New Mightymite Neck

blipndub · #1 06-30-2009, 05:16 PM

I see a lot of "how are those mightymite" necks threads. Since they are so available and affordable I thought I would start a thread on my latest mm. I'll plug for the ebayer I got it from TNT guitars - http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/guitar...rmrsZ1QQ_fromZ.
Under $100 to my door in two days time.

I've had several Mightymite necks and I find them to be of decent quality and consistency. Better than the SX replacement necks that were around for a while, but not in the same league as warmoth or usa custom or allparts. But a good solid neck for about $100. Anyway pictures of the process. I have to get this neck on by Friday's gig.

Out of the box:

Pretty standard maple figure, nothing special, not bad

Fine rosewood, looks a little dried out, has some powder residue. Pretty standard and nice.

First step is to straighten the truss rod (at headstock thank you) and see how the frets look. There is a little sharpness along the neck so I'll do a bit of filing tonight.

GeoffByrne · #2 07-01-2009, 02:50 AM

I had an ebanol fretless P neck from Mighty Mite a while back and I couldn't criticize a single thing about it (well - I could - it was lined). Excellent for the money.

rmkesler · #3 07-01-2009, 02:32 PM

I've never looked that closely at one. So they're not pre-drilled for machine head and body screws?

blipndub · #4 07-01-2009, 03:00 PM

You know, I'm trying to remember about the heel drill holes. I don't think they come pre-drilled typically. This one didn't so I drilled with a bit about half the diameter of a neck bolt and am working them in now. Warmoth pre-drills the heel but not the head.

rmkesler · #5 07-02-2009, 08:24 AM

Interesting. How do you plan on making sure the machine heads are all aligned correctly? I can see using a machine head as a template to pencil in where the holes should be drilled but I know if it were me doing it I would end up with tuners pointed in different directions.

blipndub · #6 07-02-2009, 09:10 AM

I use a straightedge along the bottom of the tuning keys and then visually align the point of the key that turns with the top of the headstock. Funny you should mention that. I installed tuners and they are the most crooked I've ever done, not sure what happened but they still work fine!
Pics tonight, i had a whole host of pics of the fret filing, but I lost the phots when transferring to the pc.

The neck is installed and I used it at practice last night. Feels good, sounds really different than the other neck. I wasn't expecting such a different sound.

rumblethump · #7 07-02-2009, 09:20 AM

I recently purchased a jazz width maple fretboard Mighty Mite neck. I asked the seller to pick me out a good one as it was going on my main player. I got a beauty. Wood grain is perfectly straight, the length of the neck. With the promotion going on at the time I got it shipped for $86. Its strung with Fender flatwounds and I was able to get it perfectly straight on setup. No complaints whatsoever on this neck.

blipndub · #8 07-02-2009, 09:30 AM

They can be really great feeling necks. I think this one I've got is. I did tighten the truss rod quite a bit it was very loose. Tightened it to check the frets and then again once I had tension on it.

rmkesler · #9 07-02-2009, 09:31 AM

Very cool. Glad to hear it plays well.

Steveaux · #10 07-02-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmkesler

Interesting. How do you plan on making sure the machine heads are all aligned correctly? I can see using a machine head as a template to pencil in where the holes should be drilled but I know if it were me doing it I would end up with tuners pointed in different directions.

A small Machinist's or Carpenter's square works fine.

martyman5000 · #11 07-02-2009, 03:42 PM

I have a Mighty Mite and its excellent...I have a couple of cheaper necks that I gave up on because the frets started to rise up.

blipndub · #12 07-02-2009, 10:33 PM

alongside the old neck, a fernandes that sounded amazing but felt weird

I always find it challening to seat the neck properly so I use the clamp to hold the heel in tight and then bring in the screws on the bridge side first since there is where the rise problems seems to occur. I don't like shimming so the clamp helps.

blipndub · #13 07-02-2009, 11:14 PM

alongside the old neck, a fernandes that sounded amazing but felt weird

hbarcat · #14 07-03-2009, 12:14 AM

That looks the same as a Stewart MacDonald neck that I recently purchased (and just sold to a fellow TBer)

Does Mighty Mite make the necks for StewMac or do they just happen to look very much alike?

blipndub · #15 07-03-2009, 12:23 AM

my understanding is that stewmac uses mmite necks but does some additional work on them before sending them off such as fret dressing and nuts, etc. How was the nut on the stew mac neck?
this neck is also stamped mightymite onthe heel

hbarcat · #16 07-03-2009, 12:37 AM

It looks like this:

I didn't examine this one too closely except that I sprayed some PPG clear over the maple and did the finishing work before I decided to use a graphite neck instead for my project. I just sold it in the classified section without really looking at the nut or other details like that. I remember that it said "Licensed by Fender" on the neck heel.

I've bought a couple of StewMac necks in the past and I liked them. If they're relabeled Mighty Mite necks then I have no problem with that. Seems to me like they get good reviews and are a pretty good value.

eyecandy · #17 07-31-2009, 07:58 AM

hey guys, can you give me suggestions on what tuners to put in the MightyMite Neck??

i was planning to replace my Squier affinity J Bass neck with MM's neck but I've recently read that they won't accept vintage tuners instead standard open style tuners. I'm new to this kind of stuff so I don't know what to put..

lsimy · #18 08-20-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyecandy

hey guys, can you give me suggestions on what tuners to put in the MightyMite Neck??

i was planning to replace my Squier affinity J Bass neck with MM's neck but I've recently read that they won't accept vintage tuners instead standard open style tuners. I'm new to this kind of stuff so I don't know what to put..

I used Hipshot HB1 tuners in black. The black are a matte finish and the gearing is outstanding. Really really loving my MM lefty P neck with the HB1 tuners.

Also, have that nut changed. It's pretty lousy and made from a plastic mold of what seems like PVC !! I had my luthier replace it with an ox bone nut and it has made an already fantastic neck even better. If you change the original nut, note that it is very tough to break loose from the neck.

blipndub · #19 09-03-2009, 01:35 PM

After all that. I pulled the neck and put in on another body. I'll get some pics up. I didn't add any finish to the neck figuring it's got some kind of sealant on it, it's not raw. However I just noticed that the headstock end of the skunk stripe is actually lifted up a bit from the channel it's in. I hadn't noticed it before, and have never seen anything like it. It's not really a problem, but I wonder if I should do anything about it beside sand it level. Wonder if the truss rod is over tightening or something.

Jo6Pak · #20 09-03-2009, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blipndub

However I just noticed that the headstock end of the skunk stripe is actually lifted up a bit from the channel it's in. I hadn't noticed it before, and have never seen anything like it. It's not really a problem, but I wonder if I should do anything about it beside sand it level. Wonder if the truss rod is over tightening or something.

I've actually seen that before, on a couple of MIM Fenders. No idea what caused it (other than piss-poor construction), but didn't seem to affect playability.