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.
Moon guitars were highly regarded for a time and were often used by skilled players, but in recent years they have become less common.
With some adjustments, I was able to make it easier to play.
The sound is excellent, with a vintage-style tone from the front pickup that has a rich, full-bodied quality, yet it also has good projection and volume, making it much easier to handle and sounding better than Fender-style guitars.
The volume balance between the front and rear pickups is also good, so these domestically modified models tend to be better in terms of usability.
The neck was severely bowed, causing the sound to be muffled.
In this condition, it was very difficult to play, and the sound was muffled, making it impossible to use properly.
Even expensive instruments cannot be used properly if they are not properly adjusted.
We were able to adjust it and make it easy to play.
It was a model with good sound, and it had a well-played sound.
This is a fret leveling for a Fender Mexico Jazz Bass.
The neck is warped, causing the sound to buzz.
Wood used in recent years tends to be weak, so I think it is prone to warping and bending after prolonged use, and does not last long.
Also, considering the tension balance of the strings, it may be necessary to use D’Addario’s “Balanced Tension Strings” in light of the recent decline in wood strength.
Furthermore, using thinner gauges such as 45-100 is also not recommended.
For example, with 45-100 strings, this is a 5-string pack, but there is a difference of about 5 kg in tension between the 2nd and 4th strings.
Many bassists feel that the 4th and 5th strings are loose, but this is not just their imagination. They are actually loose.
Therefore, we have always said that bass strings are “too thin,” but poor tension balance also results in warping of the neck.
Balanced tension strings are designed to adjust the tension differences between each string to a uniform level, which should prevent warping.
This model also has a soft neck, so the curvature differs between the 1st and 4th strings. It’s important to understand the curvature caused by the neck’s softness.
This varies by individual instrument, but the 1st string side may have a forward bow or a reverse bow, and the 4th string side may have a forward bow tendency or a reverse bow tendency.
Additionally, the effectiveness of the truss rod may differ between the 1st string side and the 4th string side, so repairing such a weak neck not only requires repair but also adjustment, which increases the difficulty.
This is a pot replacement and setup for an Ibanez Prestige RG.
The pot was scratched, so we replaced it with a new one.
We adjusted the high string height, which made it difficult to play, and made it easier to play.
Ibanez guitars, especially newer, high-end models, feature necks reinforced with titanium for increased strength. However, some people seem to believe that these necks “do not warp” or “maintain a consistent warp.”
Even with such high-strength metal reinforcement, the neck will still warp, so it is essential to store the guitar with the strings loosened.
This is a setup for a Squier Classic Vibe 60 Precision Bass.
It was purchased new, but from the start, there was little slack in the truss rod.
Adjustments brought the truss rod to its limit.
Due to the weaker strength of modern wood, the truss rod is already set to a higher tension from the start, resulting in less initial slack.
When brand-new and freshly assembled, the neck is almost straight with 100% truss rod slack, but once strings are installed, it naturally bends forward.
This is a normal condition.
However, if the wood of the neck itself is weak, what happens? As expected, it bends forward significantly.
If it bends significantly, adjusting the truss rod by turning it extensively is necessary to correct the bend.
For this reason, new instruments are often sold with the truss rod already turned extensively from the start.
In other words, since the strength of wood has weakened in recent years, the solution would be to use reinforcing materials during production, but few manufacturers have implemented this.
Additionally, as expected from this state, due to the weak strength, the neck will continue to bend forward over time as strings are played.
Initial adjustment bow (over-tightened) + continued use bowing = limited truss rod adjustment range.
In recent years, it has become more common to see new instruments with almost no truss rod adjustment range or at their limit, and this is the simple reason why.
As you can see, someone with proper knowledge would naturally wonder, “Will this instrument last long?” and it is correct to say that such instruments have little chance of lasting long, even though I cannot predict the future.
It’s a shame because it sounds good and is easy to play.
To avoid purchasing such instruments, always ask the music store to check the “truss rod clearance” when purchasing.
This should be a standard procedure that music stores perform during inspection.
If they genuinely want to provide customers with good instruments, it should be a given.
