Hello World! My first guitar project

[Simon Barden]

You’d normally mask off the pocket, leaving just a small strip exposed (~1mm) around edge so the finish just goes over the corners. You’ll probably have to do some light sanding back on the resulting small ridge, but it really helps the finish to grip. If you mask off right to the edge, the end of the finish then becomes exposed and is far more liable to chip when fitting or removing the neck.

[ross.pearson]

You’d normally mask off the pocket, leaving just a small strip exposed (~1mm) around edge so the finish just goes over the corners. You’ll probably have to do some light sanding back on the resulting small ridge, but it really helps the finish to grip. If you mask off right to the edge, the end of the finish then becomes exposed and is far more liable to chip when fitting or removing the neck.

Cheers! Unfortunately I've done my regular trick of not explaining my problem well enough though =(

To rephrase: When I'm finishing my neck, do I want to apply finish to the heel and sides where it will meet the body. I'm thinking no, as this will make the neck thicker and taller and no longer able to fit into the pocket. What is the usual method for this?

Cheers!