25.5" Scale Bolt-on Into 25" Scale Please Help!

[1stylee]

Hello, I'm looking to take my Ibanez JS-100 22 fret 25.5" scale guitar and shortening the scale to 25" and putting a 24 fret neck on it. Now , I'm thinking the obvious way to do this would be to move the neck pup and the neck down a 1/2 inch or according to the type of neck i get to get the intonation right.

I know it would be easier to just get a neck with the extra 2 frets extension but I really love the 25" scale.

I'm also looking to shorten the neck joint area too. So, my question is: Is this going to be a problem because of the preexisting holes for the bolts or screws? and Has any one here ever had experience in doing this type of mod?

Thanks!

[Mickguard]

So, my question is: Is this going to be a problem because of the preexisting holes for the bolts or screws? and Has any one here ever had experience in doing this type of mod?

Thanks!

I don't get it. You're willing to change everything else about the guitar, but you're worreid about a couple of screw holes? Just fill 'em and redrill 'em.

There must be some kind of weird virus going around, all these people trying to force the wrong scale on their guitars....

[1stylee]

So, my question is: Is this going to be a problem because of the preexisting holes for the bolts or screws? and Has any one here ever had experience in doing this type of mod?

Thanks!

I don't get it. You're willing to change everything else about the guitar, but you're worreid about a couple of screw holes? Just fill 'em and redrill 'em.

There must be some kind of weird virus going around, all these people trying to force the wrong scale on their guitars....

Thanks Mickguard for your reply. I'm sorry I'm not an experienced guitar builder like yourself.

I'm worried because I don't want the neck flying off the guitar from the string tension. Maybe I should have explained a little more.

I bought a used JS100 because I liked the feel of the body and I bought the whole guitar for $150 which is reasonable just for the body because I don't have the equipment and (especially)the experience to make a guitar body from scratch. I'm replacing every thing stock on the guitar and I was hoping to have 24 frets on it.

The scale length of 25" would be nice, but if this is an impossible task than by all means, I would like to know. I can deal with a 25.5" scale.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful but, maybe you should go easy on a newbie. These forums are for people to learn from others and I'm sorry a couple of screw holes was something I was concerned about. Thanks for your reply anyway. I know now that I don't have to worry about the neck joint.

[Bryan316]

First off, are you getting a brand new neck? If so, from whom, with what specs and materials, and will it be a correctly spaced 25" scale fretboard?

Second, Floyd bridge or hardtail bridge? Doesn't really make a difference there, just want to know so I understand, but my concern is your arbitrary 1/2" shifting of your neck. This is a HORRIBLE idea and will guarantee intonation problems, and you'll hate it. Guaranteed.

Now, to CORRECTLY locate your neck, you need to consider your scale length. Like you said, you want a 25" scale. Well, that means your 12th fret will be at the midpoint, or 12.5" from the bridge. That also puts the 24th fret at 6.25" from the bridge. That means you'll need to do a little math and a little more wood surgery...

I want you to do some measurements on your guitar in its current state. Measure from the bridge to your nut to have starting references for your existing parts. Now, you need to consider your bridge's saddles and how they're spaced (typically forward at the high E and backward at the low E) on the bridge. You should place your saddles at the midpoint of the bridge, then meaure from them to the 12th and 24th fret points alongside your body. Masking tape and a pencil should do well here. Once you get your new neck, you can then see how your extra frets will behave with the neck pocket's back edge. Do you now have a huge gaping hole? Do you have interference which will need to be chiseled out?

These aren't difficult steps to take, but they are time consuming and tedious. But this guarantees that you don't need to reposition your bridge as well as the neck. It will most likely be less ugly to get the neck pocket modified, than get the bridge relocated and have ugly screw holes showing in the finish.

I really... REALLY hope, you won't say you're going to take a 25.5" scale neck and just move it back to make it 25" scale. Please don't tell me that. Just tell me you're ordering a brand new neck that's scaled correctly to 25" and with the extra two frets.

[Mickguard]

Thanks Mickguard for your reply. I'm sorry I'm not an experienced guitar builder like yourself.

Hell, I'm not all that experienced...and what I know, I picked up either from reading or from jumping into to some insane modification/build project. So it sounds to me like you're on the right road.

If anything, the 25" scale will put less tension on the guitar. But I don't think that's an issue anyway. I can't remember ever reading about a guitar that failed at the neck joint. There are even 1-bolt guitars out there that are still holding up after 50 years.

