Steve Luke Posted December 7, 2004 Report Share Posted December 7, 2004 Is this the right way to calculate the depth of the neck pocket? It's for a Fender-type construction, with no neck angle. I'm using a a hard-tail string-through-body strat-type bridge, but as it's non-standard so I can't rely on published specs and need to calculate specifically for this bridge. Here goes - 1. Measure the height of the bridge saddles at their lowest point 2. Subtract this value from the depth of the neck heel. 3. The remainder is the depth to which the neck pocket should be routed. That way the fretboard protrudes from the top of the body at the same height as the saddles at their lowest point (i.e. the strings would also run along the fretboard at the same height) thus the saddles can be raised to give the desired action. Thanks for any advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadmike Posted December 8, 2004 Report Share Posted December 8, 2004 believe it or not steve im doing exactly the same thing and trying to work out my depth with a encore neck, zero angle. i had asked on this forum but i didnt word it out as precisely as you. i spent two hours tonight measuring and pondering and i think youve hit the nail on the head except for one thing (which my paranoia kept me guessing) what if you set it to the lowest your saddles will go and you find youve set the neck TOO low. then youve got no option but to pad out the neck. would it make more sense to set the saddles mid way? then youve got some play each way? im not an expert or anything (can you tell) and am pretty interested in this particular pickle myself. does your calculations place the fretboard sitting exactly in line with the top of the body? or a little higher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 8, 2004 Report Share Posted December 8, 2004 I'll make it easy on ya. Typical Fender neck pocket is 5/8" deep. Finally an easy one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadmike Posted December 8, 2004 Report Share Posted December 8, 2004 yeah all the books etc give you that mystical set depth for standard fender necks etc. but when building something not out of place in frankensteins lab it becomes a different ball game. lets put it in easier numbers. for my sake. ive got a 25mm neck at the body end. ive got 35mm body. ive got saddles that are currently sitting at 10mm off the body. if i go with 5/8" depth (16mm) im roughly looking at 10 to 12mm above the body counting the frets. isnt that leaving the action a tad low? if not practically ON the frets? i was thinking of setting the neck a full 20mm leaving the fretboard in line with the body. the saddles can lowered quite a bit to compensate. that makes 5mm of neck above body line. not including frets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Luke Posted December 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 I'll make it easy on ya. Typical Fender neck pocket is 5/8" deep. Finally an easy one! Yes, fine if you're using a "typical" strat/tele-type neck and a "typical" strat/tele - type bridge, then it's a simple matter of 5/8". But what if your neck and bridge aren't typical, and you can't rely on the published Fender measurements? There must be a simple way to calculate the best neck pocket depth for any neck and any bridge? Is my first post pretty much correct (perhaps with one modification - set the saddles not quite as low as they will go, but just above)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 I'm personally probably going to go slightly lower (3/4"?) on my project as I have a strat, and with its saddles all the way up, the action isn't quite high enough. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 OK, you guys are at the point where you need to draw everything out on paper then. That will give you your answer pretty much. The other method is to route a typical 5/8" pocket, slide your neck in place, set your bridge in place, and hold a 4' rule on your frets down to the bridge and see where you're at and adjust accordingly. I've done a lot of different bridges, Floyd, TOM, Tele, etc. Almost every one would work with 5/8" give or take. I've had to adjust a little here and there, but nothing more than an extra 1/8" maybe. Note: You can always route deeper w/ no problems. If you route too deep and have to back up, not a good thing. Special Note: I LIKE to have my bridge saddles sit up high, it helps with the downward pressure and (my belief) increases tone. So if you're looking to bury your neck as deep as possible, be aware so you won't have to lower your saddles too low and have the saddle screws scraping your fingers as they protrude out of the top of the saddles. Take that FWIW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 I agree with your opinion on high action. Low action is easier to play, but high action has much better tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catnine Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 I have built three strats so far from scratch ans I like a very high action and tall jumbo frets . if I cut a pocket the stock 5/8 " deep and have a neck that is the standard 1 inch thick at the heel and add on the height of the frets , I can't raise the saddles enough . I alway check after I route a 5/8 " pocket and end up with one a shade less than 3/4 " deep . Most saddles you can add longer screws but there is a point where the intonation screws bind in their holes and you cannot raise them higher that this unless you file the holes a bit . What I do now and for one reason , just in the event I want to install a neck that is a bit thinner . What I do now is cut a 5/8" pocket and then I make a shim that fills the pocket perfectly including the small area past the route and glue this in place with the shim cut at a 1 degree pitch , peghead up . If I need to I can heat this and remove it and touch up the painted edges . I know this sounds like alot of work and I could just install a shim under pressure of the neck plate screws . The only other simple solution would be to make a metal shim the same shape as the trem base and then mount this under the trem plate but then the trem sits up higher than the pickguard . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavesGuitars Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 The first answer was spot on correct. Read the same in Melvyn Hiscock's classic "Make Your Own Electric Guitar". I have about 35 years experience modding and building guitars, the majority of which were Strats. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 holly necro bump batman... 2004 - 2022... carry the one... yup - you win. 18 years this thread sat dormant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesley1892 Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 I’ve been thinking about building a strat/jazzmaster body recently. I want to be able to have the jazzmaster bridge and rhythm circuit, but also have a strat pickup selector and 3 single coils. Any suggestions? To be honest I’m not sure where to start, there are so many “x” factors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted April 12, 2022 Report Share Posted April 12, 2022 @wesley1892 your question would fit better as a topic of your own in the Electronics chat section. The electrickery magicians may not find your question here in a necrobumped thread about neck pockets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesley1892 Posted April 13, 2022 Report Share Posted April 13, 2022 @Bizman62 Thanks. Sorry, just realized my mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted April 13, 2022 Report Share Posted April 13, 2022 No panic, mistakes happen and this one didn't do any harm. Hope you get your problem solved in the Electronics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted April 13, 2022 Report Share Posted April 13, 2022 On 4/11/2022 at 4:42 PM, wesley1892 said: I’ve been thinking about building a strat/jazzmaster body recently. I want to be able to have the jazzmaster bridge and rhythm circuit, but also have a strat pickup selector and 3 single coils. Any suggestions? To be honest I’m not sure where to start, there are so many “x” factors. yes... out of left field on that one. that said... my advice would be to look at it like little systems. have a 3 way toggle... bridge w jazzmaster circuit on one side of that toggle... then the other side goes to a strat 5 way w 3 singles. that's one option. just take a strat drawing... and right as it's going to the output... you'd send that lead to the other side of the 3 way. hope that jars something loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesley1892 Posted April 13, 2022 Report Share Posted April 13, 2022 Cool thanks. That will probably be the best option. 1 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.