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#292369 - 31/01/12 07:26 AM Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat.
Jocko Jocko Old Timer Registered: 06/07/11 Posts: 1025 Loc: Kirkcaldy, Fife	I am currently playing my 2004 Squier Affinity Strat which has a very narrow nut. It is 41mm wide with a 32mm string spacing. I hate it. I like the feel of the neck but it is too narrow. My sausage fingers are too fat to play comfortably. I am considering changing the neck, but I like the fact that the current neck has correct logo and serial numbers on the back. It is also the large headstock design. My other option is to cut a new nut and steal a little more string spacing, taking care not to get the strings too close to the fretboard edge. I had considered passing the guitar on but this is the one I fitted all the black hardware to, including locking tuners and stacked humbuckers. I replaced all the electrics as well. I know I could remove all these parts for future use but the electrics I removed have been used to "up" another Strat clone. What do I do? What would you do? If I keep playing it will I get used to it? It is, after all, sized as per the Fender spec of its time (late 60's). _________________________ Best tip for budding guitarists. Start playing 10 years earlier!
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#292371 - 31/01/12 07:58 AM Re: Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat. [Re: Jocko]
Megi Megi Old Timer Registered: 08/07/11 Posts: 1281 Loc: Lincolnshire	I think I'd try the new nut first - it's not expensive to do, so worth a go. Looking at the strat I've just finished, I have a 35mm spacing and 42.5 mm ish nut width. So that gives me (42.5-35)/2 = 3.75mm each side. Round that down to 3.5mm each side and apply to your strat - that means take 7mm from your nut width to get a proposed new string spacing: 41-7 = 34mm! (Forgive the maths! ) but 34mm seems possible to me, and sounds a whole lot better from a playing point of view. It might just work... $\:\)$ _________________________ Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#292377 - 31/01/12 11:19 AM Re: Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat. [Re: Megi]
Ape09090 Ape09090 Old Timer Registered: 01/12/11 Posts: 1197 Loc: South Wales	Yes, I'd have a toy about with the nut see where that takes you... _________________________ also known as Andrew on Skype as myrddin333 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Q3Zq8ozt4
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#292404 - 01/02/12 07:27 AM Re: Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat. [Re: Ape09090]
Jocko Jocko Old Timer Registered: 06/07/11 Posts: 1025 Loc: Kirkcaldy, Fife	I have had a good look and plenty measurements and I think I could squeeze a standard nut with 35mm spacing on to the neck. I intend trying a pre-slotted nut and a plain blank and seeing what I can do. I am really only talking about moving the E strings one string width out (obviously I will have to reposition rest of slots as well), which will give me 34mm spread. I think I know why it worked in the 60's and doesn't now. The original neck would have been 7.5" radius whereas this one is about 14" radius. On the 7.5" neck there is a greater length of circumference between the two E's (Hope you understand my explanation. Now it is written I am struggling!) _________________________ Best tip for budding guitarists. Start playing 10 years earlier!
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#292406 - 01/02/12 07:48 AM Re: Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat. [Re: Jocko]
Megi Megi Old Timer Registered: 08/07/11 Posts: 1281 Loc: Lincolnshire	I do know what you're saying re the circumference/radius - that does make sense too. Anyway, it sounds like you have a plan which is great. Hope you can get the old nut out without any issues. One other question, but just reading your first post again I noticed you mention stacked humbuckers - I'd be interested to know what these are, and how you find them sound-wise, cheers! _________________________ Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#292418 - 01/02/12 05:27 PM Re: Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat. [Re: Megi]
Jocko Jocko Old Timer Registered: 06/07/11 Posts: 1025 Loc: Kirkcaldy, Fife	The word I was looking for was Arc. The length of arc on a 7.5" neck is greater. Stacked humbuckers are humbuckers in a single coil package. The coils are one above the other as against side by side. I have not had the chance to give them a blast, as I live in a flat, but what I have heard thru my amp sounds good. A sort of halfway house I would say. _________________________ Best tip for budding guitarists. Start playing 10 years earlier!
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#292421 - 01/02/12 05:42 PM Re: Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat. [Re: Jocko]
Megi Megi Old Timer Registered: 08/07/11 Posts: 1281 Loc: Lincolnshire	Originally Posted By: Jocko The word I was looking for was Arc. The length of arc on a 7.5" neck is greater. Stacked humbuckers are humbuckers in a single coil package. The coils are one above the other as against side by side. I have not had the chance to give them a blast, as I live in a flat, but what I have heard thru my amp sounds good. A sort of halfway house I would say. Sorry Jocko, I should have been a lot clearer - I know what stacked humbuckers are (designed to keep as much of the single coil character as possible but without hum) but what I was wondering was which specific brand and model pickups you had fitted. "Length of arc" - I'll have to try mentioning that next time I'm in a music shop and see what response I get! _________________________ Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#292444 - 02/02/12 07:18 AM Re: Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat. [Re: Megi]
Jocko Jocko Old Timer Registered: 06/07/11 Posts: 1025 Loc: Kirkcaldy, Fife	Sorry Graham. They are Iron Gear from Axetec. I ordered a couple of Graphtec nuts from them last night. They come in a choice of 42 and 43mm (I ordered 42mm) and both have 33.5mm centre to centre between top and botton E's. I'll see what I can do with them. I never have much bother removing nuts from Guitars. A pin punch against the bottom end of the nut usually breakes any glue. _________________________ Best tip for budding guitarists. Start playing 10 years earlier!
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#292447 - 02/02/12 07:30 AM Re: Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat. [Re: Jocko]
Megi Megi Old Timer Registered: 08/07/11 Posts: 1281 Loc: Lincolnshire	I'm sure they do make a very good pickup too! Hope those nuts make the difference, let us know how it works out. I'm also interested to know how you do the nut change - removing the old nut, cleaning the slot etc..., any chance of a few pics of the process? _________________________ Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#292473 - 02/02/12 05:29 PM Re: Narrow necked Squier Affinity Strat. [Re: Megi]
Jocko Jocko Old Timer Registered: 06/07/11 Posts: 1025 Loc: Kirkcaldy, Fife	I'll give it a try. _________________________ Best tip for budding guitarists. Start playing 10 years earlier!
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