new neck for my telecaster

[indie folk guy]

I want a new neck for my trusty tele, basically i want a chunkier neck.

I will be installing a bone nut and sperzel tuners. I think I will be going with Warmoth.
Info about guitar, fender alder body w 3 tone sunburst finish, schaller straplocks, lindy fralin pickups (2+5 over tele set plus a vintage hot strat in the middle position), cream pearloid pickguard, joe barden bridge w compensated brass saddles, new electronics (i reversed the control plate and have a concentric vol/tone nearest bridge, a vol/blend pot for the middle pickup, then a 3 way switch.....cap is valued to get a subtle tone change just to slightly smooth out the bite yada yada

Basically i am thinking 9.5" radius, 1 5/8" nut width, sperzel tuner holes, quartersawn maple neck and fingerboard (will try to get birdseye or flame if available), vintage tint satin nitro finish, 6105 nickel frets, 59 roundback contour, and keep a 25.5" scale.

Does this sound good or should i do a different radius with that type of contour?

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

It's just a preference thing. If you think a 9.5" radius would feel good to you on a 59 roundback contour, go for it. There's no wrong way to eat a Reese's.

 

[MikeM]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

Check out Musikraft. Really cool tele necks there. They specialise in necks actually.. They also do a 9.5-12 radius neck which is super comfortable!

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

Neck right now has 9.5 radius I guess I'm just curious if there are advantages on a tele to a certain radius. My guitar tech kinda steered me away from the 10-16 compound radius. Having never used a compound neck i have to take his word on it for now.

I know this ends up being a very personal subject I guess i just wanna see if anyone has done anything similar, what they chose, and how they like/dislike their choice.

 

[jtougas]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

I might get yelled at for this, but I have been surprisingly pleased with the quality of the Mighty Mite necks - very comfortable (and I like a thicker neck, as well).

They're (obviously) more limited in the options.
Sperzels and Planet Waves tuners slip right on, though.

 

[uOpt]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

You left out the most important thing, and that is the truss rod. I wouldn't get anything with a double truss rod.

 

[MikeM]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

You left out the most important thing, and that is the truss rod. I wouldn't get anything with a double truss rod.

+100. I personally think the less wood routed the better, which is one of the reasons I prefer Musikraft necks

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

I will look into musikraft later

as for the truss rod I would be doing a vintage modern neck which is a head adjusting single vintage truss rod.

also if it is of any difference to anyone I'll likely be using 11-50 gauge strings (my prs and lp have 12's so I figure for the fender go down a gauge to keep feel consistent)

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

wow the musikraft necks looks pretty awesome also

anyone do a warmoth vs musikraft comparison on here that might lean me one way or the other?

 

[MikeM]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

Bud I think that's down to luck of the draw.

Personally I like the features of the Musikrafts. The 9.5-12 radius is great, barely noticable, but really helps if you do bends above the 12th fret with a low action. The extra narrow truss rod routing, vintage style truss rod, cool back contours. Just does it for me Pity they don't have ebay sales going on this year They put some really lovely necks up on there.

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

any other opinions before I pull the trigger?

 

[Fender_Punk]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

My new tele has a 12" radius and my Fender has a 9.5" and I find bends easier to do on the 12" radius. If you play rhythm more than lead, go with the 9.5" radius, otherwise go with the 12" radius.

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

perhaps trying a 9.5-12 compound radius would be an ideal route to take since I play both lead and rhythm.

here is what my musikraft idea is
Head Stock Orientation: Right for Right Hand Players
Scale: 25-1/2" Standard Fender
Number of Frets: 21 (Standard Fender)
Nut Width: 1-5/8"
Heel Width: Standard Fender 2-3/16"
Neck Wood: Quarter Sawn Maple + $65
Tuner Hole Size: Kluson 11/32"
Trussrod Option: Bullet Style at Head +$20
Finger Board Radius: Compound 10-12 + $25
Finger Board Inlay Top: Abalone + $15
Finger Board Inlay Side Markers: Abalone +$5
12th Dot Spacing: Wide 1.035 Pre 1964 Style
Fret Size and Type: Med Jumbo 6150 .104 X .047
Nut Style: Fender Style Flat Bottom
Back Profile Thickness @ the 1st and 12th Fret: 59 LP .87 to .97
Custom Up-Charges: None
Nut Installation Option: NONE No Nut Installed
Finish: Dark Tint Satin Lacquer + $100
Additional Options: Semi Rolled Finger Board Edges, 4 Neck Mouting Holes Drilled
$425

 

[uOpt]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

425 for that with no nut?

I don't like compound, makes maintenance too hard.

A thick neck that's also Quartersawn might feel very stiff. I'd be careful.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

any other opinions before I pull the trigger?

