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Hey electric guys, girls, builders, etc...I have a question for you (probably a "duh" one, but here goes)...this guitar needs the action lowered and has a set screw at the neck heel which appears to adjust the neck angle...this would certainly beat adjusting 12 individual screws at the saddles provided the action at the nut would permit tipping the entire neck back...is this a good idea, or am I missing something?

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

I don't know, Larry; I like the idea of having as much contact in the neck
joint as possible. Adjusting the 12 screws really isn't so bad

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

ideally full contact in the neck pocket is best......
I start by adjusting the truss rod first so I know the relief is right then I......
set up the bridge saddles to where they should be first.......I start with the low "E" bridge saddle should be as close to the bridge plate as possible and fretting the first fret should get a reading of about 4/64" from the bottom of the string to the top of the fret at the 17th fret...then i do the same for the other strings.
If I have to adjust the saddles any higher than just off the bottom of the bridge plate on both outside strings
I start looking at neck angle and relief...

if your action is to high and the saddles are close to the bridge plate then I'd say the neck angle is maybe tilted to far forward ....

The Fender guitars with a 3 bolt neck attachment have a neck angle adjustment screw under the smaller 4th hole. to raise the neck loosen the bolt next to the adjuster then tighten the adjuster to meet the new neck position. To lower the neck angle loosen the adjuster, then tighten the bolt next to it, then retighten the adjuster.
4 bolt necks must be removed and shimmed for angle adjustment.

Al

Okay guys, thanks! The saddles themselves are pretty high and from the sound of it here I'm thinking that the heel adjustment isn't just "plug and play"...the 12 hex screws are not looking like so much trouble now! Anyone know what odd-size those hexes are? I apparently don't have that size in my rather sizable aresenal!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Hey Larry,

I have an American Standard -- bought it new eleven years ago. As I dimly recall, mine came with the proper-sized allen wrench for the adjustment screws. You're right, it's tiny. I'll wager that you should be able to find one at a well-stocked guitar shop or music store. Got a Guitar Center in your area?

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Larry, check the neck relief, get it right, then do string height. It's
actually pretty easy to do. This Fender link will give you a good rundown.

http://www.fender.com/support/setup/stratsetup.php

I'm working on a Fender Coronado XII whose neck has been shimmed, obviously a long time ago. It's a good illustration of why you should put a full-sized wedge in the neck pocket rather than just shim the neck right at the end. As you can see from these two photos, with the passage of time the neck has kicked up right at the end of the fingerboard. It was brought to me because it wouldn't stop buzzing, which must have been a problem for a while because as you can see the last couple of frets had already been filed almost flat.

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Pete
http://www.petewoodmanguitars.com

Larry,

AT risk of ticking you off,if you use the neck angle adjustment, you may want to loosen the strings, loosen the neck bolts a bit, then adjust.(I'm assuming you will raise the heel.)
I have seen a fellow crank the set screw while the neck was tightened.You can imagine the tension there.

Just in case it slipped by you...

Paul

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

I believe those saddle screws are a .050 hex.

Louis

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- Louis Freilicher

Oh No! Not another learning experience!

Thanks guys for all the input! Paul, dude, you aren't "ticking me off" with that advice! In fact, I appreciate it!
Louis, thanks for the .050!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com