New Build Ideas - Best 24fret body that is not a Soloist

[rauchman]

Greetings,

Starting to get the itch to build another guitar. However, I don't want a repeat of what I've already built (Tele with Tele Wolfgang Modern/Vintage neck, Tele Hybrid with Warhead Standard Thin neck, and Velocity w/ 24.75" scale Tiltback Strat neck Standard Thin neck).

For this build, I'm thinking some flavor of 24 fret neck and a Floyd Rose. I'd love to get the 7/8 setup, but I do not like the side adjust necks (let me repeat I DO NOT like the side adjust necks), and this seems to be the only option for the 7/8 necks.

I like Soloists, but I don't want a Soloist body for this build. In your opinion, what body would best suite a 24fret neck.....aside from a Soloist?

The body will be bought unfinished. Because of this, I am not at all opposed to reshaping the bottom cut/horn to better allow high register access.

 

[stratamania]

Perhaps you could ask Warmoth sales if it is possible to have a neck made without the side adjust for a 7/8. Or if a 25.5 scale, possibly a body blank and come up with a shape that works rather than adapting an existing one.

 

[stultzies9]

Get a hold of Warmoth. To the best of my knowledge, you can get any of their Modern necks in the 7/8 setup, including all the tiltbacks. And I think you can also get any of their normal 25.5" bodies cut to take one, too.

Having said that, if you don't want to go that route, the Velocity body has pretty awesome upper fret access, so you could probably get away with a 24 fret extension on that. V bodies always work. Those would be the ones I would look at personally.

 

[Hendrix]

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

It seems like it would be straight forward for Warmoth to produce a 7/8 neck using Vintage/Modern construction. It was stated somewhere that the 7/8 necks are made from the same blanks as the 25.5” necks with 22 frets. It may only be the fret layout that is different.

 

[rauchman]

Appreciate everyone's info.

Regarding the side adjust....

I have called Warmoth previously and asked about options for the 7/8 neck. Maybe this has changed, but when I called, they don't do Tiltback versions, nor Modern/Vintage versions of that neck. They will do a Modern neck without the side adjust, however, then the user must remove the neck to make truss rod adjustments. Frustrating....

My aversion to the side adjust is somewhat aesthetics, but mostly because it prevents me from doing a Fender Elite / Ultra type neck heel. All 3 builds I've done have this mod, and I wouldn't do another without it.

As to the optimal 24 fret body for upper register access, how would a Jazzmaster work for this?

 

[Hendrix]

Jazzmaster not much better than other Fender shape , you can find all the bodies shape here to compare in one page

https://warmoth.com/index.php/guitar-bodies

 

[ruscio]

Appreciate everyone's info.

Regarding the side adjust....

I have called Warmoth previously and asked about options for the 7/8 neck. Maybe this has changed, but when I called, they don't do Tiltback versions, nor Modern/Vintage versions of that neck. They will do a Modern neck without the side adjust, however, then the user must remove the neck to make truss rod adjustments. Frustrating....

My aversion to the side adjust is somewhat aesthetics, but mostly because it prevents me from doing a Fender Elite / Ultra type neck heel. All 3 builds I've done have this mod, and I wouldn't do another without it.

As to the optimal 24 fret body for upper register access, how would a Jazzmaster work for this?

Two thoughts. First, I've got modern Warmoth necks on two Warmoth strat bodies with elite or ultra style neck heels (one of each). That only leaves 3 neck screws making full contact, the 4th is cut short on each one and is barely helping. I tested this on a neck + body I didn't mind destroying, just attaching a strat neck with 3 screws, and it worked fine. I've had these set up this way for a few years, no issues. YMMV, but personally I'm glad I gave it a try and have no regrets about leaving them set up this way. They play great, the side adjust still works fine, no problem. I do agree with you that the side-adjust is ugly, but because I wanted scalloped necks I had no choice but to accept the modern style with side adjust. (Later I learned to scallop my own, now I'd only buy a vintage/modern...)

Second, you might be able to attach a Warmoth 24-fret neck to an Ibanez body, something with the square (OSNJ) neck heel like they still offer on the RG550:

I can't confirm this works because I haven't tried it, but I suspect it will because (a) a standard strat neck will fit only many older Ibanez electrics with the square heel, at least those with 22 frets (I've got a JS1200 body with a Warmoth mooncaster neck on it; I reshaped the headstock to look more like an Ibanez), (b) when Ibanez first introduced 24 fret necks, it sure looks like they just added an extension on the fretboard and didn't change the routing of the neck pocket (which was still 56mm wide), and (c) just eyeballing it from pics, it looks like the neck screws align near the correct frets. I'll bet someone at Warmoth knows whether this would work, they must have been asked about this before. If it does work, you can either find a used Ibanez body online or have one made--Serge Fidar, Five Alarm Guitars, probably others will CNC one quite affordably, and you can choose a lot of specs. Either way, just make sure it's got the square OSNJ neck heel, for a 56mm neck. More modern Ibanez guitars typically use the AANJ neck heel with a 58mm neck. Those who make bodies can do the neck heel either way, and you could get the body shape of an RG, S, JS, JEM, PIA, and many more, with whatever pickup and bridge routes you like.

Here's what an unfinished RG body llooks like with the OSNJ 56mm neck heel. As I say, it sure looks like a Warmoth 24 fret neck would fit right on there...

Whatever direction you go, good luck!

 

[rauchman]

Two thoughts. First, I've got modern Warmoth necks on two Warmoth strat bodies with elite or ultra style neck heels (one of each). That only leaves 3 neck screws making full contact, the 4th is cut short on each one and is barely helping. I tested this on a neck + body I didn't mind destroying, just attaching a strat neck with 3 screws, and it worked fine. I've had these set up this way for a few years, no issues. YMMV, but personally I'm glad I gave it a try and have no regrets about leaving them set up this way. They play great, the side adjust still works fine, no problem. I do agree with you that the side-adjust is ugly, but because I wanted scalloped necks I had no choice but to accept the modern style with side adjust. (Later I learned to scallop my own, now I'd only buy a vintage/modern...)

Second, you might be able to attach a Warmoth 24-fret neck to an Ibanez body, something with the square (OSNJ) neck heel like they still offer on the RG550:

I can't confirm this works because I haven't tried it, but I suspect it will because (a) a standard strat neck will fit only many older Ibanez electrics with the square heel, at least those with 22 frets (I've got a JS1200 body with a Warmoth mooncaster neck on it; I reshaped the headstock to look more like an Ibanez), (b) when Ibanez first introduced 24 fret necks, it sure looks like they just added an extension on the fretboard and didn't change the routing of the neck pocket (which was still 56mm wide), and (c) just eyeballing it from pics, it looks like the neck screws align near the correct frets. I'll bet someone at Warmoth knows whether this would work, they must have been asked about this before. If it does work, you can either find a used Ibanez body online or have one made--Serge Fidar, Five Alarm Guitars, probably others will CNC one quite affordably, and you can choose a lot of specs. Either way, just make sure it's got the square OSNJ neck heel, for a 56mm neck. More modern Ibanez guitars typically use the AANJ neck heel with a 58mm neck. Those who make bodies can do the neck heel either way, and you could get the body shape of an RG, S, JS, JEM, PIA, and many more, with whatever pickup and bridge routes you like.

Here's what an unfinished RG body llooks like with the OSNJ 56mm neck heel. As I say, it sure looks like a Warmoth 24 fret neck would fit right on there...

Whatever direction you go, good luck!

Great info......thanks!