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Help with Vintage 1975 stratocaster (Frets too high?)

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Hi Everyone. I got my 1975 Stratocaster in the post today. Havnt plugged it in yet but sounds nice (I think) acoustically. Have noticed some fret buzz on high E at 14th Fret.

I am writing this post as I am new to vintage guitars and found that the metal frets are very high off the fret board to the touch compared to other guitars I have played before. Is this a 70s thing, desired at all or would you get them professionally lowered/ filed down?

Sorry I'm not very technical with set ups etc so would really appreciate some advise from you guys.




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Comments

  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    edited January 2018
    Thats seen some life...

    I'd say that has had a refret - they look a lot chunkier than regular vintage frets.

    I'm also slightly concerned about a few details on it.... the neck shows signs of previously having a clamp fitted for a locking trem but the body (from what I can see) doesn't show any signs of ever having a Floyd or Kahler on there. Plus there's a bit of wood replaced behind the nut from a nut shelf being cut into it. I've also noticed the unusual control layout (should have three controls). The raised polepieces don't look factory either... like I say, its seen some life - was it sold to you as all original?
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • welshboyowelshboyo Frets: 1808
    non original trem as well..
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  • peteripeteri Frets: 1283
    Agreed, definitely a refret and I'm guessing a fretboard levelled as part of that (nothing wrong in that).

    Very puzzled by the two control layout, and something about the bridge looks odd.

    How was this described? Any pictures of the back of the body?

    In terms of getting the frets sorted - massive, massive recommendation for Feline Guitars in Croydon, they've regretted 3 vintage guitars for me and each one has been superb.

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  • meltedbuzzboxmeltedbuzzbox Frets: 10337
    edited January 2018
    did 70 strats have the neck markers in the maple part of the neck instead of in the rosewood board?
    The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct term for the musical effect it produces. In standard usage, tremolo is a rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a fluctuation in pitch. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect.
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  • peteripeteri Frets: 1283
    Also, looking some more - definitely not original pickups, from 1974 the pole pieces should be flat (cost cutting by CBS).

    And the body finish, 1975 was the era of the 'thick skin' poly finish - this doesn't look like that, especially in the chip above the neck, or is that just the picture?

    Sorry!
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  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 14037
    tFB Trader
    the comments on the p/ups and 2 controls were pick-up on his previous OP regarding p/ups a few days ago - can't quickly find it

    otherwise agree with @impmann - hard to comment about if it needs a fret dress, or attention regarding a set up - would need to be on a bench to evaluate and see what the issue is

    It ain't original but fine as long at the price is advantageous - and with that in mind and a few tweaks it could be  a great 'players grade' Strat with a good set-up - Jon @FelineGuitars is not to far away, but not sure who is closer for you
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  • Hey guys I know this is not all original at all and would have been a lot more if was. This is the closest to a nice beaten up 70s I could get. Will get some more pics up.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    edited January 2018
    Dean posted a thread about it earlier...

    http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/122602/please-help-identify-pickups-thanks-so-much



    The pickguard isn't original and the pickups are USA Standards.

    It's had a Floyd-type nut and a tension bar fitted at some point, and there are filled Floyd post holes under the guard - you can just see one in the third pic. The bridge is not original or the right type (at least the saddles aren't).

    The frets have definitely be replaced and it's likely they need dressing or a lifting fret re-seating, it shouldn't be any worse than that - the refret itself looks OK. If you would prefer them lower then there's nothing wrong with deliberately dressing them down further.


    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 14037
    tFB Trader
    Hey guys I know this is not all original at all and would have been a lot more if was. This is the closest to a nice beaten up 70s I could get. Will get some more pics up.
    nothing wrong with a non -original players grade guitar , so don't be 'embarrassed' by it - often with changes and a good set-up they can end up performing far better than a clean original example - so you still get the old mojo character but in many ways correct all the things Fender got wrong with that era
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    Thanks @ICBM - yes, I see it.

    Like I say, its seen life. A good tech can sort any set up issues for you.


    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • thebreezethebreeze Frets: 2797
    peteri said:

    ..........Feline Guitars in Croydon, they've regretted 3 vintage guitars for me and each one has been superb.

