StewMac Neck Shims for Guitar
Tapered maple shims used to change the angle of a bolt-on neck.
To change the angle of a bolt-on neck, players and repair shops have used shims for years. We've seen everything from matchbook covers to guitar picks stuck in neck joints.
Those kinds of shims create an unwanted gap under the heel of the neck: a dead air space where humidity condenses to swell the wood. As Dan Erlewine describes in his Guitar Player Repair Guide: "This gap may cause an upward kink in the neck. And many players feel they lose tone unless firm contact is maintained between the neck and the body."
Dan creates tapered shims that cover the entire heel of the neck—with these ready-made shims, that work is done for you. Attention, repair shops: making a quality shim takes time! Keep these on hand for a quick turnaround on this common repair.
"My Jazzmaster needed a better string break angle over the bridge. The 0.5-degree shim let me raise the bridge to the height I needed. And it fit the neck pocket perfectly."
—Erick Coleman, guitar repairman and StewMac tech advisor
- 0.25-degree shim offers the most versatility. Stacking them will let you really dial in the neck angle you're after.
- 0.5-degree shim is the one you'll reach for most often. It works great on Fender and many other solidbodies.
- 1-degree shim is great for guitars with a Tune-o-matic bridge or Floyd Rose.
Taper specs (approximate)
0.25-degree shim tapers from 0.030" to 0.019" (0.76mm to 0.48mm)
0.5-degree shim tapers from 0.028" to 0.008" (0.71mm to 0.20mm)
1-degree shim tapers from 0.060" to 0.010" (1.52mm to 0.25mm)
Dimensions
Shaped: 2-3/16" x 3" (55.56mm x 76.12mm)
Blank: 2-1/4" x 3" (57.15mm x 76.12mm)
Shaped shims fit most neck pockets with a rounded heel. You can trim along the lasered line to fit the shim to a pocket with a flat heel, like a Tele.
Blank shims were designed for odd screw spacings, smaller neck pockets, and custom designs like the Fender Micro-Tilt™.
The Shop Set of 12 includes one each of every size, shape and taper:
3 shaped shims for guitar
3 shaped for bass
3 blank shims for guitar
3 blank shims for bass
Made of solid maple to match the guitar neck.
