I LOVE this video! For fun, I price out guitar builds ALL the time on Warmoth's site. I know it very well. One day when I have some extra cash I'm going to build another Warmoth guitar. One option that I would love for Warmoth to offer would be for a toggle switch control on the lower cutaway "lower horn" on their Strat, Strat 7/8 and Star.

[@jantzencase7524]

What about the cheapest baritone neck my 1st warmoth order would be a strat with a single humbucker

[@Krullmatic]

Is the Gloss that they put on Nitro?

[@MrSuperHappyFunBall]

Can you specify what type of shape you want for a rear routed control cavity? The builder doesn’t go into that. LP vs Cabronita (for example).

[@warmoth]

Nope, the control cavity shape can't be changed.

[@MrSuperHappyFunBall]

@@warmothwell then should tell you what it will be.

[@robphillips8351]

Does tungoil finish poplar okay?? Im going the cheap route for a build I'm doing soon.. if poplar dosent take oil ok then I'll do alder but just curious about poplar and tungoil or similar oil finish..

[@philliphanford2792]

Can I simply bolt that together with my neck aligning the predrilled holes, put the lags in straight... or is more complicated? It would be a Warmoth strat neck, my preferences, and a Warmoth strat body so I do not know about any specific matching at this point if any strat neck goes with any strat body... just send me to a video if you like I have not seen them all.

[@Chimp_No_1]

Fascinating ! Thanks for sharing !

[@jackmaddox4960]

What about if the expensive Strat had a recessed Floyd route..? And a 1-piece body..? Also, is the Mooncaster the most expensive body? For some reason I seem to recall something like the Explorer or Iceman shape, I don't recall for sure, but an oddball solid body shape, that was CRAZY expensive, at least compared to a Strat. Totally unrelated, two things I kinda 'yearn' for: first, I've always liked Strat bodies with NO contours, forearm or tummy cut, kinda like the old Ibanez Roadstar II's. The RS130 was pretty much my first "good" guitar, maple neck on an olympic white body, 3 single coils, and the non-trem brass bridge (some will roll eyes, but the Japanese Ibanez and Squires from the early/mid 80's were better than ANYTHING being made by Fender then), and I think Strats look really cool that way (same edge radius, just no contours), but sadly it costs MORE to get no contours, not less..! So, not an option within my budget. Not that I CAN'T afford it, I just don't want to pay more for less, y'know? The other off the wall thing is, waaaay back when you guys had the contoured top Soloist, and it had this cool sorta slightly raised edge around it, almost a slight lip; super impractical for sure, but just looked cool as all get-out. Probably a total hair-pulling hemorrhoid to make, though! maybe not so much now with CNC. But still, it's not like you guys have any shortage of body styles! I keep waiting for the Warmoth take on the Parker Fly...!!

[@themobseat]

Jimi played an alder strat, Buddy Holly played Ash bodied strats. It worked OK for them.

[@henrygvidonas9573]

Jeff Beck's favourite white Strat had a "cheap" basswood body. It was just what sounded and felt best to him when he experimented with various bodies and necks he got from Fender, after he had accidentally "murdered" his surf green Strat on stage.

[@jeffkoerbor1370]

Mooncaster reminds me of a 70s stingray guitar body when you look at a 2d flat picture of it

[@henrygvidonas9573]

It's the shape of the CBS-era semi-hollowbody Fender Starcaster, first introduced to the market in 1976.

[@jeffkoerbor1370]

@@henrygvidonas9573 I figured.

[@KainzMusic]

I've been curious about this since I first saw it decades ago... No charge to rout out a trem (vintage, 2 point Fender, Gotoh, Wilkinson, Floyd) on a body but $45 to cut a Floyd nut on a neck. Routing the body takes longer and removes a truckload more wood than cutting a Floyd nut (I'm aware it's all CNC but it still takes a while to carve out a fulcrum spring trem cavity) . Why the extra to cut the nut slot for other than standard?

[@warmoth]

Trem routs are done by CNC. Floyd nut shelves are done by hand. They need to be much more precise, and depth varies by fret size the customer has chosen.

[@KainzMusic]

@@warmoth I woulda never thought that. Thanks for the info!

[@thseed7]

Just saying, my one piece swamp ash strat body with the transparent turquoise gloss finish and roasted flame maple neck makes a really pretty guitar 😉🤘

[@2204JCM]

I have a one piece Alder body from Warmoth many years ago. Is that still an option if you have it in stock?

[@LafBoi]

Why not basswood? Isnt it like 10 dollars less?

[@baileywatts1304]

Is there a way to ask for no control cavity, in case I have possibly foolish plans for rear routing it out myself including making the cover include the jack plate.

[@warmoth]

We can do that as an "off menu " option if you call in.

[@heikoschwammle4650]

😎 my last body was about 500€ so little about your sweet spot. You should consider a complete build of a max and min guitar.

[@coleslawyum]

I mostly shop in the showcase for the finished bodies. But I think the most expensive body I got from you guys was a quilt top blue dye Flying V and a custom blend dye job, double bound 5A flame maple Tele. Neither tipped over the $1G mark. IMO Warmoth is way more worth it than the Fender Custom shop, with better options.

[@NothingNowhere-vu5oq]

Ever tried to sell one? My question is rhetorical, but I know that you would take a 50% loss, at minimum. Parts guitars are worth almost nothing.

[@Joe-mz6dc]

NothingNowhere-vu5oq Parts guitars are meant to be purchased for life. Anyone who buys and builds a parts guitar and thinks they're going to profit from a sale is an idiot.

[@miguelnewmexico8641]

@@NothingNowhere-vu5oq uncalled for.

[@MrSuperHappyFunBall]

Aaron, I’m on that tool a lot. I found a discrepancy on the pricing for Warmoth to install the bridge studs. The tool lists the fee at $25, but the “learn more” link language lists at $10. Which is it?

