Fender Micro-Tilt

[ked]

I was just reading the specs on a 2012 Fender American Standard Stratocaster and noticed it has micro-tilt. I'm thinking I read somewhere that this is an undersireable feature, what do you think?

Thanks,

[HayekFan]

Micro-tilt functions the same as shims for adjusting neck angle except that it allows fine adjustments rather than fixed steps. I say it's a handy feature. If you don't like it in principle, you can remove it from the equation by backing it all the way out. Then you have a traditional flat neck joint. So it's win-win.

[ked]

Thanks for answering my question,that clears things up. Obviously I don't know anything about this mechanism.

[fazen]

I think they were unpopular because they're associated with something that was undesirable, three bolt necks in the '70s.

[candid_x]

I refuse to use them. To me, it's an insulting design. I mean, if shims are undesirable, how much more a screw that pushes the neck off the flat bottom of the neck pocket with void all around it. Imo, if a luthier or tech screws up and requires a shim to compensate, it should be a custom matched one, not a ridiculous screw pushing the neck off its intended platform on an angle, nor a guitar pick that's half sticking out. If you don't care then it doesn't matter, but many of us do care. It's never made sense to me, other than it's cheaper than having customer returning their instruments because they could set it up properly. Micro-tilt was an efficient solution.

Another problem which I've seen develop is the cursed hump, which pushes the board up higher at the location of the micro-tilt while under tension for a long period. That means the entire neck must be set to higher action , or the frets need to be re-leveled to compensate for the hump.

I back the micro-tilt off, set the neck up, then turn the micro-tilt until it rests firmly on the bottom of the pocket, but not looser, so it doesn't rattle around.

To me they're worthless pieces of hardware, which in the long run, saves them money on set up time.

[jnepo1]

The micro-tilt necks are also found on the Fender Coronado. The neck plate for the Coronado are the 4 bolt variety w/ the contoured heel. I buy the neck plates all the time because I like to build guitars w/ the contoured heel for easier access to the upper frets. I have applied the micro-tilt on necks for guys who really like a very low action on their guitars for shredding, it's an easy method to utilize for this application.

[83stratman]

All bolt on neck guitars should have micro tilt IMO.

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by candid_x

I refuse to use them. To me, it's an insulting design.


To me they're worthless pieces of hardware, which in the long run, saves them money on set up time.

+ 100

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by 83stratman

All bolt on neck guitars should have micro tilt IMO.

Why ?.....So they can all have uneven Air Gaps in the all important Neck joint ?

[Guitarworks]

Originally Posted by fazen

I think they were unpopular because they're associated with something that was undesirable, three bolt necks in the '70s.

....Which is weird considering Leo Fender designed the micro tilt adjustment and 3-bolt neck joint while he was a consultant for CBS when they bought Fender.

[Mars Rover]

I have this feature on just one guitar (4-bolt) and would never use it. It dosn't need any extra tilt so the set screw is just snugged after the necks bolts are tight. However, when making a shim, its important to support the area around the threaded holes in the neck wood or else there is too much potential for threads to strip and neck distortion. With the big gaps the micro-tilt screw would cause, it seems like a worse culprit than a shim. When I do make a shim, it's usually brass shim stock with two holes drilled for the bottom pair of neck bolts to go through, providing some support around the screw holes.

[hunter]

Originally Posted by Guitarworks

....Which is weird considering Leo Fender designed the micro tilt adjustment and 3-bolt neck joint while he was a consultant for CBS when they bought Fender.

According to George Fullerton, the design implemented by CBS Fender was not the design application or implementation that he and Mr Fender developed. In later years G&L under the direction of Fullerton and Fender used a correctly designed and implemented three bolt micro-tilt on their guitars...and very successfully for many years.

I have G&Ls and Fenders with microtilt. I experimented with the microtilt on my early 90s G&L ASAT Special setting up the guitar by raising the saddles up higher, then lowering them and using the microtilt to get the desired action. I detected no change in sonic performance and the guitar was MUCH easier to set up using microtilt. I left it set up with the microtilt. Almost 20 years later, no neck rise, no negative results, still a good sounding guitar. My US series haven't needed it so I haven't used it.

It works. No need to sweat it if you need or choose to use it.

hunter

[chandlerman]

Leo Fender did not invent the neck tilt. Nathan Daniel designed it and used it on his Danelectro guitars for years before Fender borrowed the idea.

[ked]

This thing causes quite a discussion, both pro and con. Thanks for all the information guys. Funny thing is, of all the descriptions I have read about this guitar on numerous retailers websites, only one even mentions that the guitar has this thing. I guess it won't be a problem if I can back it out and not use it. If neck adjustment is needed, I prefer shims. Either way, using Micro Tilt or shims, the workmanship should be better and neither should be needed.

[scolfax]

Originally Posted by hunter

I detected no change in sonic performance and the guitar was MUCH easier to set up using microtilt. I left it set up with the microtilt. Almost 20 years later, no neck rise, no negative results, still a good sounding guitar.

So you weren't insulted by the design?