To say our dealer network is important would be a massive understatement. We couldn’t do what we do without them. From one-on-one interactions to their excellent online content, they ensure you always have access to your favorite Seymour Duncan products. In honor of their hard work, we wanted to spotlight a few of our friends, starting with Warmoth.

Warmoth Guitar Products

It’s no secret that we love tone pioneers. We love the innovators of the different components that make up our guitars and basses. We love those who were there at the beginning, customizing instruments for the players who define generations. We love those who took their innovations and created the after-market guitar accessories industry. We love the ones who never sacrificed quality for quantity. And finally, we love the ones who still have the same family-first ethos that inspired them at the start.

Sounds like we’re describing Seymour Duncan, doesn’t it? We love Seymour, but we’re talking about Warmoth Guitar Products.

Warmoth’s History

The early history of Warmoth is detailed in the above video quite nicely. But it’s safe to say that they (then called Boogie Bodies) were all-in during the 1980s custom guitar craze. From personal project guitars to top-shelf Jacksons and Charvels, many of them sported this Pacific Northwest brand’s components.

Back then, if a guitar hero was playing an American-made super Strat, they were probably playing Boogie Bodies, AKA Warmoth.

Warmoth Today

While Warmoth no longer supplies other manufacturers, they still make some of the finest guitar components out there. They offer a variation of nearly every iconic guitar and bass body style. They have terrific semi-hollow designs as well as chambered options. Their necks come in many different profiles, scale lengths, fretwire options, and even truss rod designs (check out their super-stable modern construction option). And it’s all available, in stock, right from their website.

Don’t see exactly what you want in stock? Then spec out a fully customized build for yourself! And we’re not just talking different colors. You can choose from neck profiles and scale lengths, exotic wood tops, custom contours, and jaw-dropping finishes.

Hiding in Plain Sight

Given the vast options, incredible quality, and affordable price, many otherwise-vintage Strats and Teles regularly strut their stuff with a Warmoth neck secretly attached. There are even a lot of independent, boutique guitar builders still using Warmoth products as their building platform.

So why don’t you see more Warmoths out and about? It’s because Warmoth leaves the headstock logos to you. The company has licensing agreements with some of the most prominent players in the game, giving them exclusive rights to re-create the headstock shapes to perfection. In return, Warmoth agrees not to place their branding in a visible location. Trying to complete a ‘vintage illusion,’ many players even apply after-market logos or opt for something completely custom and unique.

With so many Warmoth necks and bodies hiding in plain sight, it’s created quite the rabbit trail for many Warmoth devotees. A quick internet search brings up a lot of questions like, “Is so and so’s guitar neck really from Warmoth? What about that certain famous guitar? Was that a Warmoth Body? Who does actually play a Warmoth?”

Technically, no one actually plays a Warmoth. They only craft individual guitar and bass bodies and necks, not complete instruments. They do, however, sell all of the hardware and accessories you’d need to complete a fully customized dream guitar of your own. While they don’t make these parts, they partner with some of the best manufacturers in the industry who do; companies like Seymour Duncan.

UnofficialWarmoth.com is littered with customers’ home-assembled instruments from Warmoth parts that give high-end manufacturers a run for their money.

Warmoth and Seymour Duncan

We’ve been great friends and partners with the Warmoth crew for a long time. We stand behind their commitment to offering excellent, US-made products and a fair price. And according to Warmoth Marketing Direction Aaron Cheney, the feeling is mutual.

“Other brands and independent winders have come on gone, but Duncan has always remained a constant here,” he said. “I think it’s for two reasons: 1) Duncan pickups sound great, and 2) they hit the cost/value point just right. You can certainly spend more, but in my opinion, those are still just lateral moves.”

Cheney knows what he’s talking about. His tone tests are a favorite on YouTube, pitting various electronic configurations, strings, and other construction variables against each other, searching for the sonic truth. What pickups does he use for these shootouts?

“I always use Duncan pickups,” he said. “When it comes to humbuckers, the Duncan JB/Jazz set is a gold standard. SSL-1s are kind of the same thing for single-coils. Everybody has heard them and is familiar with how they sound. That common touchpoint makes them perfect for shootout videos. And Duncan provides enough variety that there isn’t much reason to hunting elsewhere.”

Unsurprisingly, the JB/Jazz (we call it the Hot Rodded Humbucker set) and the SSL-1s (Vintage Staggered Strat) are Warmoth’s best sellers. But they offer a wide variety of our pickups. So whether you’re looking for a replacement humbucker or need single-coils for that custom T-style body they’re building for you, they have them.

Thank You, Warmoth!

Warmoth has a lot in common with Seymour Duncan, no question. They’re a family-first business that has stayed close to home while cranking out high-quality electric guitar and bass components. They’ve played a big part in shaping our industry. And though they’ve grown, they’re still committed to the same vision that launched their company.

We are grateful to Warmoth for their partnership and support throughout the years. Here’s to many more!

Let’s talk tone!

Do you have questions or comments? Don’t hesitate to reach out. You can email us here. And check out the rest of the Seymour Duncan blog to get deep on our products, artists, news, and new releases.