A Fender 50th Anniversary Stratocaster came in neglected and very dirty, with scratchy electronics, factory plastic still under the knobs, and a nut cut every which way. Cleaned first, then electronics, nut, truss rod, saddles and intonation. An hour and forty minutes.
- Instrument
- Fender 50th Anniversary Stratocaster
- Tech
- Dave Eastwood
- Customer complaint
- Setup
- Diagnosis
- Very dirty; electronics scratchy and cutting out; pickguard plastic still under the knobs, making noise; nut heights all over the place; tremolo springs, truss rod, saddle heights and intonation off
- Work performed
- Guitar and fretboard cleaned; knobs pulled and plastic removed; electronics cleaned; truss rod set; nut evened out; saddle height and intonation set
- Parts
- None
- Bench time
- 1 hour 40 minutes
- Outcome
- Brought back to life after years of neglect, in Dave's words
What Came In
A Fender 50th Anniversary Stratocaster that had been neglected for years, in for a setup.
What We Found
It was very dirty and needed a proper cleaning before any work could start. The electronics were scratchy and cutting out. The protective plastic from the pickguard was still under the knobs and made noise when they turned. The nut height was all over the place, some slots high and some low. The tremolo springs, truss rod, saddle heights and intonation were all off.
What We Did
Cleaned the guitar and the fretboard. Pulled the knobs to remove the plastic underneath, then cleaned out the electronics. Set the truss rod, evened out the nut, and set the saddle height and intonation. About an hour and forty minutes on the bench.
Result
Brought back to life after years of neglect, in Dave's words.
Why clean a neglected guitar before adjusting it?
Because dirt in the nut slots and grime on the frets change what you measure. On this one the leftover pickguard film under the knobs was also making a noise that had nothing to do with the electronics. Clean first, then set up, or the setup is done to the dirt.
Related
- The Repair Vault
- Guitar Setups at Paul's Guitar Hideout
- How to Clean Your Guitar Without Damaging It
- How to Store a Guitar Long-Term
- Fender Stratocaster (Black, Tortoise Guard): Buzzing All Over
Bring It In
Guitar that has been in the closet for years? Bring it in as it is; the cleaning is part of the job. Setups at the Hideout.
Paul's Guitar Hideout is located at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, NY. Use the Cooper Street entrance and take the stairs up. If stairs are difficult or you're bringing in something you don't want to carry up, call or text us and we'll arrange access.
The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday–Sunday, 12–5 PM
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com