I think the neck is warped

[Jet-Jaguar]

So, I took you guy's advice on how to clean the Warmoth neck I bought off ebay.  Thanks for the replies.  It's clean now, and looking sharp.  But now that I have new strings on it, it appears to be a bit warped.  The high E just barely goes off the fretboard down towards the bridge. 

It didn't have a high E string on it when it arrived, though, and the old strings were loose, so I'm thinking it could just need that tension to go back into shape. Am I right? Or is this neck done for?

Are there any instructions around specifically for adjusting a total vintage neck?

 

[MUYFUE]

Do you mean bow or hump OR do you mean an S shaped twist?

 

[tfarny]

'just barely goes off the fretboard' - what does that mean? The string is too close to the high frets? Too close to the edge of the board? It has a high action in the middle of the fretboard but a low action as it goes higher? You'll  need to be a lot more specific and send in pics ideally.

 

[simple]

Sounds like you need to loosen up the strings with barely any tension on them, then slightly loosen up the neck mounting screws, then pull the neck left into position for straight string travel then tighten the neck screws back up.

 

[Jet-Jaguar]

'just barely goes off the fretboard' - what does that mean? The string is too close to the high frets? Too close to the edge of the board? It has a high action in the middle of the fretboard but a low action as it goes higher? You'll  need to be a lot more specific and send in pics ideally.

I'll try to get some pics tonight, but what I mean is, (as you're looking at it if the guitar was on a stand)  the high e string starts off at about ~1/16th of an inch away from the right edge of the fretboard at the nut,  then down at the bridge-end of the fretboard, it 's going off the edge.  It almost looks like the bridge is in the wrong place.

I also have some buzzing on the first and second frets on the low E, but that isn't what worries me now. Although it may be related.

Sounds like you need to loosen up the strings with barely any tension on them, then slightly loosen up the neck mounting screws, then pull the neck left into position for straight string travel then tighten the neck screws back up.

Hmmm ... that makes sense, actually. I'll try that. The body is a V-shape, so there's no side-support for the neck.

 

[Orpheo]

well... you don't have side support on, lets say, a strat it might LOOK like support, but the forces go downwards, not sidewards, unless you play like Malmsteen/Vai/hendrix

 

[SrDeMaFp]

Sounds like there could be some play in the neck pocket.

 

[Jet-Jaguar]

Sounds like you need to loosen up the strings with barely any tension on them, then slightly loosen up the neck mounting screws, then pull the neck left into position for straight string travel then tighten the neck screws back up.

That was it.  Now all I have to do is figure out how to get rid of the buzzing on the frets.

 

[blue313]

How long has it been under full string tension for?  It's possible it just needs a few days to settle in. You mentioned it didn't arrive at full tension, and I'm assuming the truss rod wasn't backed off either.

That buzz on the low E could be a high fret or a low nut slot.  However, I'd give the neck just a hair of relief if it doesn't settle in.  No need to go after those just yet.

 

[Alfang]

I agree with Blue, Let the guitar sit for a few days with strings tuned propper, if you have to retune each day that means your neck is moving, monitor it daily till the neck settles in, once it is stable, let us know how it buzzes or doesn't.

If it still buzzes , it may just need a slight bridge adjustment,  if you have lighter ( or heavier) strings than the previous owner, a truss rod adjustment may be needed, and that would be probably 1/8 to 1/4 turn in or out depending on which way it needs to go, I'm guessing out if its buzzing, but you really need to look down the neck and see if its curved or bowed, don't adjust truss rod just for buzz reasons.

I like my necks straight, some people like them slightly bowed in the direction of the strings, and I mean slightly, almost un-noticable. 

Theres a ton of sights to check for setup: http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutorial1.htm