That neck pocket doesn't look as snug as it could be.
A "snug neck pocket" can certainly be taken as an indication of good craftsmanship. I have even seen, somewhere or another, a pix of luthier guy holding up the neck with body hanging from it - "Look Ma! No screws!" However, I have noticed that they do then put the screws in before they string it up - the reason being, the screws are what hold the neck on! There is a peachy-keen setup trick, I don't remember where I got it but it is also advocated in the G&L setup guide. And that is:
When you've got everything together, strings more-or-less up to tension (but before final intonation setting) - loosen the neck screws slightly, and the neck may go "Thwack!" into place, as the string tension pulls the neck solidly into the body.
It's a a
Good Thing!
I am not aware of the research showing how much of the string's vibrations are dampened or lost by the lack of pressure upon the neck coming from the perpendicular (sideways) direction; maybe it's so obvious that it goes without saying or... testing. Have you ever heard o fa Guitarist named Scotty Anderson? He's one of the all-time great zippy Telecaster country/jazz guys -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68Q6vs5la8k&list=PL481227E06A298535
For the most part, he favors a 1968 Telecaster, and that and the 1969's are generally held to be the last great ones before the CBS beancounters managed to both screw the pooch, and get screwed by the pooch. However, as can clearly be seen at 043, 0:51 et alia, the Teles from those two years had neck pocket sides you could drive a truck through, or at least stick a dime in!
Lest we dismiss Mr. Anderson as just another sick, weird freak, there were another couple of guys who loved their truck-thru 1968 Telecasters too. You may have heard of Brad Paisley? Or James Burton? Of course those guys were like Extra-Double Super-Idiots, not only were their neck pockets looser than a two-dollar Tijuana... neck pocket, they played PAISLEY guitars! These were made by cutting out a piece of icky-thick paisley-patterned fabric, and then laminating it to the body with icky-thick poly plastic coating! No chance whatsoever of those babies ever breathing... as we know, solidbody guitars must breathe.
WHOA! HEY! Maybe, just maybe... they're breathing through their neck pockets! Like some secret kind-of... STEALTH GILLS. :hello2:
Nah, they just suck. So, after you've thrown out all the Warmoth Flying V's (who once thought that their necks were held on by the screws) and after you've thrown out all the VIP's (who once thought that
their necks were held on by the screws) and after you've thrown out all the doublecuts - WOHOHO, believe it or not, they once thought that
their necks were held on by the screws) , could you make sure to inform Mssrs. Anderson, Burton & Paisley how bad they suck, and be sure to mention why? I'm sure they'll welcome the help.