Neck pocket gap

I would expect that the gap between the strings and the edge of the neck would be too small, i.e. the strings would be close to the edge. Maybe not enough to make a difference?

I can't speak to what is the normal width, but I wouldn't be happy with that gap.

 

Are either finished?

If not, you may find that gap closes up a far bit after finish has been applied.

You could also veneer in the pocket to snug things up a bit.

Pictures would help.

 

Some of the 70’s Fenders that the bound and blocked neck is copying had a gap “you could park a bicycle in” as a friend of mine used to say. You could think of it as historically accurate, if that helps.

 

If the neck is tightly secured to the body and doesn't move, you're okay. The problem with the oversized neck pockets on some late '70's Fenders were that the sides of the body had to be in firm contact with the sides of the neck on models that had the three bolt MicroTilt neck system. If not, the triangular shape of the bolt pattern allowed the neck to shift back and forth. The standard four bolt setup was able to stay put with just an unsightly gap. Nobody really uses the three bolt system anymore, so it won't throw your bass horribly out of tune constantly. The bottom half of the gap is usually covered by the pickguard. Hope this helps.

 

Yeah, you're fine.

Set up, tune to pitch, loosen the neck screws 1/4 turn, check alignment, retighten.

Done.

 

If you got both from Warmoth, you paid top dollar for two pieces that should fit perfectly. In that regard, I would not accept that gap. I like a nice tight pocket. Could make it work, but the neck will be liable to shift or tilt from one side to another under a little bit of pressure. Not to mention resonance transfer will be affected even if it is minuscule. Paying the Warmoth premium should also not leave you having to veneer or shim the pocket.
Again if these were parts from two different sources or completely different eras, this kind of thing is to be expected. But both new Warmoth? I would send them a friendly email pointing out the issue, with photos, and ask them how they will fix it (either replacing the body or the neck).

 

Ask Warmoth what they consider Fender spec. Seems a bit narrow to me. I could see it being 88mm or so the thickness of a pick on one side but not almost a 1/8th of a inch.

 

Shim it, sounds like your only option.

 

I'd use some veneer to fill that gap...

 

maybe see about getting some thin non-backed veneer. They are usually in the neighborhood of 0.02" in thickness. If you can't get them to slide freely into the space between the pocket and neck, then I wouldn't bother with shimming, it's probably tight enough.

 

If tge Warmoth body hasn’t been messed with, it’s probably very close to what it should be. I’ve worked with ten Warmoth body/ neck combos, and they were all nice and snug.