I have a useless $2700 custom plus had to pay 78 dollars for FMIC to tell me.. w/pics

[AK47]

Out of all the issues you described, the only thing that is un-fixable is if the neck has a backbow, which was the problem highlighted early on. That's really easy to check - press the top E string lightly at the 1st and highest frets, and see if the string touches the frets towards the middle of the neck or not. You're using the string as a straight edge, no need for a fancy tool to do this. There should be a very slight gap, i.e. the neck should have a very slight concave bow. If the neck is dead straight or convex bowed, the action will be high at the upper frets yet buzz at the first few. Check the 6th string too, and if you get a way different "reading" to the 1st string, the neck may be slightly twisted. NB it's OK (in fact normally it's good) for the neck to have a slight twist, i.e. the concave bow is very slightly more pronounced at the bass side of the neck, as the tension on the bass side is higher and the strings need more fret clearance anyway to sound clean.

Go and check that and report back if you can - put your .009's on first (putting heavier strings on is a way of putting more tension on the neck and hence helping get somne relief into it). If you have no clearance at all between strings and frets during these tests, loosen the trussrod a quarter turn at a time and see if you can get the neck into a place where there is some slight space showing. If the trussrod nut goes slack and you're still not getting there, then the guitar is "knackered" as we Brits say.

Everything else is adjustable in one way or another, e.g. bridge height, fret dressing, nut height, neck angle.

TP

PS. If you don't have the tools to do this, get some! If you're scared to make these kind of adjustments, don't be! It's a major advantage to be able to set your own guitars up, saves you a fortune and means you can get them done just the way you want them.

When I do this test on the Low E string. I fret #1 and #22 the gap starts off bigger to smaller. So at fret wire #3 there is a considerable gap and as it gets to fret 12 the string gets closer to the fret wires but does not quite touch.

On the high E string when I do this test and its hard for me to see this well but it looks like the gap between the string and fret wire is very close to the fret wire. The gap seems consistant throughout the 1st and 22nd frets.

I do not know how to adjust a Floyd myself and would need someone to sit down and show me how to do it right. I mean I can do string changes and stuff but it takes me hours. I know someone who is good with a Floyd can do it in under 15 minutes but I dont know anyone who could teach me.

[neilli]

If the gap is different in the way you discribed between the treble side and the bass side, to me that means your neck is twisted.

If the gap was the same each side, I'd have said you could probably correct it by adjusting the trussrod, and then shimming the nut / neck pocket / adjusting the Floyd as required. But that won't fix a twist. Of course, it depends how bad the twist is because you can work around it to some extent. Though of course, you shouldn't have to...

I'd get on to Mike again if I were you.

Oh, and drop me a PM if you want tips on adjusting a Floyd...

[toejam]

I do not know how to adjust a Floyd myself and would need someone to sit down and show me how to do it right. I mean I can do string changes and stuff but it takes me hours. I know someone who is good with a Floyd can do it in under 15 minutes but I dont know anyone who could teach me.

It's not hard to adjust a Floyd. You want your action lower? Then just adjust the two studs that the Floyd pivots on... turning right/clockwise will lower the Floyd, left/counterclockwise will raise it up.
And as for intonation, you compare the 12th fret harmonic to the string fretted at the 12th. If the string is sharp while fretted, then you move the saddle backwards until it matches up with the harmonic. If the fretted note is flat, then you move the saddle foward, towards the headstock.

[MartinBarre]

I do not know how to adjust a Floyd myself and would need someone to sit down and show me how to do it right. I mean I can do string changes and stuff but it takes me hours. I know someone who is good with a Floyd can do it in under 15 minutes but I dont know anyone who could teach me.

To make things easy when changing strings - change them one at a time, leaving the old ones on, replacing them as you go.
And put the ball end through the tuner so you only have to cut one end of the string.
Easy.

[AK47]

It's not hard to adjust a Floyd. You want your action lower? Then just adjust the two studs that the Floyd pivots on... turning right/clockwise will lower the Floyd, left/counterclockwise will raise it up.
And as for intonation, you compare the 12th fret harmonic to the string fretted at the 12th. If the string is sharp while fretted, then you move the saddle backwards until it matches up with the harmonic. If the fretted note is flat, then you move the saddle foward, towards the headstock.

I need to restring it first. I am not even going to bother right now to adjust the action or intonation.

Thanks for the intonation tip I always got confused on how to get that one done when the note was flat or high.

Like I said when I have time this week I will get it restrung then adjusted and if it still does not agree with me its going on the Bay.

BTW this guitar does really sound amazing plugged in. Its a shame its so damn difficult to play.

