Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

[IMENATOR]

I want to know if you have ever tried modding a Strat with regular heel and lower cut so you shave out some wood for better access to upper frets?

For example, think of trying to get the lower cut more like a PRS or a Chapman for example.

And for the heel thin of of it as keeping the squared shape but just making it thinner in the lower corner, the one that keeps your hand from going further down the neck.

I think it should be safe and the neck joint should not break as all those other guitars have that shape, however it is done while in the factory and have never heard if it is safe to do it as a "mod" with a luthier. Any experiences?

By the way, I think Fender really should offer this option without going crazy with an "ultra" price.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

Haven't done it, but I've certainly thought of it.

Structurally, you should be fine to take at least 1/4 inch off the block. There are plenty of guitars with much thinner neck heels that have no issue with stability or breakage.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

I want to know if you have ever tried modding a Strat with regular heel and lower cut so you shave out some wood for better access to upper frets?

For example, think of trying to get the lower cut more like a PRS or a Chapman for example.

And for the heel thin of of it as keeping the squared shape but just making it thinner in the lower corner, the one that keeps your hand from going further down the neck.

I think it should be safe and the neck joint should not break as all those other guitars have that shape, however it is done while in the factory and have never heard if it is safe to do it as a "mod" with a luthier. Any experiences?

By the way, I think Fender really should offer this option without going crazy with an "ultra" price.

First, you can get the neck plate from an Elite. Contour the heel to match. Then, you could “shave” the heel putting it at an angle to thin the body out, just use the appropriate screw length.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

You have plenty of options, more if the body isn't already finished and/or drilled for mounting holes. You can reshape it, knock down a corner, whatever.

You have to think about your mounting method, though. If you're willing to use body ferrules, like Ibanez or Chapman, for example, then you have more options with the overall shape and contouring.

If the body already has mounting holes, you can either fill and re-drill, cut the lower corner deep enough that you get rid of the offending mounting hole and drill elsewhere, or, if you plan to use a mounting plate, attempt to create an angle across the entire neck plate mounting surface like Warmoth does:

 

[Mincer]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

I think people DIY'd that mod for years before it became common on Fenders or other brands. I'd be afraid of weakening the neck joint, or the plate not fitting/working right, so I'd let someone else do that work on a valued guitar.

 

[devastone]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

I think people DIY'd that mod for years before it became common on Fenders or other brands. I'd be afraid of weakening the neck joint, or the plate not fitting/working right, so I'd let someone else do that work on a valued guitar.

Compared to all the other brands with "easy access" heels, stock strats have a ton of wood, it should be fine to take 1/4" or so off, especially if you are beveling it like in masta'c's Warmoth pic above. But yes, for a clean job it would be best left to a pro with the right tools.

The important thing to remember is if you make the heel thinner, you'll need to get shorter screws, maybe mixed lengths, the stock length screws will go through the fretboard.

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

Or, take a look at Warmoth's bodies with this option.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

First, you can get the neck plate from an Elite. Contour the heel to match. Then, you could “shave” the heel putting it at an angle to thin the body out, just use the appropriate screw length.

You don't need a neck plate at all, countersink some holes for washers and put the screws overtop . . . which will save you more unnecessary thickness too. My Godin has this heel:

And it's solid as a rock.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

It is an existing 2008 MIM Strat, I don't mind having some exposed wood "after shave", if it worked for Vai's green meanie it works for me. It may become a real Frankenstrat.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

I really like the heel on my George Lynch Washburn prototype. It's very similar to the Chapman heel, but the Chapman is full-thickness, where the Washburn sort of combines the Chapman heel shape with the Warmoth angle/scoop:

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

I also want to point out in the pic above how thin the heel tapers and the fact that the ferrules are further inset. Heel thickness is way overrated. As long as it's thick enough toward the body side, you won't have any issues. That said, the ferrules on this Washburn are not as tall as the Ibanez ones.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

Actually I was think something less intrussive like this. I guess I can reuse the existing screw and plate, shave the corner of the heel, cut the corner of the plate and make a new hole. No need to buy anything else I think.

 

[donaldr]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

You don't need a neck plate at all, countersink some holes for washers and put the screws overtop . . . which will save you more unnecessary thickness too. My Godin has this heel:

And it's solid as a rock.

A left handed Godin Exit 22?

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

Ok, I am adding this video I found just for documentation purposes, I am definitely gonna show this thread to the luthier

 

[donaldr]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

My LTD ST-213 has a coutour heel with a neck plate. Look at some picture on the internet.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

A left handed Godin Exit 22?

Mine's righty, but yeah . . . Godin made lefties too.


The heel joint on that guitar is the best I've played for upper fret access. If I could get that heel joint and on a body without a lower horn with my Charvel neck I'd be really happy.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

It's really easy to do if you don't care how it looks. It'd take about 30 or 45 minutes, I guess. Hand plane or handheld belt sander, sandpaper and block, drill press, circular saw with metal cutting blade, file. Even less time if you can buy the shaved neck plate instead of cutting it down yourself.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

I filed the corner off the heel of my old Peavey Strat copy. The “bulk” of the joint disappeared. I’d try that first. Anymore, regular Fender heels don’t bother me, though.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

regular Fender heels don’t bother me, though.

This

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Shaving the heel and lower cut of a Standard Strat?

Metalchurch did. It looked like it worked.