How to reinforce a loose neck joint for better tone and sustain, guitar or bass
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- Опубликовано: 21 окт 2024
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This diy hack applies to any bolt on guitar or bass neck and body, whether factory built, or a custom build you're doing from parts or a kit.
If you've noticed that you have some small gaps in your neck pocket, or neck to body contact area, there's a good chance you're loosing a lot of resonance and sustain due to the loss of vibration in those air pockets between the neck and body. To fix this, we need to do two things:
Remove material from the base of the neck pocket to be a perfect contour of the base of the neck
Add material to the sides of the pocket for a tighter fit.
Starting out with number one, align the neck with the longer side of the neck pocket, and trace the contour of the neck slightly overlapping the existing neck pocket. We want to take off as little material as possible here so only overlap your trace by a hair. Then carefully remove the material you traced off, just a little at a time, checking frequently to ensure a perfect fit. I use my dremel on the lowest speed setting for this, but it can be done with basic wood files or sandpaper (if you're patient enough). Once you've got your perfect fit, and assuming you traced correctly with your neck aligned with the longer side, you'll see a small gap still on the short side of the neck pocket. This is where we need to add material for a tighter fit.
So moving on to step two, you'll need to pick up some scrap wood from your local craft shop. This particular body is made of basswood, so I bought a sheet of 1/32 basswood at my local craft shop for about $2 or $3. If your body is ash, maple, or other "choice" woods, you'll need to look for a small piece of "veneer" which can be about the same thickness. As you can see 1/32 is the perfect size for my gap, but if your gap is larger, just buy a thicker size, then sand it back for a perfect fit if you need to.
Place your scrap in the spot of your pocket that you're filling, and again, trace the contour. Man it's embarrassing watching myself on camera. Seriously am I drunk or something? Okay, since our scrap or veneer is so thin, I've actually found the best way to cut out the shape is with ordinary craft scissors. Add a small dab of wood glue and stick it in place, wipe off any excess glue, and hold it in place for a minute or so while the glue drys. After the glue has set for its full cure time, sand off any excess material to perfectly match the contour of your body. Now, test fit your neck. As you can see here, mine was a perfectly tight fit first try, but if your pocket is now too tight, lightly, and I mean lightly, sand either the material you just glued in, or that particular side of your neck, again, checking frequently until you get that perfectly snug fit.
You can stop here if you want, and bolt your neck back on, but there's one more step that I like to do to ensure that the neck and body squeeze together as tight as possible. And that's adding a couple of 45 degree angle support screws. continue reading on my blog at gunsandguitars.net
I've been playing pro since 1980 and building basses since 1995, but I'd never heard of this before. I saw your video a few months ago. It made sense, so I did this to one of my fretless basses and both the tone and sustain improved noticeably. Now three of my basses have been modded this way. It really helps.
You should experiment with fretboard wood….try making one with an Ebony fretboard
i wouldn't advise removing any material from the end of the pocket, it means you have to adjust for the change at the bridge by the same amount, which often cannot be done, and therefore can throw your intonation off. the original screw holes for the neck will also be out of alignment unless you fill and re-drill them which wasn't mentioned here.
Mikail Elchanovanich I was wondering this too - the holes wouldn't line up for guitars that are already put together.
+Mikail Elchanovanich crud! I missed two important steps didn't I? Obviously I demonstrated this on a new kit so when I wrote out the steps I forgot to add those. For the bridge, most bolt on styles have adjustable intonation bridges so it's not a problem, but in case you happen to have a tune o matic bridge or other non adjustable bridge, you may be fine or you may have to move it. For the holes in the neck, yes you have to fill them and drill new ones.
was there a reply on this that was hidden? it mentions you mispronouncing Basswood, i'll point out that Crimson Guitars and Chapman Guitars both pronounce it the same as in this video.
I like the way you approach and discuss your project however I have serious reservations about the potential space difference in the neck pocket if one Dremels the body and does not account for this space with the neck screws.
