Fret leveling and setup for a Thorn Tree Stratocaster.
The neck appears to be manufactured by Thorn Tree, while the body is likely made by Fender Japan.
It was purchased secondhand.
The frets are in poor condition with some buzzing spots. While overall fret wear is minimal, there are specific areas causing buzz.
We partially refretted the buzzing sections. Clearly problematic areas improved, and the guitar is now playable overall. However, a full refret would be preferable if possible.
The overall fret condition is poor.
Additionally, the fingerboard near the lower frets has swollen, creating a noticeable gap at the joint between the neck and fingerboard.
This condition often occurs after attempting neck ironing.
It’s likely the previous owner tried fixing it with neck ironing, worsened the condition, and then sold it.
People who think neck ironing can fix warping are mistaken; getting it fixed without issues is pure luck.
It’s a risky repair method because applying heat often causes additional problems.
It seems the previous owner tried using a neck iron on a neck that was likely already beyond repair (e.g., severe reverse bow where the truss rod was maxed out). The heat caused the fingerboard to expand, and this expansion didn’t reverse. The resulting gap between the fingerboard and neck became noticeable to the touch while playing, creating discomfort. The fretboard drying out and swelling from the iron’s heat can cause frets to loosen or shift, leading to overall poor fret condition. This likely made it unplayable, prompting the previous owner to part with it.
The sound seems promising, so if you plan to use it properly, I recommend refretting it.
Thank you very much! ♪
Fender Japan Eric Clapton model Stratocaster wiring repair and setup.
The jack was faulty and wiring was broken, causing no sound output.
Per the customer’s request, we modified it to enable switching the mid-boost on/off via a switch pot.
The saddles are rusted, causing difficulty adjusting string height.
If screws are rusted and won’t turn, part replacement is generally required, so caution is needed.
The nut is worn, causing muffled notes. We recommend replacing the nut as the next repair step.
The string height is too high and the tremolo arm height is also incorrect, making it extremely difficult to play.
The customer requested an adjustment to keep the tremolo arm flush with the body.
When not using the tremolo arm, keeping it flush makes string changes and tuning much easier.
The sound also changes depending on whether the bridge is floating or not; it’s worth trying both to hear the difference.
After the adjustment, it became very easy to play and sounded great.
This is a setup and jack replacement for a Cool Z Stratocaster.
The guitar has a significant forward bow and is difficult to play.
It has not been properly adjusted, the string height is too high, and there is a broken wire in the jack, preventing sound from coming out.
The jack is a part that wears out easily, so we replaced it with a new one to restore sound.
After adjustment, it is now easier to play, but there is almost no truss rod adjustment left.
Depending on the amount of truss rod adjustment and its effectiveness, if the bowing becomes severe after adjustment, the truss rod may reach its limit.
Some guitars are sold with a bowed neck even when new, so it is important to check the remaining adjustment range after adjustment to avoid regret.
Additionally, if the truss rod is not effective, it will need to be adjusted more frequently, further reducing the remaining adjustment range.
It is advisable not to purchase from a music store that does not disclose the remaining truss rod adjustment range after proper adjustment.
This is a peg replacement and setup for a History Premium Series Stratocaster.
This is a model manufactured by Tsubasa Guitars.
The pegs are being replaced from lock-type pegs to regular pegs.
Those who are knowledgeable about guitars realize that lock-type pegs are not as good as regular pegs in terms of sound, so some people choose to revert back to regular pegs.
The Premium Series, manufactured by Tsubasa Guitars, offers the same playability and sound quality as Flatoon and Tsubasa Guitars.
This is a rare find even in the used market, but truly excellent instruments rarely circulate in the used market, so this model is definitely worth snapping up if you come across it.
PU replacement for a Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster.
Replaced with King Tone Bluebird.
It sounds like 50’s. It has a muffled and narrow range sound.
It is said that this PU reproduced Rayvaughn sound, but it doesn’t sound like that, it sounds more like 50’s Stratocaster sound.
If you like a fat sound, this is a good PU for blues.
There is almost no room in the truss rod from the beginning. The forward warp is also very large and it is very hard to play.
It seems that this guitar was given away because of its poor condition.
The truss rod has been adjusted to the limit, but even so, it is impossible to make it easy to play because of the large forward warp.
If the strings are kept taut, it will be in this condition.
The strings are not at the limit of the truss rod, but still too warped to make it easy to play.
This guitar has a built-in effector and can produce sound wirelessly via Bluetooth.
There are already guitars out there that do not require cables.
This is the next generation, as it has a built-in multi-effector-like sound, and the tone can be controlled via a smartphone app.
The only problem is that the condition of the guitar itself is not very good, so be careful when you buy a used one.
Or it might be interesting to take the parts and build the contents into a Stratocaster of another maker.
Many people think that “expensive and well-known brands are well made and the condition will always be in good condition”, but the condition basically changes regardless of the price or maker.
If not adjusted, they will be difficult to play and sound bad, so periodic adjustment is essential.
If you feel any discomfort while playing, you should adjust it.
