7/8 Soloist bodies...

My shop is in disarray and I haven't got my planer set up. But this thread made me realize - what I SHOULD have done for the mini tele body was to just get an unrouted tele body and use the rabbet bit and template bit to shave 1/2" all the way around the outside.  For  a 7/8 body you wouldn't have to go that much, just a 1/4" or so would be plenty.
 
New poster here, and sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but I have been thinking about this subject: a soloist body that accepts a 7/8 neck natively. I came across this thread via search.

Anyhoo, it occurred to me that you could order a custom soloist body, and leave out the bridge and bridge pickup routing pockets. If you're handy, you could add those (2) elements in the appropriate (i.e, compensated, as in closer to the nut) locations to accommodate the 7/8 neck scale line, which is geometrically fixed by the neck itself (and neck pocket). This is complicated further if you want a trem pocket (the spring cavity would need to be adjusted as well), but I think this is just technical talk and anyone handy enough I think should be able to pull it off. I would use a CNC machine.

Anyhoo... just thinking out loud here. Any pitfalls in this thinking?
 
Okay, shorter version.

To get a Soloist body that will accept a 7/8 neck, buy the soloist with no bridge pickup pocket, or a bridge pocket. Then put those (2) things in yourself in the compensated position. Any reason this wouldn't work?
 
Interestingly, if you rabbet then flush cut a strat body by about a half inch you get a shape that looks remarkably like a soloist.

So what would a 7/8 soloist look like? It'd be a bit pointier
 
I broke down and decided to call Warmoth about this. I asked the sales tech if I could order a soloist to accept a 7/8 neck. I was surprised by his answer. He replied *any* flat top body, with rear routing, can be made this way. There is no option for it that is published, but if you order a body with these constraints (flat top, rear route), and specify in the notes section "make for 7/8 neck," they will make it for you. And the upcharge is $75 or $90 (he couldn't remember the exact figure).

If you are serious about this, don't take my word for it - you should call them. For your own peace of mind and for clarity. But this is what he told me, and frankly I was glad to hear it.
 
Bravin Neff said:
I broke down and decided to call Warmoth about this. I asked the sales tech if I could order a soloist to accept a 7/8 neck. I was surprised by his answer. He replied *any* flat top body, with rear routing, can be made this way. There is no option for it that is published, but if you order a body with these constraints (flat top, rear route), and specify in the notes section "make for 7/8 neck," they will make it for you. And the upcharge is $75 or $90 (he couldn't remember the exact figure).

If you are serious about this, don't take my word for it - you should call them. For your own peace of mind and for clarity. But this is what he told me, and frankly I was glad to hear it.
What exactly is the benefit of putting a 7/8 neck on a Soloist body?  To avoid the long fretboard extension? I suppose having the 24th fret up where 22 usually is would look a lot nicer, and give better access. Seems nice except you’re stuck with the birdbeak headstock. 🥺

Edit: Duh, I forgot you can't get a 24.75" 24-fret Soloist, so using a 7/8 neck would do that.
 
TheOtherEric said:
Bravin Neff said:
I broke down and decided to call Warmoth about this. I asked the sales tech if I could order a soloist to accept a 7/8 neck. I was surprised by his answer. He replied *any* flat top body, with rear routing, can be made this way. There is no option for it that is published, but if you order a body with these constraints (flat top, rear route), and specify in the notes section "make for 7/8 neck," they will make it for you. And the upcharge is $75 or $90 (he couldn't remember the exact figure).

If you are serious about this, don't take my word for it - you should call them. For your own peace of mind and for clarity. But this is what he told me, and frankly I was glad to hear it.
What exactly is the benefit of putting a 7/8 neck on a Soloist body?  To avoid the long fretboard extension? I suppose having the 24th fret up where 22 usually is would look a lot nicer, and give better access. Seems nice except you’re stuck with the birdbeak headstock. 🥺

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm attracted to 24.75" scale and 24 frets. The better access up top is a bonus. I like the 7/8 stuff (I have a 7/8 strat body) for the same reasons most people do: it fits a little better for shorter/smaller folks. I'm 5.8", hands are a little smaller than average. And as many people have noted over the years, the soloist body is already kind of a 7/8 sized body.
 
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