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Hi! First time post here!

I tried creating my own electric guitar (Stratocaster) using Mahogany for the body and (bought a maple neck) since i'm quite afraid of making my own neck.
(haven't got a router thus i used plain old Chisel and Hammer.)

I finally got them all in place.
However, when i tried placing the 6th and the 1st string, they seem to be touching the frets already even @ full tension.
Is there a way for me to adjust the gap without shaving off a portion of the neck pocket? (i've had a really hard time fixing the neck... don't want to repeat it again)

Photo below showing 1st and 2nd string (i 've removed the 6th string already)



Also, how do i know the correct depth of the neck pocket? i just followed the pdf file i got from a friend.

A standard neck pocket on a strat should be 0.625 deep and flat on the bottom (parallel to the top). From your second picture it looks like your pocket might be deeper towards the pickup but its hard to tell with pickguard in place. With most strat bridges you will want the string plane to just hit the top of the saddles at their very lowest adjustment, that will allow you to come up to reasonable playing action and still have adjustment. I do this when I'm building the guitar - this is a tele and the saddles are screwed all the way down



If the pocket can't be routed to the correct depth it is possible to shim the neck so that the geometry is correct. These are commercial shims but you'll find lots of old Fenders with a match book cover or tooth pick or guitar pick shoved into the pocket to make it work.

Right now, the neck is pulling back with no full string pull. I presume you are familiar with setups. I'd first try installing all strings, tuned up to pitch, and do a basic neck and bridge setup before deciding on the next steps. It might be all right.



Pierre

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Pierre Castonguay

thank you for your inputs. I tried installing all strings but to no avail. i might need to dismantle it and shave a portion of the neck pocket. I measured it and it's 12mm deep. need to shave more.

You DO realize the bridge height is adjustable, do you not?
And that shimming the neck is allowed?

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I never try to set up a guitar (adjust the action and playability) until I am sure of three things - the guitar must be structurally sound (neck correctly in the pocket, all screws tight), the geometry of the guitar must be correct (the relationship between the neck and fretboard and the bridge, both the angle and the distances based on scale length and location of the bridge), and the frets need to be perfect. Once I am satisfied with those three things I can start on the setup.

We have a discussion going on at the Repair subforum that you might find helpful

viewtopic.php?f=10137&t=50773

and I posted this in that discussion but I'll repeat it, it is kind of a step by step on a new guitar

http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/for ... tele-setup

12mm is less than a half inch, the standard depth of a tele/strat pocket is 5/8 inch. I have one set of plans that show 0.584 but I've always used 0.625

This is what you should see after routing out the neck pocket

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Julie Moriarty
http://JulimorCreations.com

I’m confused as well. Just raise the bridge saddles as required.

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Until you run out of adjustment and have to shim the neck......

Hi. just an update.
I have somewhat fix the problem.
since i don't have a router, i manually chiseled out the neck pocket. and clamp the neck before screwing it.
There seems to be a problem whenever i try screwing it back on. the screw pushes the neck thus making no room for the strings against the fretboard.
Yay! thanks to all your advice.

Two comments there - make sure the holes in the body have some clearance. You do not want threads in the body, only the neck. The recommended drill bit is a #19 (0.166) but just make sure there is clearance around the screw shaft.

The proper screws countersunk the proper amount are vital. I have seen several sizes of screws uses on Fender guitars, in one case the guy got something at a hardware store that actually came up under a fret and pushed it up. Fender neck screws can be difficult to align and drill. I'm away from my notes but what I recall is the screw must be no longer than 1-3/4.