Re-neck my Strat

sile2001

sile2001

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I've got a 2001 MIA Strat hardtail with a rosewood fretboard that's pretty nice and all, but I've been starting to think that I would like the feel and sound of the maple fretboard instead. There's nothing special about the guitar aside from the Delta-Tone wiring thing (which I've been thinking about replacing anyway), so I don't really see any downside to just getting a replacement neck aside from any serial numbers not matching (which I don't see as a big deal).

That said, I don't know about the cost of replacing the neck, so it might just be better to sell this one and get one that already has a maple fretboard. Anyone have any input on this? Thanks!
 
Fender no longer sells replacement ANY necks except to replace necks which are "beyond repair." That's direct from the techs at Fender.

You could probably find one on eBay, but to be frank, if you really want to try it, get a neck from USA Custom or Warmoth (which are better necks anyway, though they won't say Fender), and give it a try, but ALWAYS keep your original neck because the resale value of a guitar with it's original Fender neck will be much higher.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Warmoth now makes the high-end fender necks, so a Warmoth would be a safe bet although it'd kill the resale value because it didn't have the little Fender logo. If you're going to keep the original neck and just play it though, I say go for it.
 
I did the same thing many years ago. I kept the fender neck and after I got tired of fooling around with a left handed tele neck a few years later, I put the fender back on. It had been saved from 3 or 4 years of wear and tear.
 
Consider the Carvin neck. Although the web site doesn't show it, it's available in a dizzying array of woods, fingerboards, headstocks, radii, and fretwires. They are extremely playable.
 
Get a squire neck, sand off the logo, tint it with a tinting kit from re-ranch, apply a fender headstock logo you can get off of ebay, and then apply a thin coat of clear laquer.

instant cheapo fender neck!
 
apl said:
Consider the Carvin neck. Although the web site doesn't show it, it's available in a dizzying array of woods, fingerboards, headstocks, radii, and fretwires. They are extremely playable.
Click to expand...


It wouldn't fit without modifying the body.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
From what I've been looking at (unless I've been looking at the wrong thing), the cost of the neck I would want would be over half of the current worth of the guitar not even counting installation (which I wouldn't try myself). Right now I'm just leaning towards selling it and getting something else. Any thoughts on the G&L line? The fact that Leo left Fender and started G&L says something, but then I've heard reports of slipping QC since the early 90's. I'd prolly just get one of the Legacy models, which is basically a straight up strat with better hardware and a better tremolo.
 
G&L is pretty nice stuff for the money. I played an ASAT for a while. Played nice, sounded good, no issues. $800 or so for an American made guitar isn't so bad. If you like Gibson, Heritage is the same thing. Still made in Kalamazoo.
 
sile2001 said:
...The fact that Leo left Fender and started G&L says something...
Click to expand...



Well, he sold Fender because his doctors told him he was going to die. When it turned out they were wrong, he started G&L, which are quite fine guitars.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
It wouldn't fit without modifying the body.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...

Sorry bro but you are incorrect. Carvin neck pockets are exactly the same as Fender's. It'll swap out with no issue as far as fit. I don't happen to like the carbon fibre stablizing rods in the Carvin necks so I would stear towards Warmoth or USACG. Stay away from bernie heffner at all cost!

edit: I have put Carvin necks on more than a few Strats. ;)
 
Micter said:
Sorry bro but you are incorrect. Carvin neck pockets are exactly the same as Fender's. It'll swap out with no issue as far as fit. I don't happen to like the carbon fibre stablizing rods in the Carvin necks so I would stear towards Warmoth or USACG. Stay away from bernie heffner at all cost!

edit: I have put Carvin necks on more than a few Strats. ;)
Click to expand...


The one in the link APL posted is too square for a Strat. You can see it just by looking.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
The one in the link APL posted is too square for a Strat. You can see it just by looking.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...

