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How To Shim A Neck


BOD2
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[u][b]Disclaimer [/b][/u]this guide is provided "as is". It's your guitar, so any work you underatake on it must be your responsibility. Make sure you understand the procedure fully before you start any work and please don't practice this type of thing on the pre-CBS Precision Bass you found in the attic.



The following describes how to shim the neck of a Fender-style bass (e.g. a Precision or Jazz) or any bass with a traditional bolt-on neck construction.

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Why Would I do This ?

You would do it if you need to lower the action but find that the bridge saddles are already at their lowest position and will not go down any further.

How Could This Happen ?

There are several possible reasons - including manufacturing variations - but the most common one is that the bridge has been replaced (e.g. with a BadAss bridge) with one that has a thicker bass plate so that the bridge itself is actually sitting higher than it was meant to. For example -

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What Do I Need ?

Some space. An empty kitchen table is good enough but put some towels down to protect the guitar finish. You'll need a medium sized cross-point screwdriver to remove the neck bolts, a capo (or elastic bands), and something to make the shim from.

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How Long Will It Take ?

Once you know what you are doing it can be done in abouit 10 minutes. If it's the first time then allow up to an hour.


Can I Undo it if it Doesn't Work ?

Yes. The neck shim can be removed easily and quickly, returning the guitar to excatly the condition before you started.

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Step 2.

Now put your capo on at the first fret. This will hold the loose strings in place when you remove the neck.



If you don't have a capo use an elastic band - it's just to stop the strings falling out of the nut. If you don't have an elastic band then follow your postie around for a day or so - he'll be dropping those pinks ones all over the place so you can use a few of these.



You can put a second capo/elastic band halfway down the neck if you wish, but it's not essential.

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Step 4.

Use a well-fitting screwdriver to avoid burring the screws.



Unscrew each screw a little at a time so that they are all loosened evenly.





DON'T unsrew one screw completely then move to the next - this will put pressure on the neck. Undo each one a turn or so, then go back to the first and do another turn, and so on until they all come out.

Remove the screws and the neck plate and put them aside.

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Step 5.

Now - nothing is holding the neck on. Lift the bass carefully. If the neck slides out then that's ok, but if it doesn't then it's just a tight fit in the neck pocket. Turn the bass over onto it's back.



If the neck is still in place, carefully ease it out straight up - don't wiggle it from side to side, you may damage the neck pocket.



Move the neck, with the strings still attached, to the side.

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Step 7.

Make the new shim.

There's a big debate over what material the shim should be made of - wood veneer, sandpaper, cardboard. But remember - it needs to be thin. In most cases, cardboard the thickness of an ordinary business card will be enough to allow you to lower the action.

Sandpaper to grip the neck ? Well it's held tight by 4 screws so it's not going to move, so what will the sandpaper do (apart from being thicker than a business card). Wood veneer ? Yes, if you have some thin enough then this is a perfect material.

Wedge shaped tapered shim ? Well if you can make a tapared wedge with the thickest part as thin as a business card then that is perfect too.

For simplicity I have used an ordinary cardboard business card.

Place the neck over the cardboard and use it as a template to draw around and mark the shape of the shim.

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Step 8.

Cut the shim.



Cut inside the line to ensure the shim will fit.




To allow you to lower the action the shim should be fitted at the back end (closer to the bridge) of the neck pocket. Check the fit is ok with no wrinkled or bent edges - it should be perfectly flat in the neck pocket.

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Step 10.

You now need to turn the bass over onto its front, keeping the neck in the pocket. It doesn't matter if the neck moves a little here but try to minimise movement and keep the back edge of the neck against the body so as the shim doesn't move.

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Step 11.

Refit the screws.

Leave the screwdriver aside for now. Drop each screw into the hole then finger tighten them - you should feel each screw grip the wood in the neck. Go round each screw and get them all finger tight.

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Step 12.

Tighten the screws.

As with removal do NOT fully tighten each screw individually. Go around the screws and give each a single turn, then mve on to the next one. Tighten all the screws evenly in this way. Make sure they are all good and tight, but do not use excessive force - just tighten with a normal screwdriver.

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Step 14.

Adjust the action.



You should find that the action has been lowered by putting the neck shim in place - the strings will probably rattle on the frets. You can now raise the bridge saddles to get the action you want. Job done.

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If the neck screws are loose then you need to plug the screw holes in the neck with something. Cocktail sticks and wood glue will do this job perfectly well and allow the neck screws to grip again.

A shim place at the back of the neck pocket (as described above) will change the neck to body angle by effectively pushing the headstock backwards. This has the effect of lowering the action.

A shim placed at the front of the neck pocket (furthest away from the body) will effectively push the headstock forward and should slightly raise the action.


Thanks for reading this - I hope someone finds this useful. :)

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[quote name='stinson' post='496319' date='May 23 2009, 09:13 PM']That Sir, was superb. Well done. That JV brings a tear to my eye, reminds me of one I let go years ago :)[/quote]

Thanks stinson.

It's not actually a JV. It's an "SQ" serial number which, as far as I can determine, means it came out just after the JV series but still some time in the mid eighties (I bought it secondhand and pretty beat up around 1986). It certainly seems to share the same neck but I think the body and fittings were a little more budget and not as "historically accurate" as the JV-series.

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