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1578 Views 29 Replies Latest reply: Apr 10, 2013 10:26 AM by kylesalone RSS
handsolo Just Startin' 17 posts since
Feb 5, 2008
Currently Being Moderated

May 18, 2012 2:22 PM

JTV-69 neck replacement

posted once before with no response, so i'll try again.   can i put a Variax 600 neck on my JTV-69?

 

i'm a maple board guy !   besides, i don't really love the stock neck.  also, will a Jap Fender Strat neck fit?

 

thank you in advance for the help.

  • markcockerill Just Startin' 246 posts since
    Dec 7, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    May 19, 2012 7:19 PM (in response to handsolo)
    Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

    Hi Mr solo

     

    I'm not sure about the 600 neck fitting the 69 but I can tell you that there are good necks out there that will.

     

    I took the neck from my Warmoth Strat and bolted it to the 69 and gigged with it ever since.

    It was only today that I have bought a new Maple neck to replace the one on my Warmoth strat and it went on like a charm which in turn means it would also have fitted the 69 with the same ease.

     

    I bought my neck from an internet only shop in Hull, England which is just across the river from me and I was a tad apprehensive about paying only £100 for a maple neck with 22 medium jumbo frets. I needn't have worried. The neck is perfect in every detail. It was supplied with a bone nut which I had to file down for my own taste and I used the tuners from the 69 neck which fitted perfectly in the 10mm holes. No string tree necessary as the ploes on the tuners are different heights. I am so delighted with this neck I may even build a another new strat from scratch with parts from this company. The web site is http:\\axesrus.com  Mine is the True Modern series but they do have others.

     

    No reason why a japanese neck would not fit.

     

    Warmoth and 69.jpg

    • airforceguitar Just Startin' 9 posts since
      Apr 21, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Jun 18, 2012 4:28 PM (in response to markcockerill)
      Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

      Hey Mark,

       

            Did you put an oil finish or satin lacqer on the birdseye maple neck? Also is it a one-piece or maple fretboard on maple neck?

      • player99 Just Startin' 111 posts since
        Dec 13, 2007
        Currently Being Moderated
        Jun 18, 2012 11:02 PM (in response to airforceguitar)
        Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

        I don't think the 600 neck will fit on a JTV as I have a Warmoth Strat neck and it won't fit on my 300 Variax. Not even close. But as stated regular Strat necks do fit on the JTV's. Warmoth can set you up with a Strat neck for under $200. Be advised it will most likely need a fret leveling and crowning which will cost around $200 on top of the neck costs. Of course this would void your warranty if L6 was to know about it. If something did go wrong with the guitar putting the original neck back before sending it in would negate this issue if you kept your mouth shut about it. Obviously.

      • markcockerill Just Startin' 246 posts since
        Dec 7, 2007
        Currently Being Moderated
        Jun 19, 2012 8:25 AM (in response to airforceguitar)
        Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

        Hi there Airforce guitar

         

        The Warmoth neck is very likely a one piece maple with maple fretboard but it is very difficult to see a join at all. Not sure how else they could get a truss rod down it otherwise which is adjusted from the bottom end next to the pickup. I may be wrong. The neck is laquered and plays beautifully.

         

        The new neck I bought to replace the one on the Warmoth body (left in photo above) is a one piece maple and completely dry wood but again plays really well for a cheap no name stock 9.5 inch radius neck which only cost 100 pounds. The frets aren't as big as massive frets on the Warmoth neck but honestly both necks play really well. It goes without saying that the new neck on the Warmoth body would equally have fitted the JTV. For that price I can honestly say that I would just replace the neck when I need new frets on either guitar.

         

        I can take more closeups if you require them.

        • airforceguitar Just Startin' 9 posts since
          Apr 21, 2007
          Currently Being Moderated
          Jun 19, 2012 10:10 AM (in response to markcockerill)
          Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

          Mark,

           

             Thanks for the response. I'll go ahead and order a one-piece birdseye for my JTV-69 and get it leveled/crowned and bolt it on! Yours looks GREAT! and I'm sure it feels wonderful!

           

          -airforceguitar

          • kylesalone Just Startin' 35 posts since
            Aug 14, 2008
            Currently Being Moderated
            Jun 19, 2012 11:32 AM (in response to airforceguitar)
            Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

            Most of the strat ready necks on Warmoth have (Vintage Style (11/32") Tuner Ream)... will the Variax locking tuners fit in these? The post above says 10mm fit.. which ones should I get? I have a JTV69...

             

            Thanks

            • markcockerill Just Startin' 246 posts since
              Dec 7, 2007
              Currently Being Moderated
              Jun 19, 2012 4:42 PM (in response to kylesalone)
              Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

              I can't answer that directly. My Warmoth neck already has locking tuners and high quality ones at that. I didn't need to remove or replace them at all.

               

              I used the tuners from the JTV neck on the cheap replacement neck I bought for the Warmoth body and they definitely have 10mm holes which the tuners fitted perfectly.

               

              Hope that helps.

               

              Incidently, any UK guys want to know where I got my cheap neck from: axesrus.com. Based in Hull. Great people and very good service. I have had a lot of dealings with them since and they have been excellent. There is a chap there called Craig who is very knowledgeable about all this. Worth a look if you can't quite run to a Warmoth. I kid you not, the neck I got from them is very good indeed and I won't play any old bat. Tell them Mark from Scunthorpe sent you and I might get some more discounts (he says with his cheeky grin).