As long as you're rebuilding the guitar, you might as well fill and reroute the neck pocket for whatever neck you go with.

And if you're really worried, you can use the bolt and insert-type attachments (maybe someone else can give you the more technical term for that).

[GregP]

I don't get it.

Are you using a 25" scale neck or a 25.5" scale neck? The distance between frets can't be compensated for... a scale length is a scale length! If you have a 25.5" scale neck, you have no choice.

[Geo]

Not to discourage you, but this sounds like a headache. You are basically re-engineering this guitar. I would much rather design the guitar and THEN build it, rather than take a working guitar and make it something that it wasn't designed to be.

It might actually be easier to keep the neck placement the same relative to the body and change the position of the bridge to match your new scale length. Not sure if that's possible with your bridge, but it would be a lot easier to calculate the new position for the bridge than a new position for the neck.

That said, get the right info, stick with this project, and enjoy the result.

[1stylee]

To all replies:

I understand that the scale length is from the nut to the bridge. That's why I need to shorten either the neck area or the bridge and I will need a 25" scale neck also. I just thought shortening the scale from the bridge would be a harder task because I have a Floyd Rose bridge. If I moved the bridge forward, than there would be no where for the 2 adjustable pegs for the knife edge to sit in because of the Humbucker cavity.

I know it's not the wisest thing to do, but I thought maybe I'd check to see if anyone has done this before. I'm fine with keeping it at 25.5" scale. I just thought: if it was a fairly do-able task, then why not try it. The last thing I want to do is have an unplayable guitar.

Thanks!

Edited May 6, 2008 by 1stylee

[ihocky2]

The one question that you haven't answered that is critical is "Are you getting a new neck or just cutting a half inch off the existing one"? If you are buying a new one, then it is a bit of work, but you can adjust the neck pocket to meet the scale length and the shape of the new neck. If all you are planning on doing is hacking a half inch off the neck, then it is impossible. You can get the correct length from the nut to the bridge, but all of the frets will be in the wrong position and every note will be wrong.

[1stylee]

The one question that you haven't answered that is critical is "Are you getting a new neck or just cutting a half inch off the existing one"? If you are buying a new one, then it is a bit of work, but you can adjust the neck pocket to meet the scale length and the shape of the new neck. If all you are planning on doing is hacking a half inch off the neck, then it is impossible. You can get the correct length from the nut to the bridge, but all of the frets will be in the wrong position and every note will be wrong.

sorry I forgot to mention that. I am getting a new neck. I'm not that stupid to cut the existing neck. I'm still doing some research on the neck. I know Warmoth sells the 25.5" neck with 24 fret extension, but that still means I have to move the neck pup back, which is not a concern for me. I might just keep it at 22 frets either way, the stock neck that I have has got to go. I will make sure the neck will fit into a Ibanez Js-100 body before I buy it. I'm in no rush to get this project finished so I'm being really careful on what I'm doing.

[mammoth guitars]

sorry I forgot to mention that. I am getting a new neck. I'm not that stupid to cut the existing neck. I'm still doing some research on the neck. I know Warmoth sells the 25.5" neck with 24 fret extension, but that still means I have to move the neck pup back, which is not a concern for me. I might just keep it at 22 frets either way, the stock neck that I have has got to go. I will make sure the neck will fit into a Ibanez Js-100 body before I buy it. I'm in no rush to get this project finished so I'm being really careful on what I'm doing.

You can do yourself a big favor and have Doug at Soulmate make you a neck for that body. Its only about a $25 dollar difference from a Warmoth tilt back headstock style neck and he will level the frets at no extra charge. And you will probably get it a lot quicker.

[1stylee]

sorry I forgot to mention that. I am getting a new neck. I'm not that stupid to cut the existing neck. I'm still doing some research on the neck. I know Warmoth sells the 25.5" neck with 24 fret extension, but that still means I have to move the neck pup back, which is not a concern for me. I might just keep it at 22 frets either way, the stock neck that I have has got to go. I will make sure the neck will fit into a Ibanez Js-100 body before I buy it. I'm in no rush to get this project finished so I'm being really careful on what I'm doing.

You can do yourself a big favor and have Doug at Soulmate make you a neck for that body. Its only about a $25 dollar difference from a Warmoth tilt back headstock style neck and he will level the frets at no extra charge. And you will probably get it a lot quicker.

Thanks for the tip Mammoth! I'll look into that.