Replacement Neck - too loose in pocket?

[rezelscheft]

Working on my first build. It's a Warmoth body, both necks in question are MIM Fender.

I had a Vintera 60s Mod neck -- vintage C, 9.25 radius, roasted maple -- which fit snug in the pocket (i.e. I had to apply light downward pressure with my thumbs to make it sit in the neck). For admittedly purely cosmetic reasons, I am considering swapping necks with a buddy who has a Noventa neck - vintage C, 9.25, non-roasted maple -- but this neck slides in and out easily with no pressure.

Is this an issue? If so, what do you do to make the fit more snug?

Or is this no big deal, and the 4 screws keep it well enought in place once I tighten them?

 

[AAT65]

The four screws will do the job just fine.

 

[rezelscheft]

This was the answer I was hoping for. I've been using the StewMac how-to video as my primary guide, and on it the dude said that if the neck slides in too easily it will be "loose", "sloppy" and "lead to poor tone." But he never covers what to do about, nor did any other vids I could find about neck swapping.

 

[netgear69]

Sometimes you need that slight sloppy fit to get correct alignment more so if you are building from parts
you want them fret markers flush between the 3rd and 4th string otherwise either the low & high E will have issues on the edge of the board lost count of the times i have seen this people taking the neck off guitars and not putting them back in the correct position just for the sake of a small gap either side they drag the neck over then bolt it back up
The idea that a loose fitting neck on an electric guitar will give bad tone sounds ridiculous you ain't playing it acoustically

 

[FortuneTele]

what do you do to make the fit more snug?

AFTER the neck has the desired margin from both E-strings to the side of the fretboard, I'll snug the neck-to-body screws, and use feeler gauges to measure the gap between the neck and body on the low (wound) E side. Find something/s that will make the proper size shim, loosen the neck, fit shim/s, pull neck tight to shims, snug screws, check E margins, tighten screws, check E margins. Then look at the other side of the neck pocket (not much shimming area there) and see if it needs a shim. The idea is to fasten the neck so it won't rack left or right.

 

[Ricky D.]

Four screws are going to give you all the coupling you need. Don’t worry about it.

 

[eallen]

If these are unfinished necks, a tight fit before finish will bite you. Anytime necks fit tight in the pocket, even after finishing, I know I am looking at future cracks from the neck pocket corners. Sometime they extend into the wood. A little humidity, the neck expands, the pocket contracts, presto!

 

[Freeman Keller]

Is the Noventa neck from a strat or tele? Strat necks will work on a tele but they leave some gaps.

 

[robt57]

One of the best sounding Tele I've heard was a parts caster of 1968-74 Fender parts. Neck was swimming in the pocket my millimeters. I didn't get to play it, this was around 2003 probably.

Cosmetic issue, not bad enough to me upon hearing it...

 

[telemnemonics]

No tone issues but I dislike visible gaps.
Not feeling snug upon install is not a bad fit at all though.
Visible gaps is a poor fit.
Can you slide a business card into the gap?

 

[rezelscheft]

If these are unfinished necks,

they are both finished Fender necks. i had to do some light razorring in the neck pocket on the lower heel on the neck of the Vintera Mod 60's to get it to fit. now it fits with light pressure, whereas the Noventa neck just plonks right in.

Is the Noventa neck from a strat or tele?

It's from a 2022 tele.

Can you slide a business card into the gap?

On the sides - no way. Not even close. Don't think even half a business card could get in there.
On the bottom (below the truss rod) -- just barely. The business car fits if I insert it corner first.

 

[Peegoo]

I've been using the StewMac how-to video as my primary guide, and on it the dude said that if the neck slides in too easily it will be "loose", "sloppy" and "lead to poor tone."

Plenty of Fenders come from the factory with a gap in the sides of the neck pocket. If it's .002" or .010" it makes no difference; it's an air gap. It's strictly cosmetic and not structural. It becomes structural if the screws are too loose, there's wax on the mating surfaces, or the body wood compresses...and that goofiness opens a whole 'nuther can of worms like cracked finish or broken wood.

