bugman96 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Was working on making a telecaster body and may have messed up the neck pocket. I posted this on a telecaster forum and got some mixed feedback, so I thought I'd ask you guys. Here goes: I am (or was) making a tele body and have a USA custom guitar t-style neck. I made a working template from a master copy and did test route on scrap to make sure the neck fit the pocket -- it did...nice and tight. So, thinking the template was good, I went ahead and routed the pocket out on the body. When I tested the route w/ the neck it seemed way too loose for comfort (I'm under the impression that the fit should good enough so that you can pick up the guitar by the neck without it being screwed in). Seems pretty likely that I messed up somewhere pretty bad, no? But anyway, here are some things that went through my head, and I'm hoping the builders here could chime in... 1) my test route doesn't have a cutaway like a tele, so there's extra support on the bottom of the neck, explaining the difference in fit between the test route and the real route. Are factory tele necks a little wobbly when you unbolt them? 2) I may have done the 2 routes w/ different router bits (porter cable vs. freud). 3) A Fender tele pickguard fits both routes perfectly, making me think back to item #1. 4) I'm over-analyzing this too much. Here is a picture with the neck angled toward the lower bout: Some replies on the other forum said building up the lacquer finish would take care of this problem, but since the neck is already finished and I'm planning on an oil finish for the body, I don't that'll work. Thanks and feedback appreciated! Any places to get single piece mahogany blanks other than Gilmer wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!!METAL MATT!! Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 I think theres not enough wood on the one side to keep the neck from moving to one side, if you have not mounted the bridge yet you could rerout further back in to the body to give your self more wood on the one side, or just set the neck in place with the best fit and clamp in place and drill your mounting holes and screw it down, you should be fine. its hard to tell with out a better shot of the other side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAI6 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 I think you answered your own question. There is no wood on the cutaway side, thus there is room for the neck to move. As far as I can tell, all you have to do is pull the neck towards you (if you're sitting at it like in the picture). This should place the neck perfectly in the pocket. And if your template was placed correctly, the neck will be aligned with the body. If your neck is aligned with the body now, then you have some issues... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugman96 Posted October 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 . If your neck is aligned with the body now, then you have some issues... Nah, I purposely put it out of alignment so that gap would show. When it's aligned everything is pretty flush, just loose. You guys helped enormously. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 The bolt on tele joint is never stable without bolts in for the exact reason you thought. There is no wood on the cutaway side holding it in. Your fine, once you bolt that sucker down you should have no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madawgony Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 The bolt on tele joint is never stable without bolts in for the exact reason you thought. There is no wood on the cutaway side holding it in. Your fine, once you bolt that sucker down you should have no problems. +1 As far as the fit being so tight that you can support the body by the neck you can get away with that on a set neck. A Fender-shaped solid body prolly should never have a fit that tight. IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugman96 Posted October 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Thanks again guys. I have to post pictures of it when it's finished, now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.