MojoRedFoot Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Can you replace a 25.5" scale neck that has 22 frets with a 25.5" scale neck with 24 frets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Can you replace a 25.5" scale neck that has 22 frets with a 25.5" scale neck with 24 frets? Yes. Gotta have room for the extra fretboard length at the body - mod maybe? No pickup in the way, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Yes. Gotta have room for the extra fretboard length at the body - mod maybe? I have been searching for an exact replacement neck for my 80s Kramer. very few pop up and when I see one on ebay, I always get out bid. Plenty of 24 fret necks and the "lip" at the bottom appears to be the same size so the pick ups won't be touched. I just never ask the sellers for the width at the neck joint because I figured the neck pocket on the body would be a little bit wider. I just wanted to see if it was feasable since there's a nice 24 fret reverse headstock Kramer neck on ebay now. Reverse is ideal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I dunno... Adding two more frets with the same scale length is gonna put two more frets closer to the bridge. The 22nd fret is in the same place on either neck. Either the neck pocket/joint is different, or the fretboard extension will be longer. Can't speak for a Kramer - I sold my one and only 20 years ago... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinner 13 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I have been searching for an exact replacement neck for my 80s Kramer. very few pop up and when I see one on ebay, I always get out bid. Plenty of 24 fret necks and the "lip" at the bottom appears to be the same size so the pick ups won't be touched. I just never ask the sellers for the width at the neck joint because I figured the neck pocket on the body would be a little bit wider. I just wanted to see if it was feasable since there's a nice 24 fret reverse headstock Kramer neck on ebay now. Reverse is ideal. Did you check: Warmouth, Allparts, or Might mite? some places to start. Not Kramer, but they make decent after market stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Did you check: Warmouth, Allparts, or Might mite? some places to start. Not Kramer, but they make decent after market stuff I have checked Warmoth but they don't have what I want in stock and to special order would cost more than what I paid for the guitar. I'd really like to get another actual Kramer neck to ensure a perfect fit. I have one but it is not for a locking nut. I thought aboot converting the guitar to a fixed bridge but again, that's gonna be expensive and I do not have the woodworking skills to pull that off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 There are quite a few 22 fret Kramer necks on eBay now in Buy it Now auction format. Some are originals, some are aftermarket. I'd be inclined to get a new aftermarket one. Some of the originals look pretty beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 There are quite a few 22 fret Kramer necks on eBay now in Buy it Now auction format. Some are originals, some are aftermarket. I'd be inclined to get a new aftermarket one. Some of the originals look pretty beat. Yeah, I check at least once a day but it has to be the pointed, angled headstock with locking nut. I'm trying to pay less than $100 cuz I bought the guitar like 17 years ago for $140. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Okay, Neo basically nailed it. In theory you probably could have more than 24 frets if you went all the way to the bridge and figured a way to incorporate pickups into fingerboard and/or bridge and/or as piezo/microphones on the wood of the guitar. But what struck me right away was, "why replace the neck at all?" Assuming the neck is not a disaster, I've seen keyboard extensions on some fretted instruments that need not be exactly the same material or piece as the fingerboard. In fact, I've a hunch that done with a bit of thought, the "extension" would have to go from the current fingerboard toward the bridge, but a big batch of "inlay" could make it look as if you've gotten a custom neck, but it would be instead a custom neck extension. Either way, new neck perfectly as you want it, or an extension, you only can go as far as a the first pickup you encounter. I s'pose you could even move the "neck" pickup one way or another too. I don't know the model of guitar you're playing, though. And... I'll wager a competent luthier could come up with something less expensive than a new neck - unless, as I suggested, there's something wrong with what you have. Good luck, though... And as far as I'm concerned, this ain't at all a dumb question. Some of have messed with stuff like this, some haven't, some know the logic involved, some ain't even thought about it. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 But what struck me right away was, "why replace the neck at all?" I forgot to add the back story. It's broke. 