Fret Level Help

RVA

RVA

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Mates,
I am helping a friend get his 70s Strat into shape. One thing it needs is a fret level. However, I have the truss rod tightened just about all the way, but there is a gap from about fret 5 to 17, and then it closes up, touching down again at fret 21. Is the only solution to pull the frets and plane the fretboard? Of course, this would leave this maple neck unfinished.

Thanks for any advice.

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I just read that you could add a few washers to get some more TR tension, but that seems like a stretch. Maybe it will set in if I let it sit a day with the TR fully tightened.
 
DonP said:
Leaving it tensioned is unlikely to make any permanent change. The stack of washers is the first realistic go-to. After that a full neck level may be the only option. That or a replacement neck.
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Don, given that this guitar TR works, how would you approach the planing of the neck? Straight, with slight relief, full relief? I would assume as straight as possible , but when you ass-u-me, you...etc.

This is a 70's strat and I think it is a single action TR.
 
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I'd take all the tension out of the truss rod, then leave it a few days to relax before I got planing. Actually, coarse sandpaper is plenty quick enough for a job like this. Always flatten the neck with the truss rod loose. The strings will pull it forwards, and you want as little truss rod force as possible to get the relief where you need it.

You may need to deepen the fret slots a bit at the end of this.
 
DonP said:
I'd take all the tension out of the truss rod, then leave it a few days to relax before I got planing. Actually, coarse sandpaper is plenty quick enough for a job like this. Always flatten the neck with the truss rod loose. The strings will pull it forwards, and you want as little truss rod force as possible to get the relief where you need it.

You may need to deepen the fret slots a bit at the end of this.
Click to expand...
OK, so let the neck relax, no truss rod tension, and get to sanding. Thank you very much. I am going to apply a new radius and change the 7.25 to 9.5, so this should be interesting.
 
That's where the necks twist it is hard to see. My 1965 SG STD I had to re fret and sand the finger board. I did my 1971 Telecaster also.
and need to re fret my 1960 Strat. All were twisted
 
So, to round out the story, this is the first guitar purchased by a member here, my friend TonyS. He is now a steady working musician, among other things.

A big issue for which he approached me was a cocked neck. There is play in the pocket, and it is a 3-bolt design. He shummed it to straighten it out. All three holes are true. I attribute the problem to the micro-tilt adjustment having been screwed forward substantially, causing a pivot.

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I backed it off, re-strung it with 2 E strings, and it seemed stable. If it is not, I shall make this a 4 bolt neck!!


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Tony repainted the front in his youth. The back is original. I buffed it out last night for fun and it took off years of film!

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