Another wacky neck ... '74 sideways bend.

[Thomas James]

1974 Fender.  While fixing a loose neck/pocket problem I saw this huge sideways curve. It has crazy low frets too. The owner is a gigging professional player. I don't know how he does it!  Have a look at this one: (out of frame the straight edge is at the nut and the last fret). This era of Fender is sad...

[Mark A. Kane]

It's the owner's fault. This is called gravity droop. It has nothing to do with the quality of the wood. It comes from only playing your guitar in the same position all the time. The owner can try balancing on his head while playing so as to counteract the force of gravity on the neck. Or, a little heat will fix it....(a fireplace, maybe) or try adjusting the lateral truss rod. 

I've seen one of these too. It's definitely an eye opener.

[Thomas James]

Ha!  I'll suggest he goes lefty. That should do it!  - The neck pocket was mess.

[Thomas James]

Actually looking this again... he's been doing gigs in negative gravity. ;)

[Ned Knepp]

Maybe he doesn't need those notes on the high E string.

[Mark Pollock]

Maybe they started installing sideways truss rods to go with the sideways fret installation.

[Paul Verticchio]

TOO MANY gigging players in my locale play those awful 70's Strats and I see this fairly often. I've also noticed that the owners of these instruments have been "fooled" into thinking that the original low & wide frets are how all frets SHOULD be. "If Fender did it, well, it musta been right, right?" [sigh of exasperation].

"The owner is a gigging professional player. I don't know how he does it! "  Tom, I think this falls under the "Ignorance is Bliss" category.  Look at those flat spots under the A string on frets 6 through 9!!!!  I wouldn't even mention it to him as he probably never noticed.

As a pro player myself, I don't see where the high E string would pose much of a problem.  The owner has probably developed a natural 'muscle/memory' way around it.

It's sad, but it's also exactly why Leo designed them with replaceable neck (:  Hey, you could 'scallop the bass side'  to match the treble side (;

Thanks for posting this with the straight edge for comparison.  I'm going to start a "It needs to be repaired because..." photo book for my clients just to let them know that they're not the only ones who have these types of common problems. I hope you don't mind me using this photo.

Have a GREAT weekend Tom (-:

[Thomas James]

Paul, using the photo is okay with me. The owner is fine with this guitar. My job was to solve the moving neck tuning problem. I never pick at scabs that could turn into heart surgery.. If it were mine, it would have a new neck.... and body ;) 

[Tim Mace]

yep... that's the way they made 'em back in '74......