Heel and Neck Pocket Width

burst

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Hello..just signed up looking or help this topic. Sorry if this has been covered but I couldn't find an answer with search.

TL;DR version - is it normal for a Warmoth Roasted maple 1 pc Vintage/Modern unfinished Tele neck to measure 2.208" at the heel? What does a Warmoth Tele neck pocket actually measure?

Long version - I'm confused by the heel width / neck pocket spec. I know 2-3/16" is the Fender spec and that's what my Fender Strat and Tele necks have always measured +/- 005". Depending on the series, the neck pockets vary and can be at least .020" wider than that on some models with big gaps.

I've bought about half dozen Warmoth Strat necks over the years, all maple, non-roasted which Iv'e used on Fender or custom bodies I made. The unfinished ones always measure right on 2-3/16" +/ .003" at the heel. The finished ones were about .015-.020" wider which is to be expected. Depending whether it was going on a Fender or one I made the finished ones might drop right in or need some light sanding and persuasion to fit. I'm sure everyone has seen bodies with paint chipped around the neck pocket from forcing a neck which fits too tight.

Warmoth publishes their spec as 2-3/16" wide (56mm), but 56mm is not 2-3/16". It's bigger about 2-13/64". To be fair, this is pretty common and confusing practice among many parts makers. Bridges and tuners made to metric spec are often listed with fractional equivalents that aren't exact because they want to use a round number....

So..I just bought a recent Tele neck for the first time, used, not direct from Warmoth, 1 piece roasted maple. This one is unfinished but measures 2.208" at the heel with the calipers. I planned to make my own body for it. I am wondering if necks made from roasted maple and other woods not requiring finish are purposely cut larger?

Thanks for any feedback on this.
 
Warmoth publishes their spec as 2-3/16" wide (56mm), but 56mm is not 2-3/16". It's bigger about 2-13/64".
Well, 56mm is 2.205 inches. Other than that, all I have to offer is that both of my unfinished roasted maple Warmoth necks fit Squier bodies without modification, other than scraping some finish drips out of the pockets.

Welcome to the board, burst!
 
2 3/16" is 55.5625mm so the 56mm mentioned is purely rounding following conversion from the imperial measurement. The spec Warmoth uses is 2 3/16" give or take any variations of finish or tolerances due to sanding etc. And of course wood moves and can expand and contract dependent on the environment, hopefully it will not do so much if well dried / seasoned etc.

If you have a neck (Warmoth or otherwise) that you are making a body for, make the body to fit the neck or to be closer to specs sand the neck slightly first so that it is 2 3/16" which is about 1/64" less than the 2.208" you mentioned.
 
Hi
You said
"...Warmoth publishes their spec as 2-3/16" wide (56mm), but 56mm is not 2-3/16". It's bigger about 2-13/64". To be fair, this is pretty common and confusing practice among many parts makers. Bridges and tuners made to metric spec are often listed with fractional equivalents that aren't exact because they want to use a round number...."

Why don't you just use either metric measurements, or decimal inch measurements. Fractional inches are not and were never intended to be precision measurements. I'm sure the fender diagrams from the 1950's used decimal inch measurements.

I think when people say this neck pocket is 2 -3/16" they just mean, that it should accept a Fender neck. They're using a number when really they mean a value.

Hope this was helpful.
 
Its unfortunately common to find "Fender spec" necks that have heel width of around 56.0 ~ 56.4mm from other parts manufacturers.

Since Warmoth don't quote any tolerance figure, it seems like they could use any metric approximation and get away with it. However since Warmoth tolerances are typically better than most, I think it makes sense to have technically accurate metric conversions. Thousands of an inch is very useful, so when converted to metric, state the figure to 0.01mm precision to avoid introducing any error. Poor metric conversion can be really frustrating, so I totally agree with the critics in this thread.
 
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To my knowledge they are not larger. Best to confirm with warmoth themselves. Phone number on their website. Call during pst.
 
"...Warmoth publishes their spec as 2-3/16" wide (56mm), but 56mm is not 2-3/16". It's bigger about 2-13/64".

That is also close when expressed as 64ths of an inch. See what I posted earlier below. 2 3/16 is 2 12/64, so the difference is not much.

2 3/16" is 55.5625mm so the 56mm mentioned is purely rounding following conversion from the imperial measurement. The spec Warmoth uses is 2 3/16" give or take any variations of finish or tolerances due to sanding etc. And of course wood moves and can expand and contract dependent on the environment, hopefully it will not do so much if well dried / seasoned etc.


Why don't you just use either metric measurements, or decimal inch measurements. Fractional inches are not and were never intended to be precision measurements. I'm sure the fender diagrams from the 1950's used decimal inch measurements.

I am not sure who you are referring to. If it is me, I do not work for Warmoth.

Fractional measurements of inches have been common for a long time. Using decimal such as 2.125 inches instead of 2 1/8" is a more recent thing.

I would be surprised and highly doubt that Fender used decimal inch measurements in the 50s. If you have actual evidence they did, I am happy to see it.

Metric measurements as well as imperial measurements are given as Warmoth operate an internationally viewed website so it is to cater to those who use metric and those who use imperial inches.

I think when people say this neck pocket is 2 -3/16" they just mean, that it should accept a Fender neck. They're using a number when really they mean a value.

The original Fender vintage specs are 2 3/16". They are using a measurement. All imperial inch rulers for measuring use fractions.

From a 1970s Fender catalogue. Fractional inches. Nobody then used decimal with inches. Fender would have used fractional rulers for measuring in the 50s not digital calipers.

fender70p5.jpg
 
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Hello and thanks all. I agree that decimals values are more precise and more recent development over past specs that may have been more generalized for marketing purposes. Also agree Warmoth necks are usually tight tolerances, its why I use them :) I mentioned the unfinished ones I've had were all within +/- .003" of 2.1875" (2-3/16"). I wouldn't consider 2.208" within a normal tolerance. Some other manufacturers I know have much wider tolerances and that's why I don't buy their products. They're too unpredictable. Temperature and humidity are pretty ideal where I am right now. Plus it's roasted maple which inherently more stable from the roasting process. My other RM neck, which admittedly is a thicker carve, hasn't moved at all over the past year. I'm a little hesitant to call a company asking questions about a product I bought used so I wanted to see what others' firsthand experiences were. Thanks...
 
Why don't you just use either metric measurements, or decimal inch measurements. Fractional inches are not and were never intended to be precision measurements. I'm sure the fender diagrams from the 1950's used decimal inch measurements.

I doubt that's true, since all their measurements are "Base 2" (denominators increase to the powers of 2). 2-3/16" heel pocket, 2-7/32" screw spacing on the Strat trem, 2/16 edge radius on Tele, etc.

Most of my woodworking shop[ tools from the '60s and '70s have fractional index scales, and the machining shop tools have decimal (mils). Aside from spark plug gaps, "Base 10" decimal imperial measurements didn't really come into favor until early software required them. To this day, fractional inches still dominant many tool parts in the U.S., like drill bits.

But I can't really help the OP beyond saying, no, from my experience there is not difference in roast maple necks, Warmoth has no idea if you ware leaving it unfinished, oil finishes, or like me, still spray it with lacquer (I know...sacrilege)
 
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