I think they are still sorting things out

http://line6.com/support/thread/72577?tstart=0

Interesting -

So will Line 6 refret my JTV-69?

Because the frets on mine are highly beveled and restrict my ability to bend either the high or low E strings.

Steve Conrad

Line6RichRenken wrote:
The issue is not spacing. The issue is the Korean factory and the bevel on the edge of the frets. That is why not everyone, in fact, not a lot of people are having this issue. The string spacing and neck width are exactly where James Tyler wants them. We have already contacted the factory and made sure that they don't bevel the edge of the fret more than a certain degree and to be careful when sanding and polishing the fret to not round that edge over. They build these by hand and sand and polish by hand so on some they go to far an make a nice ramp for the string to fall off of. You can definitely grab the neck and pull it toward you to get the high e away from the edge. Hold the guitar as if you were playing lap steel and just gently pull the neck to the left as you look at the front of the guitar.

 

Line6RichRenken

1,885 posts since
19-Apr-2008

Currently Being Moderated

4-Nov-2011 2:21 PM (in response to stevekc)

Re: JTV-69 arrived 13 months to the day, but bad news

stevekc wrote:

 

Review this pic

 

A luthier can fabricate a new nut  from a blank Graphtech TUSQ Nut. The new Nut would have slightly tighter / narrower  string to string spacing "pitch".

 

This will bring the high E string away from the edge of the fretboard , give you more available fret under the high E for vibratos, and allowing improved ability for hammer on's/ offs on the High E string, without it wanting to always fall off the edge of the fretboard.

 

IMHO they spaced your nut's string to string spacing too wide for the avaiable fretboard width.

 

When my JTV-69 comes back from Line6 repiar, I'll be making a new nut for mine too ,as it suffers the identical problem.

 

You are not alone.

 

These new summer 2011 batch of JTV-69's are slightly different in many crucial areas  - compared to the first 2010 batch JTV-69s I played.

 

The good news is I'm talking to Line6 about all of this, and they are listening.

 

The issue is not spacing. The issue is the Korean factory and the bevel on the edge of the frets. That is why not everyone, in fact, not a lot of people are having this issue. The string spacing and neck width are exactly where James Tyler wants them. We have already contacted the factory and made sure that they don't bevel the edge of the fret more than a certain degree and to be careful when sanding and polishing the fret to not round that edge over. They build these by hand and sand and polish by hand so on some they go to far an make a nice ramp for the string to fall off of. You can definitely grab the neck and pull it toward you to get the high e away from the edge. Hold the guitar as if you were playing lap steel and just gently pull the neck to the left as you look at the front of the guitar.

You know I've said it before, I have the greatest respect for James Tyler, there's no doubting he is a genius, but if in fact the spacing is exactly how he wants it then I think he's made a mistake.  It seems to me that he was perhaps going for a more vintage feel to go with the vintage models.  Whatever the case, I can play my strat forever and not have a single string slip but even after swapping out the neck on my JTV it still happens, not as much as with the original neck, but it happens. As I stated earlier my strat is 1/16" wider at the nut and 1/16" narrower string spacing at the bridge.  The necks are the same width by the time you get to the 12th fret... likely a little earlier than that but I only did that measurement.  So there is an overall 1/8" difference of string spacing across the span of the neck that is significant.  Now you can factor in fret shoulders and really get into trouble but even if you have nice steep shoulders like on my new warmoth neck you can still get into trouble because STRINGS ARE SPACED TOO FAR APART FOR THE WIDTH OF THE NECK.  Sorry, didn't mean to yell. it's just that there are so many threads on here about this and so many posts from so many users on all of the threads that it's an obvious problem.  We need some options to customize to our needs.  You can call the guitar spec'd perfect if you want.  I think it is perfect if you just want to strum open chords in first position.  For for those of us that want to expand our horizons beyond that let us order and pay for custom nuts and custom bridge plates with spacings that will bring the strings in from the edge of the guitar.  Please!!!

FWIW - my JTV-69 (with the sticky tremolo) was serial # W11070555