USACG

Never seen anything that can compare

http://phinnguitars.blogspot.com/2011/03/mocking-up-1.html

In the last few weeks, I finished the routing of the body cavities, with only the neck pocket left to route. The routing went very well, and although it's not super clean, it's done, and I learned a few things experientially that will help me make the next guitar's routing cleaner.

I was intentionally waiting for the neck to arrive before I routed the neck pocket, so I could make any measurements or adjustments to my templates that I wanted, for a true perfect fit.

Well, I got the neck in from Tommy at USACG last night.

​

I know I said all this before, but I have never seen customer service on this level before - nothing comes close. When I got the neck, let's just say I found a few unexpected and very welcome surprises.

Not only did he throw in the ebony board at no extra charge when I ordered the neck, but, to my surprise, he gave this neck a gorgeous "marbled ebony" fretboard. I had never heard of marbled ebony, much less seen it, but man, it looks like, well, marble. It's got some streaks and such, and just has a very subtle cool to it. And it's as smooth as glass. I couldn't believe it was wood and not something synthetic - it just feels otherworldly. Next up, he had rolled the fretboard edges - again at no upcharge. Any guitar player knows that this is a godsend, and any luthier knows that it's no easy task. Hats off to Tommy for taking care of his customers with little extras like this.*

The flatsawn maple is solid and feels very, very smooth --- if I didn't know better, I would think this neck could get away with no finish. The 6150 frets didn't seem as big as I was expecting them to be, but I may feel differently once the neck has some strings running over it.

Looking from the heel end up towards the headstock, it's easy to see that this is the straightest neck I've ever seen or held --- it was just absolutely perfect. The perfection of the radius and the straightness of the neck were a little unbelievable. The rolled fretboard edges felt great, and the fret ends were - you guessed it - perfect.

Anyways, considering the price, I can't fathom getting a better product for the money without feeling like a thief.

Here is a full resolution picture of the picture above, so you can check it out up close.

It's cool to see the body with a neck mocked up on it - what do you think about the mock up?

-Hunter


* You may be thinking "hey, he didn't get what he ordered! Maybe he didn't want rolled fretboard edges or marbled ebony." I made it clear to Tommy at the time of order that I was open-minded and that as long as the main specs were in place (contour, radius, nut width, profile, scale length...) that I was all good.

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

425 for that with no nut?

I don't like compound, makes maintenance too hard.

A thick neck that's also Quartersawn might feel very stiff. I'd be careful.

I don't want it to have a nut, I have bone blanks and make my own

and this is why I'm asking for people's opinions on things I don't have multiple necks to experiment with on this guitar (I have the stock neck).

What makes maintenence more difficult on a compound radius like a 10-12?

I want an all maple neck, I thought quartersawn was advantageous to flatsawn?

 

[Bludave]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

Musiccraft necks are lower quality necks then Warmoth, at least in my experience. I have a Musiccraft neck on a Strat & the truss rod rattles. It was explained to me by my Tech that they put the rod in without any tension so if it needs to be loose it starts flopping around in the socket. It doesn't affect its playability but certain notes can cause sympathetic vibrations. I also have two other Strats that I built(with some help) that has Warmoth necks. On one Strat I have a birdseye maple Brazilian rosewood compound radius neck with sperzel locking tunes, graphite nut & saddles and this guitar just plays beautifully. The neck has been on this guitar for 12 maybe 15 years and has hardly ever moved. Very stable. My other Strat has a quarter sawn maple neck with Brazilian R/W and a V back. Probably one of my favorite guitars. The neck has never moved! For me it would be Warmoth all the way. Very consistent and excellent quality!

 

[uOpt]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

I don't want it to have a nut, I have bone blanks and make my own

and this is why I'm asking for people's opinions on things I don't have multiple necks to experiment with on this guitar (I have the stock neck).

What makes maintenence more difficult on a compound radius like a 10-12?

I want an all maple neck, I thought quartersawn was advantageous to flatsawn?

It's just too expensive for a run of the mill neck.

You cannot use a radius sander to level a compound radius fretboard's frets.

Quartersawn isn't "better" or "worse". But it'll make your guitar feel stiffer and probably sound different. It might not be what you want.

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

well then it sounds like maybe I should go back to looking at warmoth and from the sound of it flatsawn maple, birdseye, or flamed.

I appreciate everyone's help and insights I'm definitely learning and beginning to get better ideas about what it is that I want.

 

[BEACHBUM]

Re: new neck for my telecaster

It's just a preference thing. If you think a 9.5" radius would feel good to you on a 59 roundback contour, go for it. There's no wrong way to eat a Reese's.

You've got that right. For me it's a nice slim "D" shape with a flat 12" radius and there's no wrong way to get there. That's why Fenders are great. You can have it your way.