An interesting approach to the contoured heel concept

[stubhead]

These happen to be D'Pergo, but I've seen a few pictures of this idea from other builders, so for right now it's a cool guy/insider type of thing. It does make quite a bit of sense - the standard heel block is an inch thick, give or take a bit, and you wouldn't really need more than half that for strength with the body grain running the long way, and the strings pulling primarily horizontal. If you tried to break it you'd still pull out the neck screws or yank out the threaded inserts before you'd break the pocket. So instead of just slanting the neck plate or cutting off a corner (Fender/Music Man style) you sink the whole thing some (and D'Pergo slants too). We can be pretty sure we are stuck with the giant block because it was easier for Leo Fender to make 62 years ago.

 

[Alfang]

I like it,

Another thing that has stuck around way too long, and probably forever is front routed bodies, all thanks to making it easier for King Leo.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Weird really, because it's much easier to wire a rear-routed Strat, for example.

 

[Cagey]

Not on a smallish assembly line. If you can put 95% of the electricals on the pickguard, all you need is a cafeteria table and a few bored women and you can turn out Strat guts all day long.

 

[whitebison66]

But I read on the internet that the thickness at the neck pocket was the absolute key to tone.  :tard:

Or was it the clay dots???  :icon_scratch:

To get back to the topic, I always liked this approach to lessening the heel area; it was fairly common back in the heady, shreddy 80s.  arty07: