Some opinions on a guitar...

[toejam]

You're doing it wrong.

:think:

I'm curious. Have you seen the guitar? If not, then how do you know that the neck didn't need shimming?

I was wondering the same thing. Ron knows what he's doing, so I'm sure the neck needed a little shimming.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

At that time it was unknown what the guitar was, I was thinking it was a DK2 or DX of some sort, with a recessed Floyd.

With a JS because of the crappy manufacturing tolerances and the type of bridge ("vintage" type tremolo) I could see that being a necessity.

I don't believe neck shims should ever be necessary on a decent quality guitar unless you're trying to get it to do something it wasn't designed to do, or you're building something from the "parts bin" that wasn't meant to go together.

[sean1197]

At that time it was unknown what the guitar was, I was thinking it was a DK2 or DX of some sort, with a recessed Floyd.

With a JS because of the crappy manufacturing tolerances and the type of bridge ("vintage" type tremolo) I could see that being a necessity.

I don't believe neck shims should ever be necessary on a decent quality guitar unless you're trying to get it to do something it wasn't designed to do, or you're building something from the "parts bin" that wasn't meant to go together.

i dont think you should shim necks at all if the specs on the neck heel arnt right dont use the neck

[toejam]

Shims are necessary sometimes. Why do you think Fender puts a micro-tilt adjuster in a lot of their necks? Some people prefer a neck tilted back a little for their setup.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Well, whenever you bring "preferences" into it then any logic or reason just goes right out the window.

IMO the "Micro-Tilt Adjuster" is just a silly marketing gimmick. The first thing I do with any Strat I have set up is remove any effect it's having.

I'm under the impression the reason most people prefer the neck tilted back is that there's some other payoff, like more pull-back on the tremolo, which would fall under the "trying to get it to do something it wasn't designed to do" category.

But, I could be wrong. I have just always viewed shimming necks as a "hack job."

[Tekky]

I don't believe neck shims should ever be necessary on a decent quality guitar unless you're trying to get it to do something it wasn't designed to do, or you're building something from the "parts bin" that wasn't meant to go together.

But, I could be wrong. I have just always viewed shimming necks as a "hack job."

My 1983 Charvel has a neck shim and it's one of the best playing guitars I've ever had, and it was installed by Roger Sadowski.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

OK.

Why does it have a neck shim?

[Tekky]

Why do you think it has a neck shim?

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

:think:

I don't know, that's why I'm asking you. I'm sure there is a good reason why it needed a neck shim. What was the reason?

[nor]

You're doing it wrong.

I'm doing it quick. When I have more time I'll get the relief right - probably at the same time I gut the control cavity. If you'd like to come over and do it for us - that'd be grreattt.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Ah, I see... A quick fix. Nothing wrong with that on a $40 Jackson.

[Tekky]

:think:

I don't know, that's why I'm asking you. I'm sure there is a good reason why it needed a neck shim. What was the reason?

Interesting. You seemed to diagnose the other guitar without looking at it. Which is the reason why I responded in the first place.

My 83 has a shim because years of hard use by the previous owner had the neck pulling at a slight upward angle.

I honestly don't want to argue with you about this. I felt it was rather strange, inappropriate, you pick the word... to question someone's fix without even laying eyes on the guitar.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Interesting. You seemed to diagnose the other guitar without looking at it. Which is the reason why I responded in the first place.

My 83 has a shim because years of hard use by the previous owner had the neck pulling at a slight upward angle.

I honestly don't want to argue with you about this. I felt it was rather strange, inappropriate, you pick the word... to question someone's fix without even laying eyes on the guitar.

Are we arguing? I think we're discussing, a discussion you chose to start, but that's just my take on it.

I think that's kind of strange/inappropriate that you're obviously upset enough about my "diagnosis" to respond to my post, when it's not even your guitar I'm talking about. I would guess this is because you have a guitar you love which is shimmed, and took it personally, maybe. Nor didn't seem to be offended in the slightest, he seemed to take it as the joke it was intended.



It wasn't a diagnosis, it was me poking fun at something I think people do all to often when they don't really need to do, I obviously had no idea whether my statement was true or not. As I already admitted, I didn't even know what kind of guitar it was.

I'm generally not in favor of shimming necks if it can be avoided. But, it is true that sometimes it can't be avoided. I've already mentioned several cases where it can't.

And I'm ALWAYS against shimming necks the way I see a lot of people advised to do it. Luthiers do occasionaly shim necks with thin, angled wood shims, and that's probably how yours is done, I would hope. What I'm referring to is "home jobs" I see people advised to do with a folded-up business card placed at the heel of the neck. This is a bad idea. I'm sure yours was shimmed properly, and it actually needed it.

[Tekky]

Something about it struck me as wrong. You're right, it was probably best that I just walk away.

[toejam]

And I'm ALWAYS against shimming necks the way I see a lot of people advised to do it. Luthiers do occasionaly shim necks with thin, angled wood shims, and that's probably how yours is done, I would hope. What I'm referring to is "home jobs" I see people advised to do with a folded-up business card placed at the heel of the neck. This is a bad idea. I'm sure yours was shimmed properly, and it actually needed it.

It's not a bad idea. A shim is a shim, whether it's a business card, wood, guitar picks, etc. Whatever gets the job done to get the angle you're looking for.