If the screws are tight and the neck and pocket mating surfaces are clean, the neck won't be loose or sloppy. And don't buy into the "poor tone" thing. When's the last time you listened to a guitarist and thought to yourself, "Hmmmm sounds like the neck on that guitar has a sloppy fit."

Yeah. Me neither.

Whenever you're obtaining tech information from Stew Mac, keep in mind they sell guitar tools, bodies and necks. A lot of the info is good, and there's also a lot of marketing (obvious and not so obvious) in their advice.

 

[rezelscheft]

Whenever you're obtaining tech information from Stew Mac, keep in mind they sell guitar tools, bodies and necks. A lot of the info is good, and there's also a lot of marketing (obvious and not so obvious) in their advice.

oh, for sure. i feel like i can usually tell when they're pimping their wares. but what was weird about this little nugget was that he just threw it out there ("a loose neck is a problem") -- but then offered no solution and went straight into what to do if the neck fit is too tight.

 

[badinfinities]

I had a similar issue with a partscaster build. I've heard so many people argue that a snug fitting pocket is the most desirable outcome, so I panicked.

But I had no issues. Guitar plays great and sounds great.

I now come from the school of thought that all you really want is a good mating of surfaces - the back of the neck and the bottom of the neck pocket.

 

[Peegoo]

oh, for sure. i feel like i can usually tell when they're pimping their wares. but what was weird about this little nugget was that he just threw it out there ("a loose neck is a problem") -- but then offered no solution and went straight into what to do if the neck fit is too tight.

One really simple fix is to set up the guitar with the neck mounted and strings evenly spaced over the heel of the neck. Measure the gap on either side and glue a piece of hardwood veneer to the side of the neck pocket. Make the piece larger than necessary so it can be carefully pared flush and sanded perfectly level. The thickness of the veneer should equal the gap minus about .004" to accommodate finish and wood expansion/contraction.

This veneer trick applies only when the guitar body will be finished in an opaque (solid) color or a 'burst to conceal the veneer shims.

On a completely clear-coated body the veneer will show unless you take measures to conceal it, such as using a veneer of the same wood as the body and using a glue like Titebond Translucent PVA to hide the glue line.

Yep--Titebond makes a clear glue. Don't tell nobody because it's a secret

Titebond

www.titebond.com

 

[HandCarver]

Aside from the Fender guitars I have owned, I have always built set necks and the joints are zero slop. It is possible that the differing neck and body woods on a bolt-on (or any joint) can differ in humidity/temperature expansion rates, but if the guitar is kept at 45-55% relative humidity, you'll probably never have issues. What CAN happen if a loose neck guitar takes a nosedive, is damage you probably don't want to think about repairing. It really isn't much better when the neck fit is optimum. I just prefer knowing the neck isn't gonna shift at some point.

If the body is still in the white (not finished), and you plan on painting it a solid color, you could pad both sides of the neck pocket with matching wood veneer, and judiciously thinning one or both sides, while checking neck alignment with the body center line as you go. And, finish will tighten things up too so account at least for a coat of sealer in the pocket. I saw a Fender CS lead in an interview, and he took a Strat off the wall, looked at it and tugged on the headpiece to better align the neck. He didn't even loosen the bolts. That's less than ideal for my money.

 

[HandCarver]

Or What Peegoo said lol. Sorry Peegoo, I didn't see your post until after I remarked. Ditto on your points about clear finish and Titebond translucent glue.

 

[archetype]

As others have said, from a physical, mechanical standpoint it's a 100% non-issue with your guitar. It's a cosmetic issue only if you choose to see it as a cosmetic issue. I personally don't care at all.

 

[rezelscheft]

If the body is still in the white (not finished)

the body is already finished, as are both necks in question.

It's a cosmetic issue

i really can't even see the space. the newer neck just slides in easily.

 

[Trenchant63]

I had a Warmoth neck for 15 years on a Fender body from ‘70s - shimmed to compensate for bad neck pocket cut, big gaps,etc. I finally ordered a Warmoth body and the neck fit the body with unbelievably snug precision. No adjustments or shims needed. Maybe this should have been expected given both Warmoth products but I thought maybe over the years maybe slight production variances…