Donut Man Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 (edited) I just strung up the strat I'm putting together to check alignment/action and I'm having some string alignment issues - the E string is practically hanging off the fretboard above the 12th fret. Here are some pictures to illustrate the problem: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/867382/Ebay/strat%20%281%29.JPG http://dl.dropbox.com/u/867382/Ebay/strat%20%282%29.JPG http://dl.dropbox.com/u/867382/Ebay/strat%20%283%29.JPG http://dl.dropbox.com/u/867382/Ebay/strat%20%284%29.JPG I've got very little experience with setup, but presumably it has to be either: 1. Nut alignment (which, as you can see, I've messed with to no avail) 2. Neck alignment - maybe a shim between the neck and the side of the pocket on the treble side? 3. Bridge alignment - is there anything I can actually change about this? Any ideas would be much appreciated! Edited December 18, 2011 by Donut Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 i have seen worse. loosen the neck screws whilst strung up. pull the neck in the direction you want till it looks right, tighten again. it does seem the bridge spacing is a little wide for neck neck - which you can see clearly on many fenders. but if there is a little movement in the neck pocket it should see you right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuntinDoug Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 The problem is very common for MIM Fenders. A friend has a MIM tele that is just horrible. IMHO I think Fender should use a bridge that is about 3/32" thinner string spacing. I agree with Wez... Loosen all but one neck screw (the one closest to the low E, and closest to the pups), then pull the neck toward the low E while someone else tightens the other 3 screws. It should help some. Another thing you can do is get new saddles that are not knotched yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 I have the same problem on my mim when i pull the neck off i have to pull it to the low e side while i tighten the neck then it is perfect. its not really a big deal since its not like you take the neck off very offten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Popping a small piece of veneer in the side of the neck pocket as a shim helps force the neck one direction. I had to do that with my LTD EXP-200 until I fitted it with steel inserts and allen bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donut Man Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 I've tried sticking a shim in, which helped but it's still not perfect - doesn't seem like the pocket is wide enough to get it to the correct alignment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our Souls inc. Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 seems to me the string spacing on the bridge is just a bit too wide. You could take the saddles off, remove a hair from each side of the G, B and E saddles ( only the inside of the E saddle ) and that would allow you to keep the 'notches' where they are, yet get them in a slightly tighter group. its a bit extreme, but it'll work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donut Man Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 I've seen a few bridges which have the wider mounting holes (which would fit the predrilled allparts body I'm using) but has a thinner 54mm spacing - would one of those work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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