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Strat copy truss, bridge, and action

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  • 07-07-2014 6:24pm
    #1
    Labarbapostiza
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 963 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I've got an old Strat copy (it's pretty close), that I've been doing some work on. The factory set up was pretty bad. I've done a little with the truss. Adjusted the screws holding the bridge spring. I have it in better shape, but I don't know what order I should be doing everything in?

    Any advice?


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    #2
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Set up the bridge the way you like it (floating, or tight against the body generally), then string it up and take a look at the neck and see if it is bowed, or overly straight and adjust the truss accordingly. Then you can work on the action, intonation and nut.

    I'm no tech, but that's how I would go about it I reckon.


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    #3
    Labarbapostiza
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 963 ✭✭✭Labarbapostiza


    I've kind of figured it out now. It will take several attempts to get it perfect, I don't have all the tools at my disposal, and I'm going by trial and error.

    I've being spending my entire live playing guitars that were in a bad factory setup. Too afraid to have a go at the settings.


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    #4
    Labarbapostiza
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 963 ✭✭✭Labarbapostiza


    I think I pushed the truss too far.


    It's gone loose and the strings are over bowed again.


    Any tips?


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    #5
    slavetothegrind
    Registered Users Posts: 2,789 ✭✭✭slavetothegrind


    http://hazeguitars.com/books/


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    #6
    Labarbapostiza
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 963 ✭✭✭Labarbapostiza


    slavetothegrind wrote: »
    http://hazeguitars.com/books/

    Thanks.

    It has improved my knowledge of the truss. I hasn't sorted my problem. (I shouldn't have over pushed it, but ya learn, doncha). It's a weird truss rod, it's based on a fender, but I removed the neck and I could see the bottom nut of the truss. My rod isn't broken, but I have to figure out how to undo what I did. The guitar is not as over bowed as when I started, so a little progress there. But I nearly had it just where I needed it, before the crrcsh noise.


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    #7
    biketard
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭biketard


    Can you be a bit more specific on the noise you heard?

    You've either snapped the truss rod somewhere, or compressed the wood that it's leaning against. If it suddenly went slack then my money is on the former and you're pretty fecked. If you've compressed the wood, you can deal with this by finding a suitable washer or two to put under the truss rod nut (add some vaseline as lubrication), thus giving it a bit more travel (if that makes sense). Actually I just had one more thought that you may have stripped the threads, though I've never seen them go before the truss rod snapped.

    I'm late to this thread, but I wrote up a couple of how-to's on my blog for setting up a Strat and setting up the trem.
    http://diystrat.blogspot.com/2011/08/setting-up-or-adjusting-stratocaster.html
    http://diystrat.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-set-up-electric-guitar.html

    If you have somehow NOT wrecked the truss rod, then you may be able to get it back to playable condition by following those.

    Good luck OP!

    P.S. If the truss rod is screwed, your best bet is probably just buying a Strat-copy neck off ebay (make sure you check the neck pocket measurements). Some of them can be had for 20-30 Euro.


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