Update, sorted, not how I expected..How to deepen a neck pocket?

paulnb57

Folks
I have a nice reverse hardtail Strat body on which the neck pocket could do with being about 2-3mm deeper, body is finish painted, to get round it I have made a plastic spacer which fits under the bridge plate, which works well, it’s hardly noticeable, but I know its there…what would be the best way to deepen the pocket without ruining it?
I’m sort of 50/50 to leave it or try and fix it, as I’d be gutted if I ruin it…

Funkfingers

Consider reverse shimming the neck pocket. 

Inserting something at the end of the pocket furthest from the bridge will reduce the neck pitch angle. This should align the string path towards the bridge, removing the need for a bridge spacer.

Alternatively, simply purchase a taller bridge. e.g. Schaller 3D6 - with or without optional steel spacer. (This would solve the over-long intonation screw issue of the current bridge.)

paulnb57

Funkfingers said:

Consider reverse shimming the neck pocket. 

Inserting something at the end of the pocket furthest from the bridge will reduce the neck pitch angle. This should align the string path towards the bridge, removing the need for a bridge spacer.

Alternatively, simply purchase a taller bridge. e.g. Schaller 3D6 - with or without optional steel spacer. (This would solve the over-long intonation screw issue of the current bridge.)

Both great ideas, thanks, sometimes cant see the wood for the trees…

TJT1979

I’m assuming you don’t have access to a router? A top-bearing template bit would do that perfectly in a few seconds. 

axisus

Yeah I did it with a template and a router with a bearing bit. The first time I had to make a template, the second time I had a strat template anyway. As with all router jobs, not for the faint hearted, I think you need to be confident in what you are doing.

Andyjr1515

I agree with @Funkfingers ; - a shim is the standard way of sorting this.  And it would only need to be very thin.

paulnb57

Andyjr1515 said:

I agree with @Funkfingers ; - a shim is the standard way of sorting this.  And it would only need to be very thin.

Thanks for the suggestions, Ill try a shim, its easy and Ive no chance of cocking it up, last resort I can just live with it…

Andyjr1515

paulnb57 said:

Andyjr1515 said:

I agree with @Funkfingers ;;;; - a shim is the standard way of sorting this.  And it would only need to be very thin.

Thanks for the suggestions, Ill try a shim, its easy and Ive no chance of cocking it up, last resort I can just live with it…

I think you will find that even something as thin as an old credit or store card will be much too thick - I tend to use the stiff clear plastic trays you get on the back of supermarket packets of ham, etc. - I just cut them to shape with scissors.  I also avoid business cards as some of them will compress over time.

Take the neck off, trace the shape of the pocket up to and including the two headstock-side screws on a piece of paper.  Use that as your template to cut the plastic.  Cut it just past where the screws are and cut a couple of clearance slots:



Pop the neck back on and put the screws back in.

Partially tighten them but just before the gap is closed, slip the shim in.

Tighten up and you should find that your action is higher.  If it's too high, use a thinner piece of plastic, if it's still too low, pop a second or thicker shim in. 

paulnb57

@Andyjr1515 ;

Thanks for that I’ve used shims many times before, but in the opposite direction, it never occurred to me to use one at the open end of the neck pocket, new neck should arrive today so Ill give it a go…

Andyjr1515

paulnb57 said:

@Andyjr1515 ;

Thanks for that I’ve used shims many times before, but in the opposite direction, it never occurred to me to use one at the open end of the neck pocket, new neck should arrive today so Ill give it a go…

That's great. 

It's a lot less scary (and effective) than fiddling about with the bottom of the neck pocket and, even though the shim this side is theoretically visible, you would REALLY have to be looking to see it...

axisus

Nothing wrong with shimming, but sometimes the neck is just too high in the pocket. That was the case with mine

paulnb57

New neck arrived from Booboo, it was an all Maple Tele neck with a paddle headstock, that had a slightly undersize heel width at 55.6mm, this suited me fine as not only is the neck pocket a bit too shallow its also a bit tight across the width…
New neck fits fine and Ive reprofiled the square Tele end to Strat radius and shaped the paddle head to Tele shape…..
The Brucie Bonus was the new neck from the top of the last fret to the underside of the heel is 1.3mm less than the Fender spec necks that were on it previously, so an unexpected fluke is that it looks like no shim or routing is necessary! What a result, waiting for tuners and Tru Oil