Polycarbonate neck bracket

[Fluoroscope 5000]

In an age where people spend mucho mas dinero on Titanium parts than the guitar is worth, I thought I’d share a simple mod that significantly improves the punch, sustain and upper-mid character of a bolt-on guitar. I got this stuff here: Order Plastic Polycarbonate Sheet in Small Quantities at OnlineMetals.com
Shipping is expensive, but it's still a very cheap mod compared to Ti hardware for sure, and it probably makes more difference than a trem block upgrade. Those can be useful too, as long as your bridge doesn't damp more than the block.

Get a sheet of ~1mm thick Polycarbonate (Lexan). Much thicker would be impossible to cut evenly with scissors...I've tried. Thinner might not be rigid enough for the intended result, but I don't know...I just figured thicker is better. I ordered fom
1. Cut out a piece to fit snugly in the full area of the neck pocket with good strong scissors. Trimming to fit is not difficult, but don't reduce the length or width more than the pocket area, or the joint rigidity will be reduced – make sense? Maybe wear some thick gloves to protect your finger joints. I deadened the nerves in my index finger joints for a few weeks from the extreme pressure while cutting.
2. Cutting in from the inside edge of the piece, very carefully cut out the center area of the piece to ~1cm from around the edges, and cut and snap out spaces for the screws with needle nose pliers, being careful not twist and crack through to the ends. Hold the scissors wide open and firmly while cutting so you don't accidentally cut through all the way, or slip and cut yourself.
3. Install and adjust the action & pickups accordingly.

I've tried on several guitars. Bass punch and sustain is definitely better. While the highs are more glassy, I think Lexan is not so hard to make the sound brittle. The surface area of the hollowed out bracket increases coupling force, while allowing the neck heal to vibrate more freely. I think that produces a more open, rather than “constrained” attack quality than if the center area were not cut out. I really like the results on both Strat types I've done it too. It was an extension of experimenting with various washer materials in several guitars. I discovered that cut up Lexan picks produced the best type of sweet glassy quality. Ultex would be good too. Steel washers seemed more metallic sounding. While brass sounded very good, it didn't have high end quality for the sweet glassy sound I was after – sounding more Brass bell-like...no BS. While Brass is denser, I think Lexan is more elastic, so may damp less high end, and does not ring. Lexan is definitely harder than an Alder guitar body. It's closer to Rock Maple or harder without proteins, oils, or moisture to absorb more highs. Dropping a 1mm Lexan pick on a hard surface produces a pretty bright “ping”. Either way, it produced the best results. Acrylic would be good, but it's too brittle to cut with scissors. Washers tend to dig into the wood, so a bracket seemed the best solution...so far so good. It is possible for the neck to shift, but tightening it after a week or so of settling will probably prevent that. It actually makes a very solid connection.

I also plan to install a small door bolt under the trem springs as a trem stopper. It's supposed to work quite well.

[Jason Rodgers]

To clarify: you have tried a variety of shims between the neck and body in the pocket. Your hypothesis is that different materials cause a different transfer of vibration, with a resultant difference in tone. Did you do any spectographic analysis, or just by-ear assessments of these different shims?

[Fluoroscope 5000]

I have recordings of various materials, all else being equal. Spectrograms can be hard to determine differences when transients and sustain are involved. The Brass and cheap Steel washers I tried both had a more metallic sound on each pickup of my SX Hawk, and I'd swear the Brass had a certain bell-like quality the cheap Steel didn't have. Stainless may have been better, but washers dig in the wood anyway.

PC doesn't seem to emphasize any frequency range, and has produced a round glassy quality with more bass punch on each guitar I’ve tried – three guitars so far. I noticed that my Parker NiteFly has a CF bracket in the neck pocket. It's probably just to keep the thin CF coating on the neck from cracking, but It probably isolates the neck better as well. The best test I have is of the Agile ST-625 EB before and after with the stock pickups and Steel strings. It actually sounds great without the bracket (with my ~170pF cable), but it definitely sounds tighter and more glassy with the bracket. I think I got the pickup heights ~same for both recordings, but even a ~1/8 screw turn difference can be heard, so...listen to the (sloppy) recordings I made through the same amp sim preset with a post “speaker dynamics” FX. It may seem like the bracket version has less upper-mids, but I think the increased bass and highs just mask the upper-mids more. It may be subtle, but I prefer the “wider” sound it produces, and I expect my new pickups will better reveal that:
https://app.box.com/s/hg9c9olpc58wt49oden2urt0x34eo08v
https://app.box.com/s/17ah1zgsstcg6c7uvwo5aviiphqobw4v

