Fender neck on Squier body issue.

[Sea Chief]

Chaps-

I have a fender MIM strat Maple neck I want to fit on a (gorgeous s'burst) squier body.

But the MIM neck's 4 heel-holes are frustratingly 3/16 further back (twds the headstock) than the squier's Rosewood neck's heel-holes. Therefore to fit it needs either A) the neck pocket routing in a small 3/16 (s'how perfectly matching the new neck's shaped end) or B) 3/16 off the neck heel to match the body's shaped pocket end.

Tho would be a simpler job to do, & to set up once on, I dont like the idea of taking off 3/16 from the harder maple neck (& getting a little too close for comfort to the round metal lug TR end thingy). So its a Q then of B), routing 3/16" further into the Alder body pocket end. But getting the curve to match the new neck heel.. mmm

The only good news is the squier's fretboard end (the bit that protrudes past the 22nd fret) matches the contour of the fender neck end exactly.. so could be used as a guide/ with a fluted bit with a guide roller above idea. But setting the whole shebang up to do I cant even visualise.

Am I thinking along the right lines to get these two to meet?

Any help appreciated- thx SC

[Richard]

Can you take pictures? I think I know what you're talking about but I'm not sure. Is the distance from the butt end of the neck to the nut the same, just the holes offset? I would guess that the best bet would be to relocate the holes.

[Sea Chief]

Hi Richard, yes will take pics in a while/ batts charging now.

In meantime, re. scale length/ good Q. I estimate the same 3/16 distance the neck would be further into the body than the squier's, if the body pocket routed the 3/16 needed to get the holes to match the body's holes.. IE I would need to move my saddles back 3/16 too. Not ideal, but cant think how else to do this.

Of course in theory 'just make 4 new holes in the neck'. But 3/16 is more or les the same dia of the neck heel-holes themselves.. so 4 new ones would clash/ or be so adjacent to compromise the join. I could just enlarge the body's holes, but they seem to be threaded, or so perfectly mated to the existing big fat screws that again the join surely would be compromised if 4 significantly larger holes were made in the body-?

[Paleo Pete]

Back to Richard's question about scale length.

Distance from octave to bridge saddles and nut to octave must be the same. If not the scale is off and intonation will be a problem. Moving the saddles back 3/16 is a long movement, in the guitar world, and may not leave enough room to adjust for intonation. That adjustment may change as well as scale length changes, but probably not much.

You need to check the distance from nut to octave, then check from octave to bridge, taking the 3/16 difference into account. If the distance from octave to nut will change drastically, and 3/16 is drastic, it may also involve moving the entire bridge, since you may not have room left for intonation adjustments.

If everything will work out, you still have options. Hardwood dowels can be used to fill existing holes, then new holes drilled in the proper places. Most hardware stores should have them, usually all of them I see are hardwood. I use matches and toothpicks all the time for strap peg holes and pickguards, but those are not critical locations that require a good solid hardwood, they hold up fine. The last time I did my Strat was 10 years ago and it's still in good shape with toothpicks. I've used hardwood dowels on a number of woodworking projects, including guitars. Use a little wood glue, make sure you have a good fit, let the glue set at least overnight before working with it any more. Clean off excess glue with a damp cloth before it sets. Some will squeeze out.

I'm not positive, but I think dowels are available as small as 1/8 inch, I know 3/16 inch, I have some. They go all the way up to at least one inch. I'll have to check, we have several in the barn, I think the smallest is the 3/16, but it may be 1/8. I've looked at them a lot, and bought a few, but never paid much attention to what the smallest size is. In a pinch I guess you could fill the existing holes with fibreglass, but I'm not sure how well it would hold up. Might work, after all boats have been made with it for over 50 years. Holes in the body would be covered by the metal plate, holes in the neck would be hidden, so cosmetics shouldn't be a major issue. I'm not sure if I would depend on fibreglass though. Or wood filler, probably not strong enough, that's under a good bit of pressure.

[Sea Chief]

Hi Paleo Pete-

thanks for the info. Dowels is a good idea. But the thing is these holes I measure being just less than 1/8" (unless known to be precisiely 1/8" anyone know?), and threaded, and maple is extremely hard. Also the new hole would be only a cig paper between the old hole, filled or not. I think thats too close isnt it & would compromise structural integrity here?

Ive measure and I would -just-have enough behind the saddles to shift the saddle points back 3/16". They wouldgo 'up' the slope of the tremolo plate (floating at a good slight angle as it is) but I could then lower with the saddle height tiny pair of grub screws each have/ enough H here just I think. Or I could pitch the neck in a fraction with a neck shim to compensate.

[big_teee]

That all sounds like common Parts-Caster Work.
Fill & Drill on the neck.
Shim the neck if necessary.
Move the Trem plate up or down if required, to achieve intonation.
Dows and super glue can do wonders.
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...uitar+shimming

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...a+stratocaster

[Sea Chief]

Thanks- but I know how to shim & set up a strat/ not asking about these here.

If dowels is the better idea rather than routing the body or trimming 3/16 off the end of the neck, is it

A) possible to use ultra hard dowels on such a hardwood as maple
B) whether the holes need drilling first to exactly 1/8 or whatever the dowel is (or whether the holes are known as they are to be 1/8"?) and
C) is it safe to drill a new hole that almost touches the old filled hole? IE like this OO but these circles actually almost-as-dammit touching each other.

