new neck

[slobluesine]

i have a new maple neck on a P bass but cannot get the strings off the fretboard, neck is dead straight, truss rod is almost loose, and bridge saddles are high as they can go. how do i get some relief into a new neck? does it take a while with anew neck?

[tommorichards]

could be your nut is too low. But i dont think there should be any problem with a new neck.

[martthebass]

Daft question but did you remove any shims that were stuck in the neck pocket. I've done a couple of neck swaps and on both occasions had to change shimmage.

[slobluesine]

this is new build so no shims to be seen, cant believe a neck won't bow with zero tension on the truss rod, hmmmnnnn....

[lettsguitars]

Is it a single action truss rod then? Sounds like your heel pocket isn't deep enough for that particular neck. Can you deepen the pocket yourself? Relief isn't the problem here is it? Shim the bridge up, never shim a neck.

[slobluesine]

yep, i dont think the pocket is deep enough, but i'm assured by Phil at guitarbuild that it is
Neck is 25mm at heel, pocket is 15mm so neck is 10mm proud, anyone know if this is right/wrong?

[lettsguitars]

The body and neck are both Phils? Thing is, fender necks are made from square material. The heel shouldn't have any taper in it at all. If the neck was made with the heel following the taper of the neck it will have a very slight back angle, whereas an original is dead flat in relation to the fingerboard to body, which is where I would say the problem lies. You need to shim the bridge up with some 4mm acoustic side material for example. Deepening the pocket will put the strings very close to the body which can be bad news if you do any slap/pop stuff. Your fingers will get trapped between string and body every time you pop one out.

Edited July 7, 2012 by lettsguitars

[slobluesine]

it's an all parts neck

[lettsguitars]

Dunno then. I'd need to see it.

[slobluesine]

i started the thread here with a pic... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/180895-early-50s-p-bass-neck-pocket/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/180895-early-50s-p-bass-neck-pocket/[/url]

[lettsguitars]

f***in 'ell mate, that's well high. Get your router out.

[Ou7shined]

Holy sheeee....

[slobluesine]

that's what i think, so.... how come people are telling me its ok.

Neck is 25mm at heel, pocket is 15mm so neck is 10mm proud, all correct apparently

[lettsguitars]

Looks more than 10mm to me. At the edge maybe.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='slobluesine' timestamp='1341676495' post='1722656']
that's what i think, so.... [b]how come people are telling me its ok[/b].
...
[/quote]

Lots of "experts" on Basschat telling ya this and that.

[lettsguitars]

How can it be right if it doesn't work. When you can play it, it's right.

[slobluesine]

i'm thinking an all parts neck must be right, the Guitarbuild body has 28mm left under the pocket, any know if that's right?

[lettsguitars]

I'm sure Phil would put it 'right' for you if you ask nicely. If not let me know coz he's a friend of the family.

[slobluesine]

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1341677106' post='1722669']
I'm sure Phil would put it 'right' for you if you ask nicely. If not let me know coz he's a friend of the family.
[/quote]


Phil say's the body is correct

[slobluesine]

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1341677028' post='1722667']
My Dirnt has the Crown of the Fretboard 9mm above the scratch plate. Plate is 3ply. So whats that 12MM from body to highest point of the Fretboard or there abouts?
[/quote]

how much is left under the pocket? and how deep is the pocket?

Edited July 7, 2012 by slobluesine

[lettsguitars]

Well then. If the body's correct, and the neck is also correct, you shouldn't be having any problems.

[lettsguitars]

I mean that if you need the heel deepening I'm sure he'd do it for you. It's a ten minute job after all.

[slobluesine]

i've been trying to convince Phil the pocket is too shallow on this since i got it, i know he will fix it but it's the frig of sending it back and i'll probably have to spray the pocket edges and i havn't got any butterscotch left and i wanna plug the thing in.

plus despite months of discussing the project he originally sent me a Jazz body

[lettsguitars]

Classic. Not a great advert then.
It wont necessarily need touching up though.

[slobluesine]

it's off to Ian at Guitar Works, just down the road from me, thx for your replies folks, and remember...... "all Fenders are NOT the same"