Just Got a Jeff Beck Strat--Any Setup Tips?

I just bought a 2002 Jeff Beck Stratocaster in sublime-looking green (this one actually looks like it's between Surf and Foam Green) in color. I wasn't planning on buying another guitar (sound familiar?) but had a day off, walked into Music Services in Wantagh, NY for the first time ever, picked up the guitar and instantly fell in love with it. It has a fantastic neck, superb sustain, and is one of the most solid-feeling guitars I've ever played. It was in tune right of the rack and I didn't have to touch the tuning while I was playing it in the store.

After about a half-hour of playing, I realized there was no way I was going to do a "coulda woulda shoulda" on this guitar, and out came the credit card. This is not just a good guitar; it's a Mojo Hand guitar.

I have a couple of questions about optimizing the setup (before I start fooling with it myself) that maybe some of you might know the answers to.

--What is the optimum height for the Noiseless pickups? Right now, they're pretty high--I didn't measure the height yet, but they're way higher than I usually set standard Strat pickups, maybe around 1/4-inch away from the strings.

--Right now the tremolo is set with the bridge flush with the body (no up-bend). Would it play, feel or sound better if I set the trem to float? I don't usually use a trem, but this is a Jeff Beck Strat, after all :-}. The guitar plays so beautifully now that I'm tempted to leave it the way it is, but would welcome the advice of anyone who has experience with this model.

And a Strat with no hum or buzz--unreal! I've read criticisms about these pickups, but I A/B'd them with a completely stock '62 Strat at the store, and I thought the Noiseless pickups completely held their own with the ones in the '62.

There is something about the JB Strats! I have one that always makes the cut whenever I thin the herd!

I have my trem floating - it's set so you get 1 1/2 steps on the G string - 1/2 step on the high E string. Stays in tune.

If you like it where it is, keep it there. I set mine floating because I wanted at least one of my guitars to be able to do his stuff like "Where Were You" from Guitar Shop.

It can do it, I can't!

Hi Carlo,

Welcome to the Forum! I joined a few months ago after years of reading and enjoying it. It is an invaluable source of knowledge, and filled with good people.

Yeah, the Jeff Beck Strat I just got is something else. An impulse purchase, and an expensive one, but I know I won't regret it, even when the credit card bill comes. (I've been buying and selling gear all my life, so why stop now?)

:Bass Side, Treble Side

Texas Specials: 8/64" (3.6 mm), 6/64" (2.4 mm)

Vintage style : 6/64" (2.4 mm), 5/64" (2 mm)

Noiseless™ Series: 8/64" (3.6 mm), 6/64" (2.4 mm)

Standard Single-Coil: 5/64" (2 mm), 4/64" (1.6 mm)

Humbuckers : 4/64" (1.6 mm), 4/64" (1.6 mm)

Lace Sensors: As close as desired (allowing for string vibration)

It is here including Trem setup, not sure you want to follow Fender there though. ;)
http://fender.com/support/stratocaster.php

Those green JB strats are sweet. Just last night I was reading the section in Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide where he describes how Beck had his Strat Plus guitars set up on tour several years ago, back before there was an official Jeff Beck strat.

check this out from stewmac (http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/instrument/Electric_guitar/String_action_and_setup/a-famoussetups.html)

I remember in the book Beck had his strats with 2 post trems floating, and the vintage trems were flat. I'm not saying you have to set it up like he does, just thought you may be interested.

Hi Cook,

Thanks for referring me to those Erlewine articles--great stuff. I like my necks with a little bit of relief--not dead straight. I know some (like Larry Cragg, Neil Young's guitar tech) insist that no relief is the way to go (and I see that's how Beck himself likes it), but I don't like the way the action keeps getting higher as you go up on a dead straight neck--i like the "springy" feel you get around the middle of the neck when it has some relief in it.

I've been experimenting with the pickup heights and currently have them a little lower than the Fender recommended setup. I'm finding that the pickup height on these pickups makes a surprisingly big difference in the "quack" you get in the 2 and 4 positions -- a 16th of an inch is audible.

I like to have an even volume balance between the neck and middle pickup, with a little more volume on the bridge pickup for a "built-in" volume boost when you switch to it.

The volume pickup is somewhat brittle-sounding clean, but fantastic with an overdrive sound--hmmm, I wonder if that's a coincidence :-}. Also, the tone control is very useful in taming the brittle quality.

The overall quality of this guitar is simply wonderful--I got a good one. And I can't stop looking at it--the Surf Green finish is just stunning to me.