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Deadspots after shimming

fakejake

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Joined
Sep 3, 2010
Messages
1,274
Hey all,
I have a gorgeous '64 Jazzmaster ( https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nHQ4ZSpfDoN6Te7Se1Pkhk-CuP6UWUpx) on which I recently had the neck shimmed. The neck angle just wasn't right and the action was ways too high in the upper part of the neck.
Now it plays beatutfully, but there are several deadnotes around the 12th fret (particularly the G string) that I know weren't there before.
Is this a known issue? I can imagine how shimming might lead to that, but is there any potential solution? Like slightly moving the shim, using a different material or a smaller shim?
Or is it basically a choice between a bad neck angle or deadspots (at least in this particluar case)?
Any tips would be highly appreciated!!
Cheers + stay healthy all! :salude




 

11Bravo

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2002
Messages
346
If you had someone shim the neck I'd give him a call and tell him what's going on. Otherwise sometimes just a little turn on the trussrod will do the trick. I mean like 1/16th to 1/8th of a turn. Sometimes a truss rod adjustment isn't apparent for a couple of days. You can also try raising the offending sting saddle a hair.
 

latestarter

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Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
Nice custom colour JM!

Yes to a small tweak on the truss rod, and/or you could try StewMac full size neck shims.

https://www.stewmac.com/Materials_a...itar_Necks/StewMac_Neck_Shims_for_Guitar.html

In theory they emulate what a custom angled neck pocket would do. I have made my own full sized shims previously...but these are super easy.

Are you still able to order things in the USA and have them delivered? What about lockdowns?
 

fred dons

Active member
Joined
Jul 20, 2001
Messages
318
I second the stew mac shims, they make sure you retain full contact and avoid that your neck develops a small ski slope at the 20th fret

and yes upto last week I was able to order from the US and get it delivered to my doorstep. some companies like Warmoth have a complete shutdown I believe but others are still open for online shopping
 

fakejake

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Sep 3, 2010
Messages
1,274
Thanks all, great advice! :peace2
I'll mess with the trussrod tonight and change the shim next time I change strings. Currently it is just a piece of plastic at the back of the neck pocket. I'll try a full sized maple shim, maybe that'll help.
:salude
 

Wilko

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Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,853
Thanks all, great advice! :peace2
I'll mess with the trussrod tonight and change the shim next time I change strings. Currently it is just a piece of plastic at the back of the neck pocket. I'll try a full sized maple shim, maybe that'll help.
:salude

your plastic shim is fine. Might not be the "best" but noone could tell tyhe difference if your neck is set well.

Once the neck is set and frets are level, all other adjustments are the same--it's not the shims fault. Action is set at the nut, saddles and relief. pretty basic stuff.

Enjoy:hank
 

agogetr

Active member
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
451
some strats have the 'wolfnote' problem on the fat E string around the 11th or 12th fret.i have a 63 with this problem, any known cures? i thought about angling the neck a bit. ?
 

Wilko

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Mar 11, 2002
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some strats have the 'wolfnote' problem on the fat E string around the 11th or 12th fret.i have a 63 with this problem, any known cures? i thought about angling the neck a bit. ?
Lower the neck pickup on that side. It’s the magnetic pull
 

Wilko

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Mar 11, 2002
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20,853
No need to mess with shims. They are fine and don’t cause neck to bend
 

RocknRollShakeUp

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Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
766
I run stew Mac shims in my two JM's, a Tele, and even in a Strat. I tend to like to improve the neck angle in my Fenders in general, but the JM's definitely need it the most. I also find that a flat neck relief helps to get more harmonic content out of the guitar set up, with more zing and less unwanted plunk, and the shims definitely help to get the angle right so that you can run a nice flat relief and have good action at the same time. In the JM's the higher neck angle is also crucial in getting an improved string break angle across the bridge, as the higher neck angle allows for a higher bridge position. And yeah, you then need to adjust the pickup height for the new set up.

But shimming to get more neck angle and flattening the relief has always made the guitars that received that treatment sound better, more twangy and zingy with better harmonics in my experience.

Best of luck with your awesome Jazzmaster!
 

rockabilly69

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Messages
2,872
I shimmed both of these guitars with Stew Mac shims. And like rock and roll shakeup, I like almost no relief. I just try and get my bridge between 3 and 4 mm off of the deck, and with a flat relief I'm golden. Each .25 shim raises the bridge about 2mm, My guitars are also 7.25 radius so I also compensate the B string height to somewhere between the lowest action I can get out of the high E string and the G string without them choking on the bends.
 

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