Set-up Q (high E bends choking out)

Loobs

My Jazzmaster (Mastery bridge/vibrato/9.5"/med-jumbo) chokes out bending the high E on a full step from roughly the 12th fret up. The action is not low. In fact, I feel it could come down a bit. It's definitely firmly in the medium camp. The neck is shimmed with (I think) a .5-degree Stew Mac full-pocket shim. The Mastery bridge certainly isn't decked, but I've seen them set lower. Thoughts? 

Loobs

Also, if I lower the bridge at the bridge post, it chokes even worse...logical. Not sure what the remedy is? Less relief on the truss? 

JamesSGBrown

Maybe remove the shim? Modern JMs generally all have a 1 degree angled pocket anyway. Shins are only really needed on Japanese or vintage models. 

Loobs

It's an AVRI '62 but the run w/ 9.5 radius, def needs the shim.

Winny_Pooh

Alot of guitars with a bit of relief, (bow in the middle means that the highest frets sit higher in the string arc) may need fall-away in the upper frets.
I've even added fall-away on just the upper frets on a few guitars, gradually tapering the height ftom the 12-15th fret and making the 21/22nd fairly low, to improve buzzing and choking 

JamesSGBrown

Loobs said:

It's an AVRI '62 but the run w/ 9.5 radius, def needs the shim.

So have you tried it without the shim? FWIW, the mastery equipped JMs I’ve tried always fretted out more than the Staytrem equipped ones… ymmv

guitars4you

To clarify - is it just the E string, or B + G as well - Plus is it just the 12th fret, or all/most frets after the 12th 

distressed

Loobs said:

It's an AVRI '62 but the run w/ 9.5 radius, def needs the shim.

Some folks I know have had success with what seemed a bit extreme - 1 degree or even higher, with multiple shims.

ICBM

If it's not an actual neck problem with a hump in the fingerboard, the bridge *is* too low. If the action is already high, the nut may be too high and/or there may be too much relief.

I'm not a fan of those full-pocket shims, but it shouldn't be the issue.

guitars4you

ICBM said:

If it's not an actual neck problem with a hump in the fingerboard, the bridge *is* too low. If the action is already high, the nut may be too high and/or there may be too much relief.

I'm not a fan of those full-pocket shims, but it shouldn't be the issue.

As you know it is hard to evaluate with out having the guitar in front of you, so just going thru' a few 'regular' options - My gut feeling is to much relief 

strtdv

You can correct for a high nut by putting a capo on the first fret.
If the action is then much lower then your nut is too high and you can afford to raise the bridge.

If it's fine until the 12th fret and then chokes out higher up it's more likely to be the bridge is too low rather than the truss rod too tight. 

I'd suggest putting a capo on the first fret, raising the bridge until the choking stops, then tightening the truss rod until the action is as low as you want it without getting fret buzz at the lower frets. If that doesn't give you an acceptable action you've either got high spots on some frets or you've got a twisted neck

Loobs

Well, just had the neck off and I could only manage a quarter turn of the truss rod. My friend also said last night he thought there was too much relief. Nut is low. Bridge isn't high. Neck is shimmed. 

Loobs

guitars4you said:

To clarify - is it just the E string, or B + G as well - Plus is it just the 12th fret, or all/most frets after the 12th 

Just high E and gets progressively worse from the 12th upwards. 

FelineGuitars

Sounds like a hump or kick up st the end of the fingerboard , maybe compounded with more relief than is needed .

Straighten the neck and adjust action back to where you want it 

If you still have choking then it may be that a little light fret dressing in the higher regions would be needed - adding a little fallaway or creating a little exagerated compound radiusing at the top end  on the treble side

If you have a short straight edge and run it across the strings in the angle of a high e string bend  see if it is rocking somewhere along the line of that bent string . There is where the problem will lie as you are trying to bend a string effectively over the brow of a hill- it wont be much but enough to make it choke 

It is also where you can dress the frets in an arc that those bent notes will fall.

It is easier to visualise with some one showing you rather than words most likely

Loobs

Thanks! 

Loobs

Really think I might have to get a replacement neck if the truss rod is maxed out and neck is shimmed. Action is still really quite a lot too high at the high E and lowering the bridge just makes the choking insufferable. 

ICBM

Loobs said:

Really think I might have to get a replacement neck if the truss rod is maxed out and neck is shimmed. Action is still really quite a lot too high at the high E and lowering the bridge just makes the choking insufferable. 

If the problem is not a hump in the neck, replacing the neck won't help unless the new one has a flatter fingerboard radius.

If you think the shim might be part of the problem, remove it and set the guitar up without, or with a thinner shim.

Don't spend a lot of money on a replacement neck until you're absolutely certain it's the cause, basically.

Loobs

I can't see why the shim would be the problem. Without it the action would be super high. 

If I replace the neck, it'll be one with a 10-16" radius, i.e. Warmoth. 

Loobs

Took it to tech, tech concludes neck is pretty badly bowed. He's gonna look at options but it looks like a new neck will probably be the easiest and most cost-effective. What a shame, the guitar has a matching headstock too. 

sweepy

have you got a fret rocker or a short straight edge ? if so, i'd check to see if you have a very slightly proud fret, oops just saw, thats a shame but very odd

Loobs

Why odd? It can happen, I guess. Not sure why it happened, it only had 11s on it but as I recall when I received the guitar (used) the action was already very high - had to shim it - and I never adjusted the truss once.