Andy Eagle ( Guitar repair tech for 30 years )

TSJMajesty said:
Ever since I started using lube (thanks @la szum) in the slots, I have no tuning issues at all. I can even go crazy with the trem and the guitar still stays in tune. I spread it onto anything the string contacts outside the fretboard, other than the tuner post itself.
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Yeah, no tuning issues here on ANY of my guitars.... including the 3 Gibsons. Maybe I am doing it wrong. :LOL:
 
DrewJD82 said:
Billy Howedel’s main Les Paul is probably a great example of this with it’s f*cked up headstock repair with the total wrong neck angle, IIRR, it’s a mutt of two different LP’s from two different headstock breaks but Billy made it work.

Or maybe a lesser example would be the re-fret I saw on Gilmour’s Red Strat where it doesn’t look like the frets are seated 100% in the slots-

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That is awesome, but those finish cracks give me anxiety.
 
Eagle said:
I think everyone should learn how to do their own setup and understand the basics of how and why.
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Gonna do the nut here shortly and set up. I’m stoked. Seems like a fairly straightforward task. I’ve watched a PRS or 2 get the replacement now.

Just waiting on a few more tools. Bought a neck rest for the thing lol
 
Every day when I am done playing, I wipe down my guitar(s) and put them back in their case(s). I have a couple of favorite microfiber cloths I use consistently, and I am reluctant to wash them because of the chemicals and residues that could be embedded in them from the laundry detergents. Any advice on best way to clean those towels without exposing my sensitive nitro finish (PRSi) guitars to any problems?
 
Moondog Wily said:
Every day when I am done playing, I wipe down my guitar(s) and put them back in their case(s). I have a couple of favorite microfiber cloths I use consistently, and I am reluctant to wash them because of the chemicals and residues that could be embedded in them from the laundry detergents. Any advice on best way to clean those towels without exposing my sensitive nitro finish (PRSi) guitars to any problems?
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I have never seen a problem with the finish caused by a cloth . IME not all nitro is as prone to issues with contact as Gibsons seem to be. You could just boil them in a pan of water and rinse them off. I can’t imagine that would cause a problem.
 
Have you ever come across a guitar you consider to pull off Les Paul and Strat tones equally well, or is one side of that coin always a compromise?
 
Do you follow a set of steps in setting up neck relief and string height. Any specific advice on setting up telecasters with the truss rod adjustment in the heel (strats too I guess.) Thanks.
 
State of Epicicity said:
Have you ever come across a guitar you consider to pull off Les Paul and Strat tones equally well, or is one side of that coin always a compromise?
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I depends on how accurate you want. The bridge difference alone makes it impossible. A lot of Strats can't do a strat tone. I don't think there is anything that would actually sound like both if the reference is a vintage Les Paul and a pre CBS Strat. The best you can get would be a nice HSS guitar that you like . You would be hard pushed to find two less similar platforms for the pickups. I usually find a humbucker in a strat style to be nicer than a coil split in a set neck.
 
What’s the best solution you’ve found to 3 bolt necks shifting in the pocket?

I’ve got a 72RI MIJ strat. I got it years ago in a trade. It’s a very inspiring guitar, amazingly resonant and lively acoustically with a really great neck. One of the best strats I’ve ever played. But the neck pocket is too big and the 3 bolts give it some room to shift. My prior attempts to shim it haven’t been enough to completely lock it in, it still can shift. Tried a number of things, none of which really worked 100%.

D
 
signalpath said:
Do you follow a set of steps in setting up neck relief and string height. Any specific advice on setting up telecasters with the truss rod adjustment in the heel (strats too I guess.) Thanks.
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If you aren't swapping the string gauge you can assess the truss rod with old strings before you take them off. You have to get used to the particular guitar and make a guesstimate ( based on experience ) and this is the first part of the set up.
Vintage style Fender rods can often be quite tight and remember that it's going to take time for an adjustment loose to show it's full effect sometimes.
Once you have the starting point for the truss rod you can go through the set up. Half the thickness of your high E at the 7th fret when you fret the G ( reference string) at the 1st and 12th. In an ideal world then when you fret 10th and last it should be dead flat. Sometimes a slight fall away is present usually around 15 to the end but it varies and this is hard to assess by eye if you aren't looking at multiple guitars all the time.
If your happy the relief is likely to be ballpark string it up and set the action. If it still is out you are going to need to take off the neck again and readjust.
When you remove Fender necks with the heel adjuster you should use a hand driver carefully to reattach it starting the screws with your fingers to feel that they are in the existing threads. Only tighten to lightly grip (no crush the wood and bend the neck plate like you see all the time.) This is very important as this neck is going to need to come off a lot of times over it's life.

