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Post subject: Misaligned neck on Custom Shop Ltd NAMM
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 7:14 am
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:11 am
Posts: 190
I have recently acquired a Custom Shop Strat (Ltd NAMM 2017) 60s model, with a rosewood board.

The guitar is mint (albeit it heavy relic), and it looks incredible, but one thing I noticed upon closer inspection is that the strings are offset in relation to neck axis. I will try to explain: Moving your eyes from the nut towards the bridge the top E string gets progressively closer and closer to the edge of the board. At the nut it is OK, but at the 15th fret, the high E is so close to the edge of the board that when you fret, it slips off the fret’s edge. The same angling is true for the other strings too, but that is not an issue as they do not fret out. Looking at the spacing between strings, that seems OK, so I don’t think the nut has been cut badly. The bridge / saddles also look to be positioned correctly. So the issue seems to be with the alignment of the neck.

I proceeded to take the neck off and “reposition it” so that it is tilted slightly upwards (or left – if you lay the guitar on its back). I tightened the bolts again, making sure I aligned the neck with the new angle. This seems to have corrected the issue to a degree (so the strings are more centred), but I am just wondering if that is the correct way to do this? I do not want to mess up anything.


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Post subject: Re: Misaligned neck on Custom Shop Ltd NAMM
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 8:34 am
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Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 1339
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Yes, that's a common problem with most bolt neck guitars, and you fixed it correctly. With Fender's design, a super tight immovable neck joint is actually a bad thing (can cause cracks in the body at the corners of the pocket).

You didn't need to completely remove the neck -- just loosen the screws and pull. But removing it is fine too, and let you verify there wasn't any debris trapped in the neck pocket.

Enjoy your new guitar!


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Post subject: Re: Misaligned neck on Custom Shop Ltd NAMM
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 9:14 am
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:11 am
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Thanks. Glad to know it’s not a problem I should be concerned with.
I have to say, it looks and feels better since the realignment. I hope it doesn’t go back to its previous angle though... I’ve never had to do this on any of my bolt guitars, so it is kinda weird to encounter this on the one I paid the most money for!


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Post subject: Re: Misaligned neck on Custom Shop Ltd NAMM
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:35 pm
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4240
Isn't it funny how even the best instruments need to be set up to play at their peak... The Custom Shop Strats as well as Amatis and Stradivarii... :wink:

But seriously, you fixed it right - and neck(/string) alignment adjusting is a possibility with bolt-on necks, not a problem. Some prefer symmetrical E-strings, some like the thinE further from the fretboard edge... Hard to do with a glued or through neck.


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