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Post subject: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 4:02 pm
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Hey All,
I could use a little help with a American made 1997 Roadhouse Stratocaster. A distant relative was cleaning house and was selling it cheap. It has never been played and has been in case since purchased in 1997.
I can use some help on parts on guitar that should be examined before restringing, and any set up secrets you have.
It has a American Standard Tremolo and a Rosewood neck.




I plan on cleaning the fingerboard and cleaning the frets up. (have fret erasers and fret sandpaper tool from StewMac)
I will check neck relief, string ,and pickup heights when new strings are on.
Any help with this Strat will be appreciated.
Thank You,
JM


Last edited by murrayotl on Tue Jan 17, 2017 10:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 10:03 pm
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murrayotl wrote:
(have fret erasers and fret sandpaper tool from StewMac

The abrasive erasers in different grits are something useful for far more than frets. They've existed for a while - both car detailing (road dust and the acid innards of a thousand mosquitos can take the shine off chrome) and miniature railroad enthusiasts (sorry to derail the thread).
But this is one of the few products where StewMac is actually cheaper than others who sell similar products. Well worth the price, because they're useful for far more than frets.

I use them to buff out knives, faucets, door knobs, jewelry, usb connectors and pretty much anything else I can't just use a buffing wheel on. Oh, and frets.

As for tips for setup, make sure you have a soft lead pencil, and use it on the nut grooves, bridge saddles and underside of the string trees. Yes, you can buy overpriced graphite powder or sticks, but they don't do anything a 60 cent carpenter's pencil won't do. It's pure graphite in either case.


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 3:43 am
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Congrats on the 'closet classic' find. Just don't tell me it's CAR or Shoreline Gold, I'm already envious...

On the setup, there's (at least) two ways to proceed.
You can just 'plug and play', and try to tame the guitar as it is. If something really needs fixing, fix it. This was how I handled most of my old guitar purchases when I was younger.

But as my OCD has been setting in, and maybe also as I value old guitars differently, nowadays I usually do the full workout routine.
Starts with checking all mobile parts; they may be stuck. Truss rod nut (always loosen first) , tuning machines (a little lube never hurts) etc.
I usually take the guitar totally apart, but at least check that all screws (like the neck joint) are properly tightened - no excess force, but snug.

On electronics, a little 'electronic contact cleaner with lubricant' (you probably have some leading brand where you live) may be needed on pots. Apply, then rotate the pot gently but vigorously 0-10-0 etc. a few dozen times. Apply some on the switch, too.

And then check all string/other contact points. Trem plate hole, saddles, nut slots (I "check & adjust if needed" the nut slot height&shape - always), string guides, trem post holes - all these should look shiny as new, regardless of how roadworn the guitar otherwise is. Lube them - with pencil (graphite) as arth1, or with lip balm applied with a toothpick as Fender advices (one positive on that: someone always has a stick available, even on gigs), or go high-tech and get some commercially designed NutSauce.

Check & level/crown/polish the frets - if needed, or if you want something special (fallaway etc.)
Then general cleaning (rust, goo, desinfection etc.) & polishing - if needed and as much as you want. Zippo fluid, cotton rags, toothbrush or a guitar cleaning set and a chrome cleaner from your favorite brand.

Then just your everyday full setup. If you don't know your personal favorites, start with Fender factory recommendations and go from there. Don't know your experience, so do what the Strat Setup Guide says, and in that order. [On a Strat, I like high saddles but lowish action (= I often shim); almost no relief; a tiny fallaway, a .010 set; flatter radius on bridge than on nut; trem floating, lowered pickups etc. - but YMMV.]

And the 'setup secrets' you asked about:
1. Be precise with intonation, but don't go OCD on it with these modern digital tuners. No guitar plays exactly in tune on every string, every fret - and your fingers/ears will compensate.
2. I aim to that the "play feel" (translates roughly to 'finger pressure needed to get a good note') through the whole neck should be the same. Experiment with relief & string height (and low nut slots).


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 3:58 am
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jmattis wrote:
Congrats on the 'closet classic' find. Just don't tell me it's CAR or Shoreline Gold, I'm already envious...

On the setup, there's (at least) two ways to proceed.
You can just 'plug and play', and try to tame the guitar as it is. If something really needs fixing, fix it. This was how I handled most of my old guitar purchases when I was younger.

But as my OCD has been setting in, and maybe also as I value old guitars differently, nowadays I usually do the full workout routine.
Starts with checking all mobile parts; they may be stuck. Truss rod nut (always loosen first) , tuning machines (a little lube never hurts) etc.
I usually take the guitar totally apart, but at least check that all screws (like the neck joint) are properly tightened - no excess force, but snug.

On electronics, a little 'electronic contact cleaner with lubricant' (you probably have some leading brand where you live) may be needed on pots. Apply, then rotate the pot gently but vigorously 0-10-0 etc. a few dozen times. Apply some on the switch, too.

And then check all string/other contact points. Trem plate hole, saddles, nut slots (I "check & adjust if needed" the nut slot height&shape - always), string guides, trem post holes - all these should look shiny as new, regardless of how roadworn the guitar otherwise is. Lube them - with pencil (graphite) as arth1, or with lip balm applied with a toothpick as Fender advices (one positive on that: someone always has a stick available, even on gigs), or go high-tech and get some commercially designed NutSauce.

