Neck Alignment

[Ain't_E#Sharp]

Hi folks,

Having just started learning guitar, I bought first electric a Fender mim Fat Strat about a month ago, I have now noticed that the Low E-string is quite near the edge of the fret board more toward the bottom. And the High E-string misses the pole of the neck and mid pickup.

I did not notice this when I bought it as I was "a stupid ass ". I compaired it with the Yamaha Pacifica I bought my daughter and the Yamaha's spot on.

Also I notice on the Fender that the nut is cut slightly further from the edge on the High E-string side.
And the Yamaha is cut perfectly even on both sides.

Have I bought a dud or can the neck be adjusted.
Thanks.



---------------------

[telecast]

First of all, 'Ain't E# Sharp' is one of the best usernames I've ever seen. Very original.

Secondly, it's 'dumbass', not 'stupid ass'. Someone may take offense if you call them a stupid ass, but dumbass means you like them. At least in this forum.

Third, no, it's not a dud. Alligning it is easy, and I'll tell you how, but since you're just starting guitar, please promise that if aren't comfortable doing this type of work, you'll take it to a shop.

Loosen the strings so there is no tension, but they are still straight and slightly taught. Loosen the neck screws on the back of the guitar about 3/4 -1 turn each. Hold the body and push the neck in the direction needed. Use the 1st (littlest) and the 6th (biggest) strings and your eye to get the neck centered. Tighten the neck screws, tune the guitar. Done.

Now that I've told you all that, it probably needs a setup anyway, so take it to a shop or back to your dealer and have them do a full setup, and center the neck while they're at it.

Oh, an welcome to the forum,

[Ain't_E#Sharp]

Cheer's Telecast,

I've only started playing and came up with the name having learned a little music theory, I think it's kind of ironic.
In the UK the E is drop "H"E cockney slang. i.e Ain't "HE"#sharp.

In the UK to say dumb would be less politically correct because of it's association with " backward / retarded". Sorry if I offended anyone.

I will take the axe back to the retailer tommorrow, I'm glad to know it can be fixed, can you tell me how long it would take a tech to do such a job.

Thanks. :)

[telecast]

Maybe 10 minutes? If it needs a setup, he may ask you to leave it for a few days.

And no offense taken! Dumbass is a term of endearment 'round here.

So you're telling me the UK guys have been calling us stupid?! And here I thought we was friends....

Yeah, I got the 'E' for 'he'. Nice.

[Deadwood Jack]

Just like to add my 2 cents worth. The nut being a bit bodgy. This is typical Mex Fender crap. I bet if you run your hand down the side of the neck, the fret ends will cut into your hands, the action will be very high, the intonation will not exist. The nut will be made of plastic. The neck will not be on straight ( as you said ) and the neck bolts will not be tight, And ------ will probably need trus adjusting, And----- the paint will just fall off in globules at your feet. And------- the tuners will be cheap cheap cheap. And back to the nut, I guarantee the nut action is way too high. And people who don't know any better, buy these shit heaps and then give up guitar because it's too hard.
Good one Fender.

[ragtweed]

If it ain't E-sharp it most certainly isn't C-flat. Ya gotta capo up at the 7th fret if ya wanna play Midnight Rambler with da big boyz.

[melody]

Just like to add my 2 cents worth. The nut being a bit bodgy. This is typical Mex Fender crap. I bet if you run your hand down the side of the neck, the fret ends will cut into your hands, the action will be very high, the intonation will not exist. The nut will be made of plastic. The neck will not be on straight ( as you said ) and the neck bolts will not be tight, And ------ will probably need trus adjusting, And----- the paint will just fall off in globules at your feet. And------- the tuners will be cheap cheap cheap. And back to the nut, I guarantee the nut action is way too high. And people who don't know any better, buy these shit heaps and then give up guitar because it's too hard.
Good one Fender.

:bug

[Deadwood Jack]

:bug

What are those two idiots supposed to tell me. Keep your eyes open? Have a look? Buyer beware? Typical capitalist evil.

[pc]

What are those two idiots supposed to tell me. Keep your eyes open? Have a look? Buyer beware? Typical capitalist evil.

I think they're trying to tell you that they're a little shocked at your really negative and unforgiving opinion about the MiM instruments. ;)

Nothing wrong with your opinion of course--it's yours to have and yours to share. We just all try to be a little less intense around here. Try to lighten up a little and have some fun. :yay

[telecast]

I think it's kind of funny ol' Deadwood had to dredge up a 10 month old post to put in his $0.02.

[Cogs]

It must have been an emergency.
My MIM '60s Classic played just fine. No more adjustment was needed than on any other guitar I've had. And the frets were just fine.

[fezz parka]

My MIM James Burton neck and my MIM Nashville neck on the Fezzsquire are just fine. :yay

[Offshore Angler]

My Esquire has a MIM neck and it's the sland.

[Deadwood Jack]

Well you got me there guys. It's a couple of hours since I posted the capitalist evil post and I was thinkin that I better go back and lighten that one up and lo n behold all you guys have jumped on me. Not to worry, what I said about the MIMs is my experience. Perhaps it's the down under syndrome again. I once heard years ago that we in Australia get all the crap Ziljian Cymbals. Maybe it's the same with the MIM guitars. I hade a mate come back from a holiday in Canada and he said the same about MIM Fender Basses, he was gonna get one but said the Quality was crap.

[OneL]

I have a store full of MIM guitars and have seen no major problems with any of them. A setup once they arrive takes care of most any issue.

