Help call: Fitting Asat Special neck into Classic body??

[NickHorne]

I have been looking for an Asat Classic to fit out with a Bigsby, and have seen a neckless Classic body for sale (and no, I don't want to know how it came to be neckless either). I have, meanwhile, a used Special with a very nice-feeling neck but very unloved body,
I use my other, relatively new, Special a lot but the tatty one languishes. So I am wondering about acquiring the body and swapping the neck out into it for my VibroClassic.
It seems possible that the heel and pocket might simply be compatible, but I'm not sure.
Is the Classic pocket just deeper (everything sits lower with the traditional bridge) but otherwise the same? Or do the other dimensions differ? I know how to scrape a thou or five, but major fundamental differences would be a no-go.
If anyone knows, I'd be very grateful for a pointer before either wasting money or missing an opportunity!

[Craig]

I have been looking for an Asat Classic to fit out with a Bigsby, and have seen a neckless Classic body for sale (and no, I don't want to know how it came to be neckless either). I have, meanwhile, a used Special with a very nice-feeling neck but very unloved body,
I use my other, relatively new, Special a lot but the tatty one languishes. So I am wondering about acquiring the body and swapping the neck out into it for my VibroClassic.
It seems possible that the heel and pocket might simply be compatible, but I'm not sure.
Is the Classic pocket just deeper (everything sits lower with the traditional bridge) but otherwise the same? Or do the other dimensions differ? I know how to scrape a thou or five, but major fundamental differences would be a no-go.
If anyone knows, I'd be very grateful for a pointer before either wasting money or missing an opportunity!

If you can get the neck and body dates of the pieces you wish to mate together and then check this post, looking for the neck butt width (or width at body joint):What are the USA neck size options, past and present?.

Hope this helps.

[NickHorne]

Dear Craig, thank you very much for your reply.
Both neck and body are 2011, so things look OK on that front.
But is a Classic neck pocket simply like a Special only deeper? Or perhaps they're different in some other ways...
If the basic heel shape is the same, then I might hope that the Special's neck would just drop in, only deeper than it had done in its original body.
I'm starting to hope that this might be a workable project! I really like the neck that I have, and this body seems like a good opportunity to re-employ it. I can't exactly imagine a long queue of buyers for my Special... it was cheap, but it's pretty sad apart from the great neck on it. I don't see how I might get a Bigsby onto it, and I'd rather do it on a Classic anyway.

[Craig]

I have been looking for an Asat Classic to fit out with a Bigsby, and have seen a neckless Classic body for sale (and no, I don't want to know how it came to be neckless either). I have, meanwhile, a used Special with a very nice-feeling neck but very unloved body,
I use my other, relatively new, Special a lot but the tatty one languishes. So I am wondering about acquiring the body and swapping the neck out into it for my VibroClassic.
It seems possible that the heel and pocket might simply be compatible, but I'm not sure.
Is the Classic pocket just deeper (everything sits lower with the traditional bridge) but otherwise the same? Or do the other dimensions differ? I know how to scrape a thou or five, but major fundamental differences would be a no-go.
If anyone knows, I'd be very grateful for a pointer before either wasting money or missing an opportunity!

I sent your post to Spencer at the factory, here is his reply:

Craig,

Yes the pockets are deeper on the classics. We do this so that we can make the necks the same. So a neck from a special should fit a classic just as well.
There is all the normal variances in play whenever neck swaps are done, but the classic vs special won’t make it any different.

Spencer

Hope this helps.

[darwinohm]

Nick, I have installed an F Bigsby on an Asat Bluesboy. I documented it on the forum. Factory installations used the Bigsby 5 and I have a Z3 with a Bigsby B5. The factory routed out the body for the Bigsby so you would have the proper string angle over the bridge. A couple of years ago I noticed the factory was no longer routing the B5. It looks like the neck is mounted higher in the body to compensate for this and avoiding the route. I am assuming the neck pocket is shallower on the Bigsby models. These are things you want to make sure of before starting a Bigsby project.

That is the reason I chose the F Bigsby, it gives a better break angle. It is also a clean look with the bridge plate and the Jazzmaster style rocking bridge. It solves the tuning issues that people complain about. It required routing for the bridge pickup to fit but when done, it was well worth it. I have done several Bigsby installations on T style guitars and they are spectacular when done properly. I have seen several conversions in stores that were not well done. Positioning and alignment is critical. I happen to really like Bigsbys. -- Darwin

[NickHorne]

Dear Craig and Spencer, thank you very much for going to the trouble of giving me such solid information; it's what I had hoped to hear, that it's at least possible in principle, if not automatically a perfect fit first try.
And thanks to you Darwin! I remember your documenting of your Bigsby install, and I'll revisit that now. I shall have to do my homework re break angle; if G&L rout a Z3 for a B5, it would need quite a hole dug on a Classic!
I'm looking forward to the job now - thanks again, everyone!