Strat Treble"E" Advice Requested

[Ole'Lefty]

I had always wanted a hardtail Strat; just hate Fender trems- don't know what PRS does to make their similar 6 screw work so well, but they patented it. So, I got a loaded Robert Cray body in beautiful dark violet- custom shop electrics.

I installed one of my ebony FB necks- got so lucky;angle perfect, relief came in with stringing to staggered post Sperzel lockers I installed. Still use winds downward, even with the lockers. New Elixir .009 to .046 strings. Intonation is close but not truly set yet. Action height is perfect and frets cleanly all the way up the neck. It has the best chime that goes angry as desired with P/U selection and tone adjust. Sounds perfect doesn't it?

Problem: The treble "E" does not have the bell quality unfretted-all other strings do. As soon as I fret, it sounds great, like all the others. So, I figure the nut slot. OR since with staggered posts, there is no tree. I put some downward pressure on the string with a screwdriver behind the nut with no improvement ( kind of like a tree would) So, now I am focusing on the nut, with my thinking, slot angle wrong- perhaps take-off point is wrong or angle of slot is clearing the front edge of the nut and string take-off. Using magnification, I could not perceive a visible gap at that south side of the nut. I did one gentle stroke in the slot with a .010 S-Mc gauged file with no real change, but it was a very hesitant stroke ( it felt like it is slotted for .009, which is why I was hesitant). I did not go looking for my gauged saws because I can't recall if they go thinner than .010. I raised the pick ups at the treble side and it perked up but still some mud.

Before I really go after the nut slot, I am asking for input- as you know, a string to nut contact point can be off by an invisible gap and change things. And, maybe on this guitar, staggered posts or not, this guitar needs a tree. I would just start serious but careful filing but for the perfection of everything else. This is an impressive guitar with all of the good things in Fender single coils there and this is one of my necks with ebony that got the soaking CA treatment and vibrato with the finger is amazing and it chimes or bites forever, even through my little Peavey "Backstage II."

My mind is totally open here- I trust you guys and though I have "built/assembled" a few Fenders, and setup more, I am far from expert with them. Thanks!

Please offer your thoughts? I have to grade 18 long essay tests for tonight, so I will be away from the computer for awhile and thus, won't immediately see your suggestions.

 

[Freddy G]

It is your nut slot. Even with staggered post tuners the nut slot needs to hug that string just so otherwise you'll get the weird sitar-like tone and possibly a sympathetic string vibration between the nut and the tuner.

 

[Ole'Lefty]

Hello Freddy- thank you for the reassurance I was on the right track. I found my .009 gauged saw and cleaned and properly slanted the nut slot and now it rings out like all of the other strings. It did not need much and it only changed string to fret height by about .001 and still clean. Thought I might have to add a tree on this one,but we saved her from that indignity. Pretty sure from the angle of cut I used that the string was not touching cleanly on the front edge of the nut. I have a bone semi-shaped blank for it and at least now I know that the original nut will be a good pattern. Spread is perfect with nice room to work on the edges during play. I like it.

 

[Ole'Lefty]

I just want to emphasize how much I appreciate the prompt advice from such a fine luthier- probably the one guy I would go to for a problem I could not handle ( and that covers lots of territory). Freddy makes his living by virtue of his gift from God, his talent, honed by hours and years of hard work, and taking the time to answer such an insignificant person and problem question took time from his craft and business and is so generous.

He is not alone in this sub-forum where similar professionals stop what feeds them and freely give away their expertise. We add to them the non-professional ( in the sense that luthierie is not their primary earnings source) members who jump in with voices of equal knowledge base, and the value of the "LC" is incalculable. It is much more than the monetary value of the "at-the-ready" assistance- it is the friendship behind the desire to help that is the true gift.

Any of you out there who are blues players ought to take an opportunity to play the Robert Cray- there is a noticeable difference from a trem Strat- and is the purest signal delivery in the Strat line, the way I view it. I imagine that the hardtail was the first Strat in development in George and Leo's lab-shop, even if it was initially offered with a trem when put into the market ( I don't know if the first offering was plain but the Tele started out as a hardtail and with some kind of trem is the minority there). Of course, mine is not "real." It has an ebony fretboard, heavier locking tuners and semi-jumbo frets. The finger vibrato I get reminds me of my 1990-92 Custom Shop Lucille and I expect it might be a touch brighter than the Cray factory rosewood. It is a really great blues guitar and I wish my playing could do it justice. I need to find someone patient to jam with- I learn best that way.

Freddy-thank you so much!

 

[jkes01]

I could not agree more.

As for someone patient to jam with, my playing improved considerably when I started jamming with other people. Really took me from bedroom loner to the next level.

I picked up Line 6 Spider Jam 75W 1x12 Guitar Combo Amp | GuitarCenter a few years back. Built in drum tracks, real drummers recorded, not midi. Built in recording and looping, plus all the amp modeling. Great tool for jotting down ideas or just practicing. I love mine, check it out.

Oh yeah, congrats on your 5,000th post. Believe it or not, you are a contributor here and the place would not be the same without you.

-John

 

[Ole'Lefty]

Hmmmmm--5000 posts. Well, I obviously talk a lot here and contribute some. This is my favorite place to come- so many good people.

 

[Freddy G]

I just want to emphasize how much I appreciate the prompt advice from such a fine luthier- probably the one guy I would go to for a problem I could not handle ( and that covers lots of territory). Freddy makes his living by virtue of his gift from God, his talent, honed by hours and years of hard work, and taking the time to answer such an insignificant person and problem question took time from his craft and business and is so generous.

He is not alone in this sub-forum where similar professionals stop what feeds them and freely give away their expertise. We add to them the non-professional ( in the sense that luthierie is not their primary earnings source) members who jump in with voices of equal knowledge base, and the value of the "LC" is incalculable. It is much more than the monetary value of the "at-the-ready" assistance- it is the friendship behind the desire to help that is the true gift.

Any of you out there who are blues players ought to take an opportunity to play the Robert Cray- there is a noticeable difference from a trem Strat- and is the purest signal delivery in the Strat line, the way I view it. I imagine that the hardtail was the first Strat in development in George and Leo's lab-shop, even if it was initially offered with a trem when put into the market ( I don't know if the first offering was plain but the Tele started out as a hardtail and with some kind of trem is the minority there). Of course, mine is not "real." It has an ebony fretboard, heavier locking tuners and semi-jumbo frets. The finger vibrato I get reminds me of my 1990-92 Custom Shop Lucille and I expect it might be a touch brighter than the Cray factory rosewood. It is a really great blues guitar and I wish my playing could do it justice. I need to find someone patient to jam with- I learn best that way.

Freddy-thank you so much!

You are very welcome my friend! This is a great little corner of the internet and you sir have contributed a lot yourself! Lots of great people here....