Franky bodies out there

[dirtycooter]

I didn't have to shim my warmoth at all. Thought I was gonna have to but really jackin the neck rod so the neck was super straight with tiny tiny relief negated this.
The micro tilt idea is not a bad incorporation-thats guaranteed quick set-up. But yeah, 3dgr neck pocket angle is standard on a floyd.
If you have the machined super straight steel blocks to clapm the neck in between you can actually sand a new angle onto the necks mounting end by milling it so to speak with a very careful precise blocksand. Thats a shim solution I was gonna do but found I didn't have to after adjusting the neck. It just made it.

[vanhalen5150]

The other thing about a Floyd is the radius is somewhere between a 14 and 16. If your neck isn't close, your 2 E strings are going to seem relatively high regardless of what you do. I change the radius on mine slightly by placing little pieces of copper shielding tape under the EABD saddles to increase the radius or to the AGBD's to lower it.

[vanhalen5150]

Or...you could just use a couple of flat washers.

But it plays real nice now. Does that body look familiar?

That's actually a good idea for shims. I'm surprised you got that body to work. It was such a pig.

[rgorke]

Or...you could just use a couple of flat washers.

But it plays real nice now. Does that body look familiar?

That's actually a good idea for shims. I'm surprised you got that body to work. It was such a pig.

I came cross another option at the hardware store. It is metal mesh for fixing striped out screw holes. I read somewhere about the best option being some sort of metal mesh for shimming so that the mesh actually digs into and binds with the neck and body. Might have been the Tele forum where that monster Les Paul build from scratch thread is.

[Tone Slinger]

Getting parts from manufacturers can be sort of hit/miss in certain respects. The ONLY company ,imo, that has EVERYTHING down (as far as consistancy in all styles they offer) is WARMOTH. They will not do everything, concerning certain builds, like vintage truss rod with the floyd nut shelf, or CBS era 'bullet' rod necks, etc, but what they offer is ALWAYS TOP QUALITY.

ALL the other companies I've delt with arent of the same refinement, in certain respects.

So if you are doing the Franky you have KNE and Musikraft. Most guy's just do not mess with the standard 6 screw tremelo style. They will put a floyd on the white and black striped era build . Like Shannon has said, I'd be careful with the saddle adjustment screws. Alot of companies have set thier machines to 'vintage' Fender spec, meaning SMALL frets and the 7 1/4 radius. Getting new, longer saddle adjustment screws work nicely. Stay away from 6100 frets though ! I like the vintage as well as the 6105 and the 6150 fretwire.

Make sure you specify the bridge spec. I bet some company's may get the neck pocket angled floyd rose style, yet put the 6 screw route for the bridge.

[motrock]

Basically I found out that when I took my shim out, I liked the tone of the Franky a lot better. The issue for me is that I can't get the strings low enough. I have a Floyd Rose too BTW. The idea is to remove the tone sucking issue's that you get with having a shim. What I noticed with my tests is that with the shim it sounds hollow. Without the shim it sounds solid and badass. USA Customs DOES angle there neck pockets specifically for Floyd Rose setups. That way you CAN get the strings to go lower. However they flat out REFUSED to do the EVH route on the bridge pickup. They flat out said no and they won't budge from it. The guy almost got pissed at me for asking about it. So here is the question... will KNE or MusiKraft do that for anyone? Or am I fucked on that idea? LOL

I use a 1.14mm pick for my current shim BTW.

[motrock]

I think what I am getting at here is that a shim in the neck pocket actually disrupts cohesiveness of the resonance of the guitar. Its almost like a resonance blocker. What I am hearing is that it makes the guitar sound flat and hollow. I loose some sustain. When I took the shim out and played it that way... I was utterly shocked at the amount of sustain, thickness, and highend that I got back. Seriously guys, its a HUGE difference!

I am kinda of pissed that USA Customs got so pissed at me even suggesting the EVH bridge humbucker routing. It was weird guys!

[fhn_lopes]

I think KNE can do the sanding in the neck pocket if you know what bridge you're going to use..... why not?
Maybe it's better to order the whole thing (body and neck ) from the same company, in order to avoid missalignments and other headaches that may occour...

I have a universal routed (tham damn BIG square without any wood ) japan strat that sounds nice and have a KILLER FUCKING FAST neck.... I want to replicate that to my frank project, it is a bit wider (contemporary series) and thinner, almost a shredder stuff .... but it feels like butta in that guitar... but its also because of the bridge and all alignment that it has .... I love it... going to do a black/white mark I replica with her.... the franky project will be the traditional red/black/white.... painted with spray can like he did planning to use a hotter pup in her, maybe a BKP Crawler or the EVH franky pup....

