Hey,
Periodically, someone asks about converting a
square heel body to an
AANJ or something similar to improve the upper fret access. Here's one possibility that is relatively easy to do and really helps open up the upper frets.
This was a regular block heel body with a traditional strat neck plate, coupled with an old style Ibanez square heel neck. I first cut the neck plate to roughly mimic the shape and pattern of the ones on the newer Fender contoured heel (available on the Jeff Beck strats and a few other models). Then I cut the body to match, allowing about 1/8" wood outside the plate. I also reshaped the neck heel to an AANJ-like shape. Nothing was particularly hard and the only tools required are a saber saw, a palm sander, and a file to smooth the neck plate edges.
This simple mod made a HUGE difference and suddenly this strat jumped to #1. I'll probably do the same thing to another old Iby or two.
(Edit: BTW -- pics are before guitar was refinished, so the paint is just a couple blasts of temporary primer to protect until then)
Cheers,
Bert
