Warmoth standard profile P-bass neck

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S.F.Sorrow

Dec 6, 2014
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#1
Does anyone have actual experience with how the current Warmoth standard profile P-bass necks (1 5/8" - 41 mm) compare with the current Fender AmPro necks?

I ask because I recently received one of Warmoth's slim taper (1 5/8" - 41 mm) P-bass necks. Based on the listed specs it looked perfect for my taste, but it doesn't work for me at all. The neck profile is way too "flat" for my hands. It feels more like a really slim/flat D-profile than a Fender'ish C-profile. I'm normally not that picky about neck sizes/profiles but this one actually makes my left hand hurt during long gigs/rehearsals/sessions.

I got the slim profile version because the specs looked (in theory) closer to my MIJ BBP34, which is my favorite bass, and favorite neck profile ever. But based on a couple of unfortunate incidents in the past I'm not bringing my favorite BB for any gigs that require air travel. Buying one of the cheaper BBs for air travel might be an option of course, but the necks on the cheaper BBS don't feel the same to me at all (even though Yamaha's website say the specs are the same...???).

Besides, I've now got a Warmoth body that needs a new neck...

I really like the AmPro necks, but would ideally prefer something SLIGHTLY slimmer (and the overall quality of my AmPro is borderline firewood so I'm not bringing that piece of junk for any important gigs).

So I thought a Warmoth slim taper neck would be a good choice, but it just doesn't feel right. FWIW I like Warmoth's standard J-bass necks, but I have a feeling that thickness front-to-back on a P-bass will feel slightly chunkier than a Fender AmPro P-bass neck? Or will it???
 
#4
There is a significant difference between Fender’s “C” profile which averages around .82” (21mm) at the first fret and Warmoth’s profiles. The slim taper is .79” (20 mm) and the standard is .87” (22 mm) so the Fender is kind of right in the middle. I don’t know why Warmoth chose to use those specs but even Fender necks seem to vary based on the model and year of P bass and also bass to bass of the same model.

I like Warmoth’s slim taper profile but their standard profile is too chunky for me. All-Parts necks I’ve seen are even chunkier than Warmoth necks at around .90”” at the first fret. Maybe USACG would have a profile more to your liking? I think they offer a couple different ones.
 
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#8
beatdatthang said:
There is a significant difference between Fender’s “C” profile which averages around .82” (21mm) at the first fret and Warmoth’s profiles. The slim taper is .79” (20 mm) and the standard is .87” (22 mm) so the Fender is kind of right in the middle. I don’t know why Warmoth chose to use those specs but even Fender necks seem to vary based on the model and year of P bass and also bass to bass of the same model.

I like Warmoth’s slim taper profile but their standard profile is too chunky for me. All-Parts necks I’ve seen are even chunkier than Warmoth necks at around .90”” at the first fret. Maybe USACG would have a profile more to your liking? I think they offer a couple different ones.
Click to expand...

I have one bass with a standard profile Warmoth tele/classic P neck and a fretless J with a slim profile Warmoth J neck. I haven't done any measurements, but my experience is basically the same. The standard profile P is a bit chunky, but not too chunky for the type of music I generally play on it. I got used to it. The slim profile on the J is a joy to play.
 
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#9
beatdatthang said:
There is a significant difference between Fender’s “C” profile which averages around .82” (21mm) at the first fret and Warmoth’s profiles. The slim taper is .79” (20 mm) and the standard is .87” (22 mm) so the Fender is kind of right in the middle. I don’t know why Warmoth chose to use those specs but even Fender necks seem to vary based on the model and year of P bass and also bass to bass of the same model.

I like Warmoth’s slim taper profile but their standard profile is too chunky for me. All-Parts necks I’ve seen are even chunkier than Warmoth necks at around .90”” at the first fret. Maybe USACG would have a profile more to your liking? I think they offer a couple different ones.
Click to expand...
You should try a double bass neck if you think Warmoth is chunky
 
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#12
S.F.Sorrow said:
Does anyone have actual experience with how the current Warmoth standard profile P-bass necks (1 5/8" - 41 mm) compare with the current Fender AmPro necks?

I ask because I recently received one of Warmoth's slim taper (1 5/8" - 41 mm) P-bass necks. Based on the listed specs it looked perfect for my taste, but it doesn't work for me at all. The neck profile is way too "flat" for my hands. It feels more like a really slim/flat D-profile than a Fender'ish C-profile. I'm normally not that picky about neck sizes/profiles but this one actually makes my left hand hurt during long gigs/rehearsals/sessions.

I got the slim profile version because the specs looked (in theory) closer to my MIJ BBP34, which is my favorite bass, and favorite neck profile ever. But based on a couple of unfortunate incidents in the past I'm not bringing my favorite BB for any gigs that require air travel. Buying one of the cheaper BBs for air travel might be an option of course, but the necks on the cheaper BBS don't feel the same to me at all (even though Yamaha's website say the specs are the same...???).

Besides, I've now got a Warmoth body that needs a new neck...

I really like the AmPro necks, but would ideally prefer something SLIGHTLY slimmer (and the overall quality of my AmPro is borderline firewood so I'm not bringing that piece of junk for any important gigs).