Based on my other experiments very quickly A/B'ing recordings I made, I really think leaving the center neck heel area to vibrate freely makes a difference in attack character. It also increases coupling force and rigidity. The neck may “micro-teeter” if the entire heel surface were pressed against the bracket with all the pressure on the corners at the screws. The same thing might happen with wood on wood. The idea that more surface area contact maximizes sustain is opposed to what theory would suggest. More surface contact only increases resonance interferences between the pieces to increase damping. The vibrations from each would have to be fully in phase for it not to be the case...and what are the chances of that? In any case, it's all in how the neck joint damps the neck vibrations. I don't think the bridge generally transfers enough vibration for the body to damp the strings from that end, unless the rear of a trem system bridge is pulled to the body, which I've also experienced dulls the sustain quality. I think the center area in the pocket should be hollowed regardless if a bracket is used, but a hollowed bracket does it. Make sense? I figure it might not make much difference with a harder guitar body, or if the neck has a lot of internal damping – as with one of the SX Hawk guitars I got with crappy neck wood. The other SX Hawk I have sounds great, though. Anyway, blah, blah...try it or don't.

I'm going to change the pickups and rewire soon. I will also be using more slinky Ni/Fe alloy strings for a sweeter/warmer/looser sound. The high end should still be glassy, but sweeter, and the bass warmer with a more relaxed midrange quality. I'll also use an Aluminum shield which softens the upper-mids a tad without reducing the highs...and the pickups are sweeter, more sensitive, and “bigger” sounding than the stock AlNiCo V pickups, so it will be quite different than a typical Strat sound. The wiring scheme will offer massive tonal variations – overkill, but I am curious to try the various pickup blend/phase options I worked out.

[John_H]

...I will also be using more slinky Ni/Fe alloy strings for a sweeter/warmer/looser sound. The high end should still be glassy, but sweeter, and the bass warmer with a more relaxed midrange quality. I'll also use an Aluminum shield which softens the upper-mids a tad without reducing the highs...and the pickups are sweeter, more sensitive, and “bigger” sounding than the stock AlNiCo V pickups...

How do you measure these differences in tone?

[Fluoroscope 5000]

With so many factors involved it is difficult to show specific differences. The first thing to take into account is it is a very cheap & easy mod you could try out and see what you think. For the specifics of the strings, an Aluminum shield, and the pickups, some of it is just the way materials affect the sound, but it comes down to trying things and comparing dry recordings in various setups.

Lower mass strings have less tension at pitch. Higher tension produces sharper upper-harmonics. I'd assume more compliant material also creates smoother harmonic formations in the attack stage, as the string doesn't fight itself as much. The more slinky Ni/Fe alloy I use is also noticeably more dynamic than Steel. The tonal emphasis seems more broad, as in a lower Q-factor, and the highs are softer. They could just be more rolled off. Compliance can allow higher harmonics to form or damp them. I don't know. I do know the other Ni/Fe Alloy I use is brighter, but sweeter and slightly looser than Steel. That's my experience.

An Aluminum pickguard shield reduces upper-mids due to the eddy-currents, but does not roll off the highs. It's just the way it works in a certain thickness range aligned with the coil. I learned it from the Bill Lawrence site. The difference is audible. GFS sells them cheap. If you don't believe it, don't try it.

The pickups I will use are quite audibly different than typical Fender designs with stronger fundamentals and more even extended highs. I have some SA's of them and other similar pickups and some comparison recordings of them vs the stock pickups in my SX Hawk. Different pickups sound different, but that's not what this thread is about. It's just a recommendation for a cheap mod that can easily make as much difference as new bridge materials. Since it concerns damping from the neck end, it can potentially have more affect than new bridge materials. I don't know what else to say about it. Try on a cheap guitar if you want.

[John_H]

With so many factors involved it is difficult to show specific differences. The first thing to take into account is it is a very cheap & easy mod you could try out and see what you think. For the specifics of the strings, an Aluminum shield, and the pickups, some of it is just the way materials affect the sound, but it comes down to trying things and comparing dry recordings in various setups.

Lower mass strings have less tension at pitch. Higher tension produces sharper upper-harmonics. I'd assume more compliant material also creates smoother harmonic formations in the attack stage, as the string doesn't fight itself as much. The more slinky Ni/Fe alloy I use is also noticeably more dynamic than Steel. The tonal emphasis seems more broad, as in a lower Q-factor, and the highs are softer. They could just be more rolled off. Compliance can allow higher harmonics to form or damp them. I don't know. I do know the other Ni/Fe Alloy I use is brighter, but sweeter and slightly looser than Steel. That's my experience.

