Turning Truss Rod doesn't have an effect : RESURRECTED

[indysmith]

...I never did get round to fixing this strat up...UNTIL TODAY.
I noticed it lying in the corner of the room and decided to do something about it. I've put a 1mm plectrum in the neck pocket as a shim, and that got rid of the buzz; then i was free to use the action adjusting screws on the bridge to level out the saddles a bit more and it feels godly.

Only complaint i have is that the plectrum shim seems like a bit of a bodge. is there anyone that makes them professionally? if not can one of you guys (wez/jonathan/bob/anyone else) make me a simple maple shim to stick in there? PM me with quotes for prices...

[Twinfan]

Fender use small pieces of cardboard as shims - your plectrum seems fine to me as a solution!

[indysmith]

the thing is i've used it to increase the angle of the neck and it looks a bit dodgy with a 1mm gap at the heel where you can see the screws holding the neck on and a plectrum jammed in, lol

[38thBeatle]

I used bits of card from a cereal  box for years in one of my guitars and it was a major overhaul that prompted their removal but they did the job.

[WezV]

i usually use a bit of wood veneer if i am shimming a neck, i generally have a few different thicknesses lying around.  Usually about 5mm and 50mm long.  I place the shim just in front of the back 2 neck screws rather than right at the back of the pocket - but that usually depends on how much angle i am trying to get. The neck should still screw down nice and tight at the front edge of the pocket and teh gap at the back should be barely noticeable

 A plectrum will make do but isnt really the ideal shape and doesnt create a neat angle increase like a straight bit of wood.

[Philly Q]

I use bits of wet-or-dry sandpaper - on the theory that it won't compress and much as cardboard, and it ought to hold together if the guitar gets wet (God forbid, but be prepared for all eventualities...)

I remember a Dan Erlewine column in Guitar Player where he made a proper tapered shim from a bit of maple.  It was about 1mm thick at the front and tapered away to literally nothing at the other end - it looked like a thin shaving from a block of cheese!

[badgermark]

What's this neck shim stuff about then? My Strat STILL buzzes after a good set up, only slightly noticable but still enough to piss me off. ANy good resources out there to school me?

[FELINEGUITARS]

...I never did get round to fixing this strat up...UNTIL TODAY.
I noticed it lying in the corner of the room and decided to do something about it. I've put a 1mm plectrum in the neck pocket as a shim, and that got rid of the buzz; then i was free to use the action adjusting screws on the bridge to level out the saddles a bit more and it feels godly.

Only complaint i have is that the plectrum shim seems like a bit of a bodge. is there anyone that makes them professionally? if not can one of you guys (wez/jonathan/bob/anyone else) make me a simple maple shim to stick in there? PM me with quotes for prices...

Can you clarify where in the neck pocket you have put the shim/plectrum?
If it's under the heel of the neck then where exactly???
It certainly wont rescue an over-straight neck, but if it is at the trailing edge of the pocket it will have tilted the neck & raised the action somewhat and that will give you extra clearance and reduce buzzing but at the expense of your low action.
Actually I will assume that the above is what you have done as if the shim is at the body end of the cavity it will have tilted the neck the other way which would have lowered your action which certainly wont have helped the buzz situation....

[indysmith]

...I never did get round to fixing this strat up...UNTIL TODAY.
I noticed it lying in the corner of the room and decided to do something about it. I've put a 1mm plectrum in the neck pocket as a shim, and that got rid of the buzz; then i was free to use the action adjusting screws on the bridge to level out the saddles a bit more and it feels godly.

Only complaint i have is that the plectrum shim seems like a bit of a bodge. is there anyone that makes them professionally? if not can one of you guys (wez/jonathan/bob/anyone else) make me a simple maple shim to stick in there? PM me with quotes for prices...

Can you clarify where in the neck pocket you have put the shim/plectrum?
If it's under the heel of the neck then where exactly???
It certainly wont rescue an over-straight neck, but if it is at the trailing edge of the pocket it will have tilted the neck & raised the action somewhat and that will give you extra clearance and reduce buzzing but at the expense of your low action.
Actually I will assume that the above is what you have done as if the shim is at the body end of the cavity it will have tilted the neck the other way which would have lowered your action which certainly wont have helped the buzz situation....

yes you're right - i've used the shim to give extra clearance and get rid of the low action (it was so low that i couldn't stop it buzzing). It looks like (from browsing other forums) most people use the shim the other way, to get lower action - which obviously would look far less messy. any chance you could make me a shim for a standard strat neck pocket of about 1mm like the dan erlewine one that Phlliy Q mentioned? - i'd do it myself but i don't have any maple or woodworking skills of any sort.

[indysmith]

*bump*

[Philly Q]

Not much help if you're not a woodworker, but it's on pages 74-75 of the Guitar Player Repair Guide.  Turns out the shim was mahogany, not maple, and it doesn't have the photo - but it explains how to make one.