Don't waste time with radius gauges use an action gauge or engineers small steel rule, measure top of fret 12 to underside of each string.
Now check the nut hight by fretting on the second fret. You need a hair of a gap over the first fret. Only do this after the truss rod is correct and the action is your hight. Each time you cut the nut slot reset the action before looking at the gap again.

Finally with the relief, nut and action set correctly ( for you ) intonate using the 3rd and 15th frets as reference point.
If you have issues now it is either your action is too low for your pick attack or there's an issue (issues) to deal with separately.
 
dk_ace said:
What’s the best solution you’ve found to 3 bolt necks shifting in the pocket?

I’ve got a 72RI MIJ strat. I got it years ago in a trade. It’s a very inspiring guitar, amazingly resonant and lively acoustically with a really great neck. One of the best strats I’ve ever played. But the neck pocket is too big and the 3 bolts give it some room to shift. My prior attempts to shim it haven’t been enough to completely lock it in, it still can shift. Tried a number of things, none of which really worked 100%.

D
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A small piece of double sided tape in the pocket when you fit the neck and remove the grub screw and don't use the adjustment. The MIJ version is far more prone to problems because the third bolt is a wood screw instead of the heavy duty machine bolt of the originals.
 
Eagle said:
A small piece of double sided tape in the pocket when you fit the neck and remove the grub screw and don't use the adjustment. The MIJ version is far more prone to problems because the third bolt is a wood screw instead of the heavy duty machine bolt of the originals.
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Are we talking about the same thing? I mean the neck shifts in the sense that if you are looking at the guitar head on with the headstock up like it’s on a stand and you grab the top of the neck and pull it to the left or right the neck will shift its orientation in the way that you pull it so it’s no longer perpendicular to the body. That movement is what I’m trying to eliminate.

I don’t think a piece of double sided tape is going to be thick enough to eliminate that play in the pocket, and you’re referencing the grub screw which is for shimming the neck angle so I think we may be talking about different issues. Fwiw, I don’t use the grub screw.

D
 
Eagle said:
Here is something to think about if you want to do your own setups;
A fret rocker is mostly misleading and on its own useless.
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I’ve only found one use for them: finding a really egregious solo high fret on a guitar that has a buzz and I’m trying to avoid a full level and crown if I can. This has worked exactly twice, so not very useful for me so far. I just use the edge of a credit card, nothing fancy.

D
 
dk_ace said:
Are we talking about the same thing? I mean the neck shifts in the sense that if you are looking at the guitar head on with the headstock up like it’s on a stand and you grab the top of the neck and pull it to the left or right the neck will shift its orientation in the way that you pull it so it’s no longer perpendicular to the body. That movement is what I’m trying to eliminate.

I don’t think a piece of double sided tape is going to be thick enough to eliminate that play in the pocket, and you’re referencing the grub screw which is for shimming the neck angle so I think we may be talking about different issues. Fwiw, I don’t use the grub screw.

D
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Take the grub screw out to ensue full contact and place a piece of double sided tape between the two neck bolts at the top and even a piece under them across the middle. Then when you tighten the neck in place it is sandwiched between the neck and body. This is almost gorilla proof against sideways movement.
 
dk_ace said:
I’ve only found one use for them: finding a really egregious solo high fret on a guitar that has a buzz and I’m trying to avoid a full level and crown if I can. This has worked exactly twice, so not very useful for me so far. I just use the edge of a credit card, nothing fancy.

D
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And then if you find one you are still better part dressing the whole area.
 
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