Shimming / Raising a Telecaster Bridge

jaymenon

I would like to raise my telecaster bridge by about 2mm by putting a maple / mahogany shim under it. Reverse shimming the neck / deepening the neck pocket is not really an option for me.

Such wood shims on available quite easily (usually headstock veneers).

The holes for the screws and the strings are relatively straightforward to drill. But how would I cut the ‘hole’ for the bridge pickup? 

Expert opinions deeply appreciated...

[Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/feHwFQ0.png?1)

Kind regards

Jay

WezV

Drill the two ends of the pickup slot with a large drill.  Use a coping saw to cut out the rest

but I don’t understand why you are considering doing this.   It’s certainly a lot more difficult than a reverse shim.... but there are better solutions than either of those.   Firstly, why does it need doing in the first place? 

WezV

Also, I can almost guarantee you will split a headplate during to drill those large holes with a hand drill.

price up the full cost of tools and materials to do this, then ask a local luthier how much it will be to route the neck pocket 2mm deeper

jaymenon

Warmoth body and Warmoth neck. If I route the neck cavity deeper (or shave 2mm off the neck heel to make it shallower) the Warmoth logos will be removed. If I ever decide to sell at a later date - that will devalue it significantly.

At the moment the saddles are at the highest point possible (and that’s with 10mm grub screws).  So the intonation screws are at really quite a steep angle. 

 I’m hoping that if I can raise the bridge by 2mm I can drop the saddles and make the whole thing look a little bit more ‘physiological’...

WezV

Were they purchased new from warmoth together?  If so I would question that with them

punchesjudy

Can you not just get a thicker bridge plate? 
I know the Gotoh modern bridge is much thicker than the vintage style fender bridge. 

jaymenon

punchesjudy said:

Can you not just get a thicker bridge plate? 
I know the Gotoh modern bridge is much thicker than the vintage style fender bridge. 

That’s a very good idea -  at the moment I am using the Gotoh® BS-TC1 bridge.  I’m unable to find data about the thickness of the various bridges. Do you know one that is significantly thicker please? 

punchesjudy

jaymenon said:

punchesjudy said:

Can you not just get a thicker bridge plate? 
I know the Gotoh modern bridge is much thicker than the vintage style fender bridge. 

That’s a very good idea -  at the moment I am using the Gotoh® BS-TC1 bridge.  I’m unable to find data about the thickness of the various bridges. Do you know one that is significantly thicker please? 

Hey again. I personally don't know which will be thicker. I've only used the fender vintage style (on an American Special) and a Gotoh modern which was thicker and actually gave me the opposite problem that you have. I had to have my saddles too low unless I shimmed the neck. 

I think @gavin_axecaster sells Gotoh parts? He might be able to help. I think so anyways, I swear I bought Gotoh saddles from axecaster on eBay. If not sorry Gavin.. 

Hopefully somebody can help you. 

jaymenon

I just found that my Gotoh base plate is 1.2mm thick. Now to look for a 2mm thick (or more) base plate...

punchesjudy

Pretty sure the Gotoh Modern 6 saddle bridge is around 3mm thick. 
If you want the vintage style though I'm sure somebody will know what's suitable. 

jaymenon

A 3mm thick bridge plate would be perfect...

Funkfingers

... assuming that all of the fastening and stringing holes align correctly.

WezV said:

ask a local luthier how much it will be to route the neck pocket 2mm deeper

This is the correct solution ... for several reasons.

Raising the overall height of the bridge will require a corresponding change of neck pitch angle to achieve a playable string action. 

jaymenon said:

If I rout the neck cavity deeper ... the Warmoth logos will be removed ... that will devalue it significantly.

Have you ever tried selling-on a Warmoth self-build guitar or bass?   

You have very little to lose by having the floor of the neck pocket lowered slightly. A Charvel-esque back angle might help with alignments.

WezV said:

Were they purchased new from warmoth together?  If so, I would question that with them

This.

I have never yet seen Warmoth parts that did not fit together properly UNLESS they had been obtained secondhand and been abused at some time by a previous owner.

I recall one neck that aped the old CBS/Fender Micro Tilt system. I cannot recall whether I fastened the circular metal plate all the way into the neck or removed it. 

It would help to see photographs of the offending neck joint. There is probably a simple explanation for the misalignment issue that is being overlooked.

Andyjr1515

I'm a bit puzzled why a front shim isn't an option?   You would be talking a very thin shim to produce a 2mm difference at the bridge and it is completely reversible if, in the future, you found a bridge that didn't need it.

ICBM

I don’t like forward shimming - unless it’s really minimal it makes the guitar feel odd usually, since the neck then angles away from you, even if it’s only a tiny bit. (Although I may be overly sensitive to this!) I’ll do it if there’s no other simple remedy and the owner doesn’t want to spend too much, but I would normally prefer to deepen the pocket.

But I agree with Funkfingers - this doesn’t sound normal for Warmoth, and I would check the neck pocket for an ‘accidental shim’ before going any further. If the neck screw holes have been drilled quite tight you can get a raised ridge of wood around them which can stop the neck sitting tight down in the pocket.

jaymenon

 Thanks guys for all your helpful suggestions. The body and the neck were both purchased new from Warmoth (by me). 

 The holes in the body are not tight (i.e. the screw threads don’t grip them) so there is no gap between the neck and the neck pocket.

 When set up, I have to raise the saddles to the highest point - arc relief is fine, with the slightest gap between the string and 7th fret (when fretted simultaneously at 1st and 13th frets).  I suppose if I were to loosen the truss rod a little it would raise the action and I could lower the saddles.

I placed a 0.5° StewMac whole pocket shim reversely - and it has pretty much resolved the problem -  although I do wish it were a perfect fit.
(bridge is a Gotoh).

WezV

Have you checked in matches the dimensions specified by Warmoth?

I would be surprised if it didn't and they sell gotoh bridges so I would expect them to know if there was an incompatibility.   It really is worth asking them

ICBM

jaymenon said:

 The holes in the body are not tight (i.e. the screw threads don’t grip them) so there is no gap between the neck and the neck pocket.

Yes, but check for raised wood around the screw holes on the bottom face of the neck, if you haven't already. Only a little will be enough to cause trouble. It can sometimes be necessary to sand the face of the neck slightly after fitting the screws.

jaymenon said:

When set up, I have to raise the saddles to the highest point - arc relief is fine, with the slightest gap between the string and 7th fret (when fretted simultaneously at 1st and 13th frets).  I suppose if I were to loosen the truss rod a little it would raise the action and I could lower the saddles.

Not really, because that will probably make it choke at the top of the neck. The right height for the saddles is essentially independent of the relief - it's the lowest height at which there is no choking when you bend strings.

jaymenon

Here are a couple of pictures - as suggested, I did lightly sand around the screw holes of the neck to remove any protuberant wood (that may be acting as an inadvertent shim) and I cleared away some debris from the neck pocket.

Now the neck is sitting a little better. The saddles are still at the top position of their travel, but the guitar plays well.

[Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/cQ7Z7fg.jpg)
[Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/d44YUtT.jpg)

Thanks guys...

andy_k

My first thought, seeing the pics, is remove the sticker, every litlle helps in a neck pocket.
not meaning to sound sarcastic, and i prefer the bridge saddles to be on the high side, helps to lose the feeling of protruding adjustment screws.
I'd also be confirming the measurements are to spec with Warmoth, they are not cheap parts
cheers
andy k