Wizard
I'm wanting to fine-tune my strat build.
My fretboard is too high relative to the body; meaning:
- the bridge has to be set very high
- the pickups need to be lifted very high
I've checked the neck angle, and it's fine ... so it's not an issue of the neck angled upwards.
The problem seems to be that my neck pocket isn't deep enough for the neck I'm using.
Now I have to know by how much to lower it.
If I go too low, I'm proverbially buggered.
Can I ask help from people who:
a) Have a strat
b) Have a vernier caliper
c) Have a desire to help ?
Please measure the height that the top of the fretboard sits above the body; at the part where the neck joins the body. (not the pickguard)
OR ... tell me what the dimension is supposed to be.
Wizard wonders if he described that clearly.
A picture would help, but I can't find one.
makepeace
i get 6.56mm from the edge of the fingerboard to the body with my mitu on my squier. ?
edited
AlanRatcliffe
Standard pocket depth is 5/8". You can go a little deeper if needed for a fat neck heel or thick fingerboard. Measuring the guitars I've got here, the edge of the board sits about 8mm above the body (but don't forget the radius and fret size will make a difference to string and bridge height.
Wizard
My neck pocket is 14mm (the standard of 5/8" = 15.9mm)
My height above my body is 10mm.
Seems as if my neck pocket is too shallow by about 2mm, which confirms my suspicions.
Thanks for the help !!
(maybe next time I'll measure a little better)
?
Wizard
I had a very productive evening.
Stripped my Strat completely ... getting to the bare body.
Then got out my jigs & deepened the neck pocket by 2mm.
Put it all together again.
Also discovered the pickguard had a plastic covering on it, which I've now removed to expose a pristine surface.
(Bit odd - since I got it off a 2nd hand Hamer guitar)
The little annoyance of dismantling and re-assembly is the earth wire & jack wires that need to be cut off and resoldered.
I wonder if it would be worthwhile to have a screw in point for these?
Anyway .... after putting it all together again & restringing it with fresh strings ...
... it sounds completely different.
Previously it was very bright and possibly thin.
Now it is much more rounded and "full bodied"
What a difference 2mm can make.
The bridge is now sitting at a reasonable height above the body ... so mission accomplished.
