Help me work this out re neck fitment?

TimmyO · February 2022

From a build I had done many years ago, I have a solid Rosewood neck attached to a guitar I don't and am unlikely to use.

I'm of a mind to see if I can fit it to a Strat body.

The neck is a 22 fret Strat-heel type (so a 1 fret overhang) and has one of those body-end-wheel-with-holes-in truss rod adjusters (sorry I don't know what they are called :-) )

first question: I assume the S body would need some material removing between neck pocket and front pickup route to accommodate the truss rod adjuster?

second question: can you buy scratch plates that accommodate access to the truss rod, or do you need to modify a standard one?

TimmyO · February 2022

This is it in situ now. The body was made at the same time as the neck

andy_k · February 2022

Couple of things to check here,
1, scale length, is it exactly the same as the Fender neck it will be replacing ( I'm assuming it is going on a re purposed body )
The point of this is to ensure the butt end of the neck will be in the same position in the new pocket, then it is easy to mark out wood for removal to accommodate the wheel adjuster.
2, clearance for a pickguard, under the neck overhang, most replacement Fender necks with a shelf have enough clearance, and again, it should be easy to use a paper template to mark out the area that will need to be removed, use a guard that fits the body to make a paper copy with some holes for reference, this can be cut to make as little a job as needed.
3, enjoy the rosewood experience on a Strat, I like it a lot.

paulnb57 · February 2022

Also check the heel size of the neck is the same size as a Fender neck, if the neck and body were made together they may not be Fender “standard” size

TimmyO · February 2022

Thanks - all sound like good pointers!

(I should stress that this is all stuff I'll need to get someone else to do - I'm not a maker or model but figured this was where the knowledge was around here.

Next thing to think about: the body was shaped around the heel so the neck plate is at an angle. I guess that means the donor body will need pilot drilling through the neck holes to get the right angle? (I do know that a couple of the screws holding this neck on were cut shorter so as not to come through to the fingerboard)

I believe the body neck pocket dimensions were done from a Fender-compatible template so hopefully overall dimensions and depth will be ok. I don't have a Strat/Strat body yet so can't confirm

This is the current situation with clearance/overhang:

It's a nice neck so I'm hoping it can be re-purposed...

Jalapeno · February 2022

TimmyO said:

's a nice neck so I'm hoping it can be re-purposed...

It's gawjous darling !

Maybe consider new '59 PAFs and salvage that guitar completley ! Given the neckplate angle I'd leave it.

A new neck isn't too pricey https://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/stratocaster-necks/

TimmyO · February 2022

Jalapeno said:

TimmyO said:

's a nice neck so I'm hoping it can be re-purposed...

It's gawjous darling !

Maybe consider new '59 PAFs and salvage that guitar completley ! Given the neckplate angle I'd leave it.

A new neck isn't too pricey https://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/stratocaster-necks/

the body needs working on - the pickups have never mounted properly (they are bodged in) and also the control placement was not thought out properly - the trem is in the way all the time, but most of all I have 2 EPIC dual HB guitars - even if sorted it'd not get picked up. Which makes the neck spare. And the neck is perfect for me (59-roundback-ish with jumbo frets)

Jalapeno · February 2022

Makes sense.

ICBM · February 2022

1. Yes, you will need the body routed to create a space for the wheel.

2. No, you will also need the pickguard modified to fit around the wheel. It's likely that there will be enough clearance for the pickguard under the fretboard overhang.

The screw holes may or may not match the body, in which case I would modify the neck not the body. You'll need to firmly plug the holes and redrill.

All this can be done by someone who knows what they're doing, but it's a fair amount of work and probably not that cheap.

elstoof · February 2022

Why not just get it routed for single coils and stick a scratch plate on it to cover up the sins

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Help me work this out re neck fitment?

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