[toejam]

Cool. Good luck with it!

[AK47]

To make things easy when changing strings - change them one at a time, leaving the old ones on, replacing them as you go.
And put the ball end through the tuner so you only have to cut one end of the string.
Easy.

Changing string guage to a lighter set so I will need to adjust it. Last time I did this it was a three hour fiasco.

[dirtyroadie]

I always remember the 3 F's for intonation. If the Fretted note is Flat, move the saddle Forward.

[Tommie]

Changing string guage to a lighter set so I will need to adjust it. Last time I did this it was a three hour fiasco.

You can make it easier. If the Floyd is sitting at a height you find OK, then stack some playing cards or someting under the back of it so it's at the same angle, but won't pull up. Tighten the springs round back a little bit (don't let the screwdriver slip and gouge your guitar - I make these mistakes so you don't have to), and change your strings one a a time, tuning the guitar as you go. When you're done, just loosen the springs gradually until the playing cards fall out naturally and you'll be 99% there. Final tune, lock up the nut and you're done.

Another tip, if you break strings at the bridge, wind a good few turns of string round the tuning posts, and if a string goes at the gig, unwind as much as you need for the string to reach into the saddle, lock it into place and tune up. It's already stretched in so the guitar is back in action much quicker than fitting a new string. Saves money and makes sure you eventually change the complete set.

[Trem]

As Tommie was suggesting, here is the only guide you need to setting up your floyd http://www.musicgearsource.com/colar1.html.
Make sure to really stretch the crap out of your strings good before locking down the nut or fine tune anything.

in my opinion, they should have just made you a new neck if it's that fucked up, for that kind of money i'd accept nothing less.

[AK47]

As Tommie was suggesting, here is the only guide you need to setting up your floyd http://www.musicgearsource.com/colar1.html.
Make sure to really stretch the crap out of your strings good before locking down the nut or fine tune anything.

in my opinion, they should have just made you a new neck if it's that fucked up, for that kind of money i'd accept nothing less.

I still have no idea what they did exactley so it will get restrung and adjusted since CB Perkins say that they will do that no charge as a courtesy. I did not want to start fiddling with things myself and then give FMIC a reason to void my warranty.


If the action is still on the high side to me I will just Ebay it.


I dont understand why they set the action so damn high and put thicker guage strings on the Charvel. Like I said it sounds good but its just not a easy guitar to play for a electric. String bends on the high E string take a lot of effort because of the high action and the thicker guage of strings.

So I am in a position that if the guitar still does not agree with me after adjustment this week and FMIC deams the neck twisting or bowing is within "Acceptable Tolerences" I have to cut my losses and Ebay it. Of course I have to disclose to the bidders the previous neck issues so that will hurt my resale to start of with.

I am hoping to get 50% back of what I put into it in the worst case scenario. I have racked up quite a bill just trying to get this thing playable. Second time I got the guitar back with a bill and no explanation as to what was done or what happened.

I almost did put it on Ebay today but I better see what the full story is since no one was around because of NAMM.

[Learn Guitars]

Have you even tried to take some tension off the truss rod? Just curious. Just read that you didnt know how to adjust a floyd, but seem to be able to somehow diagnose your issues with relief. That is kind of baffling to me. Make sure you check it. Otherwise, some one who knows what they are doing is going to get a screaming deal.

[AK47]

Have you even tried to take some tension off the truss rod? Just curious. Just read that you didnt know how to adjust a floyd, but seem to be able to somehow diagnose your issues with relief. That is kind of baffling to me. Make sure you check it. Otherwise, some one who knows what they are doing is going to get a screaming deal.

I can adjust a Floyd I am just not very good at it and it takes me a long time. I did not diagnose the neck issues Torres Engineering did when I first got the guitar and they did so in writing. When I received the guitar originally 19 months ago it was unplayable as in the strings were resting on the frets at full tension.

I had it setup by four different places now each time the lower frets buzzed and the action was very high on the upper frets.

I just went by Tommies advice he posted earlier by fretting the high and low fret to see what type of gap was in between the fret and string to check back bow and reported back today.

Like I said I am not making a judgement till I have a string change and adjustment made by CB Perkins this week.

Edited to add I dont want to make any adjustments myself especially with the truss rod since its a warranty issue right now and I will have CB Perkins do it at no charge that way they cant say I caused anything.

[guitarsjb]

I always remember the 3 F's for intonation. If the Fretted note is Flat, move the saddle Forward.

Thanks! That makes it easy to remember!!

[strat2tele1]

Sorry to hear about the problem you're having with such a beautiful guitar. As it is not a production model, Charvel should have just swap the neck out when returned.

Good Luck