I shimmed both my cheap Squiers. I noticed it was hard to get decent action without dropping the bridge saddles stupidly low and losing the break angle. I determined how much shimming I felt was needed, put in a full shim to raise the entire neck that much in relation to the bridge, and then did full setups. I got very good action and a nice break angle over the saddles on both. Both are much more adjustable and playable now.
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Shims: The lazy mans fix??
- Thread starter Kunekune
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I would say no. Others will say (and have said) that a tapered, full-contact shim is much better for a variety of reasons. I've done it both ways and can't tell the difference.
For decades I've used a full pocket wedge shim made of a stairstep pattern with strips of masking tape on the heel of the neck. I start in a 4/3/2/1 pattern with the 4 layers at the end of the neck and adjust from there.
Layered masking tape also lends itself to full pocket flat shims as another way compensate for neckpockets that are too deep and neck heels that are too shallow when I don't want to tilt the neck. I use a wider tape for that application.
Layered masking tape also lends itself to full pocket flat shims as another way compensate for neckpockets that are too deep and neck heels that are too shallow when I don't want to tilt the neck. I use a wider tape for that application.
Hopkins
Commercial User
This and a dozen or so other posts in this thread.
Try familiarizing yerself with the discussion before shoving yer foot in yer mouth.
Hi.
Really?
Or is it just that:
INTERNET is just full of false terrible information :rollno
Internet/this thread is just full of opinions :rollno
Internet/this thread is just full of people with different ways of looking at things :rollno
Internet/this thread is just full of people who hear things differently :rollno
What is the world coming to, can't trust any freely available information anymore.
Regards
Sam
Really?
Or is it just that:
INTERNET is just full of false terrible information :rollno
Internet/this thread is just full of opinions :rollno
Internet/this thread is just full of people with different ways of looking at things :rollno
Internet/this thread is just full of people who hear things differently :rollno
What is the world coming to, can't trust any freely available information anymore.
Regards
Sam
This and a dozen or so other posts in this thread.
Try familiarizing yerself with the discussion before shoving yer foot in yer mouth.
lol, yeah, I went back a couple of pages. I agree with what he says.
One time, my new-to-me bass came in the mail with such bad action the first 5 frets were unplayable. But the problem was i needed it for a gig that night, so i unscrewed the neck and shoved a 1.5 mm pick at the top of the neck joint and screwed it back on. Worked like a charm that night 
Hopkins
Commercial User
That cracked me up
Yep. Jumped the gun a little there. I'm man enough to admit being stupid. Life goes on.
Hopkins
Commercial User
Yep. Jumped the gun a little there. I'm man enough to admit being stupid. Life goes on.
No worries.
I wish there were someplace I could nominate this for the best, ever, anywhere! But that would be online, so....
The best shim material I've found is the free introductory plastic credit cards and membership cards that everyone sends me in the mail. They come in several different thicknesses and cut easily with scissors. Works much better than everything else I've tried , the price is right and I haven't noticed a difference in sustain.
I've found the practical impact to be nil as long as the neck screws are properly tightened.
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