sloppychops
Friend of Leo's
I had to find out if changing out the maple fretboard neck of the EJ for a rosewood fretboard neck would make it play better, and if it would change the sound. The neck I settled on was a Robert Cray neck from Stratosphere.
When it arrived, it looked much lighter than it did in the photos. I lightly sanded it and applied 5 coats of F-One fretboard oil on it. The fretboard darkened noticeably and felt less "gritty." It's not the naturally oily rosewood I'd like it to be, but it works.
The neck arrived with the low E and A tuners broken. I let Stratosphere know and they emailed a shipping label to send them back. Within two weeks I had two replacement tuners from them. Both work fine.
Part of the transformation was putting the anodized pickguard back on it after a 6 month hiatus. Different lighting conditions change the way it looks.
The Cray neck was the thickest, most reasonably priced, real rosewood fretboard Fender neck I could find. 9.5" radius (versus the 12" of the EJ neck) and pretty thick feeling. It fit well in the neck pocket. I did have to lower the saddles quite a bit, though.
What I notice most, and what I had hoped for, is that it's much easier to bend the strings with this neck than with the stock EJ neck. It's really noticeable on big twangy bends on the G and B strings.
Tonally, there's a noticeable difference, too. Best way I can describe the sound is "less Stratty." It still sounds like a Strat, just not as much. It seems like the higher frequency tones are rounded off, and there's less of a "glassy" sound...a little more "brittle" sounding. Honestly, I think it sounded better with the stock neck, but it's not bad by any means and I'm still fiddling around with pickup heights.
Before putting this neck on, the body had a plastic pickguard. So the anodized guard could have some effect on the change in tone.
I put a dab of Vaseline under the string tree ramps and graphite in the string slots, and the guitar holds tuning really well even with a lot of vibrato bar dips and warbles.
The guitar held tuning really well with the stock neck, too, and I thought the main reason for this was the quarter sawn EJ neck and staggered height tuners. Seeing how it holds tuning so well with the new neck with its Kluson copy tuners makes me think the trem block design and slightly longer string length has more to do with its tuning stability.
I'm sure someone will chime in with a comment about how the EJ neck plays great, and I won't disagree. I just didn't think it worked as well as it should for string bends. I think it's a double whammy of shallow fret height and a lacquered fretboard.
I doubt I'll stick with the anodized pickguard. I think I actually like plastic pickguards more, and something that comes close to the body color would probably look better.
Was it worth spending $350 on a new neck? I think so. I'd easily take that much of a financial loss in selling the guitar as it was. This way I've got a keeper.
The only reason I can see for keeping the EJ neck is to put it back on the body if I ever decide to sell it. I haven't decided what to do with it yet. Would you sell it or keep it?
When it arrived, it looked much lighter than it did in the photos. I lightly sanded it and applied 5 coats of F-One fretboard oil on it. The fretboard darkened noticeably and felt less "gritty." It's not the naturally oily rosewood I'd like it to be, but it works.
The neck arrived with the low E and A tuners broken. I let Stratosphere know and they emailed a shipping label to send them back. Within two weeks I had two replacement tuners from them. Both work fine.
Part of the transformation was putting the anodized pickguard back on it after a 6 month hiatus. Different lighting conditions change the way it looks.
The Cray neck was the thickest, most reasonably priced, real rosewood fretboard Fender neck I could find. 9.5" radius (versus the 12" of the EJ neck) and pretty thick feeling. It fit well in the neck pocket. I did have to lower the saddles quite a bit, though.
What I notice most, and what I had hoped for, is that it's much easier to bend the strings with this neck than with the stock EJ neck. It's really noticeable on big twangy bends on the G and B strings.
Tonally, there's a noticeable difference, too. Best way I can describe the sound is "less Stratty." It still sounds like a Strat, just not as much. It seems like the higher frequency tones are rounded off, and there's less of a "glassy" sound...a little more "brittle" sounding. Honestly, I think it sounded better with the stock neck, but it's not bad by any means and I'm still fiddling around with pickup heights.
Before putting this neck on, the body had a plastic pickguard. So the anodized guard could have some effect on the change in tone.
I put a dab of Vaseline under the string tree ramps and graphite in the string slots, and the guitar holds tuning really well even with a lot of vibrato bar dips and warbles.
The guitar held tuning really well with the stock neck, too, and I thought the main reason for this was the quarter sawn EJ neck and staggered height tuners. Seeing how it holds tuning so well with the new neck with its Kluson copy tuners makes me think the trem block design and slightly longer string length has more to do with its tuning stability.
I'm sure someone will chime in with a comment about how the EJ neck plays great, and I won't disagree. I just didn't think it worked as well as it should for string bends. I think it's a double whammy of shallow fret height and a lacquered fretboard.
I doubt I'll stick with the anodized pickguard. I think I actually like plastic pickguards more, and something that comes close to the body color would probably look better.
Was it worth spending $350 on a new neck? I think so. I'd easily take that much of a financial loss in selling the guitar as it was. This way I've got a keeper.
The only reason I can see for keeping the EJ neck is to put it back on the body if I ever decide to sell it. I haven't decided what to do with it yet. Would you sell it or keep it?
