Making the EJ Strat play better...with a new neck!

[sloppychops]

The real question is what does Robert Cray think?

But of course rosewood fretboards sound different acoustically. Also of course there is no difference through an amp.

The difference it made on my EJ was quite noticeable, so maybe it's an anomaly.

 

[Solaris moon]

That neck sounds like it's a winner for you and that's all that matters! I love the Allparts TMO Tele and Strat necks. I used to hate thick necks when I was a kid but now I love them. I guess I never really played a thicker neck until I became and adult. I don't have big hands but those are the best shapes out there bar none!

 

[Fretting out]

Woe you’re limboing under that string eh!

 

[4pickupguy]

I dream of owning an Aztec Gold EJ strat someday.

 

[schmee]

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.

View attachment 1070702

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.

View attachment 1070703

View attachment 1070704

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.

View attachment 1070707

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?


View attachment 1070726

Yeah, those Cray necks are popular. Wow, $350?
Maybe the SS frets on the EJ neck made it feel different also?
I find bends easier on rosewood myself. My Clapton Strat is maple though.
I like the pickguard on that!
Maybe you should just put the EJ back together and sell it for the $? That body looks identical to the one I bought on Ebay for my old #1 strat, perfect finish, alder and inexpensive: (the true color looks more like yours)

 

[schmee]

Thanks for your input.

I haven't played 9s or 9.5s for years. I play with my fingers and have a heavy thumb, so thinner strings don't work well for me and don't feel right. .10s are just right, and on some 25.5 scale Fenders I'll go with 10.5s.

I don't have or play any Gibsons, but I do have a Heritage 535 and a couple short scale Fenders (24"). I'm not a fan of the way most Gibsons play. It's the really low action and "floppy" feel of the strings that I don't like. They seem more oriented to players with a light touch. With my technique, I need a guitar that has a higher string tension. I use 10.5s on the Heritage (24.75" scale) and 11s on the 24" scale guitars.

With the new neck on the EJ, there's almost all the string tension of the stock neck, but bends are much easier and it's totally playable in standard tuning.

I'll tell you what Strat neck I'm totally sold on, the Warmoth 59 Roundback. Based on a 59 LP I guess, it's perfect!

 

[sloppychops]

Yeah, those Cray necks are popular. Wow, $350?
Maybe the SS frets on the EJ neck made it feel different also?
I find bends easier on rosewood myself. My Clapton Strat is maple though.
I like the pickguard on that!
Maybe you should just put the EJ back together and sell it for the $? That body looks identical to the one I bought on Ebay for my old #1 strat, perfect finish, alder and inexpensive: (the true color looks more like yours)

View attachment 1086368

I sold the neck in one day on Reverb. It went for $700. So, putting the EJ back to its original state is not an option.

The $350 for the Cray neck included the tuners and shipping. I don't think that's a crazy price, given how things are now.

 

[Kasperovich]

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.

View attachment 1070702

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.

View attachment 1070703

View attachment 1070704

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.

View attachment 1070707

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?


View attachment 1070726

I'd keep the neck and old pickguard. If you decide to sell it they can go back on. Then you can keep or sell the new neck & pickguard if you don't buy another Strat. I love my EJ semi-hollow - wouldn't change a thing.

 

[sloppychops]

I'd keep the neck and old pickguard. If you decide to sell it they can go back on. Then you can keep or sell the new neck & pickguard if you don't buy another Strat. I love my EJ semi-hollow - wouldn't change a thing.

See my post directly above yours.