Action problem on strat

[JimiHWannaBe]

okay so I'm almost positive that if i replace my nut the action will more evener across the neck because my strats action starts getting noticably higher towards the higher frets and i think its because the nut is set in to low so i talk to the guy i talk to in the shop tells me no that getting a new nut wont help and i just need to set it up with heavier strings so i give it to them to set up and the put the 11's on and now the bridge is floating like a floyd rose and the action sucks worse than before and im pissed off im gonna bring it back in tommorow what do u think i should do and do think it could be because of the nut?

 

[Pandemonium]

Re: Action problem on strat

Does it have a tilt neck?

 

[Chi3f]

Re: Action problem on strat

what he said :wink:

 

[some_dude]

Re: Action problem on strat

okay so I'm almost positive that if i replace my nut the action will more evener across the neck because my strats action starts getting noticably higher towards the higher frets and i think its because the nut is set in to low so i talk to the guy i talk to in the shop tells me no that getting a new nut wont help and i just need to set it up with heavier strings so i give it to them to set up and the put the 11's on and now the bridge is floating like a floyd rose and the action sucks worse than before and im pissed off im gonna bring it back in tommorow what do u think i should do and do think it could be because of the nut?

I can't (apostrophe used in a contration) believe you wrote all that and you managed to only use proper punctuation once (period).

Trying to read that makes me feel like I'm (another contraction) listening to a hyper eight year old who's (another contraction) just downed a half pound of sugar and two litre bottle of Coke (period).

Other than that (comma), I agree with what JohnJohn said (period).

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Action problem on strat

Almost all cases of high action are either caused by the neck having too much relief, or because the owner raised the bridge to compensate for a lack of neck relief and the neck then relaxed back to its proper position.

You dont need 11s or a new nut, you need to get the guitar properly set up.

 

[UCSDBoy]

Re: Action problem on strat

someone doing this sort of thing doesn't always damage the guitar, does it? I think I have a similar problem on my esquire gt - it needs a better setup than what I gave it... I bought it discount at GC ($200) but this thing had its action _cranked_ up - probably by some teenie-bopper...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Action problem on strat

Almost all cases of high action are either caused by the neck having too much relief, or because the owner raised the bridge to compensate for a lack of neck relief and the neck then relaxed back to its proper position.

You dont need 11s or a new nut, you need to get the guitar properly set up.

I agree.

Regarding Strats, especially vintage Strats, the action does usually have to be higher than for a Gibson or Hamer or PRS. Otherwise, when you bend your high E string across the neck it'll choke and fret out.

Why?

Because the fingerboard radius is part of a smaller circle than a Gibson or PRS and Gibson and Hamers and PRS use a flatter radius than Fenders.

A fingerboard radius is like part of a cylinder...like a pipe is a cylinder.

Take a pipe and lay a straght edge on it lengthwise. Pretend the straight edge is a string and one end is terminated at the bridge.

As long as that straight edge is parallel to the pipe (or fingerboard) it'll contact the pipe for the full length of the straight edge.

Now angle that straight edge across the pipe or fingerboard. SURPRISE! It will now only contact the surface of at one point. THAT POINT represents the fret that will cause fretting out when you bend a note.

So the action has to raised high enough and relief added to the neck to "prevent" that.

Gibsons have a flatter fingerboard, so the action can be lower than for a vintage Fender or vintage reissue.

Whew! :smack: That's a hard point to get across...

Lew

 

[Frantic_Rock]

Re: Action problem on strat

Yep, i had to raise my action on both my strat and tele to get those high e string bends ringing. When I get my heritage paul, i'll see what the LP world is like - that singing warm tone at any bend (hopefully).

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Action problem on strat

What everyone has said so far is good advice. However I am concerned that the guy you took it to does not know what the hell he is doing. I would not even go there but find yourself a good tech who will do the job if you are not confident in doing the set up yourself.

You would be quite surprised how well a guitar can suddenly start to open up when your guitar has been properly adjusted and set up. I would think that this could probably cost you something in the region of $30-$35.