Latest hair brained idea, feasible? Any input appreciated.

[Spud]

Epiphone Special body supposedly mahogany (really not sure). I took it apart as it was not sound, the neck flexed from my grip, and the bridge started to lean forward from string tension, etc. The dimensions of the pocket perfectly fit a standard fender/warmoth heel and the bolts line up perfectly. I want to pull the posts, fill them in properly, sand it down, paint yadda yadda. The maybe make it a 25.5 scale and use a schaller top load bridge like on the Warmoth site. My question is will this actually work? The neck pocket looks straight, but maybe I need to shim it straight for use with a fender style neck? Assuming I locate the bridge properly will this work with a Warmoth tele style neck? I worry as the crappy original lightning tail was so high/proud off the face of the body. Any and all advice welcome.

 

[bagman67]

Whip out your trusty tape measure and measure the scale length on the Epi neck you removed. If it's 12.75" from the nut to the 12th fret, you'lll be fine with either a 25.5" or 24.75" gibby scale Warmoth. YOu may need to futz with the neck pocket to make it fit the perimeter of a standard Strat or Tele heel, or maybe not. But it doesn't matter if you have a standard scale length to work with, because... you're going to fill the current bridge stud holes and mount a new bridge, and will mount it wherever you need to mount it to make it intonate correctly.

If your plan is to install a flat-mounted bridge, yes, you're going to need to shim the distal end of the heel.

Alternatively, you could save yourself a buttload of work, and just bore out the neck screw holes on the neck and install threaded inserts, and reinstall with machine screws.

 

[Spud]

Well beans ! Nut to 12th fret is exactly 12 3/8”

 

[Spud]

Will this body then make good outdoor kindling?

 

[Spud]

As long as I install the new bridge in the correct location for a 25.5" scale couldn't I use a 24 3/4 Warmoth conversion neck? I thought if I located the bridge correctly for scale length I was home free. ???

 

[Strat Avenger]

Seems logical to me that if you can position the bridge to measure 25-1/2" from the nut of a Fender scale neck (or 24-3/4" with a conversion neck) to the bridge saddles, it should work.

 

[Spud]

Seems logical to me that if you can position the bridge to measure 25-1/2" from the nut of a Fender scale neck (or 24-3/4" with a conversion neck) to the bridge saddles, it should work.

I can do that easily. I wanna try playing some of this rock n roll music I have heard so much about!

 

[bagman67]

yep, just migrate the bridge a wee distance from wherever it is now and you're golden.

 

[Spud]

yep, just migrate the bridge a wee distance from wherever it is now and you're golden.

Thank you for taking the time to help a simple potato out sir!

 

[bagman67]

We are all of us simple potatoes at one time or another, my friend.

 

[Waraxe]

Interesting idea.

Body is "mahogany", not mahogany.

Relocating the bridge will work. The pickups will be farther from the bridge, so you may need to source brighter/less bassy pickups to compensate.

 

[Spud]

Interesting idea.

Body is "mahogany", not mahogany.

Relocating the bridge will work. The pickups will be farther from the bridge, so you may need to source brighter/less bassy pickups to compensate.

yes that is what I figured, they call it mahogany but it is probably pseudo mahogany lol. However, it may yet become the greatest guitar ever built by humans !

 

[Waraxe]

yes that is what I figured, they call it mahogany but it is probably pseudo mahogany lol. However, it may yet become the greatest guitar ever built by humans !

Lol!

You know, I have 3 guitars that are most likely nato or some other asian mahogany and they all sound pretty good.

good wood is good wood. Choose the right pickups to complement it's strong and weak points, and you get a better guitar than you think.

As long as the guitar sustains well and is pleasing to the ear, you pretty much will always get at least a decent to good guitar. Sometimes a stellar one.

Case in point, my ibby as73. It has a "mahogany" neck and "maple"" body with a spectacular "rosewood" board.
It sounds much better than it's $300 price would have you think.

P90 guitars are kinda hard to get wrong.

 

[Spud]

Ok and we are off and running. Bet you haven't seen anything like this before..............lol. This is Gold Skullet # 7.

 

[Spud]

Next re-tape, and start clear coats. Considering mini humbuckers, maybe string thru. Maybe even full size humbuggies