Owners of WW10's Please help...

[Sadhaka]

Hi all,

After reading so many good reports about the WW10's I've decided to take the plunge and try and get one.

Problem is, I live in Australia.

How many of you have bought one online - unplayed?

Were there any problems that you had, or did you get an instrument that you thought was not as good as you hoped?

I plan to call the store in the next few days. Anyone have any advice on how to select?

Thanks for any help folks.

 

[davidos]

Just curious too... owners, what makes them different from other Strats? (besides braz fretboards, pickups, etc...) If you closed your eyes do they feel different from other Strats, etc?

 

[blues junkie]

Have no fear of ordering from Wildwood over the phone. They are a bunch of GREAT guys. Explain to them what your looking for and they will make it happen. They will play a BUNCH of different WW10's and give you a tone report and recommend the best one. It will be a very enjoyable & stress free experience for you. Steve is the owner and a very nice guy and Lance,Bruce & Troy all have treatd me great when I go in to window shop or to buy. They will treat you right.

Good luck & Congrates on getting a WW10 !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tonesurfer]

They're really high quality strats. That said some have chemistry, some don't and some have more chemistry than others. If there's stores there that carry custom shop fenders I think you'd be best to play every one you can get your hands on until you find a special one.

 

[Sadhaka]

They're really high quality strats. That said some have chemistry, some don't and some have more chemistry than others. If there's stores there that carry custom shop fenders I think you'd be best to play every one you can get your hands on until you find a special one.

Man, I know what you're saying.

The problem is that I live in Australia, and that problem is two fold.

Firstly, I don't know of many stores in my area that have too many Custom Shop Fenders let alone a large selection of Fenders. There is a new shop that opened last year that I have never been to that claims to be the number one Fender specialist for Australia and they should be getting some custom shop guits this month.

The shop that I deal with has recently become a Fender dealer but doesn't have any "top of the line" Fenders. He's the best shop for Gibson around town I believe, and Mesa Boogie and we have a great working relationship. I feel like I am betraying him in some ways for wanting to purchase overseas but my second point will help you realise why I am.

For the listed prices of the few available Custom Shop models on various Australian shop's web sites there were these guitars:

Fender Masterbuilt 54 = $8,999
Custom Classic Strat = $3,999 -$4,199

Although there isn't a '54 on Wildwood's website, a Master Built '50's guitar is listed at $4,499US which translates as $4,862 AUD and I would have to pay shipping and Customs. Customs would be $486, so i'd be looking at a little over $5,000 if I wanted that model. A smudge over half price...

WW does have Custom Classic Strat's and they go for $1,999 on their website. That's $2160 AUD plus $216 for customs and extra for shipping. Again a smudge over half price...

Another thing about Australia is that we have about 21 million people vs your 300 million. You can't walk down the street here and go to a store that has hundreds of guitars hanging up on a wall. And then go down the street and find another and another and another. We just don't have that kind of market out here. I hate to mention the cursed GC, but on my first trip to the States, I went to the GC in Hacienda Heights and was floored by the sheer size of the store (I was 12 years old - now 33). I bought a Squire Strat. Since then I've been back to America five or six times and I love it (my sister was actually born in Pasadena).

I'm pretty confident that WW, being the #1 dealer for Fender would be getting consistently good guitars and as one of the other posters mentioned will be really helpful with over the phone selections. Helpfulness is part of the American way (like Australia).

 

[Powderfinger]

Just curious too... owners, what makes them different from other Strats? (besides braz fretboards, pickups, etc...) If you closed your eyes do they feel different from other Strats, etc?

The Cruz pickups are great.

 

[Kappy]

I bought two from them (I've never been to their store). I was not disappointed, in fact, I'm an inveterate guitar flipper, and I still have my WW10s. You know they'll demo the guitar for you over the phone, right? I know it doesn't help that much to hear a guitar over the phone. But you do get a feel for how the thing sounds.

Good luck!

Dave

 

[tonesurfer]

Man, I know what you're saying.

The problem is that I live in Australia, and that problem is two fold.

Firstly, I don't know of many stores in my area that have too many Custom Shop Fenders let alone a large selection of Fenders. There is a new shop that opened last year that I have never been to that claims to be the number one Fender specialist for Australia and they should be getting some custom shop guits this month.

The shop that I deal with has recently become a Fender dealer but doesn't have any "top of the line" Fenders. He's the best shop for Gibson around town I believe, and Mesa Boogie and we have a great working relationship. I feel like I am betraying him in some ways for wanting to purchase overseas but my second point will help you realise why I am.

For the listed prices of the few available Custom Shop models on various Australian shop's web sites there were these guitars:

Fender Masterbuilt 54 = $8,999
Custom Classic Strat = $3,999 -$4,199

Although there isn't a '54 on Wildwood's website, a Master Built '50's guitar is listed at $4,499US which translates as $4,862 AUD and I would have to pay shipping and Customs. Customs would be $486, so i'd be looking at a little over $5,000 if I wanted that model. A smudge over half price...

WW does have Custom Classic Strat's and they go for $1,999 on their website. That's $2160 AUD plus $216 for customs and extra for shipping. Again a smudge over half price...

Another thing about Australia is that we have about 21 million people vs your 300 million. You can't walk down the street here and go to a store that has hundreds of guitars hanging up on a wall. And then go down the street and find another and another and another. We just don't have that kind of market out here. I hate to mention the cursed GC, but on my first trip to the States, I went to the GC in Hacienda Heights and was floored by the sheer size of the store (I was 12 years old - now 33). I bought a Squire Strat. Since then I've been back to America five or six times and I love it (my sister was actually born in Pasadena).

I'm pretty confident that WW, being the #1 dealer for Fender would be getting consistently good guitars and as one of the other posters mentioned will be really helpful with over the phone selections. Helpfulness is part of the American way (like Australia).

In that case yeah I might gamble with WW. Or take a trip to the US and visit shops like WW in person.

You also might consider shopping for used custom shop/luthier made strats specifically where the owner has posted clips. I found my #1 that way and I usually swear against buying any guitars without playing them in person. You would probably save some more money that way too. I personally don't think the WW strats are necessarily better than other custom shop or high end small builder strats.

 

[tonesurfer]

Have no fear of ordering from Wildwood over the phone. They are a bunch of GREAT guys. Explain to them what your looking for and they will make it happen. They will play a BUNCH of different WW10's and give you a tone report and recommend the best one.

The only problem with this is if they get a lot of people calling looking for special strats--there's hardly ever more than a handful of spectacular ones to go around. Might be best to buddy up and call them when a fresh batch arrives?

 

[Giraffecaster]

maybe try emailing ww, they're honest, have a good sense of tone, and will get you what you want

The only problem with this is if they get a lot of people calling looking for special strats there's only so many good ones to go around. In my experience many custom shop strats will sound good but a really special one tends to be somewhat rare. With people calling regularly for "tone reports" I'd bet the top of the heap guitars are usually gone. Might be best to buddy up and call them when a large batch of new guitars arrive?

"really special" is all in the ear/hands of the beholder. what might be the best guitar i've ever played might not be to your musical or technique style

 

[jbbusybee]

I am in the UK and didn't think much of the choice, or cost here too.

I bought a 65 Custom Strat NOS from Bruce at Wildwood and whilst it was OK it just didn't gel with me, Bruce always said to me that there was a big difference between the Wildwood's and the regular Custom Shop (but at the time a Wildwood was much more expensive).

He thought the quarter sawn neck, pick ups, finish and woods made a difference. Anyway I sold my 65 and got a Wildwood 65.

Big Difference!

The Wildwood is more resonant, punchy and just feels better to hold.

Bruce also asked if I was a player or collector and was very specific about the one I should buy.

Anyway whenever I play a gig people always ask about the Strat I am playing, they say it's so warm.

I would happily by a Wildwood from Bruce and the guys over the phone.

 

[tonesurfer]

"really special" is all in the ear/hands of the beholder. what might be the best guitar i've ever played might not be to your musical or technique style

While there's some truth to that it's also BS. I've played hundreds of high end guitars and the rare few special ones everyone (that's into this stuff) remembers and takes notice to. A good amount of people have never played a guitar like that so they don't know about them.

When you have a really special one you'll see people get jealous at gearfests and making jokes about offering to buy it from you. No joke.

 

[Sadhaka]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Really interesting discussion going on here. Please keep the ideas rolling on

 

[Giraffecaster]

While there's some truth to that it's also BS. I've played hundreds of high end guitars and the rare few special ones everyone (that's into this stuff) remembers and takes notice to. A good amount of people have never played a guitar like that so they don't know about them.

When you have a really special one you'll see people get jealous at gearfests and making jokes about offering to buy it from you. No joke.

What I was trying to get at is that short of playing them in person and seeing what guitars sound "magical" to you/your playing styles, the best you can do is consult over the phone and even then what may be the best guitar Steve, Lance, Bruce, or Troy have ever played might not jive with you.

 

[JDJ]

I've bought a WW10 Tele and a WW10 Strat. The Tele is magical. The Strat got returned.

There are several people with live near Wildwood, including our esteemed administrator, Brian. I'd email Bruce and ask him to pick out his top five, and then I'd ask someone close by to do an in-hand inspection.

FWIW, I've played some really nice Nash guitars, too, for half the money.

Also, BTW, I don't like the Cruz pickups. They seems to have more mid-range in them. While it's apples and oranges, I put a set of Mare pickups in my Tele, and it kills.

Best of luck!

 

[Red Baron]

Sadhaka... I'm in Australia and also thinking seriously about buying a Wildwood 10. I've already got a few in mind (and will ask Troy to test them for me), but my biggest problem is not knowing what the neck shapes are like. I used to own a Masterbuilt '54 (50th Anniversary) with a large 'U' shaped neck which I really liked... but I have no idea what '59 John English neck is like, however I think the '65 "C" would probably be too thin for me.

 

[davidos]

I am also thinking about a WW10 but they also have some really nice 60's relics too with different necks, etc... the only difference would be 10" radius v. 9.5 (imperceptible) and brazillian fretboard (does that make a huge difference?) and the pickups.... Much cheaper to go with a 60's relic... I like the idea of a WW10 to be able to get a chunkier neck though but I am sure I could find something else...

 

[high Noon]

WW10 purchased one though various email exchanges....Highly Recommended, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA+++++++++++ Service!!

 

[high Noon]

WW10 purchased one though various email exchanges....Highly Recommended, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA+++++++++++ Service!!

 

[archtop]

A good friend who works at Billy Hydes suggested that I could order from the custom shop to my own spec, and the current lead time was only around 3 months. Pricing was very competitive too. I think the custom shop isn't as busy as they'd like due to the US economy.

Just another option to put into the mix.