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1597 Views 21 Replies Latest reply: May 11, 2012 6:56 AM by markcockerill RSS
bmexia Just Startin' 6 posts since
Nov 24, 2011
Currently Being Moderated

Feb 11, 2012 1:30 PM

Is possible to fit a Stratocaster Neck in James Tyler 69 Variax?

Hi,

 

I know this might look a bit odd but is possible to fit a Stratocaster Neck in James Tyler 69 Variax? The James Tyler 69 Variax neck is not bad but I feel a lot more confortable with maple C shape Strat Necks.

 

Thank you so much and please forgive me

  • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best 9,065 posts since
    Mar 26, 2007

    I don't have a JTV-69 but reading through some of the threads in this forum you will find that a few users have successfully swapped to a different neck.   Mark Cockerill is one such user, so I'd recommend that you search out relevant posts from him to start with.  He purchased a replacement neck from Warmoth.  Swapping the neck is a major modification and any risks are yours.  Doing so will at least partially affect your warranty status.

     

    Nick

  • litesnsirens Iknowathingortwo 649 posts since
    Mar 20, 2010

    Strat necks fit perfectly into the JTV69.  I am one of the JTV69 users that has put a different neck on my guitar.  I bought mine from Warmoth and I love it. It wasn't that difficult to install but I guess everyone's experience levels varies.  If you have a bit of experience with this type of thing it's pretty easy.  If not, you should be able to find someone around who can do it for you for a reasonable price.

      • lectricfrets Just Startin' 12 posts since
        Jul 8, 2007

        I can't speak for the JTV 69 (yet) but I prefer slim Ibanez necks and shark-tooth inlays and I was able to fit one on my Variax 300 with great results.  It's hard to find a 22-fret, square heel Ibanez neck.  Most have the AANJ (all access neck joint) with an angled cut, and all of the popular Ibanez RG necks have 24 frets.  The solution is the Ibanez "EX Series" guitar necks from the early 90's (Korean made).  If you watch, you can sometimes get the whole guitar used for close to $100 (usually a little beat-up) and that way you get all the hardware too.  I had to plug and re-drill the holes, shim the neck-to-body angle a little, and remove the string locks from the nut.  Action and intonation were easily adjusted.  That was my first attempt at a neck transplant and it wasn't too bad.

         

        I recently did a nationwide search at used.guitarcenter.com (no "www") and spotted an EX Series.  I nabbed it so I can "Ibanez" my JTV 69 sometime, but I'm not in a hurry.  The JTV neck is pretty nice as-is.  I called the GC sales person and asked about the details of the neck and action ("Just a few dings".).  It cost $109 and they charged $9 to ship it about 200 miles.  GC "used items" have a 30-day satisfaction guaranty and you can return them to your local store for a refund.  It doesn't get any better.  The guitar arrived in a few days with a nice original hard shell case (surprise bonus).  GC had rated the guitar "3 stars" which was about right because it had paint chips and scratchy pots, but the neck was a keeper.

         

        I bought my Variax 300 for $250 the same way a couple of years ago.  So that's my plug for Guitar Center's used equipment deal !

  • Line6david Line 6 Support 5,196 posts since
    Jan 27, 2010

    Hi,

     

    Fitting a new neck on the guitar would void the warranty. However, I am sure that the guitar could be modified to accomodate a strat neck. Just be aware that the guitar would not have a warranty after the modification.

     

    http://line6.com/support/docs/DOC-4838

     

    Thanks,

    David

    Line 6 Customer Support

    • litesnsirens Iknowathingortwo 649 posts since
      Mar 20, 2010

      I've already fitted my guitar with a new neck and I'm extremely happy with it. It's not that I hated the original neck, it would have been fine if I was just going to play the guitar occasionally or just use it for recording.  But I decided early on that this was going to be my main guitar and I needed a neck that I really felt at home playing on.

       

      That said I am OK with warranty void but I was wondering does that apply to the electronics too?

      • toasterdude Just Startin' 745 posts since
        Oct 23, 2006

        LIne 6's warranty policy is a bit stringent. I don't see how changing necks or pick ups would effect electronics but in their eyes pretty much anything voids the warranty.

        In fact they used to require bringing guitar to a service center in the state it was purchased in. I travel a LOT for work. One day I was in North Carolina in a hotel a block from GC.

        I bought a Variax 600 spur of the moment to use  as a beater guitar. A pezo died almost imedeately and I had to pay for the repair at a center in santo domingo where I live. Later on I would get intermittent cutting out and brought to service center in texas, again would have been a charge for repair but the tech was cool. He had it for months and could not fix it, so he didn't charge me. He then said he would never work on variax again. . . . . .lol.

