New Guitar Neck Pocket?

Hi all, I live in the UK and have just got what I have been told is a Japanese 1950s reissue Stratocaster in Daphne Blue. The Neck pocket isnt as tight as it could be - but the neck and strings are in-line and the strings move over the pole-pieces. Will the stability of the neck be OK for a few years with those big bolts in the back. Its about a 2mm gap between neck and body on the top horn. Thanks. Apart from that, the guitar is quite acoustic when not plugged in, which points towards good woods and tone I think. It sounds quite sensitive and jangly when amplified too which is nice. I might give it a set up by a pro when I get some more money

New Guitar Neck Pocket?
Hi. I've answered your other question on the same guitar too!

From what you're saying now, I think it's likely you have a 'bitsa'. There is no way ANY Fender guitar would leave the factory, whether Mexico, Japan, or USA, with a 2mm gap between the neck %26amp; body. If you've paid money for it, take it back to the shop.



Edit: I hear what you're saying, but at the end of the day, you have been sold a product which is obviously faulty. Take it back %26amp; show them the fault, if they give you any cr*p, ask to compare the neck fit of your guitar with others in the shop.

Try to be nice about it though, no sales assistant is going to be inclined to help you if you're ranting %26amp; raving, but be prepared to if they won't budge.
Reply:Hi



I rebuild electric guitars as a hobby/home business. If the neck pocket is oversize by the amount you say it would appear that the neck has been replaced at some point, especially if the gap is just at the horn edge side. Is the guitar brand new or second-hand ? Is the neck definitely a Fender Stat one, or a Squire copy ? Normally a gap at this point leads to poor sustain, and a thin sound. See :- http://home.cogeco.ca/~jciguitars/strat_...



A standard Strat neck pocket is 3" x 2 3/16 " with a curved end stop to it. If the body has a telecaster neck pocket this has a square end. inserting a Strat neck into a Tele pocket can cause the neck to shift a little.



Take a look at this site for tips on setting it up :-



http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutoria...



Good luck
Reply:As above, could be a japanese neck on a cheaper body hence the gap, that wouldn't happen at the factory, the saying goes that you shouldn't really be able to get a cigarette paper between any neck joins.



How much u pay? should stay firm, if u like it then keep it.
Reply:I disagree with some ideas that there is no way "Fender" would leave such a gap. It IS possible that the neck has been changed but it's also possible that it was made in Inchon, South Korea - a plant that I visited as a writer for a magazine. They were making Fenders, Epiphones, you name the "off" brand, they were making them. Their quality control was, as Borat would say, "Not so much."



To address your original question, I had severe problems with 3-bolt Strats because of the loose neck pocket %26amp; the lack of the 4th bolt. Since I have owned guitars as you describe, I can say that a small, unoticable shim glued against the side of the neck pocket is the solution.



There are many "experts" but only you can decide what you want to do with your instrument. Hope you get it fixed.