Neck Pocket Too Small - Advice Needed

I am working on my first guitar build. I purchased a body off of Ebay that had all routing done and holes drilled. At the time I bought it, I didn't know anything about what I was getting (my fault for not researching). The neck pocket is 2.179" wide at base and tapers (by ebay description). I measure in between 2 1/8 and 2 3/16 at base and 2 1/8 at the end. I purchased a mighty mite tele neck and it measures at top 2 3/16 dead on and then tapers. Trying to put the neck in the body, you can see that it's way too big for the pocket. It appears that in general the pocket is about a 16th of an inch too small.

What would be suggestions to fix this or is the body a loss? I thought maybe the most accurate would be to get tele neck pocket template and use that to cut it to size? Here are some pics. Thanks in advance for any help.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f89/treb09/Guitar%20Build/tneck1.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f89/treb09/Guitar%20Build/tneck4.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f89/treb09/Guitar%20Build/tneck3.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f89/treb09/Guitar%20Build/tneck2.jpg

Put it in from the top.

Neck don't slide in.....drop it in from the top.....if that neck is finished,take some off both sides of the body......if the neck is not finished.....do it at the neck.

Put it in from the top.

I have to disagree. A tight fit is okay but if you exert any force at all you can crack the very thin end pieces of the pocket. Ask me how I know this?

It won't go in from the top either. The neck is finished.

I have to disagree. A tight fit is okay but if you exert any force at all you can crack the very thin end pieces of the pocket. Ask me how I know this?

He didn't say force it, he said put it in from the top. Necks do not slide in along the neck pocket. Top down is the way to go and if it's still too tight - as he said above a little tweaking is in order...

The necks and pockets are both tapered. The neck is designed to drop in from the top. If its to big to drop in, sand the sides of the pocket until it does. You don't want it real tight even then. You have to allow for any finish on the neck and in or along the edge of the pocket. A tiny bit of wiggle room to allow for alignment purposes doesn't hurt either.

Find a machinists rule and take another measurement. It should be about 2.219" or 2 and 7/32 at the widest point. From the pic it looks like the neck pocket is routed irregularly at that point.

What is the best way to sand it down? I read about using a fingernail file, should I use a regular file, sanding block..what grit paper, etc.?

Clean up that neck pocket....you might get away with using a razor.

PUT IT IN FROM THE TOP.......don't have a clue what sonicland is saying......its very design is to go in from the top.

What probally happened with his issues is that he tried and remove it the same way he loaded it.......IN FROM THE TOP.....see if you can shave a bit of that slop outa there and sand smooth......reload from the top.

Glue some medium sandpaper to a small , dead flat,block of wood that is about 2.5" long or so. If you have a sharp 1" chisel, you may be able to shave some out of the treble side pretty easily.

Go slow.....test fit.....some more,test fit.

You'll be fine.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2759/4122046490_d6572dbd46.jpg

use a measuring caliper in the neck pocket and on the neck where it joins up

find out the exact measurements your dealing with

bw

.......don't have a clue what sonicland is saying......its very design is to go in from the top.

Sorry mate, I didn't mean to disagree with it going in from the top, just pointing out not to force it. In the 1st picture, the pocket doesn't look big enough to take the neck no matter which way you try.

Your advice to "Go slow.....test fit.....some more, test fit" is spot on. Were that in your 1st response I wouldn't have responded. Just wanted the OP to be careful.

Trap, I have a neck and a body hanging around here, both fender, and when I set the neck onto the body, just as you have in your picture, it looks identical. And this neck fits this body like a glove when dropped into the pocket. My point is, the two aren't that far off and a little cleaning up is all you'll need. Follow Southerns advice, and go slow and check often. But you have to drop it into the pocket, not slide it in.

Thanks for input everyone! I feel much better. I've already sunk some money into this project and was worried I'd have to scrap this body and buy a different one. I'm glad I bought the neck when I did. I was originally going to finish the body first before getting the neck.

I find what works very well for a situation like that is a cabinet scraper. They are much easier to control than a razor and faster than sanding. it is also easier to to be sure you are taking material off evenly. with a cabinet scraper that kind of fix should only take about 5 minutes. you can pickup a set of scrapers for about $15

I still like a sharp chisel, sand paper, and a dremel for some areas.

I was originally going to finish the body first before getting the neck.

Never a good idea. Looks like you're only off by a heavy 1/32" so the best thing to do is...

Glue some medium sandpaper to a small , dead flat,block of wood that is about 2.5" long or so.

And very slightly overdo it so it's not too tight after the finish goes on.

Nuthin' to it!

Never a good idea. Looks like you're only off by a heavy 1/32" so the best thing to do is...



And very slightly overdo it so it's not too tight after the finish goes on.

Nuthin' to it!

I've already done the sanding with a small piece of wood that was perfect for the neck pocket and am a little nervous about taking anymore off of the sides. While I know you're not supposed to be able to slide the neck into the pocket, after sanding, it will slide in...not loosely at all, but it does. The widest point is 2 8/32 and someone had posted earlier to make it about 2 7/32 at it's widest. I think the problem may lie at the very front of the pocket at the bottom. Lookin at the neck when it's in, it almost looks like it's lifting very slightly in the front.