Replacement Strat Neck

Hi guys,
How you all doing? First timer here...
I've replaced the stock neck on a Standard strat with a new one bought from AZGuitarParts. When installed the main problem at first was the allignment angle of the neck which when corrected with a bit of sanding sorted itself out no probs. However the real problem now is the height of this neck in general. Very basically, in order to get the setup + action anywhere near what you might call 'standard' I've had to raise the bridge plate way up as high as 0.25" above the body...basically it just looks plain wrong and in any case there's still fret buzz as well. As far as I know the neck is sound and I have no reason to doubt it. This is my first time doing something like this and I don't know what to do to fix this...can anyone help?

Cheers...

Hi The Squire. I assume that the neck is sitting right down in the recess.? My first thought is you obviously have the old neck so measure from the top of the fret to the base of the neck at the recess point. Check this against the replacement neck and the old one should be not as thick at this point if you are having trouble in the manner you explain. Once you find what the thickness of the recess part of the neck is on the old neck get a tradesman to skim that amount off for you on the new neck thereby making your new neck the same depth as the old one.

Regards Fenderphil.

Cheers for that FenderPhil, As far as I can tell the new neck is well seated in the pocket. The only issue I might have with skimming the neck is that this is a 22-fretter and the lip overhang of the 22nd fret is already quite snug against the scratch plate at that point. This was what led me to think that there was something else less obvious that needed to be done...thanks for the tip though, I do still have the old neck so will compare them.

Cheers

Hi The Squire, It may well be that it needs to be shimmed in one area, a little test you can do is put the neck in its place then put one string D or G perhaps on then move the neck around to see when a reasonable start action is achieved, then note if the front or rear needs shimming to obtain that configuration. I also have "The Guitar Player Repair Guide" in PDF format but its 11:3/4 mb. in size and depending on your mail if its web mail they often have a 10mb limit...however if that not the case and you would like a copy of the book just PM me with your mail address and I will happily send you a copy. It covers "Set-up &Maintenance" "Action Adjustment Setups" "Pro set-ups ,talking with the king of blues" Nut work, fret work, repair and modification etc etc etc.

Fenderphil

Thanks again for the tips FenderPhil...and I will try all these things first before consulting some professional advice

Cheers

It's me again, well I think I'm almost there...So the major thing I had to do to get this sorted was raise the saddles much higher than they were at with the old neck. However the new neck was almost identical in heel dimension to the old so I still can't explain why it wasn't more of a straight swap???? Anyhoo only some fret buzzing issues now left to resolve hence why I'm back for more advice. At fret 7 on high E and above fret 17 on all strings the notes are dead...plus the b string is ringing when played open...but not when fretted. My neck relief is currently quite low I think at 0.06" From this info does this sound like a fret dressing may be needed?

Cheers

Hi Squire, I assume you have checked the neck for straighness.? I have included Fender's factory specs for you to check against you mentioned 0.06thou so should be double that as you will see from the chart. You can make a good thou gauge from an old string of that gauge (More likely an 11g but you can then judged that 1 thou, also check the "Nut|" specs which are also included in the chart.
[img size=400][/img]

If after making sure about these specs it still buzzes here is how to cope with it....play down the "E" string until you get a buzz (No pun intended) then the next fret towards the bridge is the high fret and will need to have a small amount of meat taken off it,just under where the string is, probably about 1/2" from the edge of the neck is ample. continue down the neck and fix each buzzing fret by the same method.

If its not buzzing, but dead, then that string saddle is to low and will need raising,small increments is all that needed until you achieve your goal.

Well done with your efforts to date.

Regards Fenderphil

Cheers again for the advice! Well the truss rod bolt seemed to tighten up after turning counter-clockwise roughly 3/4 of a turn so don't know how much more relief there is to be had but I'll try again...the neck is new after all but maybe it wasn't lubed too well. That sounds like a cool tip for locating the frets that need attention btw. I've never done any fret dressing before so am a wee bit unsure 'bout how to tackle that but I'll give it a go...'cos this guitar is so nearly there now but not quite perfect yet...

