Tele custom neck for Yamaha Pacifica 120s

[Dr_Pwn]

Hey guys, I'm new here and I have a few questions about getting a telecaster style neck for my Yamaha Pacifica 120S body. I have the neck pocket measured at 3 inches in length, 2 1/4 inches in width, and pocket depth of 3/4 an inch. Are there any other dimensions that I need to give a custom shop to ensure that the new neck will fit and be able to setup correctly with the body? The Pacifica neck has a scale length of 25 1/2 inches. I'd also like above average string spacing because I have slightly large hands. Am I missing anything?

[OysterBoy]

Welcome aboard. I don't know if that's the normal dimension of a tele or a strat but I guess that can be looked up on Fender.

As to the string spacing that may be a problem. You would need a wider fretboard thus a wider neck and the pocket would have to accommodate it. A luthier probably can help you there by widening the pocket or cutting the neck heel down to fit.

I guess a talk to your luthier will cover it. Good luck.

[Dr_Pwn]

Welcome aboard. I don't know if that's the normal dimension of a tele or a strat but I guess that can be looked up on Fender.

As to the string spacing that may be a problem. You would need a wider fretboard thus a wider neck and the pocket would have to accommodate it. A luthier probably can help you there by widening the pocket or cutting the neck heel down to fit.

I guess a talk to your luthier will cover it. Good luck.

Hey, thanks for the reply. Normal teles neck pocket are 3 inches in length, 5/8 inch neck pocket depth, and 2 3/16 inches in width. Just to confirm.

[OysterBoy]

That's interesting. Your pocket is 1/16" wider and 1/8" deeper. That's means you can have a wider neck alright. Probably have to get one made then.

[Dr_Pwn]

That's interesting. Your pocket is 1/16" wider and 1/8" deeper. That's means you can have a wider neck alright. Probably have to get one made then.

Yeah, my guess is that Yamaha tweaked the specs just enough so that they wouldn't have any copyright problems with Fender, seeing as how the Pacifica is a tele "style" guitar, knockoff really, hah.

[Dr_Pwn]

1 question though, what nut width should I go with you think, so that it will fit the neck without the strings being to close to the edge of the neck?

[OysterBoy]

My guess would be 1 3/4" nut width. At least you'll still have the string spread toward the heel.

[breakfastime]

Hey guys, I'm new here and I have a few questions about getting a telecaster style neck for my Yamaha Pacifica 120S body. I have the neck pocket measured at 3 inches in length, 2 1/4 inches in width, and pocket depth of 3/4 an inch. Are there any other dimensions that I need to give a custom shop to ensure that the new neck will fit and be able to setup correctly with the body? The Pacifica neck has a scale length of 25 1/2 inches. I'd also like above average string spacing because I have slightly large hands. Am I missing anything?

I'm not sure if the Fender neck will work in the Yamaha guitar though.  Just because the scale length is the same, doesn't guarantee that parts from different companies will work together.  If for instance, the Yamaha has 22 frets, but doesn't utilize the 'shelf' for fret #22, then it won't work.  ESP/LTD necks won't work on a Fender, etc.  Make sure the distance from the bridge to the neck pocket is the same as on a fender before you spend any money...

[Dr_Pwn]

Hey guys, I'm new here and I have a few questions about getting a telecaster style neck for my Yamaha Pacifica 120S body. I have the neck pocket measured at 3 inches in length, 2 1/4 inches in width, and pocket depth of 3/4 an inch. Are there any other dimensions that I need to give a custom shop to ensure that the new neck will fit and be able to setup correctly with the body? The Pacifica neck has a scale length of 25 1/2 inches. I'd also like above average string spacing because I have slightly large hands. Am I missing anything?

I'm not sure if the Fender neck will work in the Yamaha guitar though.  Just because the scale length is the same, doesn't guarantee that parts from different companies will work together.  If for instance, the Yamaha has 22 frets, but doesn't utilize the 'shelf' for fret #22, then it won't work.  ESP/LTD necks won't work on a Fender, etc.  Make sure the distance from the bridge to the neck pocket is the same as on a fender before you spend any money...

I'm not going to make the mistake of buying a fender brand neck again. I just want to make sure I have all the appropriate measurements to give to a custom shop to make a telecaster neck from scatch for me, to my specs. I'm mainly after the headstock style and a little more fingerboard room than the average tele. 

[GPW]

  Best bring/send  the whole guitar to the custom shop so they can get it Perfect ...

[Dr_Pwn]

  Best bring/send  the whole guitar to the custom shop so they can get it Perfect ...

Yeah, probably gonna do this. Best course of action, no room for my own errors.

[GPW]

 Dr, a good custom shop will likely cut the neck slightly oversize at the heel and then sand it down for an EXACT fit ...    That’s the best way to assure maximum vibration transfer to the body ...  and prevent any neck/string  alignment problems later on ...    and you can order the string spacing you like best, and they will match your intonation to the scale, level and polish the frets , and do a full setup  .... all part of what a custom shop does ...
  BTW, have you contacted Yamaha about this ?  ...   I did contract art work for them for 17 years and they’re Nice people ... very helpful ... Might want to give them a shout and see what they can do for you ...  Might save a few bucks over having a custom shop do it, and it would be “factory warrantied “ ...     Just a thought ...  Best explore all your options first , You don’t want to spend a fortune on a stock guitar ...  a sum you might not recover in a re-sale , should it come to that ...