A friend of mine and I went to a store and checked out a few Strats. One really sounded so much better than the others and looked very nice too. I bought it and took home my first Strat and really like it a lot but...

It's an american special strat with the Texas special pickups and the fat headstock in an amazing candy apple red and a maple neck. The first thing I noticed was that the neck wasn't tight so I took care of that. Then I noticed that when I strummed the low E it would (I'm unfamiliar with the correct terms) swell? What I mean is it would get louder and quieter then louder after I strummed it. I figured that maybe my springs weren't tight enough since the bridge was moving when I bent notes so I tightened them up a bit and sure enough that cleared it up a lot. I need to raise the action yet since it seems too low for my playing style.

Is this normal for a new instrument to need what I would consider basic before delivery adjustments? Mind you, this was a guitar that the store admitted they simply tune them up and then hang 'em on the wall. Is this also normal operating procedure for a store?

Could someone post a good link to setting up a vintage tremalo bridge and springs please?

As always, thanks in advance.

Arc


PS The pick up switch pops sometimes when I switch. is this expected? do I have a bad switch?

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...I for one, sure would appreciate the return of intelligent conversation, spirit of assistance and the simple yet effective ignoring of those who can't seem to hang with that...
Best regards,
rob

Yes! I've often thought they may as well supply Strats in kit form. Not only do you need to set them up for you personally (fair enough) but I've never found that anything bridge-wise is correct.
I have 2 x 2006 USA Strats and the trem arm wouldn't screw in on either from new. Had to take the base plates off and drill them out a fraction to allow the trem arm to pass through them and screw in successfully.
I also have a CS Strat which had to go back to Fender UK for a new nut as the top string jumped out of a too-shallow groove.
So in my experience (over 30 years with USA Strats) you'll be very lucky if get one that's even basically set up properly!

Further, re your switch problem, yes, it probably is duff, although you could try some switch-cleaner. If you do change it, try one that has the spring on it as opposed to what you probably have (the positions are set by 'bobbles' on the switch body). The sprung ones feel better in my opinion.

Thanks for your reply Peter. Anyone else have any input?

_________________
...I for one, sure would appreciate the return of intelligent conversation, spirit of assistance and the simple yet effective ignoring of those who can't seem to hang with that...
Best regards,
rob

Ordered an MIM Deluxe in February- obviously not MIA like yours, but my experience, I think, reflects on both what we can expect from some retail dealers, as well as Qual. Control at FMIC.
Was reluctant to commit to a guitar sight-unseen, but it seemed the only way to take advantage of Fender's extensive catalog; all I generally see "in stock" are a few MIA Standards and Signatures, and a bunch of MIM Standards- and I'm not in "the sticks", but rather, the NYC area. But I did find the model I wanted- RW board, rather than the maple I preferred- at Sam Ash, so I went to check that out. Interestingly, the salesman I'd spoken to had done a complete set-up, including fresh .010s (my preference- he'd asked) based only on me coming in to look at it.
Should've ordered the MN that I wanted from this guy when the tax refund came, but a halved household income, lack of promising sounding second-hands, and a $100 off promo led me to GC.
NGD-a joy like no other, right? Well, not this time. The assistant manager "helping" me dragged "my" box out of the back, plunked it down- unopened- at the front counter, and walked away. So much for a set-up... Little did I know.
The box that this (as he soon proved to be) idiot left me, while labeled correctly (Honey Blonde MN DLX Plyrs Strat) contained a yellow P-Bass... That's when the fore-mentioned idiocy REALLY showed up...
Anyway, when they did manage to get me the correct guitar, I found (in the most round-about way, being, myself, an idiot...) that it came complete with a dud neck pup (open coil). Oddly enough, the Sam Ash guy- in the context of sight-unseen-order problems and solutions- had mentioned an American Dlx delivered with the same problem.
Got the pup warranty-replaced (could've, of course, returned the whole guitar, but God knows what I've ended up with then...) and couldn't be happier (except maybe w/ some 57/62s or maybe even Fralins...).
Due to my life-long (since '74), blind loyalty to Fender, they get the "Stuff Happens" pass. Guitar Center, despite the store manager's best efforts, not so much... Sam Ash will be seeing me again...
Just sayin'...

P.S. Don't even ASK about the Fender- authorized warranty tech. who, confronted w/ the open-coil pup problem, opened it up, scratched his head and admitted "I have no idea why it's doing this." NEXT!!!

Hi Arc, most guitars will need a basic set up when you pick them up from a store, that's normal. Fortunately I enjoy fiddling with my guitars. Your switch problem is not normal in my experience (I'm surprised you didn't notice it in the shop). That being said QC is NOT what it used to be and that's a shame.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

I understand about a set up but the neck should have been tight and I think the bridge and springs should also have been set kinda close to an average but these seemed way off. The other guitars I looked at might have needed more of a general set up to make them more playable to a potential customer.

The switch didn't seem bad in the store but it seems like it's dudding on me now.

_________________
...I for one, sure would appreciate the return of intelligent conversation, spirit of assistance and the simple yet effective ignoring of those who can't seem to hang with that...
Best regards,
rob