However, in reality, they don’t do it.
Additionally, you must also check the effectiveness of the truss rod.
Even if there is ample truss rod adjustment, if it doesn’t work properly due to a malfunction, it’s meaningless.
Ideally, someone with knowledge should actually turn it themselves and judge the adjustment and effectiveness.
I hope this article reaches music stores.
Sell with consideration for the customer as a matter of course. Think about how you would feel if you were handed an instrument in this condition.
If you have the knowledge to indicate the amount of truss rod travel on used instruments, do the same for new ones.
It’s fine to sell instruments as “outlet items” at a discount due to reasons like insufficient truss rod travel, but clearly state the reason for the discount. If you don’t provide a reason, label them as “junk items” instead of “outlet items.”
If the instrument is in poor condition from the start, don’t sell it—return it to the manufacturer.
It has a fairly large reverse bow and high string height.
Although it is a low-priced model, recent models are easy to play, and there are almost no problems compared to older models, so it is recommended for beginners.
We were able to adjust it to make it easy to play.
Additionally, at the customer’s request, the strings were left as they were for adjustment, but the octave position of the first string became irregular.
Even with new strings in the lower price range, the octave position often becomes irregular, but with old strings, it deviates significantly from the typical position.
As they are consumables, adjusting with new strings is definitely better, but recently, the cost of strings has increased, making it difficult to replace them casually.
This is a setup jack replacement for an LTD Explorer.
The jack was replaced with a new one due to poor contact.
There was no particular problem and it was in usable condition.
LTD was not in good condition in the past, but there was nothing wrong with the low-priced models in recent years.
Although the low-priced models can be used without any worries nowadays, it is necessary to check each part before purchase because some of them may be clogged with sound even if they are brand new.
This is a setup and jack replacement for a Fender Trojan Thunder model Precision Bass.
Although it was recently purchased, there was significant warping causing sound blockage. Upon adjustment, it was found that there was almost no slack in the truss rod.
The sound was distorted when active, and it appeared that the jack had been replaced internally, resulting in poor wiring.
We replaced the jack and the battery, which was dead, with a new one.
Additionally, parts were touching the internal noise-reduction coating, causing noise, and the internal finish was in very poor condition.
Later, the guitar warped again, making it difficult to play, so we adjusted the truss rod again.
The guitar was warped again, and when we turned the truss rod, it was close to its previous limit.
This condition is not due to warping from the previous adjustment, but rather due to the truss rod not being properly secured internally (a manufacturing defect).
Because the T-shaped part of the truss rod is not properly engaged internally, the truss rod is coming loose and causing the bowing.
While turning the rod does have an effect, the amount of truss rod travel has increased compared to when it was last adjusted, indicating that the rod is loosening internally.
In such a state, the issue will recur, so in this case, it is a defective product, and the only option is to contact the store where it was purchased for a return or repair.
If you were to repair it, it would involve removing the fingerboard and re-installing the truss rod, but this would cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Considering the cost, it is not practical, so you could replace it with a commercially available Fender neck, but even that would cost over 100,000 yen.
To identify such issues with the manufacturer’s condition, it is essential to first physically turn the truss rod to check its effectiveness and remaining travel before purchasing, as failing to do so could lead to problems later.
More precisely, since such symptoms may occur in individual instruments, it is necessary to turn the truss rod to its limit and confirm whether the condition changes (as in this case, where poor internal engagement causes the warp to return to its original state).
Additionally, it is advisable to confirm in advance how the store where you purchased the instrument will handle such issues.
The truss rod is located in an area that is not visible, and the amount of play or effectiveness cannot be confirmed without actually turning it.
A music store that thoroughly inspects every detail and accurately describes the condition of the instrument can be trusted.
However, such stores are rare.
Therefore, it is necessary to educate yourself and adopt a stance of not purchasing without first confirming these details.
Most stores prioritize profit over considering the needs of the buyer.
You may have an image that “expensive and well-known makers have strong necks and the warp is not stable,” but this is not the case, and when it warps, adjustment is necessary.
After the adjustment, it is easy to play and the overall sound is thick but crisp.
