Has anybody ever shimmer a strat neck at the front of the neck rather than at the back. I've run out of adjustment on the saddle height screws and I need to raise them a tad more. I thought I could shim the neck to bring the headstock up then drop the saddle height. The saddles are teatering on the very top of the screws. Please help????

First, what kind of guitar is it? Specific model, please.

Second, what exactly are you trying to fix? Your aim suggests that you want to raise the string height. Yes? Why? What are you trying to compensate for?

Im a bit concerned any time somebody says they need to move saddles or any adjustement beyond its natural limits. The answer is that you can shim the neck either way. But there are other adjustments that may be more appropriate than shimming the neck.

How is the truss currently set? Is it possible the neck is bowed out such that the fingerboard is flat even convex?

How is the bridge adjusted? Is it properly set relative to the body?

Its an 60s reverse headstock fsr strat mim. Basically I'm getting some fret buzz around the 12th fret and up. After playing with a very low action for about a year and putting up with fret buzz here and there I decided in my quest for more sustain to raise the action in accordance to the fender setup guide. After doing so the tone off the guitar really came alive and the whole thing really opened up BUT! Still fret buzz. I've looked and adjusted the neck relief more and less. I've tried lots off relief and still buzz and a straight neck and still buzz. What I want is to keep raising the action untill the fret buzz stops but I've runn out of adjustment on the saddles there jacked up and are at max. I've read about people shimming necks to re angle the pitch to get a lower action but mine is the oposite

The buzz could stem from many different things. I recommend you stop focusing on the string height and start looking for something else. You should set the guitar back to Fender specs and start over. Seriously.

If I had to guess, I examine those frets at 12 and above. Make sure they polished like a fine mirror. ANY little nicks or scratches could cause an annoying buzz. Its amazing how an apparently tiny fret flaw causes a buzz. Some people use a cloth buffing wheel on a Dremel tool to buff the frets a little. Others use a very lightly abrasive cloth and finishing polish. It doesnt take much unless there is a big flaw. Be sure not to use too strong an abbrasive or you could flatten the frets or scratch them further. Slow and gentle for a nice rounded glassy finish.

Then check the channel where the strings hit the saddles. That grove should be mirror polished too. Its metal on metal, right? String on saddle? There might be corrosion in there. A very smart Brittish guy named Nikininja suggests dental floss as a polish for the nut-slots and I suspect it might work for saddle groves also. My guess is its the frets, but you never know.

Once the guitar is set up properly and you are confident the frets and saddles are polished well, check for buzz. If yes, you might take it too a tech for a more rigorous fret-dress or diagnosis.

But it could be other things that might be obvious or not. Make sure all the screws are tight, including the pickguard. Check the wires and tremolo system. Make sure all the screws are tight on the bridge and block. Bridge/block/trem screws are often overlooked.

Personally, I doubt its something like a loose fret, but you never know. That's what the professionals can tell you if your efforts fall short.

The buzz could stem from many different things. I recommend you stop focusing on the string height and start looking for something else. You should set the guitar back to Fender specs and start over. Seriously.

If I had to guess, I examine those frets at 12 and above. Make sure they polished like a fine mirror. ANY little nicks or scratches could cause an annoying buzz. Its amazing how an apparently tiny fret flaw causes a buzz. Some people use a cloth buffing wheel on a Dremel tool to buff the frets a little. Others use a very lightly abrasive cloth and finishing polish. It doesnt take much unless there is a big flaw. Be sure not to use too strong an abbrasive or you could flatten the frets or scratch them further. Slow and gentle for a nice rounded glassy finish.

Then check the channel where the strings hit the saddles. That grove should be mirror polished too. Its metal on metal, right? String on saddle? There might be corrosion in there. A very smart Brittish guy named Nikininja suggests dental floss as a polish for the nut-slots and I suspect it might work for saddle groves also. My guess is its the frets, but you never know.

Once the guitar is set up properly and you are confident the frets and saddles are polished well, check for buzz. If yes, you might take it too a tech for a more rigorous fret-dress or diagnosis.

But it could be other things that might be obvious or not. Make sure all the screws are tight, including the pickguard. Check the wires and tremolo system. Make sure all the screws are tight on the bridge and block. Bridge/block/trem screws are often overlooked.

Personally, I doubt its something like a loose fret, but you never know. That's what the professionals can tell you if your efforts fall short.

can ya tell me a good way to measure neck relief everybody seems to have a different measurement?

Let me understand this you are getting fret buzz in the flat part of the neck? Heel 7 to 9 frets up?

No it's fret 11 and up to 21