I really like your style but think that this advice you give isn't sound when thinking about fitting a guitar and neck together
i think they also miss that you havent yet mounted the bridge or drilled for it. you'll be able to seat the neck and then measure for the bridge and have zero issues on a new kit like this.
You should make a "Jimi Hendrix style " for right handed people , like you take a left handed guitar and put everything for a right handed ( but looks like a left handed guitar )
I added two additional neck scews on my cheap squier Indo p bass when I got a replacement mitey mite neck. Six screws total into sic inserts makes a SOLID lockup. I mean ROCK SOLID. No shims. The gaps either side of neck and body were big I filled with kneadable epoxy from HOME DEPOT. Then touch up with acrylic paint. Hardly Fender American factory but I could care less. Sustain is incredible. Neck is removable. Worked great for me.
Thank you, I have been thinking about doing the Sheehan mod to my project bass, and this literally is what I needed to see. I was going about it way too technical, now it's easy peezy!
Interesting Dan. I bought a pocket screw jig about ten years ago for a home improvement project. Subsequently I had acquired a new Fender American Standard P-Bass that just sucked. While I didn’t address the neck slop as you did, although in retrospect I should have, but did I use the pocket screw jig and a couple of 2” & 1/2” pocket screws and pulled the neck tight into the pocket. The improvements in the tone and sustain were absolutely remarkable.
Great tutorial. I would advise making sure you have the right neck angle ( via shims or angling the neck pocket itself ) before installing the 45 degree angle screws.
Sometimes I use really cheap, easy and fast way to make good solid contact between neck and pocket. You could take some pure pine rosin and add some pure alcohol to turn it from near hard state to more like paste. Then use it like glue to set neck in, and when alcohol will evaporate, you will have ALMOST set-in neck. Yea, this is sort of compromise, because odds are than if you would need to remove neck, rosin will be solid PITA just to tear it apart, but hey, it's always good to have more than one way to solve the task!
The bass you are working on in this video is the same one I got from the fretwire btw your code still worked and saved my some money thanks dude.
This was absolutely amazing my dude. Expert craftsman right here.
Hi Dan it's a good point those angled screws pulling the neck back in the pocket lengthwise with the strings, instead of only pulling down to the body as any other bolt on guitars. Just I'd say it can be a bit risky of some misalignment that could make the neck to not sit accurately leaving some gap in the neck pocket. From quite some years CNC has been used to route the pocket very precise and make the neck bottom to sit in snuggly leaving virtually no gap and making full contact. As you do it "by hand" meaning without a rig as used in guitar factories, I strongly recommend to take the time and go slowly. On the other hand, what I do is to let the strings tension to pull the neck well into the pocket after loosening about 1/4 turn on the neck screws, no additional force needed, and I notice on many bolt on guitars some increase in sustain and resonance. Thanks.
Another fantastic video, my man! Always instantly click these DIY luthier videos from you.
+Lou awesome thanks!
Really helpful. I’ll be adding material to make the guitar body and neck tighter.
Been waiting for this vid, cheers mate!
A Guitarnycologist can help with sloppy, loose pockets.
That's a great fix! I'm fairly crafty and mechanically capable.. but I wouldn't have thought of that. Thank you for all your tips and tricks!
Good idea, but if you plan on selling in the future, I would't recommend it. If you think your guitar is lacking sustain due to a sloppy neck joint, try slightly loosening the neck screws while tuned to pitch and retighten.
Thanks! Just picked up a low cost body for a hobby build and the pocket was too big. Been trying to figure out how to best deal with it, and this looks like the trick!
Ah, I was waiting for this one before beginning my new bass build...thank you!
you're welcome!
Cool tip about the reinforcement screws. I’m building a hardtail Strat and I may do this now!
Cool, I had the same idea, just worry about the loss of wood mass in the neck heel, as that is what also transmits vibration. I realize that you use the plastic neck-plate guard to avoid marring, but I think you are cutting out resonance by doing this. No plastic at any contact points.