[@warmoth]

25

[@MrSuperHappyFunBall]

@@warmoththen fix it.

[@eduardocarvalho7095]

now.... how do they sound like????

[@mookyshoots1]

I wish Koa lam tops were still a standard menu option :(

[@warmoth]

Koa has become so rare and expensive in the last decade that it's just not possible. Limited Runs only for the foreseeable future.

[@mookyshoots1]

@@warmoth Gotcha. Makes sense. Thanks!

[@MixingGBP]

Maybe you do want to keep the cheapest at alder for $195 because poplar is usually paint grade. It would not look good with just oil finish for most cases. And poplar is very soft without some kind of protection from the finish. Painting the poplar so it looks good would easily be $30 or more if the customer wants to paint it on their own, assuming they have the time and skill to do it.

[@warmoth]

Great point!

[@Joe-mz6dc]

poplar is usually paint grade." That is completely untrue. Poplar is very often used in high-end furniture with stain finishes.

[@MixingGBP]

True, but to get it right requires skill, as opposed to staining oak or ash which is easy for even a beginner. With all of the purples, greens, yellows and browns in poplar, you really have to know what you are doing to make it look good. And that stain doesn’t help the fact that poplar dents easily, which some people do not like. I just made a bass body from 8/4 poplar lumber from scratch and let me tell you, it would have looked like #€}% if I had stained it. And I do know what I am doing, not that you asked, though 😊.

[@TheProgGuy]

Floyd Rose angled pocket is $10 more on all bodies that offer it :)

[@nathancourtney2006]

Good information, It’s almost like, I know a guy at Warmoth that’ll hook me up.

[@t-rocket6381]

Great topic

[@JulianFernandez]

Giveaway idea: make a build with the cheapest and more expensive and compare the two?! :D

[@v.k.7463]

I got to $1330 on a Regal with similar features.

[@deanallen927]

Whaaaaaat? Basswood is $20 less than Alder, poplar $30. I have a strat-style guitar I made with a Warmoth basswood body and it sounds and feels superb.

[@heftosprod]

It's all gone mad.. and it's all expensive. And what the hell is "pricing out"? Similar to "swapping out"? Can you price in?

[@TarshishedCactus]

Warmoth is higher quality than PRS. I just got a ce24 and the gap in the neck pocket in crazy! My warmoth looks so much nicer!

[@somebrains5431]

You should look at the junk pots and cap used in an SE. Chokes the potential out of what's installed.

[@skidudek2]

or Bassword $175

[@Route32rg]

The Regal is the most expensive. Should have used that.

[@sega62s]

great stuff

[@garethlewis1279]

VIP Body can get you higher... $1360 I got... Carved Top Hollow with 2 x F-Holes.

[@schmoemi3386]

It has to be that way to get the *real* PRS vibes from that body shape 😅

[@maximcoding2667]

Floyd rose bridge will do more than 1325

[@MilanoGuyTexas]

$195? How much is that in Scooby Snacks?

[@miguelnewmexico8641]

at least 2 or 3.

[@curlzwalk]

#500! Very cool!

[@CHICKPEASLUSTS]

Poplar was the cheapest at $165 vs $195 for Alder. Just saying.. lol ***Edit*** just saw that Poplar was caught in post production. Nothing to see here, carry on!!

[@kevinmackfurniture]

Lots of great options at no extra cost.... Unless you're a Lefty... The red headed stepchild of the guitar industry.

[@warmoth]

We offer nearly every single thing we build in lefty at no extra cost. The few things we don't offer in lefty are because no lefty hardware exists to support them.

[@kevinmackfurniture]

@@warmoth I did a deep dive of your website last night... I was actually very surprised how much you do offer. My comment was more tongue in cheek, peppered with the frustration of being a left handed guitar player. My apologies, for being crass. I think the Mooncaster body might actually be my next guitar purchase. Fender doesn't make this model left handed... But you do.🙌🏻 Any chance you would make a Meteora offset design in the future ? That is also a model that doesn't come in a lefty.

[@richiebohr5421]

Wouldn't it be less expensive by going Poplar?

[@FredBeltran-o3d]

Poplar is the cheapest possible. Are you saying Poplar isn't functional?

[@KilaKrumpira]

He is saying functional=routed out completely.

[@williambaumert7726]

Cool

[@guitaryuan]

I hope you can start a business in China someday. You know a lot of Chinese guitar fans need custom business, and China's guitar custom industry is terrible.

[@zyxwfish]

Poplar is the cheapest body wood

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

Dings easy sad to say but if that doesn't bug ya it's great!

[@zyxwfish]

@@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342 just saying it’s slightly cheaper than alder. I have no idea if it dings easy or not. I know basswood dings real easy.

[@SHENDOH]

1325 is hideous

[@AlternateUniverse]

I waste more time every single day.Building fantasy bodies on that builder.Cheap super expensive middle of the road.Some I end up buying. Let's not forget to add on that extra hundred dollars for the tax and the shipping. Always a downer after spec ing out an $825 luscious monster body.

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

LOL at anyone who's buying a body at the cost of a full blown proven guitar lololol. 1300 hahaha you kiddin me? The cheapo one you put together looks more of my thang but nvm seafoam! Sherwood green is where it's at! Great vid guys. I'll be putting in a body order real soon : )

[@Joe-mz6dc]

Well some people obviously have the money to buy whatever they want at any cost.

[@henrygvidonas9573]

Have fun trying to build a thinline Strat with a luxurious finish any other way. Context matters. Clearly not to you, but to intelligent people it does. Hey, you could buy an Eric Johnson Strat or a Limited Edition and tear it up for parts for more than twice that price. Have a laugh about that.