Squier Strat Issues.

[ZMAN]

Before you try shimming the neck I would make sure you have exhausted all other issues. Neck relief is a big factor in getting the action low. Take a straight edge and lay it on the fret board. You will see immediately if you have too much space in the middle of the neck. Also check the Nut. If the nut is too thick or has not been filed correctly the strings will be too high off the neck. The only other thing then is the bridge and saddles. I have a good tech who sets up all of my guitars. I demand as low an action as possible, and I have several Squiers that are below factory settings. In fact one of my Squier Standards has the lowest action of any of my guitars. I do not use the tremelo bar, and I have my bridge set as low as possible. That can be adjusted by using the spring tension adjustment on the back of the guitar. With that pulled down almost to touch the body, I have almost a hardtail strat. Then the saddle adjustments are all it takes to bring it down. I really have never had a guitar even as lowly as a Squier that could not be set up to my exacting standard of low action. Try this before you take the neck off and start messing with it.
As far as living in Germany I really think that you must be able to find a good tech, being a musician you should be able to network with other musicians and find a good one.

[piratejohnrob]

In fact one of my Squier Standards has the lowest action of any of my guitars. I do not use the tremelo bar, and I have my bridge set as low as possible. That can be adjusted by using the spring tension adjustment on the back of the guitar. With that pulled down almost to touch the body, I have almost a hardtail strat.

I had not considered using the spring tension I do not use the trem either so I will definitely try this first. I know there has to be some great techs here in Germany hopefully one in my area, but I have been networking. Thank you for the advice.

[deeaa*]

Oh yeah if the bridge pulls up when string tension is applied, that'd obviously also lift the action way high...see it's about flush with the body for best results. I like to leave a teeeeeny weeny gap there because I think it affects the sound some; if it's screwed down very tight to make it a hardtail, it loses some of the liveliness with it. A big part of why a strat sounds like a strat is the trem, even when not used and torqued down quite tight.