It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:54 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Squier strat neck problem
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 2:02 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:51 pm
Posts: 3
Hi all. Have an old project guitar which has been restrung after being unstrung for few years. I tried adjust the truss rod. It’s was actually loose and the neck is bowed slightly. No clearance at the 7th when doing the check. Is this neck needing replaced? Thanks guys


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Squier strat neck problem
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:50 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 10:28 pm
Posts: 1594
Location: SoCal, US
The truss rod is loose as in it is not tight, or as in it spins freely like it's broken or not attached at the heel anchor?

_________________
-- Rich


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Squier strat neck problem
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 5:49 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 1339
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Assuming the rod is functional -- not broken -- a neck that's been unstrung for a long time can take a set. Especially if it was stored with tension on the rod pulling it into a back bow. The neck gets used to being backbowed and loosening the truss adjuster doesn't do anything.

It can take days or weeks for a light set of strings to overcome the memory of the wood and pull relief into the neck.
---------------
Try tuning to a higher than normal pitch. Or put a set of heavier strings on. Doesn't have to be permanently, just to help teach the neck until it develops a good bit of relief. After the neck has relief you can usally go back to whatever string tension you like.

Also, manually help the strings pull relief into the neck. Hold the neck joint firmly with one hand, clamp the body between your arm and chest, and use your other hand to push on the back of the headstock. Flex the neck into relief. A little more relief than you actually want. Flex, relax, flex, relax, several times. It helps the wood slip/slide/unbind against the rod.
--------------
If after a few weeks with higher tension the neck is still back bowed, the next step would be to clamp and heat the neck. That softens the lignen and resins and lets the wood fibers realign. After cooling the lignen and resins reharden. (Like bentwood furniture -- it's really remarkable the shapes you can teach wood to remember.)

That can be a low-cost do it yourself project -- 2x4, a couple of scraps of wood, zip ties, and an incandescent light bulb or two.
-----------------
But clamping and heating isn't always permanent -- the neck may really want to back bow. (The ghost of the living tree that was murdered for our selfish desires sometimes punishes us for what we did to it.) Or the neck may develop humps, dips, or an S-curve.

So the last resort is to pull the frets, plane the fretboard, and refret.

Just about any neck can be saved if you really, really, really want to save it, and if its value justifies the time and expense.

So, more tension. Manually flex the neck. Wait a while.

If that doesn't do it, decide whether it's worth more effort.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Squier strat neck problem
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 3:52 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:51 pm
Posts: 3
Thanks all. Yes truss rod hasn’t snapped as it tightens up. I’ll let it sit with strings on (11s) see what happens. It’s been stringless for four years and up the loft. Thanks


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: