Got my strat neck back finally

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 5799

I had the Fender/Kubicki neck I got fram Dana awhile back sent to NY for some work and it came back today. I had won a contest for a free refin, but the lady that does the work and I agreed that that would probably diminish the value of it, so she sent it to a luthier friend who leveled/crowned/polished the frets, and she got me some new Klusons and aged them to match the neck. The photos make the neck look beat, but I swear this thing feels like no other strat neck I've held. And now that the frets have been brought back to life, look out! It has a real dark golden/yellowed color to it so the pics are pretty true in that respect.

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 111 Location: Texas Gulf Coast

Nice Strat neck. I just sold a neck that looked very similar and had the string locks on it where the holes are. I just nabbed an 87 Grafitti Yellow Strat Plus on Monday. Check it out at http://www.projcontrols.com/guitars.htm

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 108 Location: Michigan City, IN

awsome

Guest

I wouldn't use that neck if I was you, Lon. Pickup a warmoth or even a Mighty Mite. The neck joint will fit better, and the thing will scale out correctly when ya bolt it up. That neck has mojo, but still has a few issues... Did somene run screws thru the board on it? Looks like you'll be needing a mexican import tremolo as well. I got one fer $20 last week for a strat I'm building to sell. I have a Stew/Mac #1255 two post trem I'll send ya fer $35, if ya want it. Will work in that body OK. Might help you outtuva fix, if you are gonna use that neck. You could scribe the butt of that neck to the body and dremel tool it out, then adjust the trem placement to make the scale (25 1/2 ") accurate. I've also gotta black wilkinson roller nut if yer interested. The trem, the wilky and a set O'sperzels, and there ya are! My current set/up for all my strats! Even did it to the '63 and both 69's! Much to the chagrin of fender afficionados everywhere! Nice snag on the pickups, too! Saw yer other post, hehehe! I prefer the noiseless p/ups, myself. They sing better thru my 12ax7's and el34's. And nooooo noise!

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 5799

The body still has the original trem onit. This neck has brand new (and professionally aged) Klusons to go on it, they just haven't arrived yet. ANd yes someone in another lifetime did put a couple of screws through the front of the neck, but as you can see it's way up high (17th and 21st fret) and I don't ever get within about 10 frets of that! The flash makes the neck look much worse than it is. I'm not that concerned either about it being exactly 25 1/2 inch scale. There are so many guitars that have different scales, I figure what's the difference? The pickguard will cover the open spaces. I don't really want to do anything to the neck in case I ever decide to sell it. Warmoth will never get any of my money because they're waaaay too expensive for me. I can get an entire new MIM strat for the price of a Warmoth neck. Crazy.

Guest

Yeah, the co$t almost takes the fun outta doin it yerself. The scale iz important if ya want it to intonate and play in tune up and down the neck. Regardless of which bridge iz used. I was referring to making the body fit the neck. Scribe with a compass(set to the widest gap) the profile of the neck. Then mill it to the line with a dremel tool. Now the fit will be as tight as a finger inna butt! The joint will not loosen up cuz of a sloppy fit. A pickguard will never "hold" a neck tight, when the fit isn't correct to the body. If ya bolt it up as it iz, the screws will constantly loosen as you handle it and you will be in for disappointment. Not trying to be knowitall or a prick, just giving you the benefit of my many failures, ya see? That and I REALLY LOVE THIS $hit!

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 5799

"scribe with a compass (set to the widest gap) the profile of the neck."...what the hell does that mean? I know what scribe means, but what does the neck profile have to do with the shape of the heel of the neck? And for a 25.5 inch scale, where is that measured from?

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 4406 Location: Hostile Territory

That's a standard Fender neck pocket route I'm guessing that's a Mexican body. If you neck is a 25 1/2" scale length (12-3/4" from the nut to the middle of the 12th fret) then your neck it will work fine provided the screw holes line up. You might want to put the 2 E strings on it and see how the line up is. If it's out of whack you'll have to fill the bolt holes and then re-align the neck while holding it in place with a C-clamp and drill new bolt holes. Hopefully this will not be the case. Great looking neck Lon - you can fill the lock down holes with tooth picks & glue and snick them off with a razor, or very sharp chisel with out marring the finish.

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 5799

Got it. I put the neck on and the bolt holes lined up correctly. I also made measurements against my Tradition Strat and everything is the same. Guess I'm good to go then.

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 5324

my .02 cents??

use the neck, it's too cool not to..

the neck pocket has some gaps.. either it's not that big a deal, or if you really want, you can scrape the finish away _IN_ the pocket.. and fill it in with bondo.. it hardens quick and its very easy to work with.. (just to fill in the gaps, not to "correct" the pocket")

anyway.. fill the cavities with some good pickups and electronics, and have fun..

it looks like it's gonna look sweet.. the blue and the vintage tint on the neck...

a MOP pickguard would be sweet..

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 4406 Location: Hostile Territory

Dig that - an 'aged', or 'vintage' MOP pickguard would look great on that Lon. I got one for my new Strat to go on a two tone 'burst maple body. Cool

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 5799

Way ahead of you. I got these off ebay today. The pickguard is loaded and straight from a brand new Fender Midnight Special Strat (special thing going on for MF right now, basically a MIM Strat with pearl pickguard and $20 less) and the Custom Shop 54s are supposed to be some of the best Fender single coils for getting dirty. I'm going to transplant the CS 54s into the pickguard and then I'll have the extra Fenders for another project. I also treated myself to a couple of other new Fender Moto pickguards that someone was virtually giving away. A green pearl one and a gold pearl one. Got them both for under $20 total still in their package. It's been a good ebay day!