Squier 40th anniversary Stratocaster... needs a Nut Job!

[@jameshicks6990]

Wow Steve great video. The time you took to show how to set up a Strat is greatly appreciated! What used to seem like rocket science is now understandable!!! I now have the confidence to work on my own very similar Stat and my 40th Anniversary Tele. I'm not sure if I have the 40th correct but it has the gold pick guard. I've been doing some work on my acoustics but my Strats and Teles have been taken to the local luthier. But I just found a Squire LTD Classic Vibe 60s that weighs only 7 lbs. My Teles are Thilines so they are around 7lb also. I'm retired and too old for a 9+ lb Tele or LP. I will be ordering your tools very soon. I have been gradually buying setup tools so I'm going to copy you on the Hosco nut files and that Peterson Strobe tuner you have on your bench. I will be saving about $240 because my new Strat and one of my Thin lines needs work and I'll just use that money for the tuner and other tools. I will be very careful about working on the nut, It looks like I could mess up fast if I take off too much at one swipe. I will go back and watch some of your videos a lot closer before I do any work on the nut. Do you know if anyone in the US sells a similar Stat nut. The one you used looked like it was spot on except for the low E. Sorry for the long comment, just pumped to do my own work!!!

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@jameshicks6990 easy to mess up a nut, but also easy and relatively cheap for a new one!

[@ckelly5141]

The fret erasers are a great tool of help Steve.🎸👍

[@vanshankguitars]

Can I say you're the Dr. Hibbert of KZbin guitar techs with your infectious little laugh. 😊

[@thegoodguy44]

His voice is very relaxing. Unlike every other luthier type KZbin video creator.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@vanshankguitars you should see my collection of sweaters😁

[@thegoodguy44]

Can I ask why Luthiers do the pickup height adjustment LAST? Wouldn’t you adjust the pickup height AFTER setting up the action height, and BEFORE intonation? Because the pickup heights can and will affect intonation???

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@thegoodguy44 fair point- if the pickups look way too high or low, I will adjust them before the setup then after.

[@thegoodguy44]

@@ManotickGuitarTech Next time you do a video like this, do you mind doing it your way, like in this video, and then adding something like, "I got a comment from a viewer asking if PU height adjustment being done at the end of a setup will affect previously adjusted intonation to a point where there is an issue". It is a kind of specific setup you would need to be doing though. It needs you to be lowering or raising the pickups the amount that you did in this video. From just watching, it looked like you lowered the bass side possibly 3mm for each pickup. I don't think a 1mm adjustment up or down could cause a a noticeable issue, but 2 or 3 mm, that is 3 magnets either being raised or lowered (in this case) away from the low E & A strings. I'm not saying that you are doing it wrong because I've never seen another luthier do it the way I'm suggesting, but I find it almost impossible to believe that the bass side would not be now out by at least 2 or 3 cents on the tuner. I'm very happy for you to prove me wrong if that is the case. Love your content!

[@thegoodguy44]

Those pickups still looked very high even after adjustment

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@thegoodguy44 true- the neck sits a little higher off the body so the pickup covers are more exposed

[@ckelly5141]

Change strings every couple of weeks? I need money for food Steve.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@ckelly5141 i didn't say you needed to buy Elixirs 😂

[@ckelly5141]

@ True, true. Also….i would have less money for elixir…. 🥃😝

[@stewy4158]

So I have watch and commented on some, but I very curious, what is your hourly rate that you charge. I too love that big fender head stock.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@stewy4158 send me an email with a request and I can give you an estimate. Thanks.

[@Patriot1777]

I have the same color same guitar. I changed the tuners, trem system to Wilkinson system.😊 Great guitar.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@Patriot1777 feels real solid

[@ckelly5141]

26:55 It’ll never be perfect….because if it was….you would have to change the name to Squier 40th anniversary Stratovarius. 🎸➡️ 🎻 👍

[@ckelly5141]

I may have missed it S. After you scored the nuts ends, how did you make them flush with the neck binding?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@ckelly5141 just careful hand sanding

[@ckelly5141]

@ Great. Thanks Steve.

[@JeffWok]

I have the J Bass version of that Guitar, plays as well as a US.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@JeffWok nice!

[@diimuziku]

the nut was better as it was low, wasn't it? Leaving it high makes the chords sound sharp, what do you gain from that?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@diimuziku the nut slots were cut too deep and the strings were buzzing against the frets... there has to be some room for the string to vibrate freely

[@diimuziku]

@ManotickGuitarTech opening the slots for the strings to vibrate freely is a good point but what's the problem with the buzz? everyone complains about this, seems a bit overrated, most of the buzz is only audible when the guitar is unplugged and even when it is audible with it on, especially with bass, it gives character to the sound, tons of great guitar and bass players have buzz , their master bass and guitar tracks are full of buzz, listening the instrumental is imperceptible.. Listen to Otherside, the isolated bass track .. tons of buzz .. did anyone complain about when listen on the radio ? No because it is inaudible

[@jamesadams1064]

I bet that neck gets sticky with the bling. Sand it a bit.