Aboutpaul wilczynski Expertise Anything concerning building, tuning, theory of construction. Specialist in finishing (40 years' experience); extensive knowledge of Rickenbacker instruments of all vintages. Rckenbacker factory connection on personal level; ONLY licensed Rickenbacker luthier in the world.
Experience Extensive. I build and restore electric and acoustic guitars (steel string and nylon classicals). I build all of Rickenbacker's acoustic instruments in my own shops in San Francisco and Healdsburg, CA.
I write two online columns with a total of over 15,000 posts since January, 2005.
Google my name or my screen name, "jingle_jangle".
Organizations American Guild of Luthiers.
Publications Mostly automotive and hobby (in the past).
Education/Credentials Manage the University Department workshops(Industrial Design) in SF, also have taught and written design and fabrication classes for almost a decade. Have produced online classes, written curricula, syllabi, etc. Run an online forum for my students (500 in number).
Awards and Honors Awards won for product, vehicle, and preschool toy design in the past.
Past/Present Clients Rickenbacker International Corporation, Waterstone Guitars LLC, many Fortune 500 companies before I worked in guitars (I ran a design studio for 22 years). I have hundreds of individual--private party--customers.
Expert: paul wilczynski Date: 6/15/2008 Subject: Neck and body scale
Question How can I attach a 25.5 Ibanez style neck to a body designed for a 24.75 scale? Thanks!
Answer Hi, Kyle!
Here are the basics. It's all pretty simple geometry, once you think of it.
First, we'll assume that the neck already fits into the guitar's neck pocket, and snugly at that. If mods are necessary, either add or remove material to the neck pocket in any case.
First, measure the length of the fretboard from inside edge of nut to end of neck. Then measure the guitar body (with bridge in place) from the edge of the neck pocket to the center of the bridge or tailpiece, with bridge or tailpiece in place. You will want both these measurements to be as exact as possible; certainly within 1/32".
Add these two measurements to get the UNMODIFIED scale length. If this number is larger than 25.5", subtract the 25.5" measurement from it. However, if this number is smaller than the 25.5" measurement, subtract it from the 25.5" measurement.
If the unmodified scale length is larger than 25.5", you should lengthen the neck pocket by the difference amount; if it's shorter, you should add material to the pocket to the difference number in order to increase the total unmodified amount to 25.5".
You may need to do some finish touch-up,. especially if you'd had to add material to the pocket.
Using the holes drilled into the body to guide your drill, drill new neck holes and bolt everything back together. Alternatively, you could drill new neck holes and make another neck plate from polished stainless steel, 16 gauge minimum.
