Tele replacement neck just a bit too wide -- how to widen pocket?

[NoahL]

I've pretty much limited my tinkering to soldering and setups, so I'm not sure what to do with this replacement Tele neck that's just a hair too wide, less than 1/16", for sure. Do I simply sand the pocket walls by hand to make sure I don't do anything drastic? I'm afraid to take a Dremel along the walls. I feel like sandpaper would give me more control of the gradual process. I'm hoping the rounded-off corners are the same curvature. What if I need to work them to get the neck-end to sit flush? Still with the sandpaper? Thanks.

[powermatt99]

I had the same problem. I ended up sanding the neck and neck pocked with some light-grit sand paper. I tried to force it in before i really had a good fit though and ended up putting a little crack below the binding and flaking off some of the lacquer finish. So take your time and don't try to shoehorn-it-in like dumb me.

[GuitslingerTim]

I had the same problem on my last build, the neck would barely fit in the pocket when forced, and the strings were out of alignment with the edges of the fingerboard. I used a brand new wood chisel and gently shaved one side of the neck pocket to widen it, and then used the chisel as a scraper to round out the corner of the pocket.

The neck pocket on my body was too small, but also a little crooked. In your case, you will probably need to take some material off of both sides of the pocket to make the strings line up with edges of the fingerboard and the outermost saddles on the bridge. I would buy a new chisel (Stanley makes a good one) that is the same width as the neck pocket is deep. A new chisel will be so sharp that it can be used without hammering on it, and be careful, the slightest pressure can dig into the wood deeply.

[sidehatch]

As per the master Dan Earlywine and ther books:

NEVER EVER take wood off of the body. Sand the neck itself to acheive the fit.

You will be better off in the long run.

[Keyser Soze]

I'd agree with the above, do not mess with the body. It will be much easier, and cleaner to sand down the sides of the neck.

If you don't have a set of inside and outside woodworking calipers (and can't find/borrow some) then try taking a sheets of paper and carefully impressing the shape of the neck route. just lay it on top and lightly run your finger around the edge to get an imprint. Alternately you could take a piece of cardstock and carefully trim it to fit - perfectly - in the bottom of the route.

Done well you should be able to measure this and compare it to the actual neck dimensions, and give you an idea of what needs to be done.

Go very slow once you start removing wood. It's tough to put it back on.

[GuitslingerTim]

As per the master Dan Earlywine and ther books:

NEVER EVER take wood off of the body. Sand the neck itself to acheive the fit.

You will be better off in the long run.

An excellent point if sanding the neck is a viable option, but in my case it was not an option due to the neck pocket being crooked.

[NoahL]

Well here's a follow-up question, then. The neck has a very dark amber gun-oil tint, and I don't want to sand it above the pocket line, where it would be visible. I guess I can mask off the visible part with tape and try to confine the sanding to the part that's not masked. I was also thinking of getting a very fine file -- maybe a metal file, and doing it slowly and carefully, so that I can control where the "edge" of the sanding is ...

[GuitslingerTim]

Well here's a follow-up question, then. The neck has a very dark amber gun-oil tint, and I don't want to sand it above the pocket line, where it would be visible. I guess I can mask off the visible part with tape and try to confine the sanding to the part that's not masked. I was also thinking of getting a very fine file -- maybe a metal file, and doing it slowly and carefully, so that I can control where the "edge" of the sanding is ...

You might consider taking some measurements of the neck pocket and neck heel to see which one is abnormal in size, and form a plan of action accordingly.

[uOpt]

How tight is it?

Warmoth and similar makers have very tight neck pockets. You can easily hold the body by the neck without screws. You just put the screws in carefully to sink the neck in and it goes in without cracking.

As mentioned, don't sand the body, unless there's paint inside the neck pocket. You'll never get the wood back and a tight pocket is important.

[Eagle1]

Would that be an Allparts neck in to a US or MIM body by any chance?
As said above sand the sides of the neck with custom made sanding blocks.

[Keyser Soze]

Well here's a follow-up question, then. The neck has a very dark amber gun-oil tint, and I don't want to sand it above the pocket line, where it would be visible. I guess I can mask off the visible part with tape and try to confine the sanding to the part that's not masked. I was also thinking of getting a very fine file -- maybe a metal file, and doing it slowly and carefully, so that I can control where the "edge" of the sanding is ...

A metal file will likely be less than useless. Wood rasps are what you would need. But in this instance they really are not for you - this is not the time to be starting that learning curve.

The problem with masking is that, due to the different surface heights you may end up putting a bevel on the sides of the neck.

Again, lets back up, try and get some accurate measurements of the neck pocket, and compare them to the actual dimension of the neck to see just how much needs to be done.