      • Line6david Line 6 Support 5,196 posts since
        Jan 27, 2010

        Hi,

         

        Technically, the warranty is void. However should an issue arise we would follow due diligence in determining if replacing the neck could have caused the failure and would decide if a warranty repair is justified. You should still let us know if any issue occurs with your instrument but I cannot issue a statement that would guaranty any warranty repair on an instrument that has been modified in such a way.

         

        Thanks,

        David

        Line 6 Customer Support

    • johnnyayyy Iknowathingortwo 1,170 posts since
      Feb 24, 2010

      Line6david wrote:

       

      Hi,

       

      Fitting a new neck on the guitar would void the warranty. However, I am sure that the guitar could be modified to accomodate a strat neck. Just be aware that the guitar would not have a warranty after the modification.

       

      http://line6.com/support/docs/DOC-4838

       

      Thanks,

      David

      Line 6 Customer Support

       

      In that case one would be wise to slap the original neck back on before taking the guitar in for warranty service... and not post any pics of the guitar with the swapped neck on this site which might be held against them later.

       

      Correct me if I am wrong but I don't think the guys in this forum who swapped their JTV necks did any irreversible/permanent modifications to the guitar itself... I believe the only mods necessary would be drilling holes in the new neck and an action adjustment, once the original neck is put back on I don't know how anyone would ever know it had been swapped.

      • litesnsirens Iknowathingortwo 649 posts since
        Mar 20, 2010

        Good point, and it's true the only modification is to the new neck.  I appreciate Line6David's reply though that they would discuss and be fair.

        • Robzebr Just Startin' 44 posts since
          Nov 23, 2009

          I was just at a guitar show where the repair shop said they would put  a new neck on a JTV69 for about 150.00..  this is a reputable place ... big shop in New Jersey....  thats just the labor.... I would supply the neck...

           

          Question... is it possible to change the scale of the neck on the JTV69?   I was on the Warmoth site and was looking at a 24 3/4" ... which is different then the 25 1/2" neck that comes with the 69....

           

          If I change the neck to 24 3/4"  will that screw up any thing... as far as how the guitar models work... or tunings...

           

          I don't think it would... All we are doing is changing scale and then tuning it for standard tuning... after that the electronics picks up the signal and does the magic....

           

          Any opinions?

          • bbake1 Just Startin' 12 posts since
            Dec 23, 2006

            Bump. I would also like to know if a scale conversion neck (24.75") would bolt up to the JTV-69. Thanks.

            • litesnsirens Iknowathingortwo 649 posts since
              Mar 20, 2010

              And for that matter what about a 22 fret neck fitted onto a JTV89??

              Impossible??

            • toasterdude Just Startin' 745 posts since
              Oct 23, 2006

              It may bold on, but changing the scale length could require moving the bridge? Piickup placement may also be an issue?

              • litesnsirens Iknowathingortwo 649 posts since
                Mar 20, 2010

                Ya this was my thought process, I was just kind of blind hoping that there was some huge gap missing from my guitar knowledge that would make this magically possible,  I was considering getting an 89 and I probably still would if I was going to do a full transplant.  But it occurred to me that the blood red in the 89 would look great with my Padouk neck from Warmoth.  I really would like a second JTV, I'm just trying to figure out what it's going to be.  Is the neck pocket on the 89 the same as the 69?

                • markcockerill Just Startin' 246 posts since
                  Dec 7, 2007

                  As mentioned earlier, I was one of the first to put a Warmoth neck on my 69 and haven't looked back since. It really was very simple despite piloting an extra hole.

                   

                  However, the Warmoth guitar that I took the neck from has remained unused but I have ordered a new Strat replacement neck for that which should arrive in a couple of weeks. It's too good a guitar to own and not play.

                   

                  So, I took the 69 neck off of the Warmoth body (never did look right) and polished up the entire body in preparation for the arrival of it's new neck when I had a few thoughts. Does any of my other guitars have a neck that I could transplant to my Warmoth body and save on a new neck. Well, I picked up my Variax 700 and aligned the 69 neck (now it's in my hand away from the guitar) with the 700 and the scale length is identical. I measured up all the crucial areas and you know what, that marvellous neck on the 700 looks like it will fit my Warmoth body exactly which in turn should fit the 69 body. The neck on the 700 is superior to the 69 and plays very very well, I gigged with it for years and never had an issue with the neck.

                   

                  My JTV is in the gig van all packed up for this weekend's gig so I could not make direct measurement comparisons but the indications are good that it might work.

                   

                  Has anyone put a 700 neck on a JTV69 and found it to work?

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