This is funny.
I've owned my 72 Strat with the 3 bolt tilt neck since it was new and have never, ever had neck stability, drifting or adjustment problems. I know many other people that have had them with no problems too.
I've gigged professionally with this guitar for over 25 years and still gig with it once and a while. I can't vouch for later models. I know CBS had some quality issues in the mid/late 70's. I know a big problem in my area were techs who didn't know what they were doing.

If it's so awful, why did Fender reissue the 70's Vintage Strat with the 3 bolt micro tilt neck.

Yup. Too short. And, in fact, one of my 77 Strats is my "baby". Yes, my new Strat is a much better guitar but I like fighting my baby - and it's tones are worth the fight. Put another way, how many friends have I known longer than those 31 years (3, I think).

Love,
Todd

_________________
Up is louder!

If it's so awful, why did Fender reissue the 70's Vintage Strat with the 3 bolt micro tilt neck.

They'll re-issue anything including the roll of toilet paper that was in the bathroom when Leo left the place in 1965. Watch for it soon. And those 70's tilt- o-matics were not hated by techs that didn't know what they were doing. They were hated by techs and DEALERS that did!

[quote="Pete55"]
They'll re-issue anything including the roll of toilet paper that was in the bathroom when Leo left the place in 1965. Watch for it soon. ]

You jest but, you are right. If it has the "F" on each sheet, I might consider buying it.
Or, I could argue, I'd rather wipe my butt with a "G" marked roll of T.P.. Hehehehe.

Love,
Todd

_________________
Up is louder!

I have a 72 Custom tele with this neck. The problem was that when using the built in in metal shim, even after backing the hex screw off entirely, the neck was still too fat to get a proper string height adjustment. If you adjusted the bridge correctly for string height at the 12th fret, the strings would always bottom out on the last 6-7 frets. The only recourse was to shave the neck, put another shim between the two remaining standard screws to lift the neck, or just keep adjusting the bridge string height until the strings cleared the upper frets. This last however made the strings a bit too high in the middle of the neck. If you wanted a correctly adjusted string height, these were your only options.

This is what frustrated a lot of players with the design. The metal shim design was useless unless they cut the body pocket lower than normal. This rendered it useless in most cases.

<shaking head> A little square of window screening, just under the top two bolts, between the neck and body, along with a thin shim between the top side of the neck and body, once it is adjusted as you want it, keeps it steady. </shaking head>

C'mon guys! There's room for improvement on ANY stock instrument. Use your imagination!

It was a matter of loosening the main bolt, adjusting the small allen screw and tightening it. Never had a problem with it, I had mor problems aligning the neck.

At what position is the micro tilt set at the factory on American DX strats?