Fitting A Narrower Neck

[ray_von]

Would it work (or cause problems) if I was to fit a slightly narrower neck on a body?

Meaning that the neck heel is wobbling slightly (without the screws in). Would this be resolved when the screws are fitted?

[TeiscosRock]

You would have horrible sustain in comparison. What you cuold try and do is make the pocket as smooth and squared as humanly possible, then cut a block of alder or similar wood that ifts SNUG (the same snug that if it were a neck, you could pick the whole guitar up by the neck without bolts), and glue it in. Then you could rout out a pocket for the narrower neck and drill for the bolts.

So to sum it up - fill, rout, bolt

[Gemleggat]

Screws wont do much to stop the neck shifting in the pocket. You really need to shim the side of the neck to make it a closer fit.

[Mickguard]

Meaning that the neck heel is wobbling slightly (without the screws in). Would this be resolved when the screws are fitted?

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How much is slight? Can you show a picture?

If it's just a little bit, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just make sure its clamped down nice n' tight with screws. That's what they're there for.

Have at look at this neck 'pocket' --I imagine that without screws it's just as wobbly. But it still works:

Same thing with strat and tele style neck pockets...sure you can get that little bit at the end nice n' snug. But the screws are what's holding the body and neck together.

And a Strat will beat out a Les Paul in a (physical) sustain contest--that has actually been tested and measured (the LP's sustain is louder though)

Have you put the guitar together yet?

[ray_von]

Meaning that the neck heel is wobbling slightly (without the screws in). Would this be resolved when the screws are fitted?

←

How much is slight? Can you show a picture?

If it's just a little bit, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just make sure its clamped down nice n' tight with screws. That's what they're there for.

Have at look at this neck 'pocket' --I imagine that without screws it's just as wobbly. But it still works:

Same thing with strat and tele style neck pockets...sure you can get that little bit at the end nice n' snug. But the screws are what's holding the body and neck together.

And a Strat will beat out a Les Paul in a (physical) sustain contest--that has actually been tested and measured (the LP's sustain is louder though)

Have you put the guitar together yet?

←

No, I've just got a strat style body and looking for a neck. A friend is offering to sell a nice neck to me but as I say, it wobbles in the joint.

My only real concern is that I will drill the holes for the screws badly and the neck with be at a bad angle.