Hello World! My first guitar project

[ross.pearson]

While I have your attention, is 12mm too high for the fretboard (highest point of the fretboard radius)? I'm worried I'm about 4-5mm too high. I'm not sure how that's happened, I probably measured the neck depth incorrectly when routing it.

[Simon Barden]

Your headstock-type sand-throughs are where I reach for the black Sharpie. Apply, then a bit of finger smudging, and you're normally looking fine.

[ross.pearson]

Your headstock-type sand-throughs are where I reach for the black Sharpie. Apply, then a bit of finger smudging, and you're normally looking fine.

Brilliant. I'm doing it.

[Woltz]

While I have your attention, is 12mm too high for the fretboard (highest point of the fretboard radius)? I'm worried I'm about 4-5mm too high. I'm not sure how that's happened, I probably measured the neck depth incorrectly when routing it.

This may give you issues when you try to set the action. It's going to depend a bit on how much adjustment you have in the saddles and also the height of your fretwire. As you are aware, typically for Fender type guitars we shoot for around 9mm from top of guitar body to the centre of the fretboard radius. My strat neck pocket was a bit shallow and I was only just able to set the action where it needed to be before I would've needed new grub screws. I'll grab a ruler and see what my measurements were. My intention in the future is to deepen my neck pocket a couple of mms but it's playable for now.

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[ross.pearson]

This may give you issues when you try to set the action. It's going to depend a bit on how much adjustment you have in the saddles and also the height of your fretwire. As you are aware, typically for Fender type guitars we shoot for around 9mm from top of guitar body to the centre of the fretboard radius. My strat neck pocket was a bit shallow and I was only just able to set the action where it needed to be before I would've needed new grub screws. I'll grab a ruler and see what my measurements were. My intention in the future is to deepen my neck pocket a couple of mms but it's playable for now.

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Thanks Woltz!

Yeah, it appears the Pitbull necks are designed to fit a 20mm deep pocket, not 5/8" (15.8mm). That's where my 4mm of difference comes from.

Before I re-route the neck pocket I'm going to check the scale length. If the scale length of this neck on my body don't match up with the bridge pup route then I'm in real trouble. At that stage it's either new scratch body or new scratch neck time.

[ross.pearson]

Scale length seems to check out, so I'll route the 4mm off and should be good to start assembly, at least with my "busy" pickguard, I'll just have to finesse it a bit with some files.

[ross.pearson]

Since I've removed everything from the body now it was a good time to weigh it. Comes in at a hair over 2kg, 2.026. That's before removing 4mm from the pocket, so it will probably be right around 2kg (4.4lbs).

That's not too bad I don't think. About average for a tele body. I wonder how much weight was shed from the contours, I suspect about 500-600g.

[dozymuppet]

I love the finish on this. Quite the journey to get to that look.

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[Simon Barden]

If you are thinning the neck depth, then double-check the length of your neck screws. You don't want them poking through the fretboard!

[ross.pearson]

I love the finish on this. Quite the journey to get to that look.

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Thanks Dozy! I know I'm taking forever haha. I just want it to be over at this stage. Hopefully next weekend the final parts arrive and I can get it done.

If you are thinning the neck depth, then double-check the length of your neck screws. You don't want them poking through the fretboard!

Good thinking! I've got a pitbull neckplate, so it should work fine but I'll definitely double check that. That would have sucked!

I did the old super glue and masking tape trick to fasten some old melamine cupboard doors to use as a base and to protect the finish. Unfortunately I didn't have a flush trim bit that would work, i.e. short enough cutter and long enough shank to reach, so I had to free hand the whole thing. Extreme Pucker Factor.



I got as close to the edges as I was comfortable with, leaving a small amount behind to pare out with a chisel by hand.



That didn't take long, then it was time to fit the neck and make sure it was all good.



It was all good! 9mm proud now, right where I want to be.



Next it's time to screw the neck on and get the bridge alignment done. Two jobs I'm apprehensive about and positive I'll stuff up, but they gotta be done so I'm gonna do em.

That's the majority of the "hard" work then I think? Just waiting on a new pickguard and bone nut, then the rest of the hardware can go on.