3x. The original broke, was reglued, glue gave away. I got a replacement and fixed it up. The jack was crackling and rather than calmly resolder a new jack, I threw the guitar on the floor and snapped that neck. Been a neck-less body for about 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Mojo... It sounds to me like you really want a guitar rebuild rather than a neck. I don't know that body style, but if you're replacing at least some electronics, the neck and extending the fingerboard a cupla inches, perhaps also needing a different bridge... you may almost be better off starting "from scratch" with a board body and a neck. Then you could figure how to extend the fingerboard on bare wood and mess with pickups and such from scratch. You also could have it painted as you wish - a complete "custom build." A decent neck may not be exactly "pretty" to a kramer, but the Strat-type necks I've seen had the advantage of having enough extra wood on the head to mess with the shape. A left-hand neck would give the option of that "reverse" appearance. A "LP" style could run about the same way, I think. ????? Am I too far off? No matter what, it sounds almost more expensive than buying an inexpensive but decent "project guitar" like an Epi LP Jr and then rebuilding to "fit." It wouldn't have the "how do I fit this board to that neck" problem, either. Heck, at that, you have the advantage of a neck and body that fit and are the right scale. The you could strip the paint, gouge the body and peghead into a different sorta shape, mess with pickups... and still have the body-neck joint needed for playability... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 Here's the guitar with a neck for show. For some reason, this neck does not work. I threw it one to test the new jack and the pups. All the electronics work fine now. I just want another Kramer neck like the original to ensure it will work again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Here's the guitar with a neck for show. For some reason, this neck does not work. I threw it one to test the new jack and the pups. All the electronics work fine now. I just want another Kramer neck like the original to ensure it will work again. Mojo, What doesn't work with this neck? There is only a couple of ways you could get a 24 fret neck to work. Either the neck pocket would have to be routed deeper towards the neck pickup or the extra 2 frets would have to be unsupported by the neck. You would also end up having to widen the neck pocket as well and it doesn't look like you have room between the end of the neck and the pickup cavity to accommodate the extra 2 frets. Remeber the key is you want the distance from the nut ( the side that is hitting the finger board to the 12th fret to be the same distance from the 12th fret to where the edge of the bridge saddle hits the string. Since you can move your saddles you have a little play room but not much. The only other option is to move the trem which you definitely do not want to get into. Another more viable option with a 24 fret neck would be to cut off the bottom of the neck and lose the 2 extra frets. You would want to find out what the width of the 24 fret neck heel is starting from the 17th fret down to past the 22nd and see if it matches yours... If it is the same width and depth you would be ok.... Best bet would be to keep seeking out a 22 fret neck.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 There is only a couple of ways you could get a 24 fret neck to work. Either the neck pocket would have to be routed deeper towards the neck pickup or the extra 2 frets would have to be unsupported by the neck. You would also end up having to widen the neck pocket as well and it doesn't look like you have room between the end of the neck and the pickup cavity to accommodate the extra 2 frets. Remeber the key is you want the distance from the nut ( the side that is hitting the finger board to the 12th fret to be the same distance from the 12th fret to where the edge of the bridge saddle hits the string. Since you can move your saddles you have a little play room but not much. The only other option is to move the trem which you definitely do not want to get into. Another more viable option with a 24 fret neck would be to cut off the bottom of the neck and lose the 2 extra frets. You would want to find out what the width of the 24 fret neck heel is starting from the 17th fret down to past the 22nd and see if it matches yours... If it is the same width and depth you would be ok.... Best bet would be to keep seeking out a 22 fret neck.... That's what I assumed but I had to ask. I need to raise the nut and the bridge posts. I had a pro put this neck on after the original broke. Then I replaced with a Kramer style neck. After I broke that one, I tried putting this one back on. This neck was not a great fit to begin with. It's a little wider at the nut than the actual nut. My search continues for andother 22 fret, angled headstock Kramer neck. :mellow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 This is what I need: http://cgi.ebay.com/Kramer-American-Pointy-Neck-Project-Floyd-Rose-ESP-/110645585891?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item19c2fda7e3 I just don't wanna pay $225 for it since the guitar was purchased for less than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 This is what I need: http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item19c2fda7e3 I just don't wanna pay $225 for it since the guitar was purchased for less than that. Well, Look at it this way. A good neck is the most important part of a guitar. Get a good neck and you could eventually build a better guitar around it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Well, Look at it this way. A good neck is the most important part of a guitar. Get a good neck and you could eventually build a better guitar around it... This is very true, it is the 1st thing I inspect thoroughly before buying. And a good neck just feels sooooo good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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