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51 p mock up 5 string

Hiroi Kikuri

Hiroi Kikuri

Feb 16, 2020
322
265
#1
IMG_1921.jpeg

So I am talking to a neighbor about the routing process, but I want to drop this here for clarification. and he said that he could shave the five string neck pocket to fit the four string body as a whole or is it easier or better rather to write out the body for the neck
 

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#2
Hiroi Kikuri said:
he said that he could shave the five string neck pocket to fit the four string body as a whole or is it easier or better rather to write out the body for the neck
Click to expand...
Personally I'd router the body to suit but there's no reason against trimming the neck instead.

Trimming the neck is actually a very common process when building 'set neck' instruments, pictured are Gibson necks.

1725301644354.png
 
#3
Trimming the neck wouldn’t cause any issues for 5 string bridge? The easier option would just be to route the body right obviously okay I’ll weight my options

Trimming the neck is the more odd option?
 
#4
Since the neck is wider than the pocket, you'll have to ether hang part of the neck heel out of the pocket, to keep the same center line,
or shift the whole neck heel towards the f hole side, and have an off center condition.
Or add wood to the side of the neck pocket, in the cut-out, to avoid the overhang, and keep center.

Personally, I would enlarge the body neck pocket,
yet find a compromise between having a little bit of overhang at the cut-out, and the deviation from center.

Also, consider you may need to enlarge the pick-up cavity, to accommodate a wider, possibly off-center, fiver pick-up,
AND, be mindful of the scale length, relating to proper neck pocket location.

Have fun! :)
 
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#5
Either one can work and long as it’s done carefully and well. I’ve rebated or rabbited necks that were a little large for a pocket when I didn’t want to enlarge the pocket for whatever reason. You, or he, just needs to remove as close to the same amount as possible from each side and leave the part that is above the route alone.

IMG_4093.jpegIMG_4092.jpeg

Alternatively, it wouldn’t be that hard to make a template and enlarge the neck pocket. I’d check and see where that leaves the edges of the pocket in relation the cutaways and the rest of the body.

What are you planning on for a pickup? If the pickup route needs to be wider it doesn’t look like there’s a huge amount of room before you hit the tip of the F hole and, presumably, the route underneath it. It’s not a whole lot more work to make a new body that’s designed as a 5 string…
 
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#8
Hiroi Kikuri said:
OK so he is going to shave the neck which I mean that’s fine. It’s the less invasive and easier for him to do and he understands that everything needs to be kept center lined with the bridge and all that and I gave him all the components to see you keep everything flush.
Click to expand...


I hope it works out well for you. Definitely post the results of your assembly.

Again, it might not be a bad idea to check on the dimensions of that pickup and if it’s wider make sure it’s not going to end up with an end sticking in the F hole or at least be aware that’s going to happen.
 
#10
eddybuzzard said:
Since the neck is wider than the pocket, you'll have to ether hang part of the neck heel out of the pocket, to keep the same center line,
or shift the whole neck heel towards the f hole side, and have an off center condition.
Or add wood to the side of the neck pocket, in the cut-out, to avoid the overhang, and keep center.

Personally, I would enlarge the body neck pocket,
yet find a compromise between having a little bit of overhang at the cut-out, and the deviation from center.

Also, consider you may need to enlarge the pick-up cavity, to accommodate a wider, possibly off-center, fiver pick-up,
AND, be mindful of the scale length, relating to proper neck pocket location.

Have fun! :)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I don't think a std. size P single coil, even a rail-type, will do justice to 5 strings.

BBB
 
#12
I would totally route the body neck pocket if I were you. Since you’re going to route the pickups to make it a 5 string, doing the neck pocket allows you to change necks on that body, granted that the 5 string neck has a standard 5 string dimension.

Whereas, doing just the neck leaves you with a unique body that requires a unique neck to fit.

Unless you are considering converting back to a 4 string in the future with that body, I would have the work done to the body neck pocket.

But this is just my 2 cents. Enjoy your build regardless!
 
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#14
I’ll likely have the body routed later I’ll run shaved neck for a while it was a cheap j neck and while he could do it he has more pressing things and didn’t wanna put him off from that. And for the price of a $30 bit vs $200 in guitar center shop labor I’ll be fine. And yeah Maybe I want to go four string who knows
 
#15
Hiroi Kikuri said:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1941/7837/files/51p5.png?18130275057171615585 here they are not gonna be that bad
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What is this? I mean the exact pickup model and brand.

There's also the Roswell VTN5-B

5-string Vista Tone Bass Bridge Pickup / Alnico 5 – Roswell Pickups

roswellpickups.com roswellpickups.com
(the "-B" is probably a mistake: the spacing of polepieces seems too narrow for a bridge pickup, and more appropriate for the neck position)

However, I can't find this specific pickup anywhere for sale: if interested, you should contact them and see if they have a distributor local to you.
 

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