              • markcockerill Just Startin' 246 posts since
                Dec 7, 2007
                Currently Being Moderated
                Jun 19, 2012 5:13 PM (in response to markcockerill)
                Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

                warmoth headstock side on.jpgUnbranded neck side on.jpg

                The one on the left Warmoth. On the right unbranded. You can see the difference in staggered height tuning posts. The one on the right is using the tuners from the JTV69.

                • markcockerill Just Startin' 246 posts since
                  Dec 7, 2007
                  Currently Being Moderated
                  Jun 19, 2012 5:22 PM (in response to markcockerill)
                  Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

                  both headstocks front~1.jpgBoth guitars~1.jpg

                  As you can see from the photo left, I have had to install a string tree on the B and E strings. The E string fell off the nut once and that was once too many. No difference to tuning stability at all even under some serious whammying. Pic right, the two beauties together making babies. Just in case anyone was wondering, everyone calls me Dude.

  • kylesalone Just Startin' 35 posts since
    Aug 14, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jun 28, 2012 7:32 AM (in response to handsolo)
    Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

    IMAG0267.JPG

  • khoff2 Just Startin' 13 posts since
    Jun 21, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 19, 2012 4:02 PM (in response to handsolo)
    Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

    After having my JTV for about 6 months, I went ahead and bit the bullet for a new neck. I was not having the string slippage issue as others had, as my neck was pretty good. But, it still felt like playing a boat oar as the neck was a little too thick. I eventually got used to it, but decided to get a replacement neck just for the heck of it. I'm glad I did. My JTV now feels incredible. I got a Mighty Mite compound radius neck from CEG Hardtails on ebay, who polishes and levels the frets before selling. Now, my JTV feels like my Ibanez JS-1000 neck - fast and comfortable. Thanks for all those before me and their advice. Here is a pic of my new JTV...

     

    IMGP8809.jpg

  • kylesalone Just Startin' 35 posts since
    Aug 14, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 10, 2012 9:10 AM (in response to handsolo)
    Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

    Here is my new JTV 69 with a mighty mite neck. I've never insalled a neck, but I did this one and it plays great. I felt okay doing the install because the frets were already crowned and leveled. I almost saved $100 and bought one from guitarfetish but I didnt want the neck to be worked on once I got it. I git mine here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maple-Strat-Neck-Compound-Radius-Full-Speed-Fretjob-and-Micropolish-Speed-/130812018041?

     

    I used the tuners from the variax. You have to be careful with all the pilot holes. I designed the custom headstock and applied it with water glide paper.20121210_111059_resized.jpg20121210_111113.jpg

    • starise Just Startin' 12 posts since
      Jan 9, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Feb 18, 2013 6:04 AM (in response to kylesalone)
      Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

      I am also considering replacing the neck on my JTV69. I am not necessarily hating the neck I presently have,however anything that has less thickness will likely help my playing since I have smaller hands. I have had the occasional string slippage on high E but had attributed that to my playing. A neck change looks like a viable option.

       

      I appreciated looking and reading about what others have done here. I checked out the Mighty Mite site and was already familiar with Warmoth two very good options only I want abalone inlays and a rosewood or ebony fingerboard.Warmoth can probably do this but not inexpensively,at least not from my perspective.

       

      If a strat neck will fit the JTV69 there are a lot of options. One of the least expensive options would be to go to GC and purchase a lower priced guitar with a nice neck on it. I have seen guitars there with decent necks for less than 100.00. You really need to know what you are looking for here though. Frets need to be ok and neck straight, but you could walk away with a great neck and still have some pickups and a body to play with later.

       

      Noone has mentioned Carvin yet either. These guys build great necks and you can get more frills than with a Mighty Mite neck. I really liked the suggestion made that you could potentially go to a 241/2 scale as there are necks made that fit the strat pocket but are of that scale. I guess my only concern with that would be intonation and playing ok with everything else on the JTV. If I thought I could do it I probably would.

      • markcockerill Just Startin' 246 posts since
        Dec 7, 2007
        Currently Being Moderated
        Mar 19, 2013 8:28 AM (in response to starise)
        Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

        Anyone else tried this yet. You will have to trust me that this works. Despite what a few may think to the contrary, this Japanese made neck from my trusty old unused Variax 700 is much better than the original Tyler designed neck and feels very familiar in my hands with hundreds of hours of playing and gigging with it. It is still in perfect condition apart from a little fret wear but the action is great and intoned perfect. You may notice that these are not the original tuners but they do allow dive bombing and still she stays in tune.

         

        No problems fitting, just the extra hole needed pre drilling with a 3 mm bit. Both E strings are pretty close to the edge but thus far with some pretty heavy testing have stayed put. I think in all probability this neck will stay on this JTV.

         

        Just thought I'd let you know.

        jtv.jpg

    • zeddd Just Startin' 385 posts since
      May 12, 2006
      Currently Being Moderated
      Mar 19, 2013 4:41 PM (in response to kylesalone)
      Re: JTV-69 neck replacement

      I love your Variax headstock. I thought it was a Hawaiian headstock from a Hawaiian-made electric on the first couple of looks.

       

      Did you paint and compose the headstock and then varnish over it? This is awesome...20121210_111113.jpg

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