So I thought a Warmoth slim taper neck would be a good choice, but it just doesn't feel right. FWIW I like Warmoth's standard J-bass necks, but I have a feeling that thickness front-to-back on a P-bass will feel slightly chunkier than a Fender AmPro P-bass neck? Or will it???
Click to expand...

I have relevant experience. I used to LOVE the chunky Warmoth standard contour Precision necks. Then I got old and decrepit and they became just too much neck for me. Sometime well before COVID hit, I ran into a screamin' deal on a Warmoth TeleBass headstock Precision neck. It turned out to be a slim taper version. The seller didn't say anything about that aspect of it and I really didn't know that there was such a thing as the slim taper versions of the Warmoth P and J necks. I, like you, didn't like Warmoth's slim taper version of their P necks at all. Same complaint as you ... too wide and flat. I've adopted the Warmoth standard contour Jazz necks as one of my two go-to necks and have 5 or 6 basses with them (my other favorite is the 1995 - 2016 Fender American Standard Precision necks). They are kind of chunky for a J neck and are sort of the middle ground between a P and a J neck and are the closest thing I know of to the highly coveted Fender 70's "A width" Precision necks. As far as the Fender American Pro Precision necks go ... I had one and ended up selling it. I liked the contour of it, but hated the tall frets. However, different strokes for different folks on all this stuff.
 
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#13
Thanks everyone!

It seems like I was right to suspect that the Warmoth standard profile P-bass neck might be slightly on the chunky side for my taste. I have actually played one, but that was years ago and I can't really remember how it felt. I also suspect they may have changed the profile on their bass necks since then.

If it's chunkier than a Fender AmPro, it's probably not ideal for me. I'm sure it would be "ok", and I'm sure I would be able to play it just fine, but based on the comments in this thread I think I'll at least consider some other options before I decide. Ideally I want something similar to an Fender AmPro C-profile but slightly slimmer.

I would probably have liked Warmoth's slim profile better on a J-bass, where I would expect it to feel more rounded, like an actual C-profile. The slim profile P-bass neck feels more like a rather "flat" D-profile. It doesn't sit right in my hand at all. I've got several basses with even slimmer necks that I love, but there's something about the profile on this Warmoth neck that doesn't work for me at all. When comparing to Fender's current models it feels more like a slimmer version of the Ultra D-profile neck (which I personally don't like very much) than a slimmer version of the AmPro.

Taking a chance on an AmPro neck is not an option at this point. I love Fender's "vintage" C-profiles, but unfortunately I'm not very impressed with the overall quality of their necks.

Building a neck is also an option, I do have the skills and the tools, but I'm not sure I have the time. I work on customer's guitars every day, and although I really enjoy it, I've also reached a point where I prefer to spend my spare time on completely different things.

Then there's the BB434. They are great instruments, but whatever the Yamaha specs say, I don't think the necks feel the same as my BBP34. Also, I don't really need another bass, just a Fender-compatible neck with the right profile.

I'll definitely look into some of the other suggestions from this thread, like Musikraft and USACG, before I decide.

Thanks!
 
#14
S.F.Sorrow said:
Does anyone have actual experience with how the current Warmoth standard profile P-bass necks (1 5/8" - 41 mm) compare with the current Fender AmPro necks?

I ask because I recently received one of Warmoth's slim taper (1 5/8" - 41 mm) P-bass necks. Based on the listed specs it looked perfect for my taste, but it doesn't work for me at all. The neck profile is way too "flat" for my hands. It feels more like a really slim/flat D-profile than a Fender'ish C-profile. I'm normally not that picky about neck sizes/profiles but this one actually makes my left hand hurt during long gigs/rehearsals/sessions.

I got the slim profile version because the specs looked (in theory) closer to my MIJ BBP34, which is my favorite bass, and favorite neck profile ever. But based on a couple of unfortunate incidents in the past I'm not bringing my favorite BB for any gigs that require air travel. Buying one of the cheaper BBs for air travel might be an option of course, but the necks on the cheaper BBS don't feel the same to me at all (even though Yamaha's website say the specs are the same...???).

Besides, I've now got a Warmoth body that needs a new neck...

I really like the AmPro necks, but would ideally prefer something SLIGHTLY slimmer (and the overall quality of my AmPro is borderline firewood so I'm not bringing that piece of junk for any important gigs).

So I thought a Warmoth slim taper neck would be a good choice, but it just doesn't feel right. FWIW I like Warmoth's standard J-bass necks, but I have a feeling that thickness front-to-back on a P-bass will feel slightly chunkier than a Fender AmPro P-bass neck? Or will it???
Click to expand...
If you're buying new, Musikraft let's you pick specific Fender Custom shop neck profiles in addition the to their standards. I really like the one I feel into from them. Wish the radius was rounder, but I got a great deal on it used.
 
