Question for builders?

I'm building a (gretsch Super Axe style) guitar, and plan to put on a Strat style neck. I am also going to use a Schaller wrap-around bridge, (which obviously sits a little higher than a Strat/Tele bridge.) Would I be good to cut my neck pocket depth, lets say at 1/2" or 9/16" rather than the standard 5/8"?
Thanks ahead of time for your input.
Jon

Heres the body so far (Semi-Hollow, will get one f-hole)

I cannot help out, but I wanted to say, "Enjoy!".

You solve the problem by cutting the neck pocket at an angle. Not that much harder to do.

You would benefit from making a full scale drawing of something like this before cutting into wood.

+1

Easy as propping your neck pocket template up at the back a degree or two.

I get the picture. Would you go 1/6" or 1/32" etc... for the shim/tilt?

Off the cuff... I would say about 1/16 to 3/32 of tilt to the pocket. I am guessing you would want to keep the pocket depth, at the BRIDGE end of the pocket at the normal Fender spec... 5/8" (0.650"). Then the pocket would proceed deeper as you move toward the NUT.

Lacking a drawing... or the means to do so... you could route the pocket level at the 0.650" depth. Assemble the entire guitar, bridge, pickups, etc..., then whittle away at the pocket until you get the angle dialed in. There is an arcane tool for this... a sharp chisel... powered by a hand.

I would round that lower horn down a little to make it more Gretschy. :mrgreen:

I would round that lower horn down a little to make it more Gretschy. :mrgreen:

The Super Axe had a pointed horn. The frame is actually from Gretsch. I just added the top and back.

Or ya could do what I do when I'm makin' some weird azz prototypical guitar usin stuff that was never meant to be screwed to the same piece of wood…. get you a hunk of pine2x8… from Home Depot… and make ya a dummy.. rout a neck pocket, measure where the bridge is spoze to be… mount the thing . . . take a 3 foot straight edge to simulate where the strings are gonna be and eyeball the goober… it it looks right… do all that to your real piece of wood, if it don't, cut ya another 16 inches off the 2x8 and try again… yeah, 2x8 . . . at this point the width don't mean doodly…

If you're gonna make what can't be made, ya gotta be willin' to go where ya can;t get to…. been there often….

the secret to making prototypes is to never say, "I can't"…. ya gotta learn to say. "Damn, this is gonna take longer 'n i 'spected". Then quit whining, and get to it… been there a lot too. Will be there again…

You never know all this stuff… ya gotta learn to make it up as ya go...

rk

If the wrap around is a "Gibson" replacement bridge, I like to rout to 3/4" deep cavity and add a shim to get the correct angle ala Gibson. I'm rather fond of shimming and think it enhances my tone.

Wasn't the shim a dance in the 60's?


Aaaaaah the 60's !!! Most of you young dudes probably weren't around then, how sad for ya.

Might have been called the shimmy?

Wasn't the shim a dance in the 60's?


Aaaaaah the 60's !!! Most of you young dudes probably weren't around then, how sad for ya.

Might have been called the shimmy?

You remember the shimmy... You must also remember the Beatles...LOL.

Wasn't the shim a dance in the 60's?


Aaaaaah the 60's !!! Most of you young dudes probably weren't around then, how sad for ya.

Might have been called the shimmy?

From Australia no less :lol:

XPnRxjrU8G0

Or ya could do what I do when I'm makin' some weird azz prototypical guitar usin stuff that was never meant to be screwed to the same piece of wood…. get you a hunk of pine2x8… from Home Depot… and make ya a dummy.. rout a neck pocket, measure where the bridge is spoze to be… mount the thing . . . take a 3 foot straight edge to simulate where the strings are gonna be and eyeball the goober… it it looks right… do all that to your real piece of wood, if it don't, cut ya another 16 inches off the 2x8 and try again… yeah, 2x8 . . . at this point the width don't mean doodly…

If you're gonna make what can't be made, ya gotta be willin' to go where ya can;t get to…. been there often….

the secret to making prototypes is to never say, "I can't"…. ya gotta learn to say. "Damn, this is gonna take longer 'n i 'spected". Then quit whining, and get to it… been there a lot too. Will be there again…

You never know all this stuff… ya gotta learn to make it up as ya go...

rk

+1 if I had a dollar for every time I had to correct an improper neck pocket I'd be known as Mr. Trump. This works, trust me.

Making a set of 2 degree angle shims about six inches long will allow you to shim the neck template that you might want to make...

Did the test pocket, Also added a shim at the heel. A Tounge depressor seemed about right thickness for the angle. Setting the bridge in place everything looks right. Heres the latest photo.