24-fret neck question

For a recent Tele project I am using a 24 freet Peavey Patriot neck on a blank tele body that I purchased. I have a toploading bridge on it and used the holes that were already tapped on the body to mount everything.

This thing will not intonate. It is always flat, no matter how far you back out the saddles, which leads me to believe that I need to remount the bridge closer to the neck and maybe even route out the pocket to make it a bit deeper.

Am I correct with this manner of thinking?

Any suggestions?

Yeah you'll need to move the bridge closer to the neck. Most guitars w/ 24 fret necks have smaller length bodies, but you can compensate by moving the bridge.

Whats the scale length on the 24 fret guitar?

A google seach indicates that the Patroit neck is 24 3/4" scale. This means that
A) it won't work as is
B) you have to move the neck closer to the bridge to get the 24 3/4" scale
C) move the bridge

If its a 24 3/4 inch scale then you will have to measure 24.75 inches from the nut to the body, and that is where the saddles should lay. You could also route the neck pocket back further so the exhisting bridge setup will work.

And - a patriot has the very very strange 23 frets AFAIK.... Unless they changed the specs at some point... I've got 3, all 23 fret..

If its a 24 3/4 inch scale then you will have to measure 24.75 inches from the nut to the body

I know that you meant to type 24.75" from the nut to the saddles ;-)