Check & level/crown/polish the frets - if needed, or if you want something special (fallaway etc.)
Then general cleaning (rust, goo, desinfection etc.) & polishing - if needed and as much as you want. Zippo fluid, cotton rags, toothbrush or a guitar cleaning set and a chrome cleaner from your favorite brand.

Then just your everyday full setup. If you don't know your personal favorites, start with Fender factory recommendations and go from there. Don't know your experience, so do what the Strat Setup Guide says, and in that order. [On a Strat, I like high saddles but lowish action (= I often shim); almost no relief; a tiny fallaway, a .010 set; flatter radius on bridge than on nut; trem floating, lowered pickups etc. - but YMMV.]

And the 'setup secrets' you asked about:
1. Be precise with intonation, but don't go OCD on it with these modern digital tuners. No guitar plays exactly in tune on every string, every fret - and your fingers/ears will compensate.
2. I aim to that the "play feel" (translates roughly to 'finger pressure needed to get a good note') through the whole neck should be the same. Experiment with relief & string height (and low nut slots).


Great advice......for any guitar, Fender or not.

I'd add only that I always clean the contact points of the output jack with some crocus cloth to remove any possible contaminating patina that might preclude a positive electrical interface with a guitar cable's plug.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:42 am
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Thank you for the kind words, Sir.

On the jack: the message already became too long...
:wink:
But you're absolutely right - and let's yet add checking the jack nut tightness; especially on lower prized FMIC products it's prone to open by itself.


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 9:24 am
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jmattis wrote:
But you're absolutely right - and let's yet add checking the jack nut tightness; especially on lower prized FMIC products it's prone to open by itself.


Indeed.

As for the length of your message, perhaps. But an electric guitar is a complex device and it stands to reason that a comprehensive set-up guide would be just as long. I think the dissertation is quite useful.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 9:29 am
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jmattis wrote:
But you're absolutely right - and let's yet add checking the jack nut tightness; especially on lower prized FMIC products it's prone to open by itself.

Good advice for a strat, but for a classic tele, you want to leave it alone until you notice a problem. Checking the tightness can cause it to rotate in the wood and loosen, due to the design.


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 2:03 pm
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Pics please.


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 4:49 pm
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Thank You All for the Help and Great Advice!!
I too have OCD when it comes to guitars. Have to be like I just purchased them.
I am not close to guitar tech type status, know enough to be dangerous, but smart enough to ask for help and advice and greatly appreciate the responses.
Baby steps with this guitar, I don't know how it was stored and moved around for 10 years.

Thanks Again,
JM

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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 1:56 am
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Aha, rosewood fretboard...
After cleaning, you might want to oil it. If you chose that above mentioned guitar cleaning set from your favorite brand, it probably includes a fretboard conditioner.
If not, plenty of different (strong) opinions on which oil to use, how to apply it, how often and how much. Google around.


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 7:00 am
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Very nice; sounds like you got a great deal, and hopefully the distant relative is happy it stayed in the family. Everyone else has given you the best advice about set-up, but I'll give you a bit of history on these.

Since the Roadhouse/Lone Star/Big Apple were called the "Hot-Rodded American Standards" they came in that tolex case instead of the grey guitar-shaped molded case with the red metal "Fender" logo plate that the American Standards came in. Since yours is a 1997 I think you got a really nice G&G case (even though the weren't putting that round "G&G" medallion on the accessory lid at that time). In 1998 Fender had switched to a really cheap black tolex case that was made in Mexico - instead of that little strap with the snap on it the MIM cases just had a tiny little Velcro square on the bottom of the accessory lid to hold it in place. I had one of the MIM ones with a 1998 American Deluxe Strat - the case was so flimsy it would only stay open if placed on a perfectly flat concrete floor. Fender also used tweed cases from that source with the AVRIs (and maybe the Artist Signatures as well), but only for 1998-99 until returning to G&G tolex and tweed cases at the end of 1999.


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 8:00 am
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Nice. I've got a 2000 American Series Texas Special Strat which is the model that replaced the Roadhouse. It's a keeper - although I don't currently have the TS pickups in it.


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:33 am
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Thanks for some history on Roadhouse John C.


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 2:21 pm
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I just finished cleaning the guitar. You would think it wouldn't be that dirty if kept in a case that long. I checked and tightened all screws and nuts. I have cleaned the fingerboard, frets, and oiled the fingerboard with Music Nomad F-ONE. The truss rod was very hard to turn and gave it a touch of lubricant to loosen it up a little. I sprayed all the controls with DeoxIT 5% Spray Contact Cleaner. Strings are on, using your tips on friction points and working on Intonation and Tremolo setup. Will check truss rod after basic setup. I do have a problem with 1 tuner (G of course) little tight when turning.
I watched some videos by Luthier Galeazzo Frudua on YT (FruduaTv). He has some great videos on set-ups, etc.
Thanks Again,
John


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Post subject: Re: 1997 Roadhouse Set up help
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 4:46 pm
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Outstanding!

Now play it like you stole it.

8)

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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