So the compromised shim in the previous episode was detached from the neck's pickup-end base, a replacement shim was made using an unused portion of a guitar string box & inserted into the area depicted above. I usually ensure at least 1/4 of the pocket surface is covered for a marked effect. The corners of the shim were rounded for a snug fit.
When the neck was re-attached to the body pocket, the effect of the shim can be seen here; there's a little gap as indicated above. Despite the shim being rather thin to many of us, it's more than enough to wedge the neck up. The neck needed a wee bit of wedging material to generate enough angular effect to rectify the action settings. It's like prescribing a small dosage of medicine to cure a person, regardless of how big the person is.
Why is shimming necessary?
You did well in setting up your guitar; the neck had been straightened or bowed adequately according to your personal preference, the action had been checked to your specs but upon playing, you feel that the action at the upper frets are disproportionately higher than the rest of fret areas.
Why does this happen?
It's not your fault. Either the body's neck pocket cavity had been routed a little too deep or the neck itself had been cut/ sanded down too much. It could also be the bridge's fault; at its lowest setting, it still inclines the strings too much at the upper fret areas (assuming there are no issues with the body's cavity & neck).
Some upper tier guitars feature a neck tilt mechanism to address this issue like the Fender you see above. All you need to do is insert the allen wrench provided & adjust the neck inclination accordingly.
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