Advice On Swapping Strat Necks?

[colchar]

Does anyone here have experience with changing necks on a Fender Strat? If so, do you have any advice for someone who is about to do it for the first time (it will be my first mod of any kind).

When I bought my Strat I had wanted a maple neck but I bought my rosewood one because they didn't have any maple necked versions in stock. I really liked the rosewood fretboard for a while and thought it looked good with the darker burst on my Strat but, the more I've played a friend's maple necked Strat and have been test driving maple necked Teles, the more I have realized that I prefer a maple neck. So, because of that, I've decided to make the switch.

Someone I know from another forum I frequent has offered to trade me his maple neck for my rosewood one. Both necks are about a year old so it isn't like I am giving him a new(ish) neck and getting an older one in return or anything. He is obviously experienced doing mods but I have no clue and, since he is in Pennsylvania and I am in Ontario, it isn't like I can meet up with him to make the swap in person and have him walk me through it.

So, because of my lack of experience, I am hoping someone here can offer some advice. If I can't get the new neck on and all set up properly myself I will put it on, tune the strings up but not quite to full tension, and then take it in to the tech at the store I shop at and have him take a look at it. He is very good about giving me a hand here and there off the books but I don't want to take advantage of his generosity and am hoping to be able to do this job properly by myself.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

[Mojo]

It's a very straight forward thing, I am sure you will be all right.
Take the strings off
unscrew neck
put new one on
screw it back on - MAKE SURE NOT TO OVER TIGHTEN NECK SCREWS so as to not make a crack in the neck pocket!
restring
check the setup
done

[pwfirst]

Done it a few times my self, just like Mojo said pretty simple. Make sure the screw holes line up.

[colchar]

Thanks folks.

Everything should line up fine as mine is a 2010 MIM Standard and the neck I am getting is also from a 2010 MIM Standard. It is the identical neck just with a different fretboard.

That does bring up another question that my roommate and I were arguing about. He says that, by replacing the neck and regardless of whether it is the identical neck or not, my guitar will now be a partscaster and will have reduced resale value should I ever choose to sell it. I say it wouldn't be because the neck is the same year, make, and model as the original. My theory is that, if I got a replacement neck directly from Fender (say under warranty or something) that wouldn't make my guitar a partscaster and this situation is, essentially, the same just that the neck is coming from a different source.

So what do the rest of you think - will this swap make my guitar a partscaster or no?

[Mojo]

Yes it will, and you would have to disclose the neck swap were you to sell it. But because it came from an equivalent guitar, I don't think that it is a big deal at all.

Technically, all guitars are partscasters to a degree or another

[pwfirst]

Some necks decrease the value and some increase them. Put a Walmoth neck on a standard guitar that is not a collector's edition or vintage, the value of the guitar will go up. An even trade Fender for Fender, same basic model, Mojo is right, not probably and issue.
Maple necks are kinda growing on me too. .