I like the 45 degree mount, but i would make the pocket tighter by taking thin piece of veneer, moisten it and shape it round the 3 sides of the neck-pocket, and then glueing it, and finish it to a nice look with sandpaper. This makes the best contact without removing material. And believe me it works. Damn!
Hey man I enjoyed the video about the neck and how to tighten it up I've got a kit guitar that needs the same attention so thanks for your help and it was perfectly time to see this on RUclips
I just did this on a recent hybrid build and it turned out beautifully! Thanks Dan!
I have a cheap Austin bass. I am going to try this, thanks for the video Dan.
When I saw the thumbnail I immediately thought of the Billy Sheehan sig.
And yes, it does increase sustain (tighter neck pockets that is). If youre interested in a simplified (and written in sloppy English) explanation: the more an instrument vibrates/resonates when the strings are plucked (and only because of the string vibration) energy is dissipating. Looser neck pocket=more vibration=less sustain (more resonance also increases acoustic volume)
And if the pocket is already snug all the angled screws do is prevent the neck from going out of place when doing neck bends (which is why Yamaha developed it for Sheehan)
and this is why the neck thru thing is bullshit, the more the guitar vibrates the more energy bleeds out of the string into the wood as resonance making less sustain. tight bolt on make it out of denser stuff and get more real sustain with an instrument that you can actually adjust unlike a set or a neck thru. this is why hollowbodies have no sustain.
I believe neck thru construction facilitates upper fret access.
Ah. No it doesnt
Thanks for the idea Dan. I often had this problem with my partscasters that the necks were bending downwards a bit in the loose pocket resulting the high e string moving to the very side of the fretboard.. This might fix this in my next project. Do you happen to know any sources for rear routed strat bodies (like the Charvel San Dimas models) for pickguardless projects?
yo your advice in these videos are amazing. imma build a guitar with your info thank you brotha!
Great walkthrough of the process. I'm really impressed with your skills! Hoping to replicate some of these features on an OLP Stingray I picked up for cheap.
I could use some tips on routering a battery-box cavity. Any chance of seeing some routering advice videos from you?
Billy Sheehan "is" the EVH of guitar. I saw him twice, the best being in 1986 with David Lee Roth. Everyone was expecting to see Steve Vai play "Eruption", they screwed with everyone's mind that night. It was time for Billy's solo and he did a bunch of his classical stuff, then the big rectangular light rack came down right above him, he played "Eruption" on the bass guitar. This blew my head off, it was so awesome to see 4 members of a band really connect, Greg Bissonnette was incredible too, amazing and fun drummer. Ohhhh, I miss that concert, "Eat Em & Smile" gets my vote for the best concert of all time. Those guys cooked with lighter fluid that night. God Bless EVH, "MY HERO !!!!!!"
I would put 4 screws in first fully tightened, then the two 45 degree screws.
Then the 2 diagonal screws would not be able to slightly pull the neck into the pocket, since so much force is resisting, from the 4 normal screws. No, you absolutely must do the 2 diag screws first.
thank you so much... i have a silly Cort evl guitar which i used to hate (but it has emgs, and i aint crafty enough to build a new body for em) anyhow... the neck kept moving forward a bit (and not going back like a thight one would).
Time to flow your advice and tips!
There is no need for a tight fit on the sides. It can be counterproductive. The wood needs to move and all those who advertise "air tight" or "zero tolerances" lead to cracks in the finish and depending on humidity can cause a bad fit of the neck.
2:48 isn't bad...maybe a bit more sanding. The additional screws might be helpful for bass guitars, perhaps if you do a lot of neck bending on your guitar. The slight reset on the back pocket can be problematic with certain bridges (Neck screw relocation isn't that big of a deal). It think it's fun when you build a kit guitar.