Anyone filled and redrilled neck holes before?

Thanks SC.

[Dave H]

---

Dowels is a good idea. But the thing is these holes I measure being just less than 1/8" (unless known to be precisiely 1/8" anyone know?), and threaded, and maple is extremely hard. Also the new hole would be only a cig paper between the old hole, filled or not. I think thats too close isnt it & would compromise structural integrity here?

I think I used cocktail sticks (they are hardwood) and Evo Stik Resin W on the two I did. I tapped three (?) sticks into each hole (the glue will fill any small gaps) and let it dry overnight before trimming and sanding it flush. Put some masking tape on the drill bit as a depth gauge. You don't want to go and drill through the fingerboard.

[big_teee]

Routing the neck pocket sounds like another viable option.
However if it all already fits properly, the redrilling the neck would probably be the best bet.
I've seen some unusual stuff go through the shop.
One thing That I usually always do on imports is drill out the 4 neck screw holes in the body.
You only want the screws to thread into the neck, not the body.
T

[Sea Chief]

---

I think I used cocktail sticks (they are hardwood) and Evo Stik Resin W on the two I did. I tapped three (?) sticks into each hole (the glue will fill any small gaps) and let it dry overnight before trimming and sanding it flush. Put some masking tape on the drill bit as a depth gauge. You don't want to go and drill through the fingerboard.

cocktail sticks?! I just couldn't do that. Ok on a low quality chinese squier std neck, but not a fender strat neck surely not.

Christ yes I must make a mental note to depth the hole not too deep.. christ I can only imagine.

Ok so dowels sounds like the best idea., but if I could just get some info on my A) B) C) Q's above.

[Sea Chief]

Routing the neck pocket sounds like another viable option.
However if it all already fits properly, the redrilling the neck would probably be the best bet.
I've seen some unusual stuff go through the shop.
One thing That I usually always do on imports is drill out the 4 neck screw holes in the body.
You only want the screws to thread into the neck, not the body.
T

Ok thanks- I'll think about drilling out the body screws, but they do seem stalwart threaded from the existing 4 bolts perfectly.. which would help the solidity of the joint between neck and body. Im not sure its not better to leave these threaded holes and just make sure the neck is clamped firmly once new holes made in it, to the body before passing the bolts into the new neck holes.

Also need the excat diameter of the holes to drill in the neck. I do notice 4 US made fender bolts (with an "Authentic Hendrix" neckplate thing Im scrubbing letters off) I have & could use are actually very slightly thinner threads than my existing 4 chinese-squier bolts with their heads slightly burred.

Would it be better to use the new 4 bolts US made marginally thinner bolts? or use the existing 4 which as said fit down the body's threaded (it seems) holes hand-in-glove.

Thanks SC

[big_teee]

For small holes I use some Hardwood Skewer sticks, in place of dows.
Dows for larger holes.
I also like super glue mixed with baking soda.
It makes an unusually hard mass, that gets used by a lot of Luthiers, but not mentioned that much.
If you use a drill press you can set the drill depth.
If using a hand drill, you can put a sleeve on the bit or use many layers of plastic tape for the sleeve to control depth.
I use both.
T

[big_teee]

Ok thanks- I'll think about drilling out the body screws, but they do seem stalwart threaded from the existing 4 bolts perfectly.. which would help the solidity of the joint between neck and body. Im not sure its not better to leave these threaded holes and just make sure the neck is clamped firmly once new holes made in it, to the body before passing the bolts into the new neck holes.

Also need the excat diameter of the holes to drill in the neck. I do notice 4 US made fender bolts (with an "Authentic Hendrix" neckplate thing Im scrubbing letters off) I have & could use are actually very slightly thinner threads than my existing 4 chinese-squier bolts with their heads slightly burred.

Would it be better to use the new 4 bolts US made marginally thinner bolts? or use the existing 4 which as said fit down the body's threaded (it seems) holes hand-in-glove.

Thanks SC

Leave them if you like, but if they're threaded it is easy to leave a gap between the neck and the body.
On good quality older fenders the screws are never threaded through the body!
You want it where the threads in the neck pulls the neck tightly against the body.
For bit size, I take a dial caliper, or Mic, and measure the screw threads, then reduce the bit size accordingly.
Keep a tight screw hole, and use soap, or wax on the screw threads to ease installing the screws.
YMMV
T

[John_H]

There's nothing sacred about a Fender neck. Fill it, and drill it. Don't be hypnotized by a label. You have to Break eggs to make an omelet.

[Sea Chief]

There's nothing sacred about a Fender neck. Fill it, and drill it. Don't be hypnotized by a label. You have to Break eggs to make an omelet.

No there's not: Im not being esp careful re this due to my unbowed matrimony to the word fender, Im being esp careful because the new hole will be almost touching the old hole thats all: I need absolute care and max filled strength in the old hole before I start even thinking of drilling the new one as it will be bang-adjacent to it.

I can slide a 3mm drill bit (as a guide) into the hole ok, a tiny bit of give. So glue a 3mm dowel into the neck's 4 threaded holes? Or, do I need to put a dowel into a smooth bored hole/ so better to drill it 4mm to just shave off the inside threads then push in 4mm dowels? Im slightly increacing the hole dia here.. so new hole will be a fraction closer.. but maybe a better/ firmer filled hole?