I'm new to this forum so apologies for raising a topic which I expect has been discussed many times before. I have (from new) a 1989 American Standard Strat. Since new it has had fret rattles on the G string around the 16th fret. Just after I bought it I paid for a pro set-up (but no fret dressing) and even that did not get rid of the rattles. I was told that some Strats are like that. I have tried to live with it for over 20 years and perhaps I am less tollerant in my old age but it really does get on my nerves. The guitar has been set-up as per the handbook that came with the guitar and the only things I have changed over the years are the strings. I am now using D'Addario EXL110s. The strange thing is that the further I pick away from the bridge the less it rattles. If I pick over the neck pickup there is almost no rattling at all. The problem is that I like to pick just behind the middle pickup and there it is prominent. Does anyone have any suggestions, please?

Sorry for not making it clear. The rattle appears to be around the 16th fret when the G string is fretted at any position from the 4th and above. It rattles on all pickups and when plugged and unplugged. I have long suspected a high fret but if that is the case why does it not rattle when I pick over the neck pickup? Is it something to do with the wave pattern in the vibrating string?

Does this happen with either a wound or unwound G string?

My guess is the nut slot for the G string is cut to low.

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Neck pickup set too high maybe? Especialy with that high polepiece on the G string?

Does the string rattle after the 16th fret, 17-22?

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Action to low, nut cut to low, no neck relief and neck pickup to high?

Thanks for all the comments. To answer some of the questions: I have never tried a wound 3rd; no it does not rattle above the 16th fret; I have checked and adjusted where necessary and the action, neck profile and pickup height are all as recommended in the "American Series" booklet that came with the guitar. I have even tried adjusting the neck/body angle and setting the action high all without making any noticable difference. Perhaps I should find a good guitar tech to take another look at it as a high fret seems to be the most likely cause.

Any shims you've put in the neck pocket need to be taken out. Also undo any adjustment you've made to the microtilt mechanism. Neither will do your guitar any favours and just send your neck off plane. The microtilt is a feature Fender need to drop. I've never seen any guitar that has one, that needs that adjustment. I really think that is the problem, if the neck is still off angle. Theres a way and a reason to make that adjustment. It's not just a 'have at it with the allen key' affair.

If you do that and it still rattles, lower the pickups. Still rattles, get a fret level and crown. Ask whoever does it to put a .018" upper fret drop off from the 14th fret.

It can't be the nut as it happens on fretted notes. The nut doesnt come into play on them. It can't be the saddle as it doesn't happen on all notes along the string. The saddle does come into play with all of them. It won't be pickup height because the string is nearer the polepiece at the 21st fret than it is when the 16th fret is fretted, yet the rattle doesn't occur at the topmost frets. It can't be the trussrod as that only moves the headstock end of the neck.

I really suspect neck angle.

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I had the same problem but after much...very much experimenting, I found that it was my fingering. I just learned to finger the G-string better and the rattles went away. My wife was happier too.....

Sorry I couldn't resist anymore.

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2012 American Standard Strat Charcoal Froast
2009 Standard Strat Sunburst Brown
Blues Junior Tweed NOS
2007 Line6 Spider Jam

I think the neck angle can be ruled out because I did not put any shims in. I only made adjustments with the allen key as described in the booklet and making a note of how much I turned it and returning it to the original position when it made no difference. I also checked the action before and after to make sure I put it back to where it was. I can also rule out fingering because I have tried hard, soft, front middle and back of fret. I also tested to see if different picks make a difference. They don't. I have also tried different makes of strings in 9 and 10 guage. It makes no difference.

I should mention that apart from the rattling G string the guitar is great and a pleasure to play.

Messing with the microtilt is more than enough to ruin a otherwise good setup. The thing should never have appeared on the guitar. You really need to know what you're doing with them or using shims, both methods do the same thing.
If you've adjusted that thing without loosening the neck bolts off, you could well have ruined the guitar. The whole microtilt system is a disaster. Like I said, it shouldn't have made it onto the guitar where it can entice the layman to mess with it and potentialy damage the instrument.



It's certainly not plectrums or string size causing this. What is the G string action at now at the 12th fret?

It also sounds like it's beyond the scope of diagnosis via internet. If I were you, I'd get it to a different tech near where you live.

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The instructions for adjusting the neck tilt were followed and the bolts were loosened before any changes were made. Having restored the neck to the original position there is of course an assumption that the original position was correct. Is there any way of checking that it is right? The G string action at the 12th fret is 1.7mm (the handbook recommends 2mm +/- 0.4mm at the 17th fret so it is within the range albeit at the lower end).

When I made this post I was hoping to find out if, as I was originally told, "some strats are like that" or whether rattles can always be resolved without lifting the action to an unplayable height. Time to find a good guitar tech me thinks!

Yeah there is a way to check the neck plane.
Firstly you need to make sure the neck is perfectly straight, not the fret tops, the actual wood of the fingerboard.

To do this you need to make yourself a notched straight edge. I bought a 39"aluminium rule, cut it to the length of the fretboard, marked each side of each fret and cut notches out to go round the frets.
Like this



Someone is going to chime in that you should buy the stewmac one for $72 because it's super accurate. Well let me tell you before that, you can't guarantee the accuracy of the fingerboard or the lacquer on it to the same degree. Mine cost me $5 and 20 minutes to make.

Once thats done, make sure the fingerboard is straight. Then lay the guitar flat on a tabletop.
Now the tricky bit, you need to shim the back of the body to make sure the body of the guitar is pefectly parallel to the tabletop. You need to place something the same thickness as the guitars neckplate and the screwheads under the jackplug end of the body. I use playing cards.

Once that is done, measure from the tabletop to the underside of the of the neck at the heel. You should see a measurement of around 1.25 inch. Then without moving the guitar, do the same at the headstock end. You should see the same measurement if the neck plane is right and the neck is parallel to the body top. A increase at the headstock end of around 1/16th is acceptable and nothing to worry about. If you have less clearance at the headstock end, you're in a bit of trouble and have to sort it out.
This way when you put tension on the neck and it bows, you raise the headstock end of the neck, in effect making the first fret higher than the 21st/22nd fret, enabling the strings to run cleanly across the fretboard.

When you're done with that, flip the straightedge over and run it across the fret tops.
Like so



Now assuming you've got nice level fret tops (if you haven't you need a level and crown), with a set of feeler gauges measure from the face of the fretboard to the underside of the straightedge at the 2nd fret. Then do the same at the overhang of wood at the 22nd/21st fret.
If anything you want a less clearance between fret top and fingerboard at the higher end of the neck than at the nut end.

Thats how you check and then accurately adjust the plane of your neck.

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No no and no

Thanks for the detailed reply. I've not got a long rule but have just done a quick check of the neck plane on the table top and the measurements at the heel and top of the neck are the same to within 0.5mm. This is with the strings on so I guess with the strings off (as in your photo) the neck plane will be wrong and the head needs to be raised a little. Another reason to find a good techie.

It does sound like you don't have enough bow in the neck, based on that. But it's a guess at best, as is just laying the guitar flat and measuring without straightening the neck.
You did shim the rear of the body to match the neckplate depth didn't you? Just checking.

It is time to get it to a good tech. I would guess it needs a fret level and crown. Like I said ask about getting upper fret drop off put onto you're frets. The more distinguished classical guitar builders do it, it greatly aids clean upper fret playing. The only down side is a perceived raise in action on those upper frets although the string won't have moved. The difference of .02"-.018" is hardly any difference at all but I find it feels great.

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