hey, so i just picked up a ss squier vintage modified jaguar, and im having a bit of trouble. all the strings play really nicely except for the e string, which hits the fretboard when playing and makes a loud "clack." it feels very loose, even when in standard tuning. somebody suggested that i get the neck straightened, but i wasnt sure if i needed to go that far, or if it was just a string brand issue, or maybe a technical problem on my part (wouldnt be surprised). i've tried playing closer to the bridge which seems to help a bit, but like i said, it's very loose. thanks!
Your instrument needs a set up. The E string saddle might be too low. The nut slot may be too low. Maybe your neck needs more relief ( more concave ).
Also possible - unless you did it yourself - somebody put some funky string selection on it. If it came from a guitar shop and say, the E string broke or became unraveled, they'll often throw any old junk on there they got lying around. I've seen some weird stuff hanging on the racks like that. Needs all the things Root says eyeballed, as well as "does this string look like it matches?".
Is the string hitting a pole piece on your pick-ups? My E-string is a .090" so I had to adjust the setup a bit.
It does make sense. Raise the saddle, and adjust your relief if it's not set as you prefer. Five minutes work. Oh...and after you've done those things you'll need to adjust that string's intonation. Another three minutes work.
Do you have a rule that measures in 64ths of an inch? In playing position and tuned to pitch, place the rule on the 12th fret beside the E string and measure its height. A general standard is 5/64(low) to 7/64(average) on the E. To check neck relief: Tune to pitch and put a capo directly over the 1st fret. Press the A string at the fret joining the body and place a feeler gauge at the widest gap between the string and fret ( will be somewhere between 7th-9th fret ). .015" is a general standard. It's a good starting point. If no feeler gauges, press the string at around the 7th to 9th fret, there should be just a small gap when pressed. Some people use business cards but I don't know what their thickness is generally.