An Aluminum pickguard shield reduces upper-mids due to the eddy-currents, but does not roll off the highs. It's just the way it works in a certain thickness range aligned with the coil. I learned it from the Bill Lawrence site. The difference is audible. GFS sells them cheap. If you don't believe it, don't try it.

The pickups I will use are quite audibly different than typical Fender designs with stronger fundamentals and more even extended highs. I have some SA's of them and other similar pickups and some comparison recordings of them vs the stock pickups in my SX Hawk. Different pickups sound different, but that's not what this thread is about. It's just a recommendation for a cheap mod that can easily make as much difference as new bridge materials. Since it concerns damping from the neck end, it can potentially have more affect than new bridge materials. I don't know what else to say about it. Try on a cheap guitar if you want.

I understand what you're saying. I heard about this back in the analog days. Since then I've made my own neck washers out of old dimes. It gives me the legendary "Silvertone" that was invented by Paul Revere. Many people have asked me what my secret was, but I could see with this incredibly informative thread of yours going on that it was only a matter of time before it was discovered. If you use the coin silver washers along with vintage screws it almost achieves the glassy bell-like upper mids that are reminiscent of when guitars were powered by coal. Thank you for sharing your research with us!

[Fluoroscope 5000]

Yeah, Paul Revere's “Silvertone” guitar sound was...revolutionary, and nothing "matches" the “smokey” sound of a coal powered amp, but I'm partial to the “molten” qualities of LFTR power. Say man, drawing someone in with what appears as honest interest, only to reveal intent to ridicule strikes me as dark-hearted. Snark is quite poplar with the YT crowd, if that's what you're going for. I'm not proposing scientific theories here – just making some suggestions for cheap easy things to try with my own ideas about why/how. They can be taken with a grain of salt. All that matters is the results.

Sardonicism aside, anyone can listen for differences in the recordings I posted above via quickly A/B'ing similar sections in the files. I'd assume the difference more significant higher on the neck, as it vibrates more strongly further out. Of course, factors like pick attack, pickup height, and string metal fatigue (after a few loosen/tighten cycles) would make bracket material comparisons difficult. A better test could be derived by attaching a hard pick to a rod and letting it swing down from the same height. You could pick several times at a few places on each string, and get averaged spectrograms for each note. I'd think a few seconds each note would be more than enough to show the attack response character. Assuming the strings in the set remain consistent throughout the test and the neck screws are torqued the same, you could get accurate results. I might have done such a test, but I didn't consider it at the time...and I'm not reassembling to do it, as washers dig into the wood. I only described what I heard in the files I recorded with different washers. Judge for yourself. Again, please excuse the indulgent noodling: https://app.box.com/s/2rvkfet7gcueqvy6xxnemv5lynqc1ari

The “...Brs&Shm...” was 1mm Brass washers on front screws and a piece of a Dunlop Ultem 1.20mm pick as a shim under the rear center of the neck heel. It seems to have a slightly “constrained” attack response, perhaps from the neck heel being under tension? I had still been using an old Ultem 120mm pick in one file, which produced a slightly thinner sound, but I thought I’d include the file anyway. I had to replace the low E a few times with different types I had when it broke at the locking tuner from restringing.

I ended up using the “Brs&PC” version for the guitar with doubled up PC pick washers for some slight rear neck tilt. Tilting the neck back slightly alters the way the entire guitar vibrates, affecting the string attack & sustain quality. I thought it evened it out more like a typical set neck Gibson. My latest idea is that a trem system stopped by a door bolt attached under the trem springs could be set to equalize the tension on the front and rear of the guitar, depending on the spring tension. A double acting truss rod should then equalize the tension on the neck. If the resisting tension on the entire guitar is equal to the total string tension, neck tilt would then not be needed to maximize sustain. That's my view, anyway.

You'd probably have to add ~10% more solid mass to the neck joint and headstock for more overall note sustain to become noticeable. The affect on the sound probably just comes down to rigidity of the bracket material. If it's at least harder than the body wood, I'd think it should at least increase upper-harmonic sustain. Not sure of the hardness scales between hard plastics and wood, but I think Lexan is harder than Maple.