[Kap'n]

I have a store full of MIM guitars and have seen no major problems with any of them. A setup once they arrive takes care of most any issue.

Well if FMIC sent all the crap ones to you, they'd have to contend with this nasty hombre.

[OneL]

:rofl

[BradKM]

Shipping and storing guitars can wreak havoc on them. They're subjected to temperature and humidity extremes in a very short time period.

When I worked in a fairly high volume guitar store, we inspected every guitar that was shipped in before it hit the sales floor. I'd say more than half needed tweaking right out of the box. This was highly dependent on the season, and weather, both where we were located and the place the guitars shipped from. Some builders were more consistent, but even our high end, custom shop guitars were subject to climate induced problems.

I wouldn't expect a guitar shipped from Mexico to Australia, or Mexico to Canada, to play well right out of the box.

If you're finding unplayable guitars on the rack...try a different store.

I visit a couple of big box stores just for kicks on my lunch hour a few times a month. They can be very hit and miss. I also visit the very store "full of MIMs" that OneL mentioned above. I've never picked up a guitar there that wasn't spot on...no matter what the price. One that really sticks out in my mind was a Dakota Red 50's Classic Strat that I visited there on a couple of occasions...that guitar played and souned like an absolute dream. Playing a nicely dialed in Squier '51 at the same shop convinced me that it was a guitar worth owning as well (although I don't own one...yet).

[telecast]

I think you're reading too much into it Brad. The problem obviously centers around the fact that when shipped to the southern hemisphere, gravity forces the necks to go in the opposite direction, kind of like flushing a toilet. I'd heard that Fender was going to build a factory in Australia and use native woods to counteract this. They even had a new model developed, the Aborigicaster.

Further research revealed, however, that besides Angus Young, there aren't enough decent players to warrant a whole factory. So, they just decided to send all the crap we reject.

[BradKM]

I completely forgot about all the reverse gravity and upsidedownedness!

[Deadwood Jack]

I think you're reading too much into it Brad. The problem obviously centers around the fact that when shipped to the southern hemisphere, gravity forces the necks to go in the opposite direction, kind of like flushing a toilet. I'd heard that Fender was going to build a factory in Australia and use native woods to counteract this. They even had a new model developed, the Aborigicaster.

Further research revealed, however, that besides Angus Young, there aren't enough decent players to warrant a whole factory. So, they just decided to send all the crap we reject.

There ya go, what did I tell ya? Don't forget Malcom.

[Plugger]

FWIW, my MIM Standard Strat is very slandy. Impressed with quality all round. Certainly none of the finish problems you mention. Bought this year, so don't know if the ones you've had problems with are older. My impression is that the quality may have improved noticably in recent years with the MIM stuff.

BTW, we exported Angus to the US because he was the least talented guitarist in Oz. We have minimum standards here, you know. The effect was that, on average, that guitar playing ability of both countries improved slightly. ;)

-Mark

[Kap'n]

BTW, we exported Angus to the US because he was the least talented guitarist in Oz.

You probably should have exported the INXS guys. :lol

That's OK, with Moginie and Rotsey, they're more than made up for.

[telecast]

we exported Angus to the US because he was the least talented guitarist in Oz. We have minimum standards here, you know. The effect was that, on average, that guitar playing ability of both countries improved slightly. ;)

-Mark

HA! THIS from the country that brought you Men At Work.

Remember the dancing midget?

"Because I come from the land down under....."

:rl

[jagon]

Just like to add my 2 cents worth. The nut being a bit bodgy. This is typical Mex Fender crap. I bet if you run your hand down the side of the neck, the fret ends will cut into your hands, the action will be very high, the intonation will not exist. The nut will be made of plastic. The neck will not be on straight ( as you said ) and the neck bolts will not be tight, And ------ will probably need trus adjusting, And----- the paint will just fall off in globules at your feet. And------- the tuners will be cheap cheap cheap. And back to the nut, I guarantee the nut action is way too high. And people who don't know any better, buy these shit heaps and then give up guitar because it's too hard.
Good one Fender.

ROFL

that has got to be the funniest post ive ever seen. it reminded me of a reveiw i read on harmony central about the squier jagmaster:

Features: 5
Shitty ass Chinese made model. Fuckers can't do shit right over there but get high on opium and attempt to make turds with strings. I loved the mid 90s Japanese models and I should be drawn and quatered for not buying one back in the day and thinking that this pile of shit I talk about here could be HALF the guitar those bastards were. I can't talk too much shit because I was so stoned the day I bought it, I could have been talked into buying a 'Yngwie Malmsteen' yukelele. And I hate that pompous fucker! But seriously, about the 'guitar', don't touch the whammy bar, don't even look at it. Out of tune immediately, don't even breath towards it. If I still had it, I would switch out the tuners with Sperzels, but I got rid of it about a month after I bought it. I do have to say, I was surprised at the electronics, they were pretty decent to be on such a shit biscuit guitar. The sounds was acceptable, but it I still had it, I would drop in some really hot pickups though.

Sound: 10
THe sound was alright like I mentioned, but I would have done replaced the pickups I'm sure if I still had the sonofabitch.

Action, Fit, & Finish: 3
Action was fucked! The frets were shitty and the finish was awesome. That sums that up for you. I could have had the action corrected but I got rid of that loss well before I ever put any money into it.

Reliability/Durability: 3


Customer Support: N/A


Overall Rating: 3
I've owned alot of guitars and I hate that fact that I ever owned the one I bitched about in this silly rant you just read.

Submitted by Jack Meoff at 08/13/2004 22:07