You have one chance to get this right. After that your fitting operation turns into a repair job.

[Eagle1]

A metal file will likely be less than useless. Wood rasps are what you would need. But in this instance they really are not for you - this is not the time to be starting that learning curve.

The problem with masking is that, due to the different surface heights you may end up putting a bevel on the sides of the neck.

Again, lets back up, try and get some accurate measurements of the neck pocket, and compare them to the actual dimension of the neck to see just how much needs to be done.

You have one chance to get this right. After that your fitting operation turns into a repair job.
Don't go near your tele neck with a rasp:nono:messedup

[GtrDr]

The only sanding to the neck pocket would be w/220grit to remove any finnish that is in there. This could keep a neck from fitting. Ideally you want no finnish on the neck heel or the neck pocket. Nothing more agessive than 220 grit.

[NoahL]

it's not an allparts or warmoth neck -- it's from a chinese cheapie, and it's got enough poly on it, everywhere, to embalm a bug in amber. i bet if i got the poly off down to the wood, it would fit just fine. i'll try the 220-grit, after masking it off to the right depth. i appreciate all the sage advice, for sure.

[Bob V]

Er, just a thought, but you do realize that the neck pocket is tapered? The neck is widest at the heel so the pocket is the same shape - the walls are not meant to be parallel. Also, on a vintage spec body there is a little lip of body showing out from under the neck on the treble side, which might also give you the impression that the pocket is crooked. Don't line the neck up with the cutaway edge.

You must place the neck in by sliding it down into the pocket front-to-back, not top-to-bottom. In other words put the body down flat on your workbench, and press down over the fretboard to slide the neck into the pocket. It will not fit if you try sliding it in line with the strings.

OK maybe I'm confusing the questions from different posters, but if the neck pocket is tight the first thing to try is to scrape out the finish from the inside of the pocket. A cabinet scraper (not a paint scraper) is the best tool to remove lacquer without removing wood, but a utility knife blade will do if you're careful. If the pocket was rough under the finish, then sanding with a small block wrapped in paper will work. However I would stop there and not cut away any wood from the pocket unless things are really out of whack. Sometimes the neck won't align because the clearance holes for the bolts need to be opened up a bit. One way to get an idea of the alignment and fit is to place the backplate inside the neck pocket, see how it fits, then put the backplate on the back of the neck heel.

[Craftmatic]

Reviving this thread. Just got a used Guitar Mill tele body for a '95 MIJ '62 Tele neck. Neck heel is too wide for the pocket. My Baja neck would probably fit perfectly but I want an early '60s style Tele with slab rosewood board neck. Wouldn't I be diminishing the resale value of the MIJ neck if I had my guitar tech shave down the sides of the heel to fit the body's neck pocket?

[Boris Bubbanov]

Those overseas necks tend to run over sized. If you find the neck is a dud, then the body is ruined insofar as the next, better neck is concerned.

Once I know the neckpocket is correct as GunslingerTim says, all the remaining material always comes off the neck. No exceptions.

[bsuite]

I disagree. A tight pocket is not that important.
Some of the best sounding guitars of old had sloppy neck pockets.

I do agree with Guitslingertim, that you should measure the pocket.& the neck to see which one has the standard fender dimensions.

Who built the body?

A word of advice from years of experience, Use the proper tools for the job.

How tight is it?

Warmoth and similar makers have very tight neck pockets. You can easily hold the body by the neck without screws. You just put the screws in carefully to sink the neck in and it goes in without cracking.

As mentioned, don't sand the body, unless there's paint inside the neck pocket. You'll never get the wood back and a tight pocket is important.

[Craftmatic]

I disagree. A tight pocket is not that important.
Some of the best sounding guitars of old had sloppy neck pockets.

I do agree with Guitslingertim, that you should measure the pocket.& the neck to see which one has the standard fender dimensions.

Who built the body?

From my post above: It's a daphne blue lacquered alder Tele body built by Guitar Mill. Looks like late '50s/early '60s specs but that's just to my eye. The neck is a '95 MIJ '62 rosewood slab board Tele neck. The neck heel is too wide for the pocket. However this MIJ neck fits perfectly in a MIM Standard natural ash Tele body and the Baja neck that is presently on the natural ash body is fairly narrow at the heel; there is a decent sized gap on either side of the pocket. And to answer the inevitable question: No I don't want to switch necks - because the Baja/Natural Ash body Tele is perfect sounding, feeling, playing and I want to make an early '60s Tele with the dahpne blue Guitar Mill body and the MIJ '62 neck:

http://www.andylackow.com/photos/IMG_3083_50per.jpg

The neck is resting on the body - it's not in the pocket.

:(