Members lodom Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 I've found a really nice-playing and great-looking Fender Custom Shop strat, but I noticed there is a slight gap between the side of the neck and the guitar body. A business card or the price tag hanging from the instrument will slide easily in the gap, but not much more. I didn't try a pick. I'm kind of disappointed that a custom shop model would have this much of a gap, but it is the exact color and neck combination I've been looking for. Should I just pass on this guitar, and look for a American issue with a tighter pocket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members exhaust_49 Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 I think the rule is that ideally the neck should fit tighly enough in the pocket that you can pick up the guitar by the neck and have the body stay in place with no bolts. Pssss..... that's why I'll never buy fender again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mcinku Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 If you like the guitar and if it's a player, you can alway do this.... neck pocket fix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lodom Posted June 17, 2006 Author Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 Thanks for the repsonses! Another option is to custom order an Anderson at about 50% more cost. A nicer guitar, but getting out of my price range, since I'm just getting back into music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 If it's got 4 bolts on it I wouldn't worry too much. ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members batotman Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 No gap here and GREAT price (this weekend ONLY)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 Originally posted by lodom I've found a really nice-playing and great-looking Fender Custom Shop strat, but I noticed there is a slight gap between the side of the neck and the guitar body. A business card or the price tag hanging from the instrument will slide easily in the gap, but not much more. I didn't try a pick. I'm kind of disappointed that a custom shop model would have this much of a gap, but it is the exact color and neck combination I've been looking for.Should I just pass on this guitar, and look for a American issue with a tighter pocket? Plenty of custom shop strats out there that play and look great. I would pass on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members magentaplacenta Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 If it plays well, I wouldn't worry about being able to slip a business card in the neck gap. That seems pretty trivial to me when deciding on a bolt-on purchase. Of course I'd go with an American Standard as I can't personally justify the price difference between Standard and Custom Shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 Originally posted by magentaplacenta If it plays well, I wouldn't worry about being able to slip a business card in the neck gap. That seems pretty trivial to me when deciding on a bolt-on purchase. Of course I'd go with an American Standard as I can't personally justify the price difference between Standard and Custom Shop. I agree that its NOT something to "freak" over but with so many of them out there I personally would pass. I mean the places are overflowing with stratocasters these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratTone Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 Originally posted by Blackbelt1 If it's got 4 bolts on it I wouldn't worry too much.~Blackbelt I agree plus, what exact model is it? Some Custom shop models are recreated just like the original and are suppose to have the gap. I have a '51 Nocaster and it doesn't have a gab where your talking about but it does have an overhang just like the orginal. Suppose to be that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lodom Posted June 18, 2006 Author Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 It is a Team built Custom Classic V neck with a maple fretboard, their version of the American Series strat. The neck is a 4 bolt version. The 3-tone sunburst and wood on the body are perfect, a lot nicer than what I typically see on an American model, and the neck and action are really good, especially since it comes setup with 10s instead of 9's. I would have thought that the Custom shop would be dang near perfect in attention to detail. Everything else about the guitar is great, and it needs zero adjustments. I realize this is probably 95% cosmetic, and I'm still thinking about it. When I first went to look at it, a guy who has an EJ model and a couple PRS's was suffering from a case of GAS over it. The biggest problem is the dealer said lead time ordering another a custom shop guitar is around 9 months, and he showed me one he waited 22 months for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Maxx61 Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 Small gaps in the neck joint in most cases are aesthetic issues and have very little, if anything, to do with the structural integrity of the guitar or the resonance. As one contributor wrote, "if it has four bolts, I wouldn't worry about it."From what I've gathered over the years, for every signature Malmsteen from Fender I've seen with a tight neck pocket, five are sloppy and yet they still sound pretty damn good. It's an "attention to detail" item which says more about the manufacturer than it does the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TeleFromHelly Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 If it plays well and sounds good acoustically and plugged, I wouldn't worry about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AbbeSauniere Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 A gap that small is purely aesthetic. I had a '94 MIA Standard that had a thin gap that I could slide a business card in. Never had issues with sustain or tone. Was a tough little bird too. I abused the f*ck out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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