I'll argue with you if you want. Carvin's neck pocket is an exact match with Fender's. I have a lot of experience with Carvin necks. Look a little closer. Maybe try squinting? :D I see the curve at the heal of the neck in that pic. I will admit it isn't a great picture but that neck as all of Carvin's bolt ons have the same heal as Fender's necks and have for many years.

taken fron Carvin's site

BN - Bolt On Hardrock Maple Neck
The BN bolt on six-string neck has several advantages over stock Strat necks. The tilt-back headstock eliminates the need for a string tree and provides crisper open notes. The neck is supplied with a pre-slotted graphite nut which incorporates Teflon. Carvin's exlusive diamond ground fingerboard is accurate to within one thousandth of an inch for super low string action. Hard alloy precision medium jumbo frets are .103 wide and .048 tall. Drilled to accept all popular tuners including Carvin or Sperzels. Ebony fingerboard with 22 frets and 25 1/2" scale. 1.71" wide @ nut, 2.22" wide @ 22nd fret. Fits 21 or 22 fret Strats and many other guitars with neck pocket dimensions of 2 3/16" x 5/8" x 3". Ready to be tung oiled or sprayed. Please allow 1-3 weeks for necks to ship, for necks with special options allow 3-6 weeks.
 
I researched hollowbodies for a year before I bought one, and now I am looking at necks.

There are a couple things that I don't like about the carvin neck. Firstly, that it doesn't state the radius. Secondly, Carvin has always sold their guitar stuff on this great low action possible using their manufacturing techniques. Low action isn't everthing. A guitar with low action doesn't have the dynamic range of a guitar with higher action. I play kind of hard and low action guitars peter out when you flog them. You need to have some relief in the neck for the strings to vibrate or they lose their energy when they accidentally brush up against the higher frets.

I am most optimistic about some of the ebay auctions where some guy seemingly runs a Fender junkyard. I saw decent prices on stock fender 60s necks (some with tuners). I am not ready to buy now or anything, but I am most comfortable buying a fender neck rather than these licensed necks. they may be good enough for me given my action and the slop that it affords.

I am looking to replace the Kramer neck on my homemade guitar since it's starting to show some fret wear. I like vintage radius fingerboards (7.25 is greatm but I can live with the 9.5) 12" is out of the question. I intended to get rosewood, but I'd take a maple 50s-re-issue type. the Kramer neck has a floyd nut with no locks which I think works OK. It looks like there are a fair number of floyd-nut necks on there at good prices, so I may do that again, just for fun.
 
cephus said:
I researched hollowbodies for a year before I bought one, and now I am looking at necks.

There are a couple things that I don't like about the carvin neck. Firstly, that it doesn't state the radius. Secondly, Carvin has always sold their guitar stuff on this great low action possible using their manufacturing techniques. Low action isn't everthing. A guitar with low action doesn't have the dynamic range of a guitar with higher action. I play kind of hard and low action guitars peter out when you flog them. You need to have some relief in the neck for the strings to vibrate or they lose their energy when they accidentally brush up against the higher frets.

I am most optimistic about some of the ebay auctions where some guy seemingly runs a Fender junkyard. I saw decent prices on stock fender 60s necks (some with tuners). I am not ready to buy now or anything, but I am most comfortable buying a fender neck rather than these licensed necks. they may be good enough for me given my action and the slop that it affords.

I am looking to replace the Kramer neck on my homemade guitar since it's starting to show some fret wear. I like vintage radius fingerboards (7.25 is greatm but I can live with the 9.5) 12" is out of the question. I intended to get rosewood, but I'd take a maple 50s-re-issue type. the Kramer neck has a floyd nut with no locks which I think works OK. It looks like there are a fair number of floyd-nut necks on there at good prices, so I may do that again, just for fun.
Click to expand...

You can specify your radius with Carvin but I think 10" is the smallest.
I'm with you on the low action. I need some string height on my guitars as well.
 
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