24" neck build - body questions

[ezas]

I see that 24" neck can be put on the 7/8ths body.

So my question is which would better for holding in my lap to play.

7/8ths T-Series
or
Mustang

I'm planning on using the hipshot Grand Piano bridge which ever I choose

Anything I should know with regard to the bridge height/setup? While I know a lot about guitars (mostly acoustic) my knowledge of Bridge height vs which neck on electrics is weak. It's seems like an easy place to make a mistake. I see so much about angled/recessed bridge pockets and I get confused when I need which or when  flat mount is fine.

Thanks in advance

This will be my first Electric build and will be a practice guitar for a Strat build I'm going to do for a friend a month later. I have two of Dan Erlewine's book on order (repair guide and setup).

 

[ihavenothingprofoundtosay]

Welcome aboard!

First: the Baby Grand isn't an option on the 7/8s guitars or the Mustang.  If you're prepared/skilled to drill it yourself, you could just order the body without the bridge rout & do it yourself.  Or you could call & ask Warmoth if they'll do it for an up charge (pretty sure it's the exact same rout as the Gotoh 510).  They may not, though: I'm pretty sure the Mustang body requires an angled pocket for the standard Mustang trem, so you might be good putting the bridge on that way, but I don't know if they'd do an angled pocket bridge on the 7/8ths (it's not an option in the online builder).  It would be really nice if other bridge options were available on the Mustang, but oh well.

In regards to bridge heights: in general, the flatmounts will have much more flexibility to adjust height & string radius.  The TOM, for example, has a fixed radius of 12".  I think there's a few others that are the same, but you'd need to check around the manufacturer specs.  YMMV, but the vintage strat fixed bridge is a time tested choice for lots of folks, or the slightly tighter spaced Hipshot hardtail.  Poke around in the Hardware sub-forum, and there's a lot of good advice & experience there.  If you get a flat mount bridge you don't need an angled pocket. 

Go through the body builder a few times with different guitars, and you'll see what the options will be.  Warmoth's builders won't let you make incompatible choices (ie - angled pocket with a flat mount bridge).

As for which is easier to hold in the lap: that's totally up to the shape of your lap. :-\  You might want to dry fit the parts together once you get the pieces, then sand the bottom of the body to shape if to best fit you.  In general, if a guitar isn't too neck heavy, it will stay in your lap easier.

Also: this talk of the 24" neck being compatible with the 7/8ths body has me wanting to build a 24" scale strat for some reason.  I don't know if I'd play it all that much, but just to have one...  curse this GAS!  :help:

 

[swarfrat]

But is it compatible? 7/8 necks are 24.75, obviously conversions are possible, but I haven't seen anything outside of this thread claiming compatibility.

 

[Ace Flibble]

Yeah the 7/8 scale bodies need 24.75" necks (specifically, the ones Warmoth list as being for 7/8 guitars - NOT the 24.75" conversion necks). The 24" bodies (Jaguar, Mustang) only take the 24" necks. if you want 24" scale then you'll have to go for a Jag or Mustang. If you want 7/8ths size then you have to have 24.75" scale.

 

[ihavenothingprofoundtosay]

Warmoth's 7/8th sized 24.75" scale bodies are compatible with the 24" scale necks, and likewise, the 7/8ths 24.75" scale Warhead necks are compatible with 24" scale bodies such as the Mustang, Jag-stang, & Jaguar.  See here.

It's not a widely known thing simply because so few people have done it.  None yet, that I know of (aside from the tests done at Warmoth).  Which makes me want to do it.  :icon_biggrin:

Congrats to ezas for being a pioneer.  :icon_thumright:

 

[ezas]

Thanks for the replies.

I talked to Warmoth to confirm that the 7/8ths will work with the 24" neck and I was assured that they do. Whoever I talked to said one of the people at Warmoth had one and said "it was a sweet little guitar".

And while drilling stud holes is within my ability I have no capabilities nor equipment for routing. So would the solution for the hipshot grand piano be a angled neck pocket or a recessed TOM bridge route?

I'm kind of hung up on using the hipshot just to make the guitar a little different.

Update: I got this reply from Warmoth about using the Hipshot grand piano bridge and about a reverse bridge route on a 7/8ths.

"I believe that we could do this bridge rout. We would need you to send us the actual bridge in order to use it as a template for cutting the proper bridge rout. This would be a custom bridge rout at an additional $45.
A reverse single coil in the bridge position should be no problem."

The reply came very quick to my email.