Stopping a Strat neck slipping around

[Rich_T]

Hey guys.

So I've got this pretty nice 90's Japanese Strat that plays like a dream. Just recently I've started noticing on neck bends that the whole neck slips in the pocket, sending the high strings flat and the low strings sharp. It soon comes back into tune with a solid tug, but that doesn't seem like a sustainable solution!

What is the best way of getting this bugger to sit still in its pocket?

Many thanks!

Rich

[jumble jumble]

For a start, tighten the screws up!

[King IzzO)))]

+1, you shouldn't be able to move it around if the screws are tight enough. Are the holes in the body way oversized? That could be a problem too, but the only solution is to dowel them and re-drill, probably forcing you to do the neck too. Start by making sure your screws are tight... but not too tight, or you will be doweling and drilling.

[jmh151]

There's a few solutions:

1) Obviously try tightening the screws

2) If tightening screws doesn't work, and you have some window screening lying around, cut some out the shape of the neck pocket, and put it between the neck and body, like a shim. Then tighten. the friction from the window screening will keep it stable

3) If that doesn't work, install machine screws like this

http://www.onyxforgeguitars.com/Insert%20kit.html

The machine screws give you more torque and pressure, you can tighten the neck down more. Yngwie malmsteen uses these on his old strats.

[ErikH]

I had that happen on my Frankenstrat. I took a medium and thick pick, cut them how I needed and put one on each side of the neck to tighten up the fit, then tightened up the screws. Been good to go ever since.

[the guy who invented fire]

Sounds like neck pocket shims will fix that.

Just set the neck where it is right and then test each side of the neck pocket...on one or maybe both sides I'm betting you will find a gap...fill hat gap with something...picks, small shims of wood, card stock...whatever works. I have uses everything form thin picks cut into shape all the way up 2 a dime once on a Kramer and even a popsicle stick on either side of some CBS era Fenders!

[GuitarDoc]

Popsicle sticks?! I've never seen a neck fit that poorly before. Dang, CBS didn't help the guitar industry much.

[the guy who invented fire]

Popsicle sticks?! I've never seen a neck fit that poorly before. Dang, CBS didn't help the guitar industry much.

Yep...1976 Starcaster...I put a popsicle stick on either side of the neck pocket!!! I had to sand them down a little to make one fit on either side but still it was outrageous how much slop there was in the neck pocket!

I also had an aluminum neck Kramer once that had a crappy neck pocket...I put a dime in it but one one and only on the treble side.

I've seen some bad ones but those 2 take the cake!

[BEACHBUM]

Bottom line is that if the screws are all the way in and the whole is not stripped it shouldn't be happening.

[Funkfingers]

Has anybody established why this neck is so mobile? Poor heel to pocket fit (a la CBS?), screws done up wrongly, something else?

It is possible that there is already a shim inserted in the neck joint of the OP's Stratocaster but that it has shifted, leaving the neck free to waggle.

I suggest removing the neck and taking a look before refitting it correctly. Fender MIJ neck joints are usually tighter than a duck's

[MetalManiac]

Yep, the screen trick stopped the neck on my Texas Telecaster assembly from moving at all; that and going gorilla on the screw tightening.