guitar101 Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 I recently purchased a body from Warmoth on sale and I am about half way finishing it. Needs lacquer which I ordered a brushing lacquer made by Deft. Anyway I measured the pocket on the body and noticed that it appears to be 2-5/32 not 2-3/16 across, 1/32 undersized. Is this a concern? If it is a tight fit does the heel of the neck have to be lacquered? I also came across Mighty Mite necks on the Internet. They look good and they are advertised as higher quality over the older MM necks. Anyone have experience with these latest MM necks? They are liscenced by Fender but I gather that liscenced by Fender applies only to the shape of the headstock from reading posts on the Internet. I browsed the posts here but I don't know if the MM comments apply to this new line of the MM necks. The comments mostly center on the finishing of the ends of the frets which I figure I can do myself and a couple comments about the neck heel being slightly oversized, which wouldn't be good with a undersized neck pocket. I can buy a basic Warmoth neck but the MM necks have more features for the money and I am on a budget (first time assembler). Also if the neck pocket is wrong on the Warmoth body I certantly won't buy from them again. I just ordered a set of L-280s pickups from Bill Lawrence, the Bill Lawrence in California not the Bill Lawrence company. I am going with a Wilkinson VS-100 tremolo and probably locking tuning machines. I plan on buying a MM pickguard loaded and sell off the single coils on E-bay. In regards to the brushing lacquer can it be done indoors in my workshop in the house? I didn't want to get into spraying since I have no equipment. Of course after I ordered the lacquer I came across the Preval sprayer so I could have sprayed outside once the snow goes away but it looks like I will be brushing and sanding. I decided today to put the body away untill the lacquer comes in because I am constantly fussing with it and getting small marks on it that I have to sand out or restain. I can see where this hobby can become addicting and expensive. I guess I should also learn how to play. My son is the guitar player I just plug in and bang away when I want to relax. Anyway have a good day. Tony.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 It could be a problem, but it's much better for it to be too small rather than too big. I've heard others recommend removing all finish from the pocket and I've also heard of others recommending removing finish from the neck heel where it comes in contact with the pocket. If you do some searching on this and other forums, I'm sure you can find a wealth of info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Warmoth neck pockets are famously tight. This is not a bad thing as long as you don't force the neck in so tight that you crack the body (can happen). Tape off the neck pocket, don't finish it. If you already have a coat or two in there, no biggie...try to sand it down slightly with sanding sticks, and/or shave down the neck heel slightly. You want it tight enough that the body will hang from the neck without bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 I have several MM necks and they're fine as long as you don't mind cleaning them up. I have heard that in ascending order, the best Fender-licensed necks are: Mighty Mite, Musikraft or Allparts, Warmoth. USA Custom Guitars is not licensed (slightly different headstock) but the quality is supposed to be excellent. There are many other manufacturers large and small, and size is not always an indicator of quality. The best advice I can give is this: it is always easier to remove material than it is to put it back. Let that be your guide when fitting your new neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoser Rob Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Yes, a tight neck pocket is what you want unless yout crack the body. Warmoth advises putting their necks into the pocket by sliding them straight down into it, not lengthwise. One of the most important tone factors with bolt on necks is the fit. Not only that, if you've ever played one with a gap in it and bumped the neck you'll appreciate a good neck joint. Totally throws it out of tune. just ridiculously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar101 Posted April 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 I recieved my Mighty Mite neck a few week ago for my Warmoth body. Fits perfectly, nice and snug. The neck has a nice feel to it. I used a sanding pad that electricians use to burnish relay contacts and smoothed the ends of the frets. I did a quick check on the level of the frets and they seem OK. I will do a more thorough check to see if I have to order a levelling block from Stew Mac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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