Roasted maple neck not fitting in neck pocket?

[blakejcan]

Making my own telecaster body. Just routed the neck pocket yesterday and did a couple of test fits with the two necks I have from Warmoth.

one is a regular maple neck

one is a roasted maple neck.

The regular neck is a perfect fit. Nice and tight all around. Just what you would expect really. Maybe even barely too tight. Once it's in it won't move and you could pickup the whole guitar by the neck if you wanted to. Easy fix to sand down a tad later though.

The roasted maple......not the same. Kind of slops into the pocket. It won't fall out from front to back which is good but it shifts a touch from side to side and can pivot right out of the pocket if you push down on the neck.

Is it possible that the roasted neck got rid of the sugars and whatever other magical moisture is in the neck and actually just a tiny tiny bit shrank down? Thus causing the slop in the neck pocket?

 

[Lewguitar]

Anything's possible. Is it unfinished? If so you might be able to build up a little finish in the butt end.

I think it's most important for the butt end to press tightly against the neck pocket end wall. The wall parallel with the neck pickup.

When I attach a bolt on neck I place the guitar and neck face down on a carpeted surface and press the headstock against a wall and push the neck and body tight with my knee as I'm tightening the screws.

I think it helps.

 

[Masta' C]

The roasting is done before the lumber is turned into a neck from what I understand. As such, any differences you are seeing are likely due to manufacturing, not the wood. However, whether the roasted neck is actually out of tolerance is not known. I would guess that it's probably still "within spec".

 

[muttznmongrelz]

What you say about the Roasted Maple makes sense with the process. Bummer there's a difference. Personally; I'd go with the tighter fitting neck.

Agree with Lewguitar; I do a similar process and try like Hell to make sure the neck is pressed in and down as much as possible as I tighten the neck plate screws down.

 

[blakejcan]

Thanks all. Both necks are unfinished currently and I was going to leave the roasted one unfinished just cause it feels great.

I am going to put some clear on the body and was considering leaving the neck pocket untaped so that I could build up just a little bit of material and hope that gets the fit a bit tighter. Usually not what I would I do and I am doubtful it will solve for the problem but might make it a bit better.

The alignment on the back wall is great tho. My biggest challenge is drilling the holes in the neck pocket in just the right place.

 

[muttznmongrelz]

Look forward to seeing pic once you "git 'er done"!

 

[blakejcan]

The roasting is done before the lumber is turned into a neck from what I understand. As such, any differences you are seeing are likely due to manufacturing, not the wood. However, whether the roasted neck is actually out of tolerance is not known. I would guess that it's probably still "within spec".

I assumed this as well but in comparing the two necks........the roasted maple neck of course is darker but so is the rosewood fretboard in comparison to the non-roasted neck.

I wonder if they do everything except the fretwork and put it in the toaster oven?

 

[ErikH]

If it is just a little bit, don't worry too much. You should see the gap on EVH's old Frankenstein. Holy smokes! I would leave the roasted maple unfinished. It's not required and yes, it feels amazing. I don't think I could use plain maple on a build anymore.

 

[playas]

I'm pretty sure roasting a neck will shrink it. As you've said, the process will affect the size/shape. The neck should be shaped afterwards though, not shaped and then stuck in an oven.
If it is too small it would be best to send it back if you have that option.

 

[Mincer]

Have you measured both? I'd be interested to know what the difference is. I would think Warmoth would account for this if they are selling both. Maybe it is just a weird pair?

 

[blakejcan]

Thanks everyone. End of the day....it's totally workable on all fronts with either neck and they both feel great. Appreciate the sanity check on here.


The more I think about it, I bet they actually do shape the necks before roasting them. I'm making a body out of a roasted ash blank and it is considerably more brittle than a non-roasted which makes sense. Carving all of the tight neck contours out of roasted piece of maple would likely end up in a fair amount of chipping.

 

[Chris Pile]

Blake, I think you'll find that a finish will not adhere as easily to the roasted neck.

 

[blakejcan]

Blake, I think you'll find that a finish will not adhere as easily to the roasted neck.

makes sense. I'll just not the tape the pocket itself and build that up instead

 

[ErikH]

I didn't bother doing anything with my Warmoth roasted maple neck. It arrived, I slapped the tuners on it and attached it to the body. When I ordered it I had them put in a Graph Tech nut too, which they did a fantastic job on.