Glad that I am found this video! Making my very first bass alone and of course I bought straight neck and body with curved neck pocket! Luckily you give the solution and will try this extra holes to drill! Fingers crossed the bass should be fine ;)
Off all the things I've done to a guitar, adding the screws to the neck pocket and getting the nut correctly cut are the two most important things to keep a cheap guitar in tune. It's amazing how well my scalloped strat stays in tune now that it has the two screws. I have the cheap trapzoid tuners on it and with well stretched strings it will stay in tune for hours.....even with a cheap squire flat sawn neck. I used one piece of black masking tape (black body) to cover the holes on the back....also painted the holes with some black nail polish...looks fine. You could get a sticker from the craft store and no one would ever know there's holes.
Would it not be logical for this type of truss rod to feature a threaded insert on the heel end, so you could screw from the pickup cavity to achieve a similar effect? This would be much neater.
I agree, but I would hate to remove that amount of wood from the main resonance transfer point. Also most treaded inserts are aluminum rather than steel so I wonder how that would transfer resonance.
Another awesome video. Thanks Dan, you’re full of good advice. I’ll make sure to give you a shoutout once I start my diy 5string bass. 👍
I watched this again. I have a Harmony P Bass and the neck has a ton of space either side and maybe almost an eighth of an inch at the heal. The body is plywood too. Oh joy.
Hey dude, you're about the only person that ever answers.
I have a fully loaded 2015 squier vintage modified 5-string jazz bass
I have no neck. What is the neck heel? And how do I measure it? It's either 72 mm or 75. What am I measuring?
The width of the base of the neck where it attaches to the body
@@GunsandGuitars hey brother, I really appreciate you. I don't have a neck all I have is the body. So what part of the pocket do I measure? The bottom of the pocket by the pickup or the top of the pocket by the horn?
One of the worst sustaining guitars I've ever had was a Carvin DC727 (neck-thru). The best by far is my Carvin Bolt (bolt-on). Go figure!
Great advice. Working on a rebuild and the neck doesn’t fit tight. Will be doing as you described.
I found your videos by accident, don't remember which one was my first video, but I like your channel alot, DIY mixed with know how :-)
greetings from germany!
+SuizidKorken thanks for the compliments!
I always thought this channel was very "tap out bro". Solid video...subscribed. I hope I don't start bedazzling my jeans 😂😂😂
Haha, tap out because of the flat bill SnapBack? Really I just wear a hat most of the time because I’m bald lol.
Awesome video! I can’t seem to get ride of the neck gap I have? The holes on both the body and the neck seem perfectly aligned, but as soon as I start to screw it in, they neck seems to pull to one side leaving a noticeable gap. The pocket it’s self seems nice and snug so I was hoping you might have a suggestion? Thanks for any info man! You’ve always had great content!
I’m building a HSS Jackson Soloist with a Seymour Duncan Pickups (SH13 _Dimebucker_ in the bridge, SHR1b _Hot Rails Bridge_ in the middle, and STK-S2n _Hot Stack Neck_ in the neck) and I was contemplating doing this…and I might if I decide to buy a new neck for it, but the neck I have on it now (a 22-fret Jackson Neck with a Floyd nut & perloid dot inlay, I might buy a DK2M neck off a buddy & repaint the headstock with Montana Cans Crackle Finish aerosol paint to match the body) but I’m shimming the neck with a sanded-down popsicle stick… putting this two extra neck mounting screws would nullify any benefit I’m getting from drastically shimming the neck for better action
I think this is my first comment slash question. One, I like coffee more than you, fight me. Two, I've been so uber inspired by your videos that I have been binge watching for the past couple weeks and bought an SG kit with a bolt on neck. I didn't search specifically for a bolt on or glue in, it's what I could find, stupid virus... Anyway, the neck pocket is open and the base of the neck runs into the humbucker pocket. So, would this method still work? I haven't even started on the body so...
It depends on how thick or thin the guitar body is.
