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Allparts necks?


wagdog

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In my search for a replacement neck for my strat, I've looked might mite (bottom of the spectrum), allparts (middle ground) and warmoth (pricey, good rep).

 

I'm thinking of going with an allparts - they have two necks I'm considering, one has the large headstock and bullet truss rod (which I want as my strat is a '74) - but it has a 7.5" radius and thin frets, which I don't want. This is the LMF model.

 

The other has a 12" radius (want), tinted (want), 22-frets (don't really want, but whatever) and a small headstock and no bullet - at this point I want to play the guitar, so I guess I learn to live with the look. This is the SMF model.

 

anyone have experience to share w/allparts necks? Good or bad?

 

Thanks!

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AllParts isn't the middle ground. They're just as good as Warmoth except they don't have every tiny little option.

 

I have the LMO (unfinished LMF) on one guitar and I love it.

 

wally.jpg

 

Finished in Formby's Tung Oil. For having a 7.25" radius it's extremely easy to play. Set it up right and it plays like butter. The vintage frets don't seem so small when you only have an oil finish on the neck.

 

I haven't tried the SMF, but I do have a TMO-FAT and a TMO-V, too, and I love all three of my Allparts necks. The TMO-FAT is also finished in Tung Oil and the TMO-V was finished in gunstock oil by atrox (Brian Mason).

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I have an Allparts neck on one of my Teles. It has a Nitro finish on it and it has become one of my favorite guitars to play, despite the vintage radius. I am pretty sure it is the TMNF-V.

 

The neck that is on the HCEG Tele is Allparts also. That is a nice neck too.

 

I'd definitely look at getting one for a new project.

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I had an Alparts neck with the vintage radius on my project tele for about 9 years. It did everything a neck is supposed to do except that I could never quite bond with the 7.25" radius. If I had originally purchased a neck with a 12" radius I would have been much better served.

 

I now have a compond radius, vintage/modern Warmoth neck that cost me around $350 that I am almost euphoric about. I am so glad that I got a neck that was exactly what I wanted.

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AllParts isn't the middle ground. They're just as good as Warmoth except they don't have every tiny little option.


I have the LMO (unfinished LMF) on one guitar and I love it.


wally.jpg

Finished in Formby's Tung Oil. For having a 7.25" radius it's extremely easy to play. Set it up right and it plays like butter. The vintage frets don't seem so small when you only have an oil finish on the neck.


I haven't tried the SMF, but I do have a TMO-FAT and a TMO-V, too, and I love all three of my Allparts necks. The TMO-FAT is also finished in Tung Oil and the TMO-V was finished in gunstock oil by atrox (Brian Mason).

 

Thanks for that info - that's a real nice looking strat.

 

The 7.25 radius concerns me though - I want a low action and don't want to fret out on string bends. I've found that to be an issue for me w/that radius.

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I use Allparts necks a lot. i wish they had more options, but I usually refret them anyway with the wire I or the client wants. they are good quality necks. they use 50's specs, so they are a little chunkier.

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Thanks for that info - that's a real nice looking strat.


The 7.25 radius concerns me though - I want a low action and don't want to fret out on string bends. I've found that to be an issue for me w/that radius.

 

 

Honestly, I think super-low action is overrated. I've had guitars set up with such low action that I found them unplayable, but then I'd raise the action a little bit and they'd play like butter.

 

I don't set my guitars up with an actual specification. I hate that "OMG!!! SETUPS ARE A SCIENCE!!!" stuff. Well, yeah, I guess they are, but whipping out a ruler and measuring string height is only one of hundreds of variables to a setup, most of which humans have no control over, like variations in wood.

 

My setup method involves getting a good basic setup without buzz and fretting out and then fine tuning it from there. Honestly, I'm a bit insane, so sometimes a setup for one of my personal guitars can get tweaked over and over and over during the ensuing weeks and months. I'm talking 1/8 of a turn on a saddle screw at a time or something like that... Just to get it right.

