Warmoth Necks?

[lerxst6]

What am I missing? I seem to have read in a few places that the Warmoth "Fender-style" necks will not work with Ibanez, and it definitely makes sense with the AANJ style joint.

I have a 1991 540-R I would like to re-build with a new neck (never been a fan of the shark tooth inlays). So, this isn't the AANJ. Seems like the pocket width for the Ibanez is ~56.5mm, and the Warmoth (Fender) neck width is 55.5mm. Can't I just shim the top by ~.5mm to center it up?

Anyone here every had any luck using a Warmoth neck on an Ibanez R or S series? Any other replacement neck company recommended?

Thanks!!!

[Timbaline]

I think you can get the to custom make a neck, also you can ask Jaden Rose (one of the dealers above) to make you a neck as well

[TJMonster51]

Might have more to do with the scale length after the neck is bolted on. Its a bolt on and that 1 mm doesnt make a huge difference. You would just have to tighten those bolts pretty tight.

[forest4]

You have a '91 R540 and your thinking of putting another neck on it?? My head is spinning. These are maybe the best necks on the best guitars Ibanez has ever produced, especially if the plate says 'Case ave, North Hollywood Ca.' The Bensalem Pensilvania ones being the next best. You are the master of your own Universe, and I respect that, but if you remove this neck please, Pleeeease give me a
chance to take it off your hands.

[lerxst6]

I'll do that Forest, if I wind up switching. I was planning to sell the neck and figured I could get a decent amount of $ for it. The neck plate is the North Hollywood address.

A lot of it is that I've been playing an American Standard tele almost exclusively for the last 6 years, and I prefer the feel of the Fender necks now. My other electric is a 1988 540-S (that I've had since 1989), and I've played the 540-S, played the tele back and forth and just prefer the Tele. The other part is purely cosmetic. I've always preferred the look of maple fingerboards to the rosewood, and both the 540-R and 540-S are rosewood of course. And this 540-R has the sharktooth inlays, which I really don't like the look of either.

My plan is to do a custom EVH stripe inspired paint job for the 540-R, so it's really not going to look like an Ibanez in the end anyways. I bought the guitar last year and the body is pretty beat. Lots of scratches and a few dings. Desperately needs a paint job. I bought it mainly due to my unhealthy obsession with that 540-R/Radius/JS body shape. I just love that body. Now I've got a JS700 and I'm planning to build a JS6 body from a Honduran mohogany body blank I've acquired. That's another huge project.

I could potentially just replace the fretboard I guess, but that seems like a lot of work when you can buy well made replacement necks for less than $200. The Warmoth I like would be ~$220 with the prep done for the locking nut and a nice flame maple fingerboard.

Once I'm going on this thing I'll PM you if I'm gonna sell the neck!

[albee1952]

While I agree that the Ibanez necks are killer(and they are my fav), on that model, a strat neck will indeed work and intonate just fine. I have done some odd things with Ibanez stuff. I would be more inclined to put the Ibanez neck on a strat though(already done this twice). Heck, I even put a square heeled 550 neck on a Tom Anderson body(after shortening the overhang and shaving the sides.......not for the faint of heart)

[forest4]

Sounds good. I hope it turns out beyond your expectations! Seriously, let me know about the neck, I would love to have a spare.

[SColfax]

You should definitely contact them and ask. I have a Warmoth neck on my Strat and really love it.

[lerxst6]

I did, and told them it was NOT the AANJ body to match to, and they said "nothing we make is compatible with Ibanez products"

I wound up ordering a Musikraft with a 2 1/4" heel. A friend with a lot more experience in guitar building than I have recommended that. The pocket width on my 540-R pocket is sorta in between the 2 3/16" and 2 1/4" (56.5mm/2.22"), and he said we could just sand a little off the neck pocket to get it seated properly if it was a bit tight. Better that then the shimming.

I've heard good stuff about Musikraft too. Comparable pricing. Only problem is it will take 4-6 weeks to get here since it's considered a "custom" order, but this is a guitar I've been thinking about for a year, so another month won't kill me. I will build another guitar where I can use the fender pocket size, so I might go with at Warmoth for that one. That's probaly 6-8 months away though.

Originally Posted by SColfax

You should definitely contact them and ask. I have a Warmoth neck on my Strat and really love it.

[SColfax]

Originally Posted by lerxst6

I did, and told them it was NOT the AANJ body to match to, and they said "nothing we make is compatible with Ibanez products"

Ooh, that sucks.

4-6 weeks isn't too long though, not if the neck is perfect!