Official Luthiers Forum!

Another question about working on my customer's Strat. I'm not really an electric guitar guy. I've never worked on a Strat before. The Strat in question is a handmade Strat copy. Kind of a cool guitar, solid Koa body and neck, pretty well made in most respects...

The truss rod nut is at the body end of the neck as is usual on a Fender (that much I know), but the way the neck is set into the body, the nut is not accessible without taking the neck off. Is this normal?

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Thanks, Todd. It hadn't occurred to me that I might be able to do this without fully removing the neck, so that's very helpful. It's also helpful just to know that this is typical of the older Fenders.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

When I adjust the trussrod on an inaccessible one like this, I take two readings with my beam/dial indicator (Stewmac, older type) right next to the 7th fret, one with string tension, one without. When I've loosened the strings and neckbolts. I take another reading, so I have the amount of forward bow the strings impart to the neck. I can adjust the truss rod, and get to where I want to be, with the beam/dial indicator.

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https://soundcloud.com/jeffreylsuits/he ... -runnin-13

Thanks for your input, Jeffrey. I don't use a beam/dial indicator, but I did take measurements of the relief under string tension using a straight edge and feeler gauges. It was about .014" at the 7th fret. With the strings off, it's dead straight. I figured I could use those observations to at least get very close to I where I want to be when I go to adjust the truss rod without string tension.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Todd is right of course but one more "tip"... When re-tightening the neck bolts, always clamp the neck into the position you want (alignment). Otherwise you will have a neck that is skewed either to the bass side or treble side. Even a tight fitting neck can be out of alignment if you don't clamp. Often the pitch might even be out as well. I found this to be particularly true with the cheaper Fender and Squier models. Clamping the neck before tightening made all the difference. Also...don't drive the bolts all the way home with a drill (even one with a clutch). Go most of the way with the drill and finish by hand - you will get better results and a cleaner job.

Hey...Where is Evan Gluck? i am surprised he didn't have a repair trick or two for this one.

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Thanks a lot for the tip, Dave. I was wondering about that. I can see a shim in the joint on this guitar. I haven't loosened the bolts yet, so I don't know if it's glued in or not.

Yeah, where is Evan, anyway?

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Yes that is unfortunately normal.

With out a nice beam dial set up it could require restringing the guitar 3 or four times. I'll add another tip. Use a Sharpie type marker and draw a line across the bolt onto the wood so you have your starting reference point marked out. With a pencil I even write the date in.

And I always turn a bit further than I need and then twist back to the desired point so as not to introduce any torsional forces on the neck. Kind of like truing bicycle spokes if you've ever done that.

Hey guys, don't forget to post questions like these in the electric forum... I would hate to see the forum gods take that away!

(I am not trying to being controversial, I just want that forum to stay put!)

Mike

Also some new fenders still have these truss rods, like the 60's reissue guitars. The access sucks but the necks feel great. Just DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN and strip the neck. But if you do, installing brass inserts in the neck and using machine screws to connect the neck makes this job less of a hassle and makes a super tight joint.

I guess I just don't see it as the big deal that many others do. I clamp the treble horn in my vise. Grab my drill and back the lower screws all the way out, and loosen the upper ones about a turn. Grab the neck and pull it back to raise the nut over the pickguard. Adjust the rod (you should have a special long flat head screwdriver for Fenders, with the "wings" ground off by the head to leave it looking perfectly round as viewed from the end). Set the clutch on my drill and tighten up the upper screws. Check straightness, and re-loosen the upper screws to adjust if necessary. I rarely even detune the strings, and it takes me maybe a minute at most to adjust the typical Fender rod.

On small custom builds or some older instruments you may have to be a bit more careful and loosen the strings a bit as a precaution. It all depends on how the finish ends at the neck pocket - if it was masked right up to the end or filed dead flat to the wood in the pocket, there can be a risk of chipping the finish when you pry the neck back under full tension. On stock factory Fenders though, it's not really an issue. Even if you do have to loosen the strings, you don't need to pull the neck and get the strings all tangled. Just back two screws out and slightly loosen the other two, and you can easily tip the neck back to gain clear access to the rod.

As Dave mentioned, you do have to be careful with a drill as if you screw too hard you can push the plate in and crack the finish. I've worked with my drill long enough though that I know it's clutch range very well. #4 on my Hitachi clutch will snug the screws up, still leaving the neck loose enough to shift side to side. Then tweak the alignment and a final quick snugging up by hand and it's done.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

David, thanks for your illuminating, hugely helpful, and most appreciated input!

As for my posting this question on this forum, rather than the electric forum... I have always come straight to this forum - I didn't know there was an electric forum! Now I know! Thanks!

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Sorry guys I was taking the necks off of strats during all of this . I simply loosen the strings capo the strings
at the 2nd fret remove the neck completely, adjust and reinstall. I can usually do this in about 1 minute at this point.
As for side to side movement I just loosen the screws a bit and if the neck does not shift into alignment I will just
coax it in the direction it needs to go. All the methods mentioned are great though to me its just faster to not
have to angle anything to expose the truss rod and it eliminates any possible damage to the body.
best, Evan

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

Hey, Evan! It's about time you showed up (totally kidding). Seriously, though, when you guys with years of day-in-day-out experience in the trenches of guitar repair take the time to stop in here and help out, I just can't thank you enough.

Thanks for sharing your approach to this.

Take a bite of the Big Apple for me. One of these days I'll finally find the time to get down there.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

David, and Evan, thanks for the help here. I've been wondering too, because I'm not completely happy with the setup on my current strat. Or the 6105 frets, but that's another thread.

When players don't give you specifics, where do you like to set the relief and action?

Thanks for the thread, Todd