[stef]

I have a kne azusa body (5.4 lbs, regular flat neck pocket, fender 6 screw tremolo bridge, original saddle screws) and the neck is a warmoth vm maple w/ pre drilled mounting holes... these two fit together in the best possible way - tight fit, straight angle... I'm not thrilled with the fret edges on the warmoth, they are sharp and a cheap korean epi sg feels much better in the left hand but everything else is really good and it sounds good.

[Tone Slinger]

A floyd seems to be what most EVH enthusists use. Companies like KNE will have it down, concerning making a 'proper' fit with the body and neck, concerning how a top mounted floyd sits a bit higher. The neck pocket will be angled.

Musikraft will have the floyd thing down as well.

Beware if you have a true vintage Fender tremelo or accurate copy (like Callaham or the older Japanese copies, like Tokai). The saddle adjustment screws will be too radiused (g&D longer,A&B shorter and high E and Low E shortest) especially with huge frets.

The newer copies (6 screw) have the longer screws which prevent the need for a shim.


The Warmoth vintage Modern is my favorite neck so far. It was great and needed NOTHING else done.

The EVH route will offend some builders/players, cause they are like "What is the need". That is a specific thing that KNE, Musikraft and KMAG do because they are total EVH enthusists.

[motrock]

A floyd seems to be what most EVH enthusists use. Companies like KNE will have it down, concerning making a 'proper' fit with the body and neck, concerning how a top mounted floyd sits a bit higher. The neck pocket will be angled.

Musikraft will have the floyd thing down as well.

Beware if you have a true vintage Fender tremelo or accurate copy (like Callaham or the older Japanese copies, like Tokai). The saddle adjustment screws will be too radiused (g&D longer,A&B shorter and high E and Low E shortest) especially with huge frets.

The newer copies (6 screw) have the longer screws which prevent the need for a shim.


The Warmoth vintage Modern is my favorite neck so far. It was great and needed NOTHING else done.

The EVH route will offend some builders/players, cause they are like "What is the need". That is a specific thing that KNE, Musikraft and KMAG do because they are total EVH enthusists.

Well, I am going to contact Musikraft at some point within the next week and get the process started. I want to get the body first. Then down the road the neck. As long as its setup for the Floyd and I don't have to worry about using a shim.. then I will be good to go!

[motrock]

Of course I did just check out KNE, and they have there body at a decent price. How would you compare Muikraft and KNE as far as quality? Which one has a pretty good turn around time?

[rgorke]

I am kinda of pissed that USA Customs got so pissed at me even suggesting the EVH bridge humbucker routing. It was weird guys!

I suppose the "Custom" in USA Customs isn't quite what I thought it meant.

[motrock]

I am kinda of pissed that USA Customs got so pissed at me even suggesting the EVH bridge humbucker routing. It was weird guys!

I suppose the "Custom" in USA Customs isn't quite what I thought it meant.

They were willing to do the Hard Ash body... but the route... nope!

[vanhalen5150]

Of course I did just check out KNE, and they have there body at a decent price. How would you compare Muikraft and KNE as far as quality? Which one has a pretty good turn around time?

Both bodies are identical. Both made from a real Azuza. I've had both. Personally I'd go with the heavier ash because you risk a mounting screw blowout on the high E side because of the mounting screw. Not much room there for a newer mounting base. Mitch at KNE will do a one piece, or 2 piece body. I always ask for the "2 piece W grain pattern". Sounds like I'm at Taco Bell, but there is no extra charge. KNE only routes for the Floyd with the old mounting screws because with the real Frany pattern it's too close to the high E PU route. I've filled those in and routed the new modern ones myself but that's not for everyone. He may do it if you ask. Only northern ash for that though!
I usually get the bodies from KNE within 2 weeks to Nova Scotia. He sends you an email when it's shipped usually within 2-3 days of your order. I've purchased about 12 bodies from them over the years. Not a single problem ever.

Red Frank KNE body with a Musikraft neck I did for my nephew(Xmas gift ) No shim required. Perfect fit. 6100 SS frets. Way too big. I wouldnt use them again.

White VH1 I finished yesterday. Swamp ash KNE, Warmouth quartersawn maple with quartersawn board. Stainless 6105 frets, vitage /modern truss with side adjustment. Super low slippery action. 12-14 radius, I had them put on a white graphite nut. Stays in tune extremely well! Im really surprised. Brass is tough to keep in tune.

The Warmouth neck was a showcase neck. They have them all the time for about $197.00. The stainless steel upgrade was about $20. The graphite nut installed was $30, which I thought was abit much as I can do it myself but it saved me the time.2 thin coats of True oil. Bolted it on. Didnt even have to adjust the rod at all. The stability of the double maple quartersawn is a great combo. Sounds fantastic with the swamp ash.

That Fender trem is the cats ass.......awesome tone all day.