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#15
Bass4ThePublic said:
Yeah theyre awful. Cool wood options, but I find warmoth necks to be huge and heavy, nothing but a handful of awkwardness. If you want a NICE p bass neck look for musikraft. Nice and lightweight and you actually get to choose your specs.
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Optimal neck proflle depends a lot on your hand geometry. I have huge mitts, and while a Warmoth 1 11/16" wide P neck is something I can work with, I much prefer my 1 7/8" 5 string necks from them. A J width neck is absolutely silly - cramming my fingers together like that means a skinny neck is a SLOW (and, as you say, AWKWARD) neck in my hands. I play much faster on a bigger neck.
 
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#16
Correct me if I’m wrong please, but AFAIK in 34” scale Warmoth only offers 2 profiles Slim and Standard. What makes it a Jazz or P is the nut width which can be made to order in slim or tapered.
I just got a neck from them Jazz nut with standard taper. I love it that way. Skinnier at the nut but a decent chunk of lumber between the hands. I find true jazz profile to be too thin and not all the comfortable to me, plus I feel like the extra girth leads to longer stability, IMO.
 
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#17
I've tried a few Warmoth necks but never clicked with their profiles. For reference, I've played G&L's 1 5/8" medium C for years and gravitate towards it. Probably the closest I've found is Musikraft's 75 jazz bass profile 82 97. My favorite profile, though, is the CC Jazz Bass 4 String C 82 91 with a 1 5/8" nut. It's just a hair more substantial and feels great to me.

Which is all to say that yeah, it's such a matter of personal taste. But hey, Musikraft has a great selection of profiles.
 
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#18
Rickplaysbass said:
If you're buying new, Musikraft let's you pick specific Fender Custom shop neck profiles in addition the to their standards. I really like the one I feel into from them. Wish the radius was rounder, but I got a great deal on it used.
Click to expand...

It looks like Musikraft no longer offer full laquer finishes, only oil or a thin sealer. This is the ONE thing I'm not equipped to do, even if decided to build the neck myself. I can do a spray can finish in a rather dusty workshop with less than ideal ventilation. I have done it before on a couple of occasions, and it turned out surprisingly nice, but not like a professional factory finish, which is what I want from this neck.

If I want a finished Musikraft neck I would have to wait months for delivery and then ship it somewhere else (probably out of the country) for the finish. In my location this means a lot of customs paperwork. I'm outside the US, and outside the EU too. That's too much hassle, unless I can't find a better option. My only option locally for a professional finish would be auto repair shops, but I tried that once, and the result wasn't quite as nice as I had hoped for.

Musikraft's Fender Custom Shop neck profiles look interesting, but the one that looks like my best option (60s oval C) is only .79" at the 1st fret, which is the same as the Warmoth slim profile that I don't like. The Musikraft 60s neck does look slightly more "rounded" though, and also gets significantly thicker than the Warmoth higher up the neck so I guess it might work. I love the 1.600" nut width option. That's more or less the same as my BB, and for me that's the perfect sweetspot between a "modern" Fender P-bass and a J-bass. But no finish.... that's probably a dealbreaker for me.

I know I said I'm not picky about neck profiles/widths :laugh:, but if I order an expensive custom made neck to replace a neck that didn't feel right, I want it to be perfect.

USACG isn't an option unfortunately. I want a rosewood fretboard and they won't ship rosewood necks outside the US. I though this wasn't a problem anymore, after the exceptions for musical instruments&parts were implemented in the CITES appendix...??? Everyone else seem to be shipping rosewood necks/instruments internationally without any additional customs paperwork or export/import licenses.

WD necks are not an option, the ones I've tried were extremely poor quality, and also extremely chunky.

Allparts MIJ necks look interesting, but they only have one rosewood P-bass neck. It has a compound 7.25"-10" fretboard, which isn't what I want, and also .092" at the 1st fret, which is too chunky for my idea of a perfect neck.

At this point my best options seems are probably to either build a neck myself (which I really don't want to) and ship it somewhere for a professional laquer finish, or to accept a 38 mm nut width and get a Warmoth standard profile J-bass neck. I like the Warmoth "standard" J-bass neck, but ideally I want a nut width around 40-41 mm (and a 9.5"-10" radius) for this particular bass. Basically something that sits somethere between a Fender AmPro and a Yamaha BBP34. Most available replacement necks with "modern" P-bass nut widths seem to be either considerably more chunky, or too slim front-to-back.:sour:
 
#19
AK Bass Guy said:
Correct me if I’m wrong please, but AFAIK in 34” scale Warmoth only offers 2 profiles Slim and Standard. What makes it a Jazz or P is the nut width which can be made to order in slim or tapered.
I just got a neck from them Jazz nut with standard taper. I love it that way. Skinnier at the nut but a decent chunk of lumber between the hands. I find true jazz profile to be too thin and not all the comfortable to me, plus I feel like the extra girth leads to longer stability, IMO.
Click to expand...

I like the standard Warmoth J-bass neck too (except that I prefer "modern" P-bass nut widths). I tend to prefer chunkier profiles on J-basses, but slightly slimmer profiles on P-basses. It's all about how much wood you have to get your hand around.
 
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#20
Why do you want a lacquer finish? You can achieve very durable finishes with oil/wax finishes. They do require some maintenance, though. And if you are even considering building your own neck, I'd think you have the skills to also shape a chunkier neck to a profile you like.
 
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