am new here always wanted to learn to play the guitar so i recently got a MIM standard strat and was going over the set up and realised that in order for me to get the required string height i have to use most of the adjustment screw on all the strings. i thought may be it was the strings that i got with the guitar so i changed them went over the set up procedure and still i have to turn in the adjustment screws almost to the last thread to get the height.
is this normal ?
is another adjustment in the set up off that is causing this ?

Dave
T&T

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Dave
T&T

String height, intonation setting, and neck relief are all interactive with each other and must all be adjusted to achieve a proper setup. Follow the instructions here:

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... etup-guide

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Bill

will go over it one more time
even though i went over it at least a dozen times in the past week and each time same outcome with the screws

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Dave
T&T

You might check to see if the neck is shimmed in the neck socket (or do the MIM have a micro-tilt adjuster? Like the MIA?) If so, you could remove the shim and that way you would lower the butt end of the neck thus allowing you to lower your string saddles. Like Bluesky mentioned, all these adjustments are interrelated.

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

well i did it over again and this time i felt like i went scientific on it, but at least this time # 1256 adjustment screws did not require too much adjustmentand used up at least 1/2 of the screw. but 34 needed a bit more about 3/4 of the screw but at least this time it did not require the full length of the screw
am i on the right path

Dave
T&T

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Dave
T&T

Yep.

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Bill

The path of "enlightenment!"

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

If you haven't already you might want to check the bridge to make sure it's not too high or too low. It's raised or lowered by the two mounting screws at either end of the bridge.

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OK, I'll hum a little bit, got it now?

MIM Standard Strat uses a six screw modern vintage bridge, not a two point bridge.

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Bill

The MIM strat does have 6 screws holding down the bridge, i did not see anything in the set up that adjustes this area.
is there an adjustment for the 6 screws to set the bridge height

Dave
T&T

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Dave
T&T

Instructions for tweaking the six screws are in the link I posted. Read it again. They are NOT used to adjust bridge height.

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Bill

wow did not see that there but thanks

as for raising the actual bridge, would it be safe to shim the front 2 screws on the neck which should tilt the neck upwards there by creating a higher string height/

also the strings on the strat are a lot looser than the strings on my acoustic, is this also normal

Dave
T&T

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Dave
T&T

You're welcome.



Shimming under the two neck screws closest to the bridge will tilt the neck back which will require raising the bridge saddles to maintain the same string height. Shimming under the two screws furthest from the bridge will tilt the neck forward which would require lowering the bridge saddles to maintain the same string height or you can raise them more if you need to do so to achieve a higher string height then you can with an unshimmed neck. A small shim will translate to a large difference in string height at the bridge. What height are you trying to achieve and why do you feel it necessary to shim the neck?



The scale length of a Strat is 25.5". What is the scale length of your acoustic? What guage strings are you using on the Strat? What guage strings are you using on the acoustic?

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Bill

my acoustic is a Martin D16RGT scale length is 25.4" and using
D'Addario ej16 light strings
the strat scale length is 25.5" and using
Fender super bullets 3250L light strings
what i really mean by looser is between the two guitars the strat strings has a good bit more give

as for the shimming , its just that i spent so much time this past week doing a set up by myself for the first time, and really learning the hard way, ending up getting very sciecentific with my readings and measurements, realised shimming the front screws should raise string height but was not sure if it would affect the guitar in some other way,

Dave
T&T

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Dave
T&T

The acoustic string gauges are 12-16-24-32-42-53.

The Fender string gauges are 09-11-16-24-32-42.

That's why the Strat feels the way it does.

Not sure what you mean by "front screws". The effect on shimming the neck is as I described it. It should really only be done if you can't achieve the string height you want with the neck unshimmed.

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Bill