Aftermarket neck intonation question

[jdr94]

I got this neck for free and after comparing and measuring, I would need to shave this much off(see pic) to make it fit snug in a jackson neck pocket. Since this will just be a beater, can I just shave the corners and simply adjust my saddles to intonate or should I just not be lazy and get it snug?

[Newc]

That's well within the range of most saddles, but if you're confident in your ability to sand it off evenly, go for it. A snug fit will give better tone.

[jdr94]

Yeah im not confident in my skills lol. I may go for it though. It was free so if I ruin it at least it didnt cost me anything.

[Trem]

put some tape on the overhang underside so you don't mar it and take a flat medium/fine file and file it just up to the line keeping it nice and vertical, and then maybe sand it a little with some fine sand paper wrapped around something flat (the said file for example), good to go. if you use a fine file you probably don't even have to sand it.

[jdr94]

Cool. Thanks for the tips

[Newc]

I did it to the JTX neck that's on the Halford Warrior with an air-powered die grinder with a sanding disc

And I had to take off a lot more than that.

[jdr94]

Yeah I was gonna attempt it with a grinder before Trems suggestions. I probably woulda messed up the overhang if I had.

[ginsambo]

The butt doesn't have to fit snug to give better tone, its more important that the back seats flush and tight with the body IMO. If you want it flush use a hand router, freehand is OK.

If it has a headstock truss rod adjust that shouldn't be a problem, I even routed that much off with a butt adjusted truss rod and still cleared it. Hand router is the easiest option, just make sure the depth is set to the fretboard and don't let it tilt off the level and work it with the blade cutting against the neck not dragging it back and bring it up to speed away from your work and bring it in gently, a bit at a time. Also make a more accurate template out of cardboard and draw around that on the butt of the neck. You can then sand out any imperfections or sand the board back, after taping the back of the board with masking tape.

Intonation wise - if you go too short (Measure low E saddle to nut should be 25.5") then a Schaller Floyd will be your best bet. Longer scale length and go with an OFR to get your 25.5" scale.

$30 you can probably get a cheap hand router and bits. Wear ear defenders, it helps you concentrate better and practice on something first.

[jdr94]

Well im an impatient fool ha ha, but I did a quick graze on the grinder to get close then hand filed the rest.
By flush do you mean the curve part of the heel and neck pocket? Cause thats what I meant by snug. Anyways, I did ok. Its not snug, but its damn close.
Looks pretty cool for a wanna be jackson neck lol. I wish someone had bought this body cause I have this problem where if I hold a part too long it starts to look like a project ha ha. Sadly I sold the trem already so now to buy one

[Newc]

He was saying the butt (skinny, where the model is usually stamped) end doesn't have to be flush with the back of the pocket, but the flat part of the heel (where the holes are) should have total contact with the bottom of the pocket, and not have gaps.

[jdr94]

Oh yeah. I got it nice and flush. Filled the crappy holes it had. Redrilled and have it nice and tight. No creaking or anything when I apply pressure. Now to finish it off.