Wouldn't loosening the neck screws a quarter or so of a turn after tuning (assuming you have a properly fitting neck pocket) solve the sustain problem? Generally when I do this and hear creaking it solves sustain problems. Using the 200 pound string tension to your advantage :)
Oh, and also good for people that don't want to drill into some overpriced vintage bass
Some people believe in that philosophy. My experience is that sustain is better when there is a tight fit and compression on all available surfaces, not just the base of the neck, but the whole neck pocket area. Also, loosening the neck screws on tele and similar body styles that don’t have support on all three sides of the neck pocket can cause the neck to shift side to side and crest tuning stability issues. But if it works for you, by all means do what’s best! There’s no right and wrong. Just what works best for you or what doesn’t.
If you loosen the neck bolts a 1/4 turn while In turn and hear a cracking sound, that’s the neck seating in the pocket. Then you can re tune and tighten them back down. I would only recommend this if you have not already drilled holes for he bridge or else intonation will most likely be off. If it’s an already built guitar I would fill in the neck pocket and sand it back leaving only where the gaps were in sanded. But i guess it’s all personal preference
@@christiansirianni4472 Lol no, just no. If your guitar was made properly setting the neck with tension is not going to change your scale length more than a quarter mm at most and it would probably be significantly less. The guitar was cut to be the correct scale legth with the neck firmly in place. Lol you'll be fine if you decided to try seating the neck at tension. I dont know how you came up with that non sense. Taking any material what so ever out of a proper neck pocket though is beyond stupid. This video was a great way to ruin a guitar. Unsubbed.
I would think we would not want to shim the neck on just one side.
I suggest finding the center line of the neck and line it up with the center line of the body and shimming each side equally.
If this step isn't done, the strings will invariably be off center on the neck and likely slide off when fretted.
Wouldn't it make more sense to drill the hole inside the pickup cavity parallel to the top of the body without an angle, so that it is not visible?
if i do this to a guitar kit, can i then sand down the neck heel a little more to be like an ibanez? my biggest complaint with kits is that they are bolt on, or set neck with the wrong scale length(anything other than the superior 25.5 inches). also do you know of any explorer kits? Anyways thanks as always for the help Dan, hope things are going well for you.
The angle screws are into end grain. This is asking for trouble, particularly with so many screws in close proximity. It may hold up for a while, but don't be surprised if cracks start showing up eventually. I suppose they may not, but I wouldn't take the risk.
engineer here.
4:04 nope, there's no support against neckbends with these screws. almost all the supporting work is done by closest screws to the headstock. these 45's can even reduce the resilience of the front screws (though by a margin so minuscule i wouldn't care about it)
also, these 45 screws can only improve neck pocket fit if they are the first ones to be installed, BEFORE other 4 holes are even drilled. although more screws will defintely increase sound transfer, no matter how they affect a pocket fit.
Strings tension already pull the neck toward the bridge and the standard screws mount the heel tight on the body, hence no real need for 45° screws.
I just found your channel. Two of the coolest things guns and guitars. I subscribed. Cheers
+jaylamb 143 thanks for the sub!
🤘🏻
It also helps sustain if you don’t use the plastic peice between the neckplate and body
most useful guy on youtube
Replace the wood screws with machine screws and fit threaded inserts into the neck. You get a much larger metal to wood interface area that you can secure with a little glue to stop any movement and can then confidentiality tighten the neck bolts really tight. I do this on my new builds and any repairs that need attention to the neck screws unless there's a really good reason not to.
Whilst adjusting the neck pocket, check with a long ruler or some thick thread (or guitar strings). You need the neck square and centrally aligned to the bridge so both e strings are the same distance from the edges of the neck.
I wrap my neck heel in plastic wrap and then use that to clamp any veneer in place. That way the glue is going to cure with the veneer perfectly fitting the neck pocket.
great tips!!!! thanks!
