Would you change a radius on a Fender Custom Shop Strat?

Jonathanthomas83

My CS is up for grabs in the ads, but I love it and will be gutted to see it go. I'm only selling it because I dislike the 9.5" radius and want a vintage correct 7.25" radius with vintage frets. Though it has to be said that I've not played a guitar as resonant as that one.

Jonathan and the gents @FelineGuitars, did an incredible job on re-radius'ing my Tele and I think that this could be an option for the Strat. But modding CS instruments is considered sacrilege.

Part of me really wants to keep the guitar and change the board radius, but my head tells me that this could be a mistake to change the spec. Interested to see who would do it or not.

Furthermore, would you change the pickups on a CS strat or is that a no too?

bwets

Buy a new neck and keep the old one? And yeah change the pickups, you can always put the old ones back in.

Jonathanthomas83

bwets said:

Buy a new neck and keep the old one?

If only it were that easy. I really love the neck and relic job on this one and have no idea where to start in order to get another like it.

RaymondLin

I see some big contradictions here.

1 - You like the look of the neck
2 - You don't like feel of the neck
3 - You are willing to let the guitar go because you don't like how it feels

Which concludes that you put playability above cosmetic...therefore I don't see the problem of getting another neck with the right radius, even if it doesn't look the same, going to matter?  Since you are willing to let the entire guitar go in the first place.

Jonathanthomas83

RaymondLin said:

I see some big contradictions here.

1 - You like the look of the neck
2 - You don't like feel of the neck
3 - You are willing to let the guitar go because you don't like how it feels

Which concludes that you put playability above cosmetic...therefore I don't see the problem of getting another neck with the right radius, even if it doesn't look the same, going to matter?  Since you are willing to let the entire guitar go in the first place.

Neck and radius are two different things. Only thing I dislike is the radius.

Willing to let the guitar go because it's not usually considered the thing to do to mod CS instruments.

Loobs

No

Philly_Q

No.

Hattigol

Change the neck. Change the pick-ups. Change the body whilst you're at it.

Behold....Trigger's brush!

Jonathanthomas83

Yep, you make a good point. Probably best to sell it!

markslade07

If it’s a keeper (ha yes, I know...we all say that!), then why not? You’re happy with work @FelineGuitars has done before so go for it. I reckon you’d regret it if you let it go

RaymondLin

Jonathanthomas83 said:

RaymondLin said:

I see some big contradictions here.

1 - You like the look of the neck
2 - You don't like feel of the neck
3 - You are willing to let the guitar go because you don't like how it feels

Which concludes that you put playability above cosmetic...therefore I don't see the problem of getting another neck with the right radius, even if it doesn't look the same, going to matter?  Since you are willing to let the entire guitar go in the first place.

Neck and radius are two different things. Only thing I dislike is the radius.

Willing to let the guitar go because it's not usually considered the thing to do to mod CS instruments.

But surely if you are thinking of replacing it and looking for an entirely new guitar.  What difference does it make from looking for a new neck?  

It's not like you are going to bin the old neck, just keep it.

Jonathanthomas83

RaymondLin said:

Jonathanthomas83 said:

RaymondLin said:

I see some big contradictions here.

1 - You like the look of the neck
2 - You don't like feel of the neck
3 - You are willing to let the guitar go because you don't like how it feels

Which concludes that you put playability above cosmetic...therefore I don't see the problem of getting another neck with the right radius, even if it doesn't look the same, going to matter?  Since you are willing to let the entire guitar go in the first place.

Neck and radius are two different things. Only thing I dislike is the radius.

Willing to let the guitar go because it's not usually considered the thing to do to mod CS instruments.

But surely if you are thinking of replacing it and looking for an entirely new guitar.  What difference does it make from looking for a new neck?  

It's not like you are going to bin the old neck, just keep it.

Yes, fair point mate. Well made. Any idea where I can get one and who can do a good relic job?

poopot

 Send it to feline, get the radius done and a refret!. Simples.

Loobs

I once had a guitar I loved refretted and re-radiused. It was never the same afterwards, and not in a good way. Big mistake. 

tony99

please don't

just think of the effort and craftmanship that's gone into it

it'd be like getting a gourmet meal served up and then you just slather it in brown sauce

Jonathanthomas83

tony99 said:

please don't

just think of the effort and craftmanship that's gone into it

it'd be like getting a gourmet meal served up and then you just slather it in brown sauce

I get that completely. And agree in many respects.

RaymondLin

There are 3 ways...

1 - take sandpaper to it yourself - I'd try this, doesn't really matter if it goes wrong. 
2 - play it liked you've never played it before and wear it out
3 - get a roadworn neck

https://shop.fender.com/en-GB/parts/necks/?rl=en_US

You can even get the neck from Fender direct, not worried about fakes.

ICBM

Do it. It's just a modern Fender, no matter how good - it's not like modifying a vintage one. If you have someone like Feline Guitars do it you know the work will be flawless, which is all that really counts.

It's also not as if you're going to do something out of keeping with the guitar, like a 16" radius and jumbo frets. The only caveat would be if it's a round-lam rosewood board - that would make it a difficult job to do right.

poopot

tony99 said:

please don't

just think of the effort and craftmanship that's gone into it

It’s true, it takes a real artisan to pick a neck from the parts bin!!!!!

Im not knocking CS stuff btw... just pointing out that it’s still a mass produced guitar and there’s nothing “hand built” about it...

if you like the guitar but would prefer the 7.25 profile... get it done...

but will it make it “vintage correct”? Prolly not... 

correct at the time it should have been built maybe but very few vintage strats/teles now have the original radius imo...

my ‘61 tele is now closer to 9”- 10” compound after nearly 60 years of being played, refretted and having the board reshot...

p90fool

tony99 said:

please don't

just think of the effort and craftmanship that's gone into it

it'd be like getting a gourmet meal served up and then you just slather it in brown sauce

It'll have a fuck sight more effort and craftsmanship going into it at Feline than it ever had in the Fender "Custom Shop"!

There are potential pitfalls though, depending on whether it's a maple or rosewood board. 

If it's a maple board you'll lose the factory relic finish on it if that's an issue, if it's a round lam rosewood board there might not be enough wood there to radius the edges away. 

Talk to them, they won't force you to go ahead or lead you up the garden path. 

timmypix

Just because it's expensive doesn't mean it has to be sacrilege to change it. It's not vintage, it's not especially unique - if you want to keep it, then make it suit you. It's a production line guitar and if you love everything else about it, why not let Feline do their thing?