Neck Pocket Question

[Lotza_Noize]

I have searched the forums and I can't find this specific question answered. But I may be wrong.

I'm doing a custom body made out of Mahogany. It's actually a very light (weight and color) piece of mahogany. It's a 6 string 25.5 scale with a tremolo.

Question:

What is the minimum material (mahogany) that is needed in the neck pocket without using a neck plate? It's getting very thin there. And I need to know before I spend money for this piece of light mahogany goes to the painter. Only to find out that the neck joint will split and crack and break.

Thanks in advance.

[WezV]

you say no neck plate - but is it still a bolt-on?

I would not go less than 1/2" on a bolt-on, but could go thinner on a set-neck.

[Lotza_Noize]

you say no neck plate - but is it still a bolt-on?

I would not go less than 1/2" on a bolt-on, but could go thinner on a set-neck.

Oops...Yes, it is a bolt on.

The body is from the new 2010 Ibanez GRGA model. It's an arch-top mahogany body with an Edge 3 route. I am replacing all the components with high end stuff. Prestige RG neck off an Ibanez 2570 E, Edge Pro Trem, Etc.

I had to modify the neck route a bit. The neck is called a "U" shape route. My neck needed an AANJ. So I modded it. But the neck joint on the original was about 3/16" thinner at the neck joint than the Prestige RG Neck replacement. Or in other words, my Prestige RG neck sits 3/16” higher in the GRGA neck pocket.

So this means I have to remove 3/16" deeper into the body. The body is very thin to begin with.

Thank you for the info WezV. I hope this works.

[stratoskier]

This doesn't directly answer your question about the minimum allowable thickness, but for reference I checked a couple of my Ibanez AANJ style (no plate) heels. Those are all about 1" thick below the neck pocket. The only exception was the very slim S-style bodies, which have a thickness of about 13/16"

[WezV]

could you remove some from the heel too?

[Lotza_Noize]

could you remove some from the heel too?

I feel a little apprehensive of removing material from the heel of the neck.

Tonight, I'm going to check the thickness of the material below the neck pocket joint.

[stratoskier]

Personally, I would actually feel more comfortable removing wood from the neck heel than routing the pocket deeper. Getting a perfectly flat (and level) plane in the pocket can be tricky, especially when you're dealing with a contoured top on the guitar. Also, don't forget that you may also be able to raise that Edge bridge slightly. With a little compensation in all 3 areas (neck heel, slightly deeper body route, and raising the bridge), I would think you could correct for the additional 3/16" height.

[pauliemc]

You could just glue it into place. dont have to approach it as the original manufacturer intended. Modify it to make it work as you see fit.

[Lotza_Noize]

You could just glue it into place. dont have to approach it as the original manufacturer intended. Modify it to make it work as you see fit.

Gluing it in place? That might work better.

So that would act like a set neck, right?

I guess I could really modify the rear of the body if I was making it a set-neck.