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Neck Heavy Special


gtone

Question

Posted

I love almost everything about my 1993 Special FM, the way it looks, feels and plays. The one nit I can pick is that it's a little neck-heavy. It's not like it's a divining rod or anything (or even a Firebird), but it does tend to tilt about 15 degrees below horizontal hands-free.

Two questions: 1) Is this a trait of all Specials or do I have an oddball here (it's the only Special I've owned)? 2) Is there anything I can do to rectify the imbalance short of relocating the strap buttons or tying helium balloons to the headstock?

Any and all help greatly appreciated...

16 answers to this question

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Posted

Swap out the pound or so of metal tuner buttons for Schaller pearloid or ebony buttons.

That makes a HUGE difference and is well worth the small expense.

Posted

I agree. Mod it to make it comfy and hang right. Or, use a grippy strap. Either way, but I'm with you...neck-heavy guitars bother me.

Posted

Stew-Mac link:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Knobs/Tuner_kn...er_Buttons.html

My 95 FM seems to hang just right for me. But here's a follow up. Do the tuner buttons just pull on & pull off to change them out?

Sorry for the dumb question. I took a luthier correspondence course from Feynman, but so far I haven't received any materials. He just mumbled something about Snake Oil strings.... :blink:

Posted

I highly suggest loosening the string as the tension will cause the guts of the tuner to "kick out" without the screw holding the knob in place. Yes, you just take out the screw, pull off the brass button, and slide the plastic one into place. The Schaller pearloids from StewMac also fit just fine on Grover tuners, but you have to re-use the longer Grover screws.

Posted

Thanks for the feedback Chris, Scooter and SpecialK - can always count on veteran Hamerphiles like you guys to get us noobs sorted out. Will definitely try the tuner buttons - can only help the cause, methinks.

I highly suggest loosening the string as the tension will cause the guts of the tuner to "kick out" without the screw holding the knob in place. Yes, you just take out the screw, pull off the brass button, and slide the plastic one into place. The Schaller pearloids from StewMac also fit just fine on Grover tuners, but you have to re-use the longer Grover screws.

Thanks muchly for this also - very helpful.

Posted

BCR Greg has these buttons in stock as well. Help out the dealers on the board if you can! :blink:

Thanks for the suggestion, veatch! If I decide to go this route, one of the dealers on the board will be hearing from me. Those ebony buttons have caught my eye.

Thanks to Thundernotes for the info!

Posted

As already mentioned, a good strap will solve most of the problem. Obviously a nylon strap would be out of the question. A good suede/leather strap will grip the shoulder much better and keep the neck from diving.

The tuners are the main cause though, so those definitely need replaced.

Posted
The tuners are the main cause though, so those definitely need replaced.

Or if you teach English, those definitely need to be replaced.

:blink:

Posted

I learned a long time ago that a good strap is worth it's weight in gold. I have a great wide, grippy Levy's strap for this guit and the bugger still cants. Definitely gonna contact Greg about some buttons. Like SpecialK, I'm leaning more towards the ebony over the pearloids. :blink:

Posted

Yeah - the Pearloids can look a little girly, but only up close. From the stage / distance, they look fine.

I put a set on my DuoTone, and it made the difference:

DuoTone-Headstock.jpg

Edited to add: Ebony buttons wouldn't have looked right on that guitar, but that's just my opinion...

Posted

I think all my lighter Specials were neck heavy....that's why they are gone.... I did the pearloid tuner thing and it helped but not much. The grippy strap thing works but then you have the strap pulling on your shirt... It's all a trade off... I played sustain block Specials and FMs for quite a few years... them and the SGs are all gone. The neck heavy guitars fianlly wore out their welcome. Try a few things to see if you can live with it but if it bugs you I wouldn't spend a lot of time chasing it.

Posted

I think all my lighter Specials were neck heavy....that's why they are gone.... I did the pearloid tuner thing and it helped but not much. The grippy strap thing works but then you have the strap pulling on your shirt... It's all a trade off... I played sustain block Specials and FMs for quite a few years... them and the SGs are all gone. The neck heavy guitars fianlly wore out their welcome. Try a few things to see if you can live with it but if it bugs you I wouldn't spend a lot of time chasing it.

The buttons are en route from one of the HFC dealers. Will give that a shot - certainly can't hurt. My Special's so much lighter than my Standard that I think it can withstand some sort of decorative counter-weight - maybe a coontail tied to the bottom strap button like Ted Nugent (or not...). ;)

Posted

As already mentioned, a good strap-on will solve most of the problem. Obviously a nylon strap-on would be out of the question. A good suede/leather strap-on will grip the shoulder much better and keep the neck from diving.

The tuners are the main cause though, so those definitely need replaced.

FIXED!

Posted

Buttons were installed last night. They help somewhat, but guit still hangs completely horizontal left to its own devices. I guess the coontail is next (ha ha)...

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