Hello.
I bought myself a second-hand american standard stratocaster last summer when I visited New York on Sam Ash music store, in hope that it would prove a life long, reliable friend.
Unfortunately it now shows that there has been one huge fault with it all along, a neck that is impossible to straighten with the truss rod.

If I try to turn it anymore it will probably snap and the neck is not straight at all. I have had it looked at by some experienced players with no result, it simply is impossible to get it straightened by normal means.

So I wonder if any of you guys have had this problem and is it fixable?
And i'd also like to ask you if you where to send emails to official fender support about this issue, cause I think this is rather embarrasing for an american made fender, three years old. I have a hard time accepting it since I have done nothing to make it this way and I can't see how this can be someting else than production failure.

Thanks,
/Gustav

Hi gustafv, welcome to the Forum.

Couple of things. There is a certain procedure that a proper luthier can do with a neck in this situation - but you need to find someone who knows what they're doing. It's skilled stuff and not really for internet Forums.

The other thing: Fender Customer Services are to be found at consumerrelations@fender.com or (480) 596-7195 (assuming you're in North America. If not, let us know: there are other numbers in other parts of the world).

Good luck - C

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i agree with ceri here on this. if i may, ceri is one of our resident "mr fix it" types.
if he suggests you to get it check do so. if he wont offer adivce then you know there is something "funky" about it that requires the best of the best repair guys.
call customer service for fender and see if there is a qualified repair center in your area and take it to them. this could be a easy fix or it might get tough. something like this i wouldnt trust my buddies,pals, or the guy at the local guitar shop, its just to touchie ya know. please keep us posted on this subject as it goes.
oh and welcome to the forums.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Sometimes on these difficult, uncooperative necks, you need to bend or clamp them in the position you want, then tighten the truss rod. That way the neck is where you need it, an the truss nut just snugs up to hold it there. If you try to tighten a truss rod with the strings tuned to pitch, you can sometimes just compress the wood behind the nut and washer. I hope you get this worked out......there's nothing more sickening than worrying about your pride and joy guitar!

Thanks for these quick replys, much appriciated.
I guess my only option is to go to a luthier, since I probably can't expect fender to come to the rescue since it's second-hand, am I right?
I'm actually from Sweden so if you guys could direct me to the site where I find the correct number or maybe post it here for me.

@ steve-oh-no, I totally agree, it feels like (using a swedish idiom) "a nail in the eye", for me to see this beautiful guitar not working correctly.

But guys cmon, Don't you loose a bit of faith in fender when these things happen? I bought an american standard because I wanted fine quality and _Not_ having these extremely irritating problems.

Thanks again for your answers!
Cheers
/Gustav

Hi again Gustav: so happens there was a gentleman from Norway here a couple of days ago asking for a number or email for Fender in his country. Couldn't help him on that either I'm afraid. But Consumer Services at the email address I gave may have names of authorised dealers to offer you - give them a try.

And if you are in Stockholm then I do remember seeing some nice looking guitar shops there which no doubt will either have in-house luthiers or know where to point you. And of course you have some very famous luthiers in Sweden. Though maybe a little too top-end for this job - so take a look at this list instead:

http://www.cybozone.com/fg/luthier.html#sweden

By the way, I'm in no way bothered trying to defend Fender (they're big enough to look after themselves). But we don't know what knocks or climate changes this guitar might have experienced with it's previous owner. And that neck is made from wood, which has a certain amount of unpredictability built in. So I don't think this can be laid at the manufacturer's door necessarily. It's just one of those things that happens sometimes.

Good luck - C

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Thanks again Ceri, I've emailed Fender and asked for some contact info in Sweden, and I'll check out these luthiers you posted me. I just wonder how much something like this will cost. Maybe I should just buy myself a new neck?

Cheers
/Gustav

Hi again gustaf: unless there's something very wrong with the neck that we can't tell over the internet I can see no reason why you should need a new one - and the adjustment should cost very little. It's five minute's work of someone's time, unless you are paying for a full setup, within which case it still shouldn't cost much.

Since Steve-oh-no mentioned it (oh no! ), yes, it has to do with clamps. Someone who knows how needs to loosen the trussrod right off, then bend the neck to the right shape with careful clamping, and then adjust the rod to hold it in the new position. There may be a reason that won't work - and it will require someone to have the guitar in their hands to diagnose that. But very likely you'll be fixed in no time.

I was cautious mentioning it here because every kid who doesn't know how to adjust their rod properly will get the idea in their head they need to be whipping out a row of carpenter's clamps - and who knows what misery they'll get into then...!

This stuff is not so hard, but it is for people who know what they're trying to achieve and how. And it needs to be someone who can tell if there is in fact a more serious problem.

Good luck - and my friendly wishes to Sweden!

Cheers - C

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haha, Yeah I could easily have snapped the truss rod if not my pal who knows a bit about these kinda stuff told me to absolutely not to turn it further.
Big thanks!

/Gustav


p.s This is what the guitar's meant to be doing: www.myspace.com/Fauxholt

Wood is wood, unless a crack is visible the neck is most likely fine, may need replacement rod. But that is no picnic.

hey listen, if you find the fender repair center in your area these guys will know what to do. it could very well have a bur on the threds of the rod and just need to be run through. (dont do it yourself) sometimes fender will give in and help depending on the guitar. also the store you bought it from might be able to help since they are a fender dealer. get the thing to a fender repair shop get it looked at, contact the store you bought it from with the damage in writing. if they see its a fender repair center helping you they might kick in and do some phone calls for you to fender. going about this thing in the right way could very well pay off in your favor bro.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Gustav, without meaning to be presumptuous, you don't want the neck straight. You need some bow in the neck.
Secondly have you tried a lighter set of strings?

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No no and no

good idea niki. always a thought ahead of the rest of us.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

@ nikininja, yes I of course i know that the neck has to have a bit of curvation and I have asked several experienced friends and some smaller scale guitar techs and they all say that it should be able to go way further straight.
And i play on 10s so going down to 9 is no option, but I see your point.

Thanks for all of ur help, I'm currently waiting for some answers from my email but ill keep you guys updated.

Cheers

please do. will be interesting to hear what you find.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."