FLAT 12" radius Strat

[alanfc]

Anyone used a neck like this?

Flat radius, 12", dare I say Les-Paul'ish ??

Were there any intonation problems, or strings on the edge of the fretboard?

I ask because I =might= be ordering something but not sure.
My request to neck dealers, who have said "yes we can craft this", is below:

= Strat replacement
= 12 " radius over the whole fretboard
= flat low wide frets like my old worn Les Paul
= rosewood fretboard
= 1 5/8 " nut width
= finished

I'm just checking, tech-wise, if there would be any issues. I know that there are some true Fender necks from some models that share the 12" spec but the frets themselves, nearly fretless, that is a big question. Thats what I need. I believe the 12" Fenders all have medium jumbos/speedbumps.
I assume I'd order it with wide fretwire and pay them to level the frets way down for me?
This would go onto a Cray hardtail body.

thanks

[chuckocaster]

i don't forsee any problems. i had a guitar with a warmoth much like you describe. it was fine, i just like a curved board.

a fret level should get the speed bump situation takin care of.

[alanfc]

Thank you,
I wonder if the guys at the neck-maker's would do the level job for me, for a charge. I would pay.
I assume that I'd want stainless steel frets too, since they'd rather be low start with.
You know how the Les Paul fret ends are a bit inside the edge of the fretboard? I'll ask the maker , but, with a flatter radius is this something I can request? If you know

thanks



Look how low these are ! And the edges I'm talking about:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v4...t=LPBoard1.jpg

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v4...t=LPBoard4.jpg

[curtisstetka]

That sounds like it's feasible. I don't see why it wouldn't be.

I actually had a Tom Delonge strat neck for a partocaster of mine. I'd ordered the neck off ebay. You're right, the frets were bigger than you're describing but the neck was nice and flat.

[alanfc]

Or I could just take my MIM rosewood neck in for a Plek and have him shave off alot ? ! Its a 9.5 radius and a $220 job.
I honestly don't know if its the low frets, or the flat board which has drawn me back to my LP. Ergonomically, the Les Paul has never turned me on (body angles, bridge)

[chuckocaster]

interesting.

some things just work. i have a bunch of guitars, and will always go back to my jazzmaster. i have strats, teles, sg's, you name it. most of time i'll play something else, but my jazzmaster just kills me when i pick it up. but there are times when something else will work better. it's all what tone will work best. but it seems like it's a playability issue, so i think a 12" radius might work better for ya. i know warmoth makes a 24.75" neck for strats, so that might be something to look into.

the thing to keep in mind, is that modifications will only make so much of a difference. i've done a bunch, there are some that work, there are many that don't. a strat will never sound like a tele, a strat might (i don't know) not sound like a strat with a conversion neck. have you tried the EJ strat? that has a 25 1/2" neck on it.

experimentation is a real bitch, but i think it's invaluable. sometimes you have to stretch the boundaries and find the limits of work to get a good grasp on what'll work.

all this to say that i think you should try the 25 1/2" neck with big frets and have them leveled down to where you like them. take in your paul and have a tech measure and then match those. as for the frets, i wouldn't go with stainless steel as that is not a normal fret. most people are used to the "standard".

[alanfc]

OK thanks.

I've been searching on 12" radius necks and they all the ones I've seen so far have the 1 11/16.. But I think thats the reverse of what I'd want in terms of the edges.

My body (Cray)nut width was 1.650
So I would want a 1 5/8 I think, due to the edges. (yes?)

I got a 'yes' from an aftermarket parts shop on a special request, I may have to do that. ( that is, 1 5/8" 12" radius, rosewood).

[chuckocaster]

that should be close enough.

ask them about binding though, from the pics you posted.

[alanfc]

OK thanks

I think I've found an answer, even though the frets aren't old and flat (I can have a tech do that after I try it for awhile), here may be the answer, for finding a parted out neck.

=======================================
Fender Classic Player '60s Stratocaster Features:

* Body: Alder
* Sonic Blue (Polyester Finish)
* Neck: 1-Piece Maple, Soft "C" Shape, (Gloss Polyurethane Finish)
* Fingerboard: Rosewood, 12" Radius
* No. of Frets: 21 Medium Jumbo Frets
* 3 Custom '69 Single-Coil Strat Pickups
* Master Volume, 2 Tone Controls
* Bridge: Vintage Style 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Stamped Solid Steel Saddles and Milled Solid Steel Block
* Machine Heads: Fender/Ping Vintage Style Tuning Machines
* Hardware: Chrome
* Pickguard: 3-Ply Mint Green
* Scale Length: 25.5"
* Width at Nut: 1.650"
* Case: Deluxe Gig Bag

[alanfc]

Neck is on the way !

http://i5.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/fd/eb/a73a_1.JPG

[chuckocaster]

cool.

[gooman]

sounds like a good choice,I am a fan of the 12in radius too.......

[alanfc]

sounds like a good choice,I am a fan of the 12in radius too.......

and I had just gotten off a "7.25 maple fretboard vintage frets" kick a couple weeks ago.. but ever since I'd bought the Les Paul 8 months ago I keep going back to it even though its not good for live + singing. Since I'm 25+ years with Strat shapes (volume knob location, sharp edge under my forearm, longer stretch for my arm to fretboard, etc .) But was was drawing me back in?..... THe Flat fretboard. I consider it my reward after all these years of the curvy stuff. The trouble with the Les Paul too was that the strings are so dang close together. Spread is a giagantic 3/16" difference at the bridge. This one I'm putting together is going to be the "perfect" guitar. I'm crossing my fingers.

[alanfc]

FINISHED

Sounds good. The burst is a bit darker in person. I won't know how it is live/loud til rehearsal next week but the feel is exactly what I wanted. Strange thing is, its light but still not neck-heavy.
Its a 2007 Cray body and a 2008 Classic Player 60's neck

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/alanfc/gt1.jpg