RI Starcaster Vs Jazzmaster/Strat heel dimensions

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JSett
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RI Starcaster Vs Jazzmaster/Strat heel dimensions

Post by JSett » Sat Jul 24, 2021 11:20 pm

Putting this here for posterity as Dan Katz/Deedpoll requested the information from me. I thought others might find it useful if they ever come across a need to know.

Apologies for the mix of metric and imperial, Fender still doing things like neck holes at 1 1/2" x 2" meant it was easier to do it this way for me (being British and using both is wholly common 😂)

I bolted both necks to a piece of card and traced these so they are 'real-life' measurements...

Image

The taper of the neck continues to be approx 1mm wider for every 2" of length past the last set of mounting screws.

If anyone wants any other measurements off these then fire away.
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timtam
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Re: RI Starcaster Vs Jazzmaster/Strat heel dimensions

Post by timtam » Sun Jul 25, 2021 4:08 am

Interesting. This is all down to the different ways that 22-fret necks can be built. The Starcaster's 22-fret neck is a little unusual in that regard.

The JM and strat and tele are more commonly 21 fret necks. There are 22 fret versions for those guitars, but the extra fret is almost always added on an "overhang" on the end of the fretboard, above the end of the neck pocket (there are a few rare exceptions to this, which can make a neck unusable on some bodies). That way, the end of the neck that abuts the end of the pocket is the same length regardless of whether the neck has 21 or 22 frets. So 21-fret necks, and 22-fret necks with overhang, are inter-changeable. For example on jazzmasters - vintage and vintage-style JMs have 21 frets; Am Pro (I & II) and Am Performer and Player JM have 22-fret overhang necks. Are all inter-changeable.

But Starcaster necks are 22-fret but with no overhang. So the neck itself is longer than a (same-25.5"-scale) 21-fret neck, to accommodate the extra fret. Like a Jaguar, which has 22 frets with no overhang, but on a 24" scale.

So the extra length that johnnysomersett shows for the Starcaster neck is for the 22nd fret, added without overhang.
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JSett
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Re: RI Starcaster Vs Jazzmaster/Strat heel dimensions

Post by JSett » Sun Jul 25, 2021 4:54 am

timtam wrote:
Sun Jul 25, 2021 4:08 am
Interesting. ......
....So the extra length that johnnysomersett shows for the Starcaster neck is for the 22nd fret, added without overhang.
Exactly. Thanks for the extra context there, worthwhile adding to those wondering why this is even a thing
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Lost In Autumn
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Re: RI Starcaster Vs Jazzmaster/Strat heel dimensions

Post by Lost In Autumn » Mon Jul 26, 2021 2:59 pm

I'm basing my next build on a starcaster neck. My plan is to take a neck template and router off the last 7mm to create an overhang. It's easier than modifying the neck pocket.

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