The point is to save money on expensive bridge hardware. Bridge hardware should affect the sound differently anyway, but I'd think T6 or T7 Aluminum would be close enough in tone to Titanium. Stainless Steel should produce the most sustain and a more crisp attack than cold rolled Steel or Ti. All these factors might not make much difference alone, but may add up for significant sustain improvement.

[big_teee]

Whatever works for you, that is the important thing.

[frus]

I had to replace the low E a few times with different types I had when it broke at the locking tuner from restringing.

why are you restringing? it's a strat, right? you loosen the strings, put a capo (or even some masking tape) on the first fret (as close to the nut as it gets), unscrew the neck, put whatever into the neck pocket, replace the neck, tune up and there you go

[Fluoroscope 5000]

I wouldn't argue there on either point. Certainly, adding a bracket to tighten the sound could be counter to the desired result. FI, I'd be wary of doing so on a EVH Wolfgang guitar, where the soft lightweight body alters the attack response of the bright Maple neck for a certain loose/dynamic sound. This is the Guitar Tech forum though, so the “shut up and play yer guitar” argument is somewhat counter purpose. The intention is well-received though. I have been putting off reassembling a few guitars, and have been playing much less as of late. I'm not a guitar tech, so I think I'm afraid of screwing it up all up. I'll get around to it soon with some samples of the bizarre “Blend-Swap+Xover-HOoP - 3xMC's on 5pos-SS” wiring scheme.

[Fluoroscope 5000]

I did just loosen the strings, but the E snapped at the locking tuner edge after a few retightenings. I eventually realized to leave some extra in case that happens. More string around the tuner of course leaves more to catch at the nut when whammulating...brah. I never use the thing anyway, so...

[big_teee]

On the shim, I always like a good wood fit.
I sand all the finish off of every thing.
I block some of the tremelos with a wood wedge block, if the player doesn't want the tremelo.
It gives better sustain that way.
On strings, I put Slinky 10s on most rigs I work on.
On the shielding, On a Strat I use heavy duty Aluminum foil.
A good spring ground is needed.
All the tone shaping, I do with the custom hand wound pickups, Pots, and Tone Caps.
T

[Fluoroscope 5000]

I've always been on and off in my playing. I consider it a hobby, or as a way to get in touch with myself...er...um...I saw a recommendation to use a small door bolt under/next to the springs as a block. That would allow to set it free-floating if desired. I'm going to give that a shot – easy enough to install.

I use Aluminum tape only under the pickups and in the control cavity for potential rheostat caused hum-buzz. I don't know if it would reduce the highs close to and perpendicular to the coils, and the least foil near the pickups, the less possibility of strange behavior if it loosens and touches a lead or something. The Wilde Microcoils have copper tape under the coil. Copper tape might offer better RFI noise rejection in the control cavity. I'm not clear on that.

A guitar tech I knew in the Boston area developed something he called a “Rock Block”. He was a very smart guy and a massive shredder. He replaced the wood above the 14 to 16th fret with a block of Ebony carved to the height of where the remaining frets would be. He figured the loss of sustain was minimal up that high, and it offers better micro-tonality than scalloping. He was the one who told me you really never know what you'll get when you bolt a neck and body together, but he found weight-balanced guitars generally sound better. There may be something to that idea. As I say, he was a very smart fellow.

[big_teee]

On Strats I take everything off the pickguard.
Then I cut and glue the heavy foil on the pickguard.
I cut the pickup holes out, and mount all the pots and switches on the foil pickguard.
I don't put any foil in the pickup cavities.
I do use a lot of shielded wire even on Single Coils, sometimes.
I like to put copper foil on the bottom of the pickups to ground all the magnets.
Makes everything much quieter.
T

[Fluoroscope 5000]

Looks good. That was interesting stuff about how blades produce more consistent lower harmonic content in the pickup forum. Yeah, the magnets should be grounded from what little I know. 0.003” Aluminum duct tape under the pickups reduces bad (unshielded?) light dimmer hum-buzz. Not sure if it's direct or from the power circuit – probably direct. I do it as a precaution. Al tape is easy to apply, but does not conduct on the sticky side. The GFS 0.014” Al Strat shields can be used to soften the upper-mids for a sweeter sound. It was apparently done to Fenders at some point, so BL said. It may have been a key element in early 60's Strat sounds, but who can say at this point. Try two if you really want to hear it. If the pickups roll off too low, it won't be noticeable. I'd make sure you get at least 4kHz Rz to be sure. You need a fairly low C cable with average ~2.4 Strat pickups and 250k pots for that. ~350pF total C should do it, depending on the internal pickup C. Lower C would be more “flexible”.