How to line up the neck and the trem?

[GuitarMaestro]

Hi!

I have built a body with installed Ibanez Lo Pro Edge Tremolo and I build the complete neck for the guitar. Now it's time to route the neck pocket, but I am not sure how deep to route it. I want to have NO neck angle. Is there a general rule of thumb?

I planned to do it that way:

1. Set the floyd to the middle of it's hight adjustment range

2. Measure the height of the middle saddle over the body.

3. Align the neck so that the top of the last fret is as high over the body as the middle saddle of the floyd.

Will that work?

The problem I have with that method is that if the neck and neck pocket stay completely straight after stringing the guitar up, I can only use about 50% of the Floyds height adjustment range. If I do not do it that way and the neck and neck pocket give a little way, then I won't be able to compensate for it....

What's the common way to solve this problem?

Thanks in advance,

Marcel Knapp!

[daveq]

This may or may not help -

I don't do mine in that order so I can't directly give any help but here's what I normally do:

1. Route the neck pocket before anything else is done with the body blank (of course after the thickness is right). My neck pockets are close to 3/4" deep (just under). That way, there is a slight bit of neck wood showing above the body at the pocket (1/32 to 1/16 at the most) - some people don't leave any neck wood showing at all.

2. Cut the outline of the body.

3. Route the body cavities including the bridge routing. When I route the bridge areas, I just use my RG550 as a guide for the depth (I think it's between 1/8 and 1/4"?) of the bridge route. The back section for pull up is of course deeper. I then put the bushings in and move on to the neck.

4. When the neck is ready, I line it up (left to right), mark the holes and drill.

5. When the neck is attached, I string it up and make sure everything plays nicely.

I haven't had any trouble doing this yet. In fact, I did have trouble once when I waited to route the neck pocket after everything else was done but there are ways to handle it.

So, as long as the bridge routing has been done properly and your neck is close to 3/4" (without fretboard), you should have plently of room to adjust the height of the floyd. Mine end up being closer to the bottom end of adjustment which is where I think you want it. If you want, I can measure the routing depth under the floyd if that would help?

[krazyderek]

you generaly want the floyd posts almost all the way in, cause hypothecially 50% would mean that your bridge would be like ½" above the face of the guitar (think how long that post with the threads is).

like dave, i use an existing guitar and work off of that, with me that's a fender stagemaster with a floyd.. so try and do that, draw out the specs according another guitar you have there that works, and just make adjustments as needed...

rg's are usualy 3/4" deep neck pocket (constant depth) 0.80" maple neck, and 0.20" fingerboard, and like dave said.. i think closer to 1/8" -1/4" recess.... split the diff... 3/16"

[GuitarMaestro]

Ok!

Thanks alot guys!!!!