My HM fender- poorly.

[Helmholtz]

1.95mm low E, 2.2mm top E.

That's an excellent pro setup (see post #5).

[Sea Chief]

That's an excellent pro setup (see post #5).

Eh? that's weird. Ok let's call it 2mm. Is that the figure that you expect, on yours, before the buzzing goes then? or, do you just like a high action?

[Helmholtz]

or, do you just like a high action?

Haha! No, I don't prefer high action. But clear ringing is more important to me than low action.

As said, around 2mm action is typical with many pro strat players. Depending on playing style some get away with somewhat lower values. You need to find out yourself.

Fender Strat manual recommends/specifies treble 2 (+/-0.4)mm, bass 2.4 (+/-0.4)mm measured at fret17.

[Sea Chief]

Haha! No, I don't prefer high action. But clear ringing is more important to me than low action.

As said, around 2mm action is typical with many pro strat players. Depending on playing style some get away with somewhat lower values. You need to find out yourself.

Fender Strat manual recommends/specifies treble 2 (+/-0.4)mm, bass 2.4 (+/-0.4)mm measured at fret17.

Well this is a new one on me. I thought the idea was for pros to go as low as poss so they do silly solo twaddle quicker than the next bloke. I'm gonna put 9's on to see if I get back a bit of my 'buttery' numnums. My saddle things tho.. look all funny so high. I don't know what's going on there. And my p'ups will need to be raised right up. Sort of makes it looks a bit crappy now.

[Helmholtz]

I don't think you could have changed PU to string distance by more than maybe 1.5 mm by raising the action.

Rather it seems that neck and body don't match well and this neck would require a deeper neck pocket in the body.

[Sea Chief]

I don't think you could have changed PU to string distance by more than maybe 1.5 mm by raising the action.

Rather it seems that neck and body don't match well and this neck would require a deeper neck pocket in the body.

But it looked great before! seriously Ive raised the game pretty considerably. I dont think a jazzmaster neck end bit is any deeper than a strat. Hmm.

[Helmholtz]

Different manufacturers use different dimensions. I've often seen this problem.
E.g. my Fender Japan strat neck doesn't fit any of my Fender Mex or USA Strat bodies.

[Sea Chief]

Different manufacturers use different dimensions. I've often seen this problem.
E.g. my Fender Japan strat neck doesn't fit any of my Fender Mex or USA Strat bodies.

I can't say this doesn't fit.. it did fit the pocket perfectly & looks spot on to be honest (the only difference being a slightly larger headstock afaict). Its just now Ive done this raising saddles thing Ive got alot of air below strings now.

[Helmholtz]

Excessive distance between strings and pickguard means that your fretboard lies too high above the body and must have one of the following reasons:

- too shallow neck pocket (for given neck)
- too thick neck "tongue" (for the body)
- slanted contact faces between neck tongue and neck pocket (less likely but does happen, effect is the same as with an inner/back end neck shim).

None of these conditions will look bad.

[Dave H]

I can't say this doesn't fit.. it did fit the pocket perfectly & looks spot on to be honest (the only difference being a slightly larger headstock afaict). Its just now Ive done this raising saddles thing Ive got alot of air below strings now.

The last partscaster I put together using parts from different sources ended up having the action far too high with the bridge saddles set to the normal height. I had to put a shim (a few thicknesses of business card) in the neck pocket at the neck pu end of the pocket to lower the action. If yours doesn't have a shim there you could remove perhaps it would benefit from a shim at the other (outer) end of the pocket? This would tilt the neck forwards raising the action so the saddles could be lowered to restore normal 2mm action.

[Sea Chief]

The last partscaster I put together using parts from different sources ended up having the action far too high with the bridge saddles set to the normal height. I had to put a shim (a few thicknesses of business card) in the neck pocket at the neck pu end of the pocket to lower the action. If yours doesn't have a shim there you could remove perhaps it would benefit from a shim at the other (outer) end of the pocket? This would tilt the neck forwards raising the action so the saddles could be lowered to restore normal 2mm action.

That's an idea Dave H. Was the neck visibly tilted on the body at all, once you'd done this?

[Dave H]

I've only ever had to put shims at the neck pu end of the pocket and the neck has always looked fine wrt the body.

[Helmholtz]

I'm not sure if I understand correctly, but a typical neck shim at the end of the pocket (neck PU side) will force an even higher saddle height, while a shim at the front of the pocket might help.

[Dave H]

I'm not sure if I understand correctly, but a typical neck shim at the end of the pocket (neck PU side) will force an even higher saddle height.

Yes true but that's what my guitar needed. I was suggesting SC try a shim at the other end of the pocket (which I've not had to try myself) as he has the opposite problem. It could look bad but it's easy to try without removing the neck, just slacken the neck screws, slip in the card, re-tighten the screws then lower the saddles to restore the action to 2mm

[Sea Chief]

Bugger. I was measuring not at the 17th.. but the 12th fret. Im used to doing the 12th, no idea why.. prolly cos those two dots drew me in like little eyes..

Now Ive got 2.2mm on the low E, and nearly 3mm on the top E.