Full contact neck shim :: 2015 Squire Jaguar [8.6 lbs]

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The owner of this Jag was playing around with the setup and found the bridge height he liked that would allow enough down pressure to hold the strings on the saddle.  At this height, the action was sky high making it tough to play.  He brought it by the shop and I made a tapered full-contact shim to increase the neck angle over the body.  These shims are much more involved to fabricate when compared to the common simple shim in the back of the neck pocket.  Being a full contact shim, it eliminates any empty space in the neck joint and theoretically improves sustain.  A full shim also better supports the neck and helps prevent the common fingerboard rise over the body (aka "ski jump") that can be caused by smaller step shims.

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Also note that I had to add foam under the pickups in order to raise them up to the new neck set.

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Mastery, Lollar & Novak :: 2013 Squire Telecaster [8.7 lbs]

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A Squire Tele that recently got decked out with a new Mastery Bridge (and string tree), Lollar Special T pickup in the neck and a Curtis Novak in the bridge.  Quality hardware like this takes a mediocre budget guitar and ups it's feel and tonal response considerably.  She's strung with DR Pure Blues 11-50.

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Setup :: 2004 Fender Squire Vintage Modified '51 [7.1 lbs]

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Some high frets needed to be glued down along with cleaning up the sloppy graphite nut and this guy was playing good again.  Interesting guitar with a Strat body, master volume (humbucker coil tap pull) and 3-way rotary pickup selector.  No tone controls.  Balls out.

Loose frets :: 2004 Squire Vintage Modified '51

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Poor fretwork is to be expected on a guitar that currently retails for $180*.  A bunch of fret ends were loose and caused all sorts of buzzing.  Here I'm using superglue and clamps to make them sit back down.  A very cool guitar once you sort out the factory's hasty setup work.

*this is a 1st generation '51 with the current reissues retailing $180.

Output Jack & Setup :: 2004 Squire P Bass [8.0 lbs]

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Output Jack & Setup :: 2004 Squire P Bass [8.0 lbs]

This P bass came in with the pickguard not screwed down, the output jack disconnected and missing the control knobs.  I installed a new higher-quality-than-stock Switchcraft jack, new pickguard screws and new knobs.  I also gave this bass a good cleaning along with adjusting the neck and action.