79' Stratocaster With a Warped Neck

[Philip Secrist]

I have a '79 strat (one piece maple neck) that came into my shop that has a warped neck. The guy left it strung up in the basement for 20 years with the truss rod loose, so the neck has a pretty severe concave bow (two much relief) from the 7th fret to the nut. I measure about a 3/64ths dip from level at the worst point. The rest of the fretboard is reasonably straight and can be adjusted with the truss rod, but it doesn't straighten out the bow from the 7th fret to the nut. Any suggestions?

Removing the frets, leveling, re-fretting, and refinishing the neck, would normally be the fix, but I haven't done fingerboard leveling on a strat (I work mostly on acoustics) and I am concerned about thinning the fretboard too much at the nut end. The thickness of the fret board there measures about 5/64th, so if I have to level that end down 3/64ths to get the fingerboard flat, that doesn't leave much thickness above the truss rod channel. Is this a problem?

Anyone else have a strat with a similar problem? Am I wrong to put the chances of suing heat and pressure applied to the neck to help the problem at about zero. What do you all think?

I suggested a replacement neck, but the customer wants to preserve the Fender decals and keep everything as original as possible, even though I explained that it is not a vintage instrument.

[RETROROD]

Removing the fretboard is impossible if it is a one-piece maple neck...!

Hey Phillip, what is the color of that body, by the way? The guitar looks to be pretty clean. To bad about the neck.

[Philip Secrist]

I am not sure what the color is. It is not sea foam green, it is more of a pea green. Maybe someone else knows the name for it.

[Scott Supak]

It kinda looks like an Antigua, from what I can see.

[Mark Pollock]

I REALLY hate to suggest this, but there are places to buy bootleg decals, and ways to make a copy of the serial number and put it on a new neck, and ways to age a neck. Give this to the guy as the only choice, because fixing that thing is going to be impossible, and any repairs would seem to be short-lived at best. OR - have him ship the neck to Fender and see what they come up with. Whatever you do, don't take the job of fixing this knobbly walking stick with frets on it.

[Mark Wallace]

The color looks like it might have been Inca Silver, prior to yellowing of the poly. 

[RETROROD]

Yeah Mark..Kind of looks like that to me also. Very cool color.

[Donald A. Fortune]

Hi Philip- I think if you go to  an orthorized Fender dealer you can get a replacement neck with the same serial number and alike-- check it out to see if I am correct--

Peace, Donald

[STGuitarworks]

I'll suggest www.warmoth.com.

[RETROROD]

I agree. I have had great luck with the Warmoth Tele neck,,,The Strat neck should be as good!

[Mike Kolb]

I think Philip mentioned the owner would not go with a replacement neck, as he insists on having the Fender logo and serial number affixed.

As an aside, I would agree with using a Warmoth replacement neck.... and then starting the search for the elusive decals!  A quick look-see in the classified section of Vintage Guitar magazine will yield what's needed:) 

[Russell Vance]

If you are going for a replacement neck and you want the exact configuration that Fender use (except for a whisker shaved off to get around the copy right rules) which includes the vitally important truss rod type and OEM frets and installation you should probably have a look at USACG.This is Tommy Rosemunds USA CUSTOM GUITARS operation and as an ex-Warmouth cutter he is, in my professional opinion, the best after market Fender style neck maker in the business.

Warmouth necks are a crap shoot - some are great some are not so great and speaking from wide experience with this brand I would make the observation that no two are alike. 

We have a long association with USACG and I am happy to strongly recommend Tommy and his outstanding business.

Regards,

Rusty.