What is your take on neck shims? Kills the tone or no ill effects at all?

[vklobucar]

I may shim the neck of my Charvel Model 3 due to the new OFR that I installed. It is not recessed and as such sits pretty high up if you as me. Even higher than the JT-6 that was pulled.

In the past I have used a small business card cut down to shim but fear that it might rob me of some tone as there will no longer be true "wood to wood" contact in the neck pocket.

Dumb myth or reality please?

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

It seems higher because the Floyd is thinner. As for the shims, I don't know, I don't use them unless I have to, and so far I never do. :dunno:

[Axewielder]

Some believe that the business card will compress to the precise shape of the gap and provide superior coupling. I don't know if that is true. Jackson often used metal shims in the neck pocket I've noticed.

[jackson1]

Frankly, the ONLY way to find out if it matters to YOU, is to shim the neck and hear the difference. I know this is a threadkiller answer, but can you really argue against it?

[vklobucar]

Afraid not!

[jackson1]

Off you go then

[hunter1970]

Don't forget to post the results because I have a guitar I bought just for the Floyd but now I might try and get it going.

[MetalMedal II]

I prefer metal shims, then wood ones. I've used both w good results. For metal, I like using thin metal stock and stagger a couple in a stepwise manner to try and make a more or less straight angle. Never thought of cardboard conforming to the shape of the gap. I guess it might, but I prefer something more rigid.

BTW, I have a modded Model 3 with an OFR and noticed it is a bit higher off the body than the non-recessed pro-mods. I like the Floyd up high!

[vklobucar]

I like the idea of metal shims mind you. Sheet metal would be easy to score but might be too thick no?

Any thinner suggestions perhaps?

[MetalMedal II]

I got some real thin brass sheets off the bay many moons ago, some of it real thin. But I also harvested some thin metal from my old PC VGA monitor when it died years ago. It was used as shielding inside and worked quite well. Gotta be careful with those sharp edges though!

[Twitch]

Never thought of cardboard conforming to the shape of the gap.

Its what I used on my Alvarez, didnt seem to affect sustain at all.

[Radiohead]

No tonal difference that I was able to notice. I have used everything from cardboard, metal and even a guitar pick.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

BTW, I have a modded Model 3 with an OFR and noticed it is a bit higher off the body than the non-recessed pro-mods. I like the Floyd up high!

The base plate on the Pro Mod's Korean Floyd is thicker, too.

In other words if you put an OFR on a Pro Mod and set the action up all the same, the OFR will have a larger gap under it than the KFR.

[DonP]

I've routed the neck pocket for an angle.

[straycat]

I shim with sticky back sandpaper, works great I can't tell any tone difference.
One good thing the neck isn't going to move in the pocket once you bolt it down.