360W Neck Fit nad Finish

[fstrat76]

A few weeks ago I received my 360W 6 string and I did a lot of research on protecting the finish on it. I went the tung oil route as recommended, and it took quite a few coats on the guitar, and a lot of time.

However, as I worked closely with the neck, I believe the fit & finish (actually, lack of any finish) is quite poor. There are slight bumps here and there, the truss cover "Made in USA" is stamped little crooked and the cover hangs just a hair over the top side of the headstock.

None of this affects playing. The sound is terrific, the action is excellent, and I don't notice any of the flaws in the neck while playing.

However, after playing for a week, the few coats of tung oil finish on the fretboard are wearing quickly.

Anyway, it seems like this is going to be ongoing maintenance, and its something I did not expect. I love the finish on my 620/12 and 4003. I really like the looks of this guitar, but it just may be too high maintenance for me.

I have several options of course, but am wondering if anyone has gotten a neck like this professionally lacquered?

[Rickadelphia]

I wouldn't get too overconcerned re tung oiling the finish.....especially the neck. The neck (back and fingerboard) will continue to be conditioned by the natural oils from your hands / fingers while you play it.
More than likely over time, the back of the neck will pick up a really nice semi-glossy sheen just from your hand (this is very typical of the backs of naturally finished Martin necks).

[andee]

...and the cover hangs just a hair over the top side of the headstock.

That is a problem I've got too with the TRC of my 360w made in feb 2014.
The space between TRC and headstock is going up to 2mm (millimeters). Sometimes it begins to vibrate because of that.

The new TRC's are a little thinner than the older ones.

Has got anybody an idea what to do?
The only idea I've currently got is to change it to an older TRC.

Here a few pics of that:

[Clint]

Double sided tape.

[electrofaro]

Double sided tape.

Although that might work, I wouldn't do it due to the glue discouloring the trc and affecting the wood (and discouloring that as well).

Andy, the trc is not under pressure from the screws, making it bent like a bridge? Or is the headstock top not flat or perchance the trc is just not flat but bend by itself?

[Hunchiepunker]

Hello,

Long time listener, first time caller - wanting to chime in on some fit and finish issues with my Feb 2014 360w, as well.

I've noticed that the frets on my neck aren't all seated all the way down, are irregular, aren't crowned consistently up and down the neck or even across individual frets, and aren't consistently seated under the neck binding. At the time of purchase, I overlooked these issues as I was so entranced by the instrument. Honestly, I love the instrument, and have just toyed with the idea of having a pro fret dress by my favorite local shop. However, as the instrument is under warranty, and due to the fact that RR forumites are so knowledgable, I thought that I would bring up the issues here first.

Does anyone have any advice for how to best address this problem?

Posted below are some choice photos of the fret issues.

Thanks in advance,

Hunchiepunker
San Francisco

[Hunchiepunker]

Some more. Sorry about the photo spam, but I want to document correctly.

You can quite clearly see the flattened fret edges where they weren't crowned completely toward the treble side of the neck. As if the pressure was let off the bit as pushing toward across the neck.

Harder to see are the frets which aren't seated all the way down.

[jps]

...have just toyed with the idea of having a pro fret dress by my favorite local shop...

Hunchiepunker
San Francisco

That is excellent advise for any guitar one buys, regardless of make or cost, excepting very inexpensive instruments. Virtually all quality guitars can benefit from the extra attention required to fine tune it to ones specific needs or desires, something that is very time consuming and added expense for a production environment.

[Hunchiepunker]

That is excellent advise for any guitar one buys, regardless of make or cost, excepting very inexpensive instruments. Virtually all quality guitars can benefit from the extra attention required to fine tune it to ones specific needs or desires, something that is very time consuming and added expense for a production environment.

I get what you're saying, and agree. Still, the more that I look at these frets, the more I think that there's a problem bigger than what a fret dress would address. I took the instrument to SFGuitarworks and showed it to their techs there. It seems that the frets with the uneven "crowns" are also the frets which aren't seated all the way down - standing so much taller than the others - and have been planned down flatter to make the fret heights even with the frets which were seated properly. They've taken a lot of material off of these particular frets.

My concerns with getting a fret dress are two-fold:

One, the instrument is under warranty.
Two, if the shop hammers down the frets which weren't seated properly at the factory, then the new fret level will have to be set to match the lowest fret, which would undoubtedly be one of these ground-down frets as shown below. Essentially, I would be left with a new instrument with a fretboard of tiny tiny frets, which would only last so long before needing a full re-fret.

Here's a few pics that I took today with the aid of a jewler's eyepiece my grandfather used to use for photography. In one of them, you can see how easily I could fit a pick under the crown.

[andee]

Hello,

Long time listener, first time caller - wanting to chime in on some fit and finish issues with my Feb 2014 360w, as well.

My one is made in week 05 in feb 2014. It hasn't got this problems, all is very well done exept the problem with the TRC.

[andee]

Double sided tape.

Although that might work, I wouldn't do it due to the glue discouloring the trc and affecting the wood (and discouloring that as well).

Andy, the trc is not under pressure from the screws, making it bent like a bridge? Or is the headstock top not flat or perchance the trc is just not flat but bend by itself?

Well, I don't think that is a very well idea to use double sided tape, because you never know what the glue does with the pastic and wood over the years.
In between i changed the 2014 TRC through a 2005 TRC and this causes no problems.

@electrofaro: The headstock is absolutely flat, seems like that the TRC is (was) a little under pressure.
I've currently got one of this 2014 330F's with F-hole for the UK market, also with one of this newer TRC's, but here's no problem.

Kind regards from germany

[Hunchiepunker]

After much consideration, I've decided to save up and do a full regret on my 360w. It's really looking to be the only way to get consistent fret crowns all across the neck, without having to settle for teeny tiny itty bitty frets on a new instrument. I'll also have the beads of the crowns lay across the top of the binding, as I think that it gives a cleaner, more consistent look and feel--much different from the spotty finish on the instrument as it is now.

I'll update when it actually happens.

Best,
Yohannes

[jps]

After much consideration, I've decided to save up and do a full regret on my 360w.

I'll update when it actually happens.

Best,
Yohannes

Well, Okayyyyyyyy!

[jdogric12]

a full regret on my 360w

Poetry


sorry to hear of your problems, though, seriously. You've supported my case for staying in the vintage market.

[Hunchiepunker]

Sorry, that was supposed to say refret! My screen is cracked.

I do love the instrument, but I have crazy high standards for playability. Sfguitarworks has spoiled me!

I would love a 21 fret 360, but would probably feel compelled to pull the frets on one of those, too.