Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Fender Neck Interchangability


Nostromo
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi,
Simple question - Will any fender Jazz neck fit stright into any fender Precision body ?
I've read they are interchangeable . . . but exactly how interchangable are they ?
Ive got an option on a very nice Geddy Lee Jazz neck (MIJ I think ?) and would like to mate it with a Precision body to create a bit of a hybrid. Are there limitations on which models of Precision body I could use. I want to have a nice tidy interface between the neck and the body pocket . . no big gaps or interference fit problems ? . . . I was thinking a donor "Made in Japan" Precision body might reduce the risk of things not fitting snugly, but, various bar stool experts down my local pub are saying its absolutely no problem and everything 4 String wise from Fender's Jazz & Precision will be totally interchangeable ? If so, I'd probably wait until I found a tidy USA body I liked.
I'm only gonna do this if its simply a case of installing and adjusting the neck - ie I'm confident of taking on an assembly project and ok on undertaking a full neck setup - but I don't want to take on a woodworking and re-varnishing project under any circumstances ! !
I also note that some necks have got two more frets than others ? . . is this an issue ? . . . ie, I guess I'm wondering if the bridge on the donor precision body would automatically be in the right place for scale length irrespective of how many frets the neck has - I think the answer here must be yes . . .but I'm only 99% sure . . not 100% ! ! !
Advice much appreciated.
:rolleyes: :) :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's true that most Fender necks and bodies are interchangeable but bear in mind we're talking woodwork not engineering. In otherwords you will not be looking at accuracy to thousandths of an inch but you'd also be very unlucky if the fit was so bad as to warrant some degree of woodworking to make it solid.

Do not mix standard bodies with 22 fret necks - -the result will be badly out of line with where the bridge should be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first Fender was a jazz (still have her)
After about 2 weeks of that new-Fender-freshness I noticed that there was a bow in the neck (I was young and ignorant then). took it to the shop I bought it in. They told me it didn´t leave the shop in that state.
Got onto Fender who were worse than useless!
Decided ´screw it´. Went and bought a Precision neck from the same series (MIM Standard 2000/01) on ebay.
Popped it on, fit like a condom, no issues whatsoever.
Irony of ironies, about a year later, met a guy who used to work in this music shop at a gig, who said they once had this lovely white Fender Jazz but it had a gammy neck and they thought they´d never sell it! Bunch of Coconuts!!!
Despite wanting to deck him, I put it behind me and got on with it :)
Very happy though, because the combination of a Jazz body and Precision neck was as close to a Mark Hoppus bass as I was going to get at the time (thats been sorted in the meantime :rolleyes:)
Its not all doom and gloom though.
Just be aware that although most Fender parts are standardised ala Ford, it is still wood you are dealing with and the tiniest difference COULD make a huge difference.
Hope that helps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanx all for replies so far . . . . must say . . . it sounds promising ! . . . these necks and bodies really are interchangable ! . . .well then, maybe fenders still are the utility instruments Leo always wanted them to be ! ! ! . . . I have read that it was in his original thinking that they should be ?

Any more advice still much appreciated ?

:rolleyes: :) :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've swapped Precision and Jazz necks pretty regularly over the years - my Jazz has currently got a fretless precision neck on it. Subject to the points others have made, its usually dead straight forward to swap.

Oh - obviously we're talking about 4 bolt necks. A three bolt 70s (or 70s reissue) Jazz neck obviously won't be a straight fit to a Precision.

Edited by simon1964
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...