Neck Pocket Concern/Question

[Monahan]

Installing strings on my PRS this morning (haven't yet posted a NGD) and noticed a gap on either side of the neck, the size of a Fender Thin pick. Removed the pickguard to have a closer look, and the neck appears to be seated firmly in the cutout above the neck pickup...

Everything else about the guitar is great: sound/sustain/feel/looks... Stability wise, the neck is still secured with four bolts(!) and again, it looks good at the end under the pickguard, so I doubt the neck would move about any.

This shouldn't be a reason to return the guitar, right?

This is why I hate buying over the internet. If I do return it, there's a 3% credit card fee I pay, along with shipping both ways, so a couple hundred bucks all said & done.

Just wanted to pose the question to get it off my mind.

Thanks!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Hope whatever you decide to do makes you happy.

 

[Monahan]

Years ago I never gave such a thing a second thought; just figured it was normal. Had several Fenders worse than this and never had any problems with them.

I'm probably overthinking this

 

[d^rren]

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[DISTORT6]

Years ago I never gave such a thing a second thought; just figured it was normal. Had several Fenders worse than this and never had any problems with them.

I'm probably overthinking this

I agree with this.
As long as it’s aligned and the strings are “straight”, it wouldn’t bother me at all.

 

[Monahan]

Thanks guys!

Just wanted to get it off my chest.

She's a keeper then. NGD post incoming soon~

 

[bodia]

I agree with this.
As long as it’s aligned and the stings are “straight”, it wouldn’t bother me at all.

Completely agree

 

[SinSir]

Years ago I never gave such a thing a second thought; just figured it was normal. Had several Fenders worse than this and never had any problems with them.

I'm probably overthinking this

Thank you internet! Overthinking..

All is good, happy NGD!

 

[Monahan]

Thank you internet! Overthinking..

All is good, happy NGD!

Indeed-- and thanks!

Tomorrow (Friday) I'll complete the NGD post; I've been having too much fun playing the guitar LOL!

 

[László]

I think the advice given above is right.

Plenty of old Fenders sound wonderful. Most of them have neck pocket gaps - no one paid much attention to neck pocket tightness for bolt-ons back when Leo was cutting 'em out. Many of the best ones have had neck swaps and other mods, like Clapton's original Fenders.

If a guitar plays well and sounds right to you, it's a good guitar.

Honestly, I think it's a magazine review thing more than a thing that matters. It's like a review making a fuss if the inside of an acoustic hasn't been vacuumed after building. What's the difference if it's a great sounding, good feeling guitar?

 

[aphantomvaper]

It is fine in my view. I'm interested in why the pick guard screw hole in the first pic is shiny inside. Image artifact?

 

[Going Modal]

Mechanically speaking, those sides of the neck joint have NEVER been physically connected (via glue, screws, or whatever) on a bolt-on guitar--including all the way back to when Fender started it in mass-scale in the '50s. Which means that--again, from the perspective of mechanics--the only real connection of concern between neck & body of a bolt-on guitar is the backside, the side that gets bolted into. At this point, it's more aesthetics than anything.

TLDR: I concur with @d^rren: "I wouldn't worry about it."

 

[Monahan]

It is fine in my view. I'm interested in why the pick guard screw hole in the first pic is shiny inside. Image artifact?

It’s just a reflection from the large LED lamp above the bench.