Cheers!

Hi Squire, You are best to go "Steady past your grannies" with the dressing take off a small amount at a time.

Another major thing I overlooked was the depth of the strings at the "Nut" the specs show what they should be, if incorrect it will make the bridge sit high. A good rule of thumb with each string is that approx 1/2 of the string should be in the nut groove.


Here is a site with fret dressing info for you

http://www.pittmanguitarrepair.com/index.cfm? mode=entry&entry=D30D6683-D610-A6A8-6C593D00387746E7& dv=recent

Please feel free to contact me if you need any help

Regards Fenderphil

Hi Squire, I have posted info on nuts you may like to read....By the way I had an idea (My brain these days is like a fruit machine, sometimes, all the oranges come up)ha ha.

Idea 1) measure with a depth gauge the depth of each slot from your old nut and repeat this on the new one

Idea 2) remove the nut from the old neck and put it on the new one...

If you decide to do the second let me know and I will give you some help.

Regards Fenderphil

Well I didn't think to compare the two nuts actually but will do now... I am almost convinced it has something to do with it...not to say a fret dressing wouldn't do any harm but slight buzzing I can live with it's just the high pitched ringing on the g & b strings that drives me mad. Anyway yes please...any tips on how best to remove the nut nice and cleanly from the guitar more than welcome.

Cheers

Hi Squire, You will get there in the end...You have done well thus far... The new nut can be causing the buzzing by being incorrect depth.

Removing the Nut

If you look at a variety of instruments you will find that the shape of the nut and the way it is mounted on the neck will vary. Ideally, nuts are held in place by a small dab of glue, preferably white glue, Titebond or Hide glue. In the world of instrument repair we must keep in mind that instruments are built to allow for disassembly, so, if yours manages to pop loose a small dab of Elmers or PVA glue will be sufficient. The use of superglue, epoxy and other inappropriate adhesives have given luthiers nightmares for years and should be avoided.

While removing a nut is

usually

a very simple matter
there are a few which can make removal a bit of a challenge.

Removing the nut?
When the instruments nut is not sitting in a channel or "inlayed" it is often possible to give it a light tap to dislodge it.From Fretboard side or side on. (Use a plastic head hammer or a piece of wood as thick and as wide as the nut to tap against it) After scoring or removing finish to prevent chipping as mentioned use a block that equals or exceeds the width of the nut in order to pop it loose with a gentle tap of the hammer.
However, other things can make removal more challenging. When the nut has been painted over it first has to be scored to prevent chipping finish on the neck .
And if the nut has been secured with an epoxy or other strong adhesive extreme caution should be used as they are likely to pull up some wood with them.
Nuts that are "inlayed" or set into a channel require more caution and a different technique. Tapping one of these nuts forward to dislodge it could spell big trouble. Damage to the peghead veneer can result if one is not cautious.
Removing an "inlayed nut
" When the nut has been tightly seated in a deep channel and then finished over caution and patience is necessary for a clean, flawless removal. There are several options when removing an inlayed nut but I do not recommend those with little patience or skill attempt removal as damage to the neck, peghead veneer and/or finish can result.
Before attempting removal the finish over the nut should be scored and removed to prevent finish chip. Some inlayed nuts can be lifted up and out of the slot using flattened end nippers or a similar tool, a few nuts can be loosened by tapping sideways and still others seem as though they are holding on for dear life and can only be removed by destorying or, when suitable, cutting a very thin kerf (.008 or so) from the front of the nut (between the nut and peghead) to create a gap which makes removal possible.
Securing a Loose Nut
As I mentioned before, if the nut on your instrument should manage to pop loose you can use Elmers or wood glue to reattach it. The use of permanent adhesives can create problems should the nut need to be removed for future repairs.

Here also are a couple of links for extra info and pics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxcwhUhq61c (Video)

Regards Fenderphil http://www.ehow.com/how_4683806_replace-guitar- nut.html