Guitar Neck & Body FAQs

Will it Fit My Guitar?

Fender® pioneered the detachable neck concept 50+ years ago. To this day, they continue to use the same basic dimensions on most of their offerings. Many other manufacturers have adopted these dimensions into some of their own products (Kramer, ESP, Ibanez, Schecter, etc.). Unfortunately, this is not universal and we do see neck / body mismatches. Warmoth has held to the Fender USA dimensions in all our offerings (exceptions noted).

To check compatibility of non Fender instruments, the simplest method is direct comparison. The critical dimensions for guitars are below:

  • Neck pocket
    • depth 5/8" (15.875mm)
    • length 3" (76.20mm)
    • width 2-3/16" (55.55mm)
  • Scale length
    • (measure from nut to 12th fret x 2) is 25-1/2" (647.7mm)
    • distance from nut to 12th fret 12-3/4" (323.85mm)
    • to the heel (not extended fingerboard) is 18-7/16" (468.313mm)
  • Distance from heel to midpoint of bridge saddle adjustment is 7-1/8" (180.975mm)
See Known Incompatibilities for more information.

Heel and Neck Pocket Identification

  • Stratocaster® necks have a rounded heel at the end.
  • Telecaster® necks are squared.
  • Stratocaster® necks will fit Telecaster® bodies but show a gap at the corners.
  • Telecaster® necks will not intonate on a Strat® body without neck pocket modification.
  • Warmoth Bass 6 necks are designed to fit Warmoth Bass 6 bodies. They are not designed to retrofit any other body.
  • Warmoth Super 7 necks are designed to fit Warmoth Super 7 bodies. They are not designed to retrofit any other body.

Strat® heel

The shape of a Strat® heel is rounded and is 2-3/16" (55.55mm) wide.

Tele® heel


The shape of a Tele® neck is squared and is 2-3/16" (55.55mm) wide.

Bass 6 heel

The shape of our Bass 6 Heel is rounded and is 2-25/64" (60.72mm) wide.

Super 7 heel


The shape of our Super 7 Heel is squared and is 2-5/8" (66.68mm) wide.

Strat® neck pocket

Tele® neck pocket

Bass 6 neck pocket

Super 7 neck pocket

The Fender® Contoured Heel

 

This contoured heel and offset neck plate screw pattern is not compatible with our Warmoth "Pro" construction necks that use the Gotoh side adjust. The mounting screws will pierce the side adjust mechanism..NOT GOOD!

Our Total Vintage and Vintage Modern Necks ARE fully compatible with this application. We recommend omitting the mounting holes and drilling them yourself to match your body.

 

 

 

We have observed this contoured heel on the following models:

  • Deluxe Strat®
  • Deluxe Tele®
  • Jeff Beck Stratocaster®
  • 50th Anniversary Strat®
  • There may be others...


Known Incompatibilities

These Fender® guitar models are non-standard and are NOT compatible with Warmoth replacement bodies and necks.

  • Roadhouse Strat® - 22 fret with no fingerboard overhang
  • Big Apple Strat® - 22 fret with no fingerboard overhang
  • Lonestar Strat® - 22 fret with no fingerboard overhang (21 fret version is compatible with Warmoth parts)
  • Nashville Tele® - 22 fret with no fingerboard overhang
  • Fat Tele® - 22 fret with no fingerboard overhang
  • Fat Strat® - 22 fret with no fingerboard overhang
  • Heavy Metal Strat®
  • Heavy Metal Tele®
  • Jagmaster® - Unknow specs


We get questions about these guitars as well. Generally, these are not compatible with Warmoth replacement bodies and necks:
  • Ibanez
  • Gibson and other neck-through guitars
  • G & L
  • Jackson