Glue on Neck - Enough Contact?

[a_novice]

Just wondering, i've only ever done a bolt on neck and looking at my latest project i'm worries that the amount of contact for the gluing may not be enough? Just wondering what peoples thoughts are and if its not enough what you would suggest. I've added a couple of pics showing the neck pocket and the end of the neck, with one pic showing how much roughly on the sides are going to have contact.

I also have an issue that the sides at the very end of the tail (thin part of the end of the neck) may not have great contact as the pocket seems to have a concaveness to it.

[Simon Barden]

Don't ever worry about the last bit of the tenon touching the rear of the pocket. They generally aren't designed to actually touch the rear at all.

With that amount of upper fret access it's never going to be the guitar design with the strongest neck joint in the world, but it will be strong enough. Other people have made these kits and I've never seen any posts about the neck falling off. Almost all of the strength comes from the contact with the bottom of the pocket - that's the area which gets clamped down. The glue at the sides provides some extra support, but it's never going to provide as much strength as the clamped area. It's mainly there to fill in the gaps!

[a_novice]

Thanks Simon. That’s good to know as it just looks like there is’t enough but knowing others have done it with no issue is comforting. I think my next build will be different around the neck it’s not the tightest pocket either and can’t pick the guitar up by the neck without glue or clamp but hopefully all ok.

[McCreed]

I have 2 questions:

Did the neck come that way, or did you route out some the tenon in pickup cavity?

And, is that PBG kit?

[Simon Barden]

It's a PBG kit with a StewMac 1°angle shim stuck on the bottom of the pocket.

[a_novice]

Actually it’s a non PBG. My first was an SV1 from PBG and it was awesome! Highly recommend that kit. I need to post final pics but haven’t had a chance.

This one isn’t and I did add the shim as Simon said because the angle wouldn’t work with the bridge I have (a wraparound from mannmadeusa. I had to shave some off the first step under the fretboard to remove gap between end of the neck and the pickup ring. I’m learning a lot from this build that’s for sure.

[McCreed]

I had to shave some off the first step under the fretboard to remove gap between end of the neck and the pickup ring.

So that long skinny bit of the heel is how it came?

[Simon Barden]

So that long skinny bit of the heel is how it came?

A 'long tenon', designed to give more contact area and neck strength.

[a_novice]

Yep that’s how it came and makes sense as Simon has pointed out with the easy access to high frets.