guitar's neck screws vary in length?

[guitorture]

Just got a Jackson Fusion Pro in the mail:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151354680270

The neck creaked unusually loud during whammy bar dives/pull ups so I checked things out more closely. There was a noticeable gap in the space where the body is screwed to the neck, and not just the kind you can slip a piece of paper through. I'm talking more like 1 to 2 sheets of thick CARDSTOCK... I ended up removing the neck(no shim or anything in sight) and noticed that the screws are different sizes.
The bottom two closest to the tremolo are 1 5/8" and the top two closer to the nut are 1 3/8". I'm about to attempt to screw it back together properly, but first I thought I'd ask on here if the differing screw size is normal. Hopefully I didn't get shysted.

[straycat]

Shorter screws towards the neck longer screws towards the bridge.
Hope that helps.
Look at the thickness of the body where the neck bolts on.

[guitorture]

Thanks, so the previous guy had it arranged right. I also have a Fusion USA that had three long screws and just one short screw towards the neck. That kind of threw me off, since the short one was super small, like 1" or 1 and 1/8" max... got a longer replacement screw from a local luthier that fit in just fine. It's just hard with these older guitars knowing what has and hasn't been swapped out.

[pianoguyy]

that's why i always try to put screws back in the same hole they came out of.
I will sometimes take a piece of paper and draw a guitar on it. and poke the screw through the drawing at the spot that it came out of

[ulijdavid]

You can also place the neck into the pocket and place the screw on the side. As long as the screw does not protrude past the bottom of the fretboard, it shouldn't be too long. If you need replacement screws, take one of the screws to ACE hardware. They have the exact shape and various sizes - and in stainless steel. Personally, I like to use the longest screw that will fit.

[pianoguyy]

If you need replacement screws, take one of the screws to ACE hardware. They have the exact shape and various sizes - and in stainless steel.

I've never been able to find exact

Its not like sticking a size 40 man into a size 34 suit. Its wood, once you enlarge a hole or create new threads, its forever.

[tomanyjacksons]

I always make sure the neck and body are tightly together before I start putting any screws in. If you put a screw in and the body and neck aren't tightly together it won't pull them together and it will continue to have a gap, even after you have tightened all of the screws. Good luck.

[ulijdavid]

I've never been able to find exact

Its not like sticking a size 40 man into a size 34 suit. Its wood, once you enlarge a hole or create new threads, its forever.

It's a #10 wood screw. It's a universal screw specification - Guitar manufacturers did not invent their own screw spec.