 

I'm willing to get that you could get a setup you're happy with on an LMO/LMF neck. I find my LMO and my atrox-prepped TMO-V (both with 7.25" radius) just as easy to play as my Wolfgang with 15" radius.

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no personal experience w/ warmoth (although my friend's got a damn nice warmothcaster...), but i got an unfinished allparts neck for my partscaster and i couldn't be happier. it's got a great feel and it's taken all the abuse i've dealt it.

 

the only thing was that there was some scratchiness when i did bends on the 8th and 10th frets w/ the 3rd and 4th strings. then it just sort of went away. :idk:

plays great now, anyway.

 

i never heard what the radius was, other than the "vintage frets (21), vintage radius" my repair guy told me. i'd say 12", but that's a guess.

 

assuming that you're buying an unfin neck, minwax antique oil is the best to use IMHO. i've used tung oil and i definitely like the minwax better. it doesn't take anywhere near as long to dry and everything, it feels extremely natural and can go on really thin, although you might need to coat the fretboard a few times.

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AllParts isn't the middle ground. They're just as good as Warmoth except they don't have every tiny little option.

 

 

Hmmm, Allparts very good yes, but their fretwork isn't up to Warmoth's quality, also Mighty Mite is not the lower ground either, damn good necks and nicer fret ends than Allparts

Hefners are trying to be like Warmoth, but their fretwork is not perfect yet

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I'm willing to get that you could get a setup you're happy with on an LMO/LMF neck. I find my LMO and my atrox-prepped TMO-V (both with 7.25" radius) just as easy to play as my Wolfgang with 15" radius.

 

 

Maybe. My '74 has a 7.25" radius right now. I love the guitar, but that annoys me about it. I find my other axe's w/12" radius's are easier to play. So as long as I'm replacing the neck, I may as well get a radius I know I'll be happy with.

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have you checked WD's site......their pricing is a little high but you can usually find them for about half on ebay

 

 

I had not heard of WD before your post.

 

I just checked their site, and thought I hit the jackpot with this:

 

http://www.wdmusic.com/strat_neck_big_headstock_maple.html

 

Large headstock (no bullet though), medium jumbo frets, 12" radius, looking good... but the description says it can't be used to replace a 3-bolt neck... wonder why?

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I've bought two Mighty Mite necks and was very pleased. I woulda been happy at near 200, but at near 100 I am ecstatic. Do not dismiss Mighty Mite.

 

An ebony compound radius was 125 delivered. It's sweet.

A maple 12" was like 99 bucks.

 

I say you can't beat that.

 

JCsGuitars on ebay is the place to buy them from.

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I've bought two Mighty Mite necks and was very pleased. I woulda been happy at near 200, but at near 100 I am ecstatic. Do not dismiss Mighty Mite.


An ebony compound radius was 125 delivered. It's sweet.

A maple 12" was like 99 bucks.


I say you can't beat that.


JCsGuitars on ebay is the place to buy them from.

 

 

I had a problem with JCs,he's a {censored}ing douchebag as far as I'm concerned,but I have purchased two MM maple necks for a total of $160 shipped.I'm a fan.

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I had not heard of WD before your post.


I just checked their site, and thought I hit the jackpot with this:




Large headstock (no bullet though), medium jumbo frets, 12" radius, looking good... but the description says it can't be used to replace a 3-bolt neck... wonder why?

 

 

If the adjustment for the truss rod is at the heel of the neck, the third bolt would hit it.

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I had a problem with JCs,he's a {censored}ing douchebag as far as I'm concerned,but I have purchased two MM maple necks for a total of $160 shipped.I'm a fan.

 

+1,000,000 on JC's being douchebags. I had to file a dispute with PayPal when they didn't ship goods (and didn't respond to email inquiries) then they waited for 29 days and Chris let loose with repeated emailed insults. :mad:

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If the adjustment for the truss rod is at the heel of the neck, the third bolt would hit it.

 

 

Yikes - I completely forgot about that!!!

 

Also the third (center) bolt goes into the tilt-neck metal washer thing - I'm going to need a different neck screw (not a big deal).

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