Warmoth Fatback v. Warmoth Boatneck (Vintage Modern)

[boris bubbanov]

Very, very little difference, IMHO.
A while back I bought 4 Warmoth 1 + 11/16ths boatnecks, 1 Strat and 3 Tele, some maple, some rosewood, which were fitted with 6150 frets. All nutted, finished now. Very impressed, very playable size, easy to adapt to, each giving its respective guitar a much bigger stance, with vast improvement for instance on the delicate Strat.
Just opened the box on 4 Warmoth 1 + 11/16ths fatbacks, 1 Strat and 3 Teles, one Tele only being maple this time, fitted with 6105s.
The fretwork is actually more tangible than the difference in the neck profile. Both are one inch, no taper, all the way from heel to headstock. The shoulders don't seem much different, I guess any wood missing from a boatneck would be halfway between the fretboard and the skunk stripe, just not very much wood missing. Perhaps the fatback will be an even bigger sound, more likely I'll have to remind myself which of the 2 neck types is making the sound coming out the Blue Dog.
These are of course Vintage Modern. The true vintage, well, Warmoth has so little of that on the 'showcase', I couldn't find the right specifications. And I am too scared to try the heavy 'pro' design, for reasons discussed elsewhere. The 10-16 conical radius does not take much adapting to, I seem to be able to jump from this design to vintage and back no sweat.
Trouble is, it looks like I've depleted all their stock in these sizes. I hope they make more, but I might be set for a while unless a USACG comes calling.

Bubbanov

These range from $ 157-193, and with the light to medium amount of birdseye and figure, this is arguably a better deal than an Allparts with bland clear maple at any sum over $ 105. The dimensions on the TMO-FAT are nice, tho.

[Christmas]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

These range from $ 157-193, and with the light to medium amount of birdseye and figure, this is arguably a better deal than an Allparts with bland clear maple at any sum over $ 105. The dimensions on the TMO-FAT are nice, tho.

Kinda off-topic, but: I don't think price or "better deal" is the issue when comparing an Allparts neck to a Warmoth (Fatback) neck. The profiles are really nothing alike, aside from being "fat." The Warmoth Fatback is a C-shape with little shoulders whereas the Allparts TMO-FAT is a U-shape with big shoulders (just like a Nocaster).

I ordered a Warmoth Fatback because I wanted a Nocaster-like neck with bigger frets and a 9.5" radius...I was pretty dissapointed. The Warmoth felt pretty good (although not truly 1" deep...more like 0.98" measured with calipers), but I sold it because it wasn't what I wanted. The TMO-FAT did it for me.

[boris bubbanov]

Point very well taken.

I have a CS NOS Nocaster, and I do not get tired of playing it, no.

But day in day out it is a bit too much shoulder, a bit too much U. I am a bit more comfortable on for instance a MIM Baja neck on a long stint.

Been trying to learn all I can about the TMO-VEE because I was concerned I might feel obliged to take a little shoulder off any TMO-FAT I bought.

Admittedly that, together with the clear maple look matters perhaps more to me than the pure price, and I guess that's why I recently bought 8 Warmoths and no Allparts. So far.

You are correct about the Warmoth Fatback being one 64ths shy of actual one inch, as I just measured the 3 Teles; where the Boatnecks were IIANM right on one inch. Mebbe that's why the Fatback doesn't really seem much heftier to the hand.

I guess I am kinda adaptive; I will try a little different profile if I can get other features I want; I should remember that quite a few guys gotta have every bit of the girth the TMO-FAT or Nocaster offers, no exceptions.

Bubbanov

[Christmas]

Yeah, no doubt my Warmoth Fatback neck was a beauty with birdseye maple and a satin finish. It it did have a rosewood board and 1-11/16" nut width, which is something Allparts does not offer on their TMO-FAT. Like most things, it's all about personal preference.

[boris bubbanov]

I do the nitro myself, as I like to contour the backside of the headstock even more than Warmoth does it. Allparts is closer that way than any other I know of, but that Warmoth light to medium birdseye, can't get enough of that look, that naturally toned color.

I've just installed 3 precut nuts, graphtech for rosewood, tusq for one piece maple. Still must admit I cannot distinguish the two by sound, ever. Just a smidge off the 3 high points, more so on the high E side. A smidge off the 1 +11/16ths nut length on the '1.686' nut width Tele neck, the '1.689' and '1.691' are fine as they are. I also clean up the nut so it fits just so in the slot, the thinnest trace of yellow glue on the nut bottom where it will not get on the fingerboard.

I hate to say how little measuring I do, I mostly just use my eye to get the nut in there right. When you do a whole lot of 'em, it becomes automatic, dare I say?

Bubbanov

[boris bubbanov]

Just want to say I've been checking these Fatbacks out and I'm very pleased with the fretwork and finishing. Maybe buying four gets you eggroll.


Bubbanov

[boris bubbanov]

Got the rosewood Strat Warmoth Fatback installed on my upgrade Highway One. This is even better sounding than the maple one piece Fatback I had on there a while back before that neck graduated to a USACG alder body. Real nice finish with the nitro, graphtech precut nut, Gotoh 'klusons', 6105s not 6150s. Just a better fit, sets up real nice.

I kinda like the Boatneck shape, but this slightly huskier neck really has guns.


Bubbanov

[boris bubbanov]

Put a Fatback Warmoth Tele 1 + 11/16ths rosewood neck on a black Squier 51 body with nothing more than a 3 brass barrel Mike Levitt 'bubba' mod, usual Gotoh 'klusons', graphtech precut nut. Had had a Gotoh'd and nutted rosewood neck off a Squier Tele Special, ok I guess, but this is stellar. Had to raise the saddles a little, same set of D'Addario 11-49s onto the new posts like nothing happened, just jumping out at me on this Peavey C50 2 X 12 with the new JJs and the Weber Blue Dogs. Just jumping. Good fat neck, probably will do as much or more for whatever USACG Tele body it gets mated up to. 6105s; I seem to prefer these over the 6150s on the Boatnecks.

Don't underestimate the importance of a well equipped neck. Vintage Modern means conical radius, 10 inch to 16 inch, very playable and fine for fast and easy chords.

Bubbanov

[Jellecaster]

I used Fatbacks on the first few guitars I built and switched to boat necks on the last couple after I realized that I like a "V" profile. I guess I found more of a difference than you have, but I still want more "V" (and cowbell). The next neck that I order will have the "Clapton" profile.