I have a maple neck/fretboard MIM Strat and want to know if there is a standard neck relief range for these guitars. I have about 0.006" now and it seems OK but I keep hearing what sounds like a small intonation error, sort of in the background if that makes any sense. It really is a minor tuning thing and only can be heard with open A and D down at the nut.
I had a little off sound like that with my Les Paul custom built and when I moved the neck relief from 0.004" to 0.008" it went away for some reason. I don't understand why that happened but it did. Now I am wondering if I might have a similar issue with this Strat.

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Tom Hintz, owner
Geezerguitar.com
NewWoodworker.com
NewMetalworker.com

For a Standard Strat with 9.5" radius, .010" neck relief is pretty good, and anything better than that is great. You might try a little more relief and see if the "background" noise improves. Check the setup guide for suggestions for settings, and they are not rules, just good starting points. If the added relief doesn't help, check the nut height (depth of strings in slots).

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/stratocaster-setup-guide

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Standard neck relief is around 0.010 "

This ajustment must done slowly 1 /10 turn and WAIT few hours before another ajustment. Neck can move slowly and if you do that too fast your neck will move for next hour/day.

When you think you are finish and neck is ok , WAIT 24 hours and check , you could have surprise.

After that you must do intonnation set up

Thanks! I will do the 0.010" and give that a try for a while!

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Tom Hintz, owner
Geezerguitar.com
NewWoodworker.com
NewMetalworker.com

would using a metal straight edge between first and last fret on the neck be a lot more accurate than using the string, taking into consideration the string can move up a bit without notice where as a metal straight edge wont

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Dave
T&T

Not really more accurate, because the string, stretched tightly, will be as straight as any straight edge. And to check the relief, press the string down at first and last fret so the string will be close to the fretboard. But, a good straight-edge could work as long as your sure that it's truly straight, assuming that all frets are the same level of course.

_________________
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IMO a straight edge is more accurate AND much easy AND faster than using string. String could bow when you use feeler gauge without seeing it . Good straight edge will not bow.

I bought Stew Mac straight edge, expensive but better than regular straight edge on the market wich bow because too soft. It is night and day.

We should not be afraid to buy some quality tools . This worth the expense if you play expensive guitars. You have to do many tune up in guitar's player life. It's pay.
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To many people are afraid to spend ($150 ? ) of good tools for working of thousand $ gear value. Good tools are less expensive than cheap tool.
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Straight edge or string won't work well on frets with not the same level. This another problem to fix before.

Some of this comes from being able to use a feel gauge right. I have been using them all of my life as a mechanic and on race cars. You develop a feel for using feeler gauges to where you can feel the string hit the string if you are holding the gauge a little crooked. Just getting the gauge to the string perfectly flat to the string is not as easy as it sounds but if you pay attention you can do it. those flip-up binocular glasses help let you see exactly what is going on also.
Using feel gauges with a good straightedge is easier because the feel is so pronounced when the gauge hits the edge. whatever works best for you!

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Tom Hintz, owner
Geezerguitar.com
NewWoodworker.com
NewMetalworker.com

tomhintz

It is obvious that with a lot of experience you can possibly don't need specific and quality and tool and achieve a good result.

But in this case, we address a people who have no experience.

I too have been a mechanic all my life, using a feeler guage is a must at least once a day.
I have my own rebuild shop and own almost every tool under the sun. During my years of acumulating them never once did i skim on reliability and quality.
In the neck releif area, yes the string is pulled taunght but it can still alows some give, and over the years my eyesight is not a good as before but my fingers still has the feelerguage feel. When i set the releif using string and recheck it using straight edge, there was a difference, but its a job to balance the guitar in playing position, balancing a straight edge on the frets and check the clearance.
The solution would be to support the guitar in a bench vise, to make it hands free, but i dont think i want to do that.

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Dave
T&T

Trini ,
I put guitar on me , sitting in playing position and I can use the straight edge in one hand and the feeler gauge in other hand.

Good points guys.

Really, I just do it the old-fashioned way and rarely use the string method or straight-edge. I look down the neck edge from the body end for the relief setting, and then lower the saddles to the lowest possible height from fretboard without getting fret buzz, adjusting if necessary. Not "accurate", but feel is all that matters. You can get caught up in the numbers instead of just going where the particular guitar allows. In order to be close to perfect, the frets would have to be professionally leveled and dressed anyway, and I would venture to say that a Standard Strat has some small deviation in height from one fret to the next.

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.