Strat neck on a Tele?

[Jay 77]

Hey guys, I'm considering putting together a cheap Tele (if the job I'm applying for pans out) and I was wondering if a Strat neck will bolt right on. I have a Squier neck lying around that I really like and was hoping I could use it on a Tele body. Will it bolt right on, or will any mods need to be done to the neck or pocket? Thanks in advance.

[jtougas]

Because the Tele neck pocket squares off deeper than a Strat pocket, it will work. Obviously, you'll need to tweak your intonation.

It's the other way around that doesn't.

And theoretically, you'll lose a little vibration energy, but I've haven't noticed Fender neck pockets being that tight lately.

[Powdered Toast Man]

You may have to just round out the back of the neck pocket as a tele neck has a squared off end and the strat neck as a rounded end.

[Jay 77]

Yeah that was my concern - the square vs. round heels. If it only takes a minor bit of rounding to the body I'm cool with that. Thanks guys.

[jtougas]

You may have to just round out the back of the neck pocket as a tele neck has a squared off end and the strat neck as a rounded end.

Nope, not even that.

If you do, the neck will be set too far back in the body.

[jeremy]

you can do strat on tele, but not tele on strat

[Bludave]

Here is a video of Blind Faith playing Can't find my way home(1969), & EC is clearly playing a Tele with a Strat neck!

[Funkfingers]

If you have ever seen under the scratchplate of a CBS-era Fender Telecaster Deluxe, you will know that the rounded heel of a Stratocaster neck will sit with the square pocket of a Telecaster body AND and line up with the screw holes BUT there will be a generous air gap in the pocket corners.

[Powdered Toast Man]

If you have ever seen under the scratchplate of a CBS-era Fender Telecaster Deluxe, you will know that the rounded heel of a Stratocaster neck will sit with the square pocket of a Telecaster body AND and line up with the screw holes BUT there will be a generous air gap in the pocket corners.

Ah, then one could conceivably just get a pickguard with a custom cut around the neck to hide the gap.

[Funkfingers]

Ah, then one could conceivably just get a pickguard with a custom cut around the neck to hide the gap.

This is precisely what CBS/Fender themselves did. Think of it as the Keef Compartment.

[ImmortalSix]

The gaps are NO BIG DEAL / barely visible!!!

Nope, not even that.

If you do, the neck will be set too far back in the body.

Yep, don't f*ck with it.

Strat necks bolt right on to Tele bodies, perfectly.

I have a legit Fender Stratocaster (Road Worn) neck on a Tele body and it fits perfectly.

It's my best intonated guitar. Perfect the entire length of the neck.

The gaps are not noticeable. People make a fuss about the gaps that come from putting a rounded neck heel in a square neck pocket, but they're barely perceptible.









sounds aight, too

[ImmortalSix]

Here is a big one that shows what the gaps actually look like:

[tonello]

If you're looking at a Warmoth body, they do Strat shped neck pockets standard. I prefer the squared off style for looks, but it's not something I have to have. Besides, I buy mostly Gibby's and the few Tele's and Strats I have are Warmoths, so not the end of the world for me.

[BEACHBUM]

Yeah that was my concern - the square vs. round heels. If it only takes a minor bit of rounding to the body I'm cool with that. Thanks guys.

No. You don't need to and should not alter the pocket in any way. Tele on Strat is a drop in fit. The only thing is that there will be a slight mismatch at the pick guard which isn't all that noticeable. If you use a black pick guard it's even less so. And, if the pick guard issue bothers you there is always the option of having a custom one made. Scale length is the same and in fact when I did mine it required very little resetting of the intonation. Loss of resonance is simply not a factor since 99.9% of Fender necks don't fit that snug and unless the neck fits so tightly that it has to be forced into the pocket there is no resonance transfer at that point anyway. As long as the neck and pocket have the proper dimensions drop it in, screw it down, adjust your intonation and you're good to go.

One more thing. If after changing necks you find that your action is not the same, although you may need a slight neck adjust and or neck pocket shim, for better or for worse it is far more likely that the frets on the new neck are responsible. In this case since I had done a re-fret and level on the Strat neck prior to the change the action improved quite a bit.

83 FULLERTON (DAN SMITH ERA) STRAT NECK ON A FENDER FSR BODY.

[GuitarDoc]

Really cute kid.

Must take after his mom.

Nice looking Tele too.