Tested an YJM Strat today

[Jakem]

My local shop had one and they also had a Ritchie Blackmore sig Strat. Didn't check the RB one but on the YJM Strat the fretwork and scalloping were perfect! Scallops were so deep, symmetrical and very very well done. Couldn't find any imperfections in the other finishing aspects neither. Here comes the bad part; I've read a lot about neck pocket being way way too big for the neck on the YJM Strats and this, unfortunately, had that problem too. The high-E was above the part where the fret's end (rounding) starts. So when I took the guitar in an excited state of mind, because I was about to lose my YJM Strat / scalloped fingerboard virginity, I didn't notice the neck pocket thingie. Then the time stopped - took an E note from high-E (12th pos) aaaaand picked the note. KABOOOOM!!!!! Directly after pushing down the string and picking it, the string fell off from the fretboard. I didn't want the first note of my YJM Strat experience to end so prematurely. Anyways, I did play it for like 15 mins and I started feeling comfy about the scallops at the end of the testing session. I had problems playing it at first because I kept pushing my fingers under the strings. Might have to go and re-test it later on when the neck position has been changed and this time with warm hands because my hands were freezing when I got there.

I love my local shop; they have a JEM20th, JS20th Silver Surfer (~7000€), UV777BPK, several CS Strats, few nice Gibsons, Charvel USA series guitars, Mesas, Engls, Bogners, Orange etc etc etc. It's half a high-end shop which I like a lot and they have some cool gear around.

 

[Digital Jams]

Glad I was not the only dork all excited to break the scallope cherry

Yes the neck pocket was so bad on the one I tried that I could have stuffed two credit cards between the body and neck heel, for a $1600 guitar it is not excusible for Fender to let that leave the shop. The neck was outstanding and yes the scallopes look perfect and they are deep! I am wondering if the necks are sent out for the scallope because they are not matched to the bodies.

Waiting for my scalloped neck from GreasyGeorge to arrive for my homebrew Yngwie

 

[Jakem]

Glad I was not the only dork all excited to break the scallope cherry

Yes the neck pocket was so bad on the one I tried that I could have stuffed two credit cards between the body and neck heel, for a $1600 guitar it is not excusible for Fender to let that leave the shop. The neck was outstanding and yes the scallopes look perfect and they are deep! I am wondering if the necks are sent out for the scallope because they are not matched to the bodies.

Waiting for my scalloped neck from GreasyGeorge to arrive for my homebrew Yngwie

You got a bit excited when you read the text, didn't you, Scott? Now that I think of it, I should've started from g-string...

I've heard that Fender's Custom Shop folks do the scalloping but I dunno if it's true or not. What body did you get for your homebrew YJM ? Color? Pup config?

 

[Digital Jams]

Allparts 22 fret small headstock
Body from a mid 90s MIM strat I have laying around, black right now.............
Loaded Yngwie pickguard.


If I dig this I am going to build another with the correct CBS headstock neck

 

[Jakem]

Allparts 22 fret small headstock
Body from a mid 90s MIM strat I have laying around, black right now.............
Loaded Yngwie pickguard.


If I dig this I am going to build another with the correct CBS headstock neck

Very cool!

 

[badger71]

My YJM had the same neck pocket issue. It was probably the worst pocket I have ever seen on a production line guitar.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Sorry to hear of these woes with the YJM's lads. I have a slight issue with the high E being to close to the edge of the finger, but my neck pocket is snug. Some have managed to use other methods of compensation for this charming characteristic of these signature models. I had heard the YJM MK III's 2007 and up, are less prone to this issue, at least that's what I have heard. I do manage to speak with quite a few owners of these guitars on a regular basis. My example is a 2004 I ordered, well you just can't buy these off the rack

This issue of the string alignment has been the 'white elephant', or emperor's new clothes scenario for quite some time with Fender. But with the way FMIC is structured these days and all larger guitar companies, they just choose to ignore the problem and hope it or you go away. The adaptation of the machine screw mounting of the neck, via the brass inserts, as the MIJ's have had for quite a few years, has given the '07 and up models more stability in that area hopefully. Too bad for us owners of the older models
yngwie308

 

[Jakem]

Sorry to hear of these woes with the YJM's lads. I have a slight issue with the high E being to close to the edge of the finger, but my neck pocket is snug. Some have managed to use other methods of compensation for this charming characteristic of these signature models. I had heard the YJM MK III's 2007 and up, are less prone to this issue, at least that's what I have heard. I do manage to speak with quite a few owners of these guitars on a regular basis. My example is a 2004 I ordered, well you just can't buy these off the rack
This issue of the string alignment has been the 'white elephant', or emperor's new clothes scenario for quite some time with Fender. But with the way FMIC is structured these days and all larger guitar companies, they just choose to ignore the problem and hope it or you go away. The adaptation of the machine screw mounting of the neck, via the brass inserts, as the MIJ's have had for quite a few years, has given the '07 and up models more stability in that area hopefully. Too bad for us owners of the older models
yngwie308

The one I tested was of the "mkIII" series with the bullet truss rod, deep scallops etc. Nice gear you have and welcome to Rig-Talk!

Be careful with the font size, no need to type with cat-sized letters.

 

[maiden_fan]

I saw a thread on HC, and a guy changed the trem to a modern spaced one or mabye it was the other way round and it fixed the problem.

 

[Digital Jams]

The one I played was an 08 model and yours is much better than the one I played. The neck was awesome but that pocket was the deal breaker, it was that bad.

Nice Yngwie!!!