Which Comes First...the Neck or the Bridge?

[jimbob]

Should I place the neck First or Place the Bridge first?

I have a cheap, but cool looking, Alder Jazz style body I bought from Rondo with no guide holes for a neck or bridge (see pics). I also have a Mighty Mite Neck with tuning peg holes but not drilled for the body.

Something is telling me to set the neck first, but I wanted to bounce it around here before hand...

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Neck first.

Regards
Sam

[AlembicPlayer]

yes, neck should be fit first in order for you to place the bridge for proper intonation.

[GlennW]

It's a good idea to also have the pickups in place (taped, not screwed) so you can see how the pole pieces line up with the strings. Then you can rack the neck and reposition the bridge if necessary.

[202dy]

Construction: Neck or bridge first?

A luthier will install the bridge first. It is the center line of the body that determines the location and geometry of everything on the body. A neck can be shifted in all but the tightest of pockets. If it is used to locate the bridge it can, and often will lead to installing the bridge off center. The first thing to do is find the center line on the body.


1. Measure neck from nut to twelfth fret to determine scale length
2. Clamp neck to body with C clamp or other suitable clamp and pads.
3. Frets should be parallel to pick up routs
4. Measure from twelfth fret to end of scale length.
5. Mark scale length on body.
6. Find center line on body. See note below.
7. Mark perpendicular line to centerline at scale length.
8. Mark parallel line to scale line ¼” toward end of the body.
9. This is the center of the adjustment range of the bridge.
10. Mark center line on bridge.
11. Install bridge at this location with double stick tape.
12. Mark screw holes.
13. Drill holes. See note
14. Apply wax to screw threads and install and remove.
15. If all other work is done, install bridge.


Note for #6: There are several ways to do this. The easiest way is to use a machinists square at the edge of the widest point on the neck pocket Mark the outside of each side. Extend the lines to end of the body. Some people use the center of the pickup pole pieces. This is less exact as it relies on proper placement of the pickups in the rout.


Note for # 12: Bit size should equal the size of the shaft of the screw. This will allow the threads to have purchase in the body wood. If the body is a very hard wood like ash or maple, increase bit to next size. A drill index is handy for this because the next size up may be a number or fractional bit.

[jimbob]

Originally Posted by 202dy

Construction: Neck or bridge first?

A luthier will install the bridge first. It is the center line of the body that determines the location and geometry of everything on the body. A neck can be shifted in all but the tightest of pockets. If it is used to locate the bridge it can, and often will lead to installing the bridge off center. The first thing to do is find the center line on the body.


1. Measure neck from nut to twelfth fret to determine scale length
2. Clamp neck to body with C clamp or other suitable clamp and pads.
3. Frets should be parallel to pick up routs
4. Measure from twelfth fret to end of scale length.
5. Mark scale length on body.
6. Find center line on body. See note below.
7. Mark perpendicular line to centerline at scale length.
8. Mark parallel line to scale line ¼” toward end of the body.
9. This is the center of the adjustment range of the bridge.
10. Mark center line on bridge.
11. Install bridge at this location with double stick tape.
12. Mark screw holes.
13. Drill holes. See note
14. Apply wax to screw threads and install and remove.
15. If all other work is done, install bridge.


Note for #6: There are several ways to do this. The easiest way is to use a machinists square at the edge of the widest point on the neck pocket Mark the outside of each side. Extend the lines to end of the body. Some people use the center of the pickup pole pieces. This is less exact as it relies on proper placement of the pickups in the rout.


Note for # 12: Bit size should equal the size of the shaft of the screw. This will allow the threads to have purchase in the body wood. If the body is a very hard wood like ash or maple, increase bit to next size. A drill index is handy for this because the next size up may be a number or fractional bit.

Thanks everybody!
202dy...what you are telling me is I install the Bridge first although the neck is not set in place? There is a little "play" in the neck pocket with the neck I am using so I can see how adjusting that later is possible. I am going to have to pick up another clamp though...the one I have is too wimpy to hold the neck.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by jimbob

Thanks everybody!
202dy...what you are telling me is I install the Bridge first although the neck is not set in place? There is a little "play" in the neck pocket with the neck I am using so I can see how adjusting that later is possible. I am going to have to pick up another clamp though...the one I have is too wimpy to hold the neck.

The reason for clamping the neck on the body is to establish bridge position. Necks and bodies from different companies are not always in agreement as to where the bridge should go. Given that the neck is laid out correctly, the theoretical scale length is twice the distance from the nut to the center of the twelfth fret. The practical length is longer because the plane of the body, the height of the bridge, and the lie of the strings is actually a triangle with the strings as the hypotenuse. It is a bit longer than the scale length which is laid out on the long side of the triangle. Adding a quarter of an inch (6.35 cm) to the scale length and placing the bridge in the center of the adjustment range compensates for the difference and allows for proper adjustment.

As far as laying out the center line on the body, the neck is not necessary unless the pocket was not routed square to the body. It is fairly rare, but not unheard of. In that case, the body goes back to the supplier or adjustments will have to me made elsewhere depending on the size of the error.

[jimbob]

Makes sense thanks. I'll let you know how it ends up