Changing a strat neck from Rosewood to Maple

[Mysterytrain]

So does anyone have any advice about changing a Stratocaster neck from a Rosewood neck to a maple?

Is it easy? Are there any concerns I should know about?

[StumbleFingers]

Are you changing the whole neck and not just the fingerboard?

If you're changing the whole neck, then you only need to worry about the size and fit of the neck. Fender Strat necks are very standardized so it's usually really easy to swap in a new neck. Warmoth has a good guide here that points out a few non-standard Strat necks. If you have a non-Fender "Strat-style" guitar then all bets are off, although a standard Strat neck may still work.

If you're considering just changing the fingerboard, my advice would be to just change the whole neck instead and not risk fubar-ing the old neck. YMMV

[Mysterytrain]

Yeah, dude, the whole neck.

It's a 60th Anniversary Strat. So you're saying it's just a matter of buying the style of neck I like and swapping it, setting intonation and boom I'm done? It's that easy?

[StumbleFingers]

Yep, if it's a standard neck joint it's incredibly easy. Which is probably why there are so many "partscasters" around. Grab a random neck and body and you've got a Strat. Some of the best Strats I've played are partscasters. Looking at a few 60th Anniversary Strats on eBay, it sure looks like a standard neck. 21 frets, square heel?

[kayla]

It's a 60th Anniversary Strat. So you're saying it's just a matter of buying the style of neck I like and swapping it, setting intonation and boom I'm done? It's that easy?

yup, thats pretty much it i've had one that i had to put a small paper shim in but thats bout it.

- kayla.