Tele pocket width?

I understand that the standard width for a Tele neck pocket is 2 3/16" wide. However, I recently purchased a used Fender Tele body and upon attempting to install my vintage Tele neck on it, find the pocket a bit overlarge. I can just about slide a credit card into the gap between the neck and the body on the left/upper side, and the base of the pocket overhangs the neck just a little on the right/lower side.

The old Alder body I had this neck attached to for years had a tight pocket that fit perfectly, so to see this on a Fender body seems bizarre to me.

The pocket measures a little larger than usual at 2 1/4". Is this, or was this, a standard for (maybe just certain particular) Fender Tele bodies, or is this just "natural" variation?

Thanks.

You could glue a piece of craft stick (tongue depressor) on the base side and trim it flush. They're ~ 1/16 in. thick and made of maple ...... I think. If that's too thick sand it thinner by rubbing it on sandpaper.

It wasn't a Fender Japan body by chance was it ?

You could glue a piece of craft stick (tongue depressor) on the base side and trim it flush. They're ~ 1/16 in. thick and made of maple ...... I think. If that's too thick sand it thinner by rubbing it on sandpaper.

Neat idea! I'll give that a try.

It wasn't a Fender Japan body by chance was it ?

Hmm, good question. How can I tell?

(I didn't realize there were "regional" differences in Tele bodies. I have much to learn!)

How can I tell?

Pictures ......... where are the pictures? Show us a neck pocket closeup along with full body front and back. And make them 640 pixels wide.

> Pictures ......... where are the pictures?

Here are some pics (pretty fuzzy, I see. sorry).

Note the ferrules, which struck me as odd: they are "lipless", requiring no countersink, so are unlike other Fender ferrules I've seen. They were also really easy to remove.

The pic with my old neck attached is pretty fuzzy, but hopefully the generally loose fit all around can be detected.

Yep....that is a Fender Japan Body, they use a slightly wider neck pocket & neck Heel than others...that is why your neck is a tad loose....but their necks are great in other bodies (vice versa) cause you can trim em for a nice snug pocket fit....Hope that helps.

> Yep....that is a Fender Japan Body, they use a slightly wider neck pocket & neck Heel than others...that is why your neck is a tad loose...

Interesting. Finding a new home for my old neck, bridge, etc., is the whole point at the moment, so this body just won't work for me. Back to eBay it will go...

Thanks.

I'd suggest that you buy a CIJ neck and build something nice with this, but I see from the pictures that the ash grain matching is not as good as many, so I think e-bay is the way out.

It is from Stratosphere originally, right?

> It is from Stratosphere originally, right?

Yeah, and the auction did list country of origin as Japan; I just had no idea MIJ bodies had a different size neck pocket than others.

Speaking of MIJ/CIJ/MIM/etc etc. Is there a page or other resource that lists what all of these acronyms stand for, and, more importantly, what the regional differences are, especially with regard to incompatibilities?

Thanks.