So Cal action issues

[ronjhoser]

So,
I managed to find a Pegan Gold So Cal, new in the box, and was so excited that I bought it without sitting down and playing it. Now that I have had some time to play with it, I have realized that it's not possible to lower the bridge enough to get decent action. I don't want to shim the neck, so I guess the only way to save it is to do a recess rout for the bridge. As it is right now, the front edge of the bridge hits the body while diving and the string height is still high. Anyone else run into this?

[vondran]

I assume you've checked but here's some things to look at:
1. Make sure the trem is floating parallel to the body. Mine came angled forward a bit which will raise the height of the strings. Simply adjust the trem spring tension until the trem floats level.
2. Check that the neck is straight. I got mine perfectly flat. If it's bow'ed forward that will obviously increase the string height. Adjust the truss rod to get it straight.
3. All Pro-Mod's I know already had shims in the neck pocket. It may be that one was not positioned correctly to get a good neck angle. I took the shim out of mine just because I like to have as much neck and body contact as possible. Before and after the neck angle was correct to have low string action.

[j2379]

my SD1 promod did not have any shim, and the bridge is floating enough to pull up on the bridge.

[Predator1]

I own 3 and none have shims. The neck pocket is angled.

[thetruthguy]

Sometimes you get a dud. I saw a new RR5fr (I think 2010 model) a few months ago that had really high action, probably half an inch at the heel, which I thought was crazy. The trem was screwed down pretty far into the body too, and it was parallel to the body. Wasn't much you could do there, but the guy playing it didn't seem to mind so I didn't say anything to him. It's not unusual to shim a neck on a bolt on, though. A piece of card stock is usually all you need. If it's extremely bad like that RR5fr I saw, then you should prob send it back and try to find another one.

[vondran]

The only other thing to check, and I bet it's not the case, is if there are any splinters of wood around the hole in the neck in the neck pocket. I found some in one guitar where the screws went into the neck. I've seen it only once and it didn't effect the neck angle, but it's one final thing to check. If there are none of the things listed in this thread that is the cause, then either shim the neck or send the guitar back.

[straycat]

Sounds like you need to shim the neck.No huge deal and no it won't kill the mojo.

[jrnic]

I think a shim in the neck is MUCH BETTER than routing in a recess for the trem.

[jrnic]

Also much cheaper too!

[shreddermon]

I think a shim in the neck is MUCH BETTER than routing in a recess for the trem.

+1. Heck, I've had to shim a couple of custom shop guitars for better playability. If done well, nothing but an improvement in both playability and tone.

Also, where do you live? I'm starting to wonder if this is a northeast environmental issue, too. If winter dryness can play havoc with necks and shrink fretboards, I wonder if it's having an impact on bodies & neck pockets, too. This could be screwing up the alignment of neck angles-to-bridge.

[Guinny]

I still think this is unusual for a guitar with an angled neck pocket, I also have come across strats and bolt on neck guitars that have required shimming but with a Charvel So Cal I'm really surprised!

The top mounted Floyds allow for a considerable amount of height adjustment so if this problem exists the angle of the neck has to be a long way out!

[KBRR]

i have never had a shim in any of my charvels

[Axewielder]

Shimming the neck is easy and reversible. Routing the body is quite difficult and irreversible.

[jrnic]

i have never had a shim in any of my charvels

Very understandable, but depending on the build quality of that particular body and neck AND any environmental issues that might pop up because of where the OP lives, maybe a shim is the best way to go. Not every body is made to the exact same tolerances. I have had 2 different Pro Mods and when I tried to put the rear cavity covers from one body (they fit perfectly) onto the other, the trem cavity cover was too big for the opening. Not by much, but enough that it wouldn't sit down in the crevice when I tried to screw it down. One side sat on top of the body. Also, when I put the neck into the cavity of that second body, there was a slight gap on one side which made me think that the second body had a slightly larger neck pocket. So, anything is possible. Fortunately shimming the neck is a very cheap, non evasive method to get the action set to the OP's liking.

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

Tsk.

[rudociliak]

Finally I run into someone with the same issue as me, I has a post about this too. I also have the Pagan So-Cal, and my bridge too goes too low to the body, in fact hitting it. Laying directly on top, without getting a nice low action. It's not unplayable, in fact the action is fine to play, but the idea that you know you can't go and lower than the 1.5mm recommended height, without the bridge sitting on the body, is not that great. I know when it came out the box the bridge had a nice distance between the body and achieved even lower action, I might need to do a truss rod adjust.... The neck isn't flat, but close to it, maybe a truss rod adjust will make a big difference?

[shreddermon]

If the bridge is laying too close to the body, that sounds more like a neck angle issue. It's more likely that the neck needs to be shimmed.