Fender Strat maple neck problem

diredigits · #1 July 1st, 2007

I have a Fender, made in USA, Strat that I purchased in 1996 and have used very little. It has a one piece maple neck and the polyurathane finish is lifting from the fret top leaving unfinished patches of bare wood on the fret board.
My question is:

1) Can I somehow refinish only the fret top of the neck?

2) Should I replace the neck?

a) Can I purchase a Fender replacement neck?

Any suggestion would be much appreciated. Tnx, dire

Stratrat · #2 July 1st, 2007

There are several places on the 'net that sell good quality replacement necks - lots of guys use them when buildling "Partscasters". Allparts, MightyMite, Warmoth and USACG are a few of the ones I see pop up very often.

737blues · #3 July 2nd, 2007

Why on Earth would you want to replace a perfectly good neck? Some folk pay big dollars to get that 'used' look. It's not difficult to re-finish, (or have re-finished) if you really want to. Either way it won't make any difference to the way the guitar plays or sounds.

Lcjones · #4 July 2nd, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by 737blues

Why on Earth would you want to replace a perfectly good neck? Some folk pay big dollars to get that 'used' look. It's not difficult to re-finish, (or have re-finished) if you really want to. Either way it won't make any difference to the way the guitar plays or sounds.

.....and you may be opening up a can of worms with a replacement neck. if it ain't broke ... ad nauseum

**

Andy S · #5 July 2nd, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by diredigits

....................the polyurethane finish is lifting from the fret top leaving unfinished patches of bare wood on the fret board.

I have an American Standard 40th anniversary model that's doing the same thing!!! I took it to a local shop, a Fender warranty station. The techs there are top notch. The guy told me he could do nothing other than what I was doing. (except he would have used better material!) I used some clear nail polish to touch the spots so that they would stop the cracking and peeling. It seemed the spots that were peeling would get worse if left alone. He looked at it and that it should hold up that way.

Now, he forwarded my concerns to Fender. Their reply was NOT what I was hoping for. They said they would replace the neck, under warranty. Problem would be, I would loose the serial number, the little 40th anniversary decal, the little American Flag metal tag stuck to the headstock. Virtually any thing that helped denote the fact it was a 40th anniversary model.

Did it bother my playing? NO!! Is it still flaking and peeling? No!!!
So, I left it alone. Now, on to the questions....and my opinions, (reminder!!!! These are just MY opinions and in now way represent any sort of implication on any expertise in any manner. In other words, it's just what I think and that, along with 49 cents just might get you a cup of coffee at the local convenient store!)

His question were:

1) Can he somehow refinish only the fret top of the neck?
Not unless you can find someone that is REALLY good at fixing finishes

2) Should he replace the neck?
If it doesn't hinder your playing or the tones of the guitar or have any special model or significance ( anniversary model, etc.. Why bother spending the money...Or!!?? Since my memory is shot, how long is the warranty on Fender's stuff?? If it's still under warranty they should do it for free. But, unless you send it to Fender California, it could be opening the proverbial bag of worms...just a thought.

3) Can he purchase a Fender replacement neck?
Again, what's the warranty? And if you want to buy a new neck, I believe it is Warmoth that sells necks used as Direct replacements, just no decals or Fender logos.

eXperiment63 · #6 July 2nd, 2007

Just let it wear down and get vintaged up. It looks awesome...

Also, it is not all that difficult to refinish a neck. Just gotta take your time and be careful as to not change the radius of the neck.

diredigits · #7 July 5th, 2007

Stratrat-- Thank you for your input. I was looking for answers offering me as many diverse avenues as possible. I want to weed through them and pick the one that I believe will work out best for me. I did go to the sites you suggested and price new necks but I hate to put that kind of money into this guitar without first trying some repair. I think I will try what AndyS did and see how that works out first. Thanks again for taking the time to answer my post.
Dire

diredigits · #8 July 5th, 2007

Lcjones,experiment63 and 737blues
Good Points. Other than the peeled bare spots the neck is fine. However I will have to do something because it does effect ones play. The polyurethane layer varies from .010 to .015 thick with a sharp edge and is quite noticeable to your fingers. It's not like a finish that is worn and has smooth edges. It's really not a used look but more of an abused look, which is not the case. I'm sure ,as it is, it would bring down the value of the guitar if I were to sell it. Thank you all for your input. Your thoughts on this matter were helpful in moving me in the direction of some degree of refinishing.
Dire

diredigits · #9 July 5th, 2007

AndyS
It's nice to hear from someone who has experienced the exact same problem. ( Not that misery loves company ) It's unfortunate that either one of us is experiencing this problem but, alas, you know exactly what I am talking about. The guitar was purchased new in 1996 and carried a one year warranty, so no help there. At this point in time there are three noticeable spots in various places on the neck where the finish has peeled. I believe I will try your solution but with polyurethane. The finish that's on the neck has a slight amber color so I will have to experiment adding a little stain to the polyurethane. I hope this works out. I know one thing for sure. I will never again buy a one piece maple neck. From now on it's a rosewood fret board. Thanks again AndyS and good luck with your Fender. Dire

737blues · #10 July 9th, 2007

If it's not too late by now and you do decide to go the whole hog, you might like to have a look here.

Fender Neck Refinishing

diredigits · #11 July 9th, 2007

737blues
Thanks much for the link. I haven't done anything yet but I do plan to try the spot repairs first. If I am not satisfied with the results I will certainly look into a complete neck refinishing. The products on the link look very promising. I don't move to fast on my projects so I am still open to any and all suggestions that are put forth. Thanks again for the link. I have it bookmarked for possible future use.
TNX, Dire