So I have this Tele-Bird body and I need some advice...

lovestrat74

Picked this up off here last year and I am finally getting around to doing something with it...

The problem is that the neck pocket is too shallow, so when I seat a neck in place it sits 4-5mm higher against the body than normal.  This means that, when strung using a standard ashtray tele bridge the strings just sit/rest on the frets. I didn't even try a shim because of the amount that it is out.

So I was thinking of adding a jazzmaster/jag style bridge with threaded saddles to raise up the string height up more. Then maybe using a Gibson style tail piece.

What do you think? Doable? Or is there a better solution?

jasonbone75

Option 1, assuming body thickness available use a follower router bit and deepen the neck pocket. That would be my choice but I prefer straight necks and low profile bridges.

Option 2, something along the lines you say but I think you will need to introduce an angle to the neck pocket to get things all where they need to be.

lovestrat74

jasonbone75 said:

Option 1, assuming body thickness available use a follower router bit and deepen the neck pocket. That would be my choice but I prefer straight necks and low profile bridges.

Option 2, something along the lines you say but I think you will need to introduce an angle to the neck pocket to get things all where they need to be.

The thickness of the body at the neck is spot on so if I took 4-5mm off that then I would need shorter neck screws. Also, I don't really have the tools/skills to perform such a precise operation  

So you think the neck will need a shim at the body end to create the angle? That shouldn't be a problem depending on how much angle is required I guess..

You forgot Option 3) BURN IT! I've just received my latest energy bill 

Funkfingers

Option 4) Neck with shallower heel.

jasonbone75's Option 1 would be my choice - possibly with a Charvel-style inclined pocket floor.

The two screw holes at either end of the neck pickup cavity suggest that a dogear P90 had been fitted at some point. That would require some clearance height for the strings. So, perhaps, raising the bridge is the solution after all?

In the immortal words of this forum, it needs a Bigsby. A B5 system would look right and might help with on-strap balance.

lovestrat74

Yes @Funkfingers I thought that about the neck position too given the holes. No idea how that would have worked with an ashtray bridge though.

I have a Bigsby kicking around somewhere so that could be an option but I saw this as more of a hardtail guitar...

Funkfingers

Schaller 3D-6 plus optional height adapter plate?

lovestrat74

Funkfingers said:

Schaller 3D-6 plus optional height adapter plate?

Googles "Schaller 3D-6"... Very interesting!

andy_k

Option 5, shim under tele bridge plate, possibly something that would run full length and mimic the OG Firebird's top profile??

lovestrat74

andy_k said:

Option 5, shim under tele bridge plate, possibly something that would run full length and mimic the OG Firebird's top profile??

Ooh now that's an interesting idea!

paulnb57

This was mine….
It had a Wilkinson ashtray bridge and did indeed have a dogear P90, it all worked fine, I cant for the life of me remember which neck I used, but can only assume it was quite shallow thickness (by some sort of luck) 

I now recall putting something else together where the neck was too “thick” and a different neck solved it…

Ive made so many now I cant remember what went with what

Out of curiosity, Ill have a look at my necks later and see if there is much difference in thickness…

Thinking further about it I would have used a three saddle bridge and the saddles have quite a range of adjustment, more so than a 6 saddle 

Perhaps it was a combination of saddle adjustment range and a shallower neck….

lovestrat74

paulnb57 said:

This was mine….
It had a Wilkinson ashtray bridge and did indeed have a dogear P90, it all worked fine, I cant for the life of me remember which neck I used, but can only assume it was quite shallow thickness (by some sort of luck) 

I now recall putting something else together where the neck was too “thick” and a different neck solved it…

Ive made so many now I cant remember what went with what

Out of curiosity, Ill have a look at my necks later and see if there is much difference in thickness…

Thinking further about it I would have used a three saddle bridge and the saddles have quite a range of adjustment, more so than a 6 saddle 

Perhaps it was a combination of saddle adjustment range and a shallower neck….

No biggie Paul. Just means the build will end up even more "interesting" than planned.

andy_k

I have built a couple of these, but routed out the neck pockets to suit the necks/bridges I wanted to use, neither had a trad  tele bridge, but one had a tele style bridge, pretty sure I started with a 17 mm deep pocket (flat ) and tweaked to suit.
Not much help really, but if you get it right it will yield something special, @poopot did a nice one with a floyd if i recall.