Body Dimensions Question.

[Mr Harry]

i am building a solid body bolt on from one good piece of mahogany. i bought an ibanez neck, EXseries(normal fender scale i think), with a view to replacing it with my own in time.

my question is, how thin can i make the body?

presumably, the width is dependant on the width of the neck plus support(where the neck attaches).

so how thin can the support be? bearing in mind i am using good strong mahogany.

thanks.

[thedoctor]

Okay, the worst load is at the neck pocket but, in the case of a one-piece body, it will transfer load to the surrounding "wing" wood except when a cutaway removes the wood beside the neck. Without any cutaways, you could probly go as thin as 1/2". The strength issue that always hits me too late is pickup routing. If the neck pickup is going to be "right there" at the base of the neck, this is where your real strength problem is going to occur. It might offend your asthetics but could you consider tapering the back to allow for more wood at the neck pocket and your desired slimness(is that a word?) at the rest of the body? After all, it's the back of the guitar.l

[westhemann]

bolt on?stay with the standard 1.75"..you might slim it to 1 5/8"...but that's it

if it was set neck or neck through...i would say 1 1/2" minimum

[Mr Harry]

thanks for the replies

sorry, i dont actually know the names/jargon of all this.

whats the difference between bolt-on, set-neck, neckthrough, etc.?

i was going more for playability at the high end than aesthetics, but i suppose it still applies. would a large cut-away on the underside be compensated for none at all on the upper "wing"? or would the neck twist under pressure?

as far as pickups and other routings go, i am willing to put them anywhere.

[orgmorg]

A set neck is glued into the body with some form of mortise and tenon joint.

A neck thru is when the neck material runs the entire length of the guitar and body sides are glued on to it.

A bolt on neck, well.. that is what you have if I am not mistaken.

If you are worried about weakening it with the bigger cutaway, leave the body a full 1 3/4"

Also, dig thru the old posts here, there really is a lot of good info.