Unstable Strat Neck!

contiContiCONTI

contiContiCONTI

New member
Hi all!

So on Friday I took my Classic Player 60s Strat in for a set-up. Picked it up yesterday without much time to try it out in the studio. Got home and the string action was just too low even though the saddles were maxed out. Crazy fret buzz.. Was surprised the tech didnt notice as it was pretty much unplayable.

Took it back to the shop this morning. Even the technician was really surprised. So he fixed it up and today I played it for a good 10-15 minutes in the shop before taking it home. It was perfect. The guitar never felt so comfortable or sounded so good.

Anyway, I take it home.. and same problem again!!! In the space of about 20 minutes, the action is way too low and I'm getting really annoying fretbuzz again..

How can the neck suddenly be this unstable? Yes there was a temperature change from 18C in the shop to about 5C outside then back to 20 at home. But surely it wouldnt be this drastic?

Any advice would be highly apreciated. Thank you!
 
Do you have ultra light gauge strings? Maybe the truss has been loosened to the point of being disengaged.
 
ICTGoober said:
It is not. WTH are you doing saying such crap?
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Not crap. My own experience. I used to have a Charvel So Cal with a one-piece neck - as in the fretboard was also part of the neck. It never stayed straight even after radical truss rod adjustment. Traded it for an FGN, couldn't be happier. There is a reason for using multiple pieces of wood for a neck.
 
Obsessive Compulsive said:
Tightening it makes the neck curve more upward, resulting in fret buzz, no? .
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Yes correct. However, what the weird part is, is that in the shop, the guitar sounded perfect - no buzz, great action. But the 20 minute walk home made it go completely off and at home the action was way too low and there was excessive buzz. This happened twice.. Can't understand how this could be possible.
 
Not crap. My own experience. I used to have a Charvel So Cal with a one-piece neck - as in the fretboard was also part of the neck. It never stayed straight even after radical truss rod adjustment.
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So all one piece necks are crap just because you didn't like yours? It will come as a great surprise to all the vintage Fender owners that their guitars are actually unplayable POS.
 
contiContiCONTI said:
Yes correct. However, what the weird part is, is that in the shop, the guitar sounded perfect - no buzz, great action. But the 20 minute walk home made it go completely off and at home the action was way too low and there was excessive buzz. This happened twice.. Can't understand how this could be possible.
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That's really strange. I've got a guitar with a thin one piece neck and have never had similar issues . . . in fact, it's one of the most stable necked guitars that I've got. I'd figure that your guitar tech would have spotted it if something obvious was off (loose screws at the neck, something weird going on with the trem, etc. Do you know if the neck is shimmed?
 
ICTGoober said:
So all one piece necks are crap just because you didn't like yours? It will come as a great surprise to all the vintage Fender owners that their guitars are actually unplayable POS.
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And what about them Gibsons? Their marketing department really did a good job hiding this info in the last couple of decades, didn't they? :D
 
contiContiCONTI said:
Yes correct. However, what the weird part is, is that in the shop, the guitar sounded perfect - no buzz, great action. But the 20 minute walk home made it go completely off and at home the action was way too low and there was excessive buzz. This happened twice.. Can't understand how this could be possible.
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How did you try it in the shop? Plugged or unplugged? Is the buzz com8ng through the amp? With low action, some acoustic buzz that doesn't come through the amp is OK with electeic guitars. Is it buzzing everywhere? Or in certain spots only? Is the action lower than usual? If younare a violent picker, the action might just be too low for your style of playing... Sorry for the next question, but do you play the same when in a shop? I for example hate trying out guitars in a shop and I consequently play very differntly.
 
Obsessive Compulsive said:
That's typical for a one-piece neck.
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will-smith-smh.gif
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There's not really enough info here to know what's going on.

Where is the buzz occurring exactly?

Also, it's possible for any type of neck construction to be unstable, warp with drastic temp changes, etc. It's simply less likely with a properly built multi-piece construction, but not unheard of. I once had a 3-piece Ibanez neck with the most beautiful rosewood board you've ever seen that flexed like a noodle when the temp would change! Experienced very similar symptoms.
 
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