    They were probably quite expensive I suppose?.....
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  • HarrySevenHarrySeven Frets: 8019
    peteri said:

    Massive, massive recommendation for Feline Guitars in Croydon, they've regretted 3 vintage guitars for me and each one has been superb.

    What a fantastic idea - on your behalf, someone to take on board the angst and absolve you of all emotional negativity re. purchasing a guitar.

    How long have Feline been offering a professional regretting service?

    ;)


    HarrySeven - Intangible Asset Appraiser & Wrecker of Civilisation. Searching for weird guitars - so you don't have to.
    Forum feedback thread.    |     G&B interview #1 & #2   |  https://www.instagram.com/_harry_seven_/ 

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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31370
    You probably wouldn't want the original pickups or frets anyway, so that's a bonus. It has seen a bit of life and had a few mods/reversed mods, but with a bit of fettling it will be a very cool guitar, sounding and playing better than it would have when new. 


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  • Definitely think that neck is a MIJ jobbie due to the fret markers

    I hate to ask but what did you pay fella?
    The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct term for the musical effect it produces. In standard usage, tremolo is a rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a fluctuation in pitch. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect.
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  • FelineGuitarsFelineGuitars Frets: 11497
    tFB Trader
    Yup - that has been refretted and had a floyd on it
    Looking under the plate shows the floyd post holes
    We'd be very happy to do a careful level to deal with the high fret


    I assume the original pickups have been lost and replacements found
    The control pots are the CTS ones that Allparts supply - so someoone has simply made up a new pickguard with the new pickups etc. The reason for just two controls is that the previous owner possibly kept knocking the vol pot , so took a blank pickguard and simply drilled for a master vol and tone

    If you were to replace the pickups you will possibly want something warm sounding - if it were BKP I would suggest Irish Tours, and Ash at Oil City might suggest a set of Stonetones (and maybe with a steel baseplate on the bridge pickup) which will be warmer and have a bit more oomph!

    Many guitars have a re-sale value. Some you'll never want to sell.
    Stockist of: Earvana & Graphtech nuts, Faber Tonepros & Gotoh hardware, Fatcat bridges. Highwood Saddles.

    Pickups from BKP, Oil City & Monty's pickups.

      Expert guitar repairs and upgrades - fretwork our speciality! www.felineguitars.com.  Facebook too!

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  • nothing wrong with a non -original players grade guitar , so don't be 'embarrassed' by it - often with changes and a good set-up they can end up performing far better than a clean original example - so you still get the old mojo character but in many ways correct all the things Fender got wrong with that era
    Which is why player’s grade is always the way to go in my opinion when buying vintage.
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  • Definitely think that neck is a MIJ jobbie due to the fret markers

    I hate to ask but what did you pay fella?
    Will PM you price.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    Ouch, that Floyd nut fitting is nasty on the back :(.

    No humbucker rout, which at least is something, although not the worst crime even if it had been done (at least neatly).

    It looks to me like someone has made a Richie Sambora tribute out of it - the star drawn on the headstock is part of that I think.

    Bear in mind that if it was done at the time Slippery When Wet came out, it would only have been considered a second hand Strat from more or less the least desirable period, not a 'vintage' guitar... only just over 10 years old, just like modding a 2007 Strat would be today.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • Yup - that has been refretted and had a floyd on it
    Looking under the plate shows the floyd post holes
    We'd be very happy to do a careful level to deal with the high fret


    I assume the original pickups have been lost and replacements found
    The control pots are the CTS ones that Allparts supply - so someoone has simply made up a new pickguard with the new pickups etc. The reason for just two controls is that the previous owner possibly kept knocking the vol pot , so took a blank pickguard and simply drilled for a master vol and tone

    If you were to replace the pickups you will possibly want something warm sounding - if it were BKP I would suggest Irish Tours, and Ash at Oil City might suggest a set of Stonetones (and maybe with a steel baseplate on the bridge pickup) which will be warmer and have a bit more oomph!

    I just ordered a SD Hot Rail for bridge this morning. My guitar before this was a Fender 2002 Cyclone II that I added an Ibanez humbucker to the bridge so think Im in for a shock with this one and already want a bigger sound wthout even playing.
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