Doesn’t the paint and glaze/clear coat take out the excessive clearance in the pocket?
saw a Billy Sheehan vid about a Yamaha Bass with 6 screws - 2 at an angle to pull the neck into the pocket - then the 4 conventional screws were drilled and used - might work for guitars - esp customs
Why do you shim the shorter side of the neck pocket? If my neck pocket is too big and the neck is able to slide from left to right changing the angle of the neck, how do I know which side to shim to make it straight? Thanks!
i build basses full time and do a lot of mods and repairs and the best thing for a loose pocket is , no joke, 24/hr JB weld. its harder than basically any wood, and bonds to wood really well, so there is no need to actually make the joint fit perfectly tight, when the filler is more resonant than the actual wood. technically it should sustain more than a perfect wood to wood fit but not enough to matter. you use the 24 hour so you can make a bunch up, way more than you need, slather that sucker, bolt the neck on and you have plenty of time to soft-align the neck and get the 1st and last strings on to make sure the bridge is aligned, and just don't tighten the strings yet, its just for reference. the JB weld compresses into the pores as you tighten the main screws and you have plenty of time to clean the outside and be happy with the fit before leaving it to cure. not only is the weld filler harder than the wood for resonance but it's also stronger than wood glue so you could even remove the screws and transition the neck joint. its stronger than the joints used in most factory set-necks, especially if you leave the screws in or countersink them slightly and filler over top. the only stronger neck joint would be a solid through-neck construction and the sustain and tone should be the same since the bond is now tighter and harder than the body material with no crazy shims and fitting. hasn't failed me yet, and i run ultra-heavy gauge strings on everything, even the screwless fit on my 6-string Bass. just be sure its 24HR and not 5 minute or you got a real problem.
so the 24/hr jb weld is MORE resonant than wood? How do you know?
i just did this to my dads 62 fender strat, i think he'll be well pleased
😂😂😂😅👍👍👍
Of all the "so called" guitar advise videos out there. This is the ONLY ONE that talks/fixes the neck problems!! Will do and thank you very much!!
Is it possible that if there's a space, it could change the neck angle and raise the action really high?
Hi Dan, great video, one question, could one get the same result using only one 45° support screw instead of two? I'm afraid the two angled screws could go straight into the original back screws. So using one centered 45° would avoid touching the screws already installed on the neck, by going in the middle of them.
I've never had issues with the angled screws intersecting with the straight screws, they don't reach deep enough. A few people have asked about using 1 screw instead of two, so I just tried it on a jazzmaster I'm building. it did help, but I feel that two screws is better because you can use the two screws to pull in each side of the neck pocket evenly. with only 1 screw it was more difficult to seat it properly. not sure if it actually makes a big difference, but that's my opinion. also, yamaha and other manufactures use two, so that's good enough for me
My two Loves. Guns and Guitars
Billy's bass is a little bit different, he's said his neck extends down to the pickups and the 45° bolts are to help compensate with the neck bends he does
Can you put one screw like the ones you put and also one on the "non-cutaway" side? I mean on the side with more wood.
Removing material will change the scale length of your instrument, not recommended.Also you may have a copyright issue with Yamaha if they find out. Their Billy Sheehan Attitude III basses use those diagonal screws to secure the neck, could be patented, not sure.
what to you do if your bass is painted its not like i can sand a black finish
You can, you just have to repaint and finish the sanded area. Or you can just plug the holes with a plastic grommet or something.
Another great video dude, good work
Is there anything wrong with using popsicle sticks for a shim? I'm just curious since that's the only type of wood I have around other than toothpicks
I think those would work fine. But seriously, if you have a craft shop near by, you can buy thin sheets of basswood for really cheap.
Guns and Guitars
Thanks! I'm going to my parent's tomorrow anyway- I'm sure my dad has some. By the way, this is an awesome channel!
Nice video, thank you. I just have one question, how do you fix the pocket if the adjust of the truss rod is in the bottom of the neck and the space has been already modelled (e.g. in the American Standard P basses)?
I did not kow about this.....great idea.....thanks.
I have a problem I love this video but I'm already subscribed so how do I how do I do things
+Kazahmish I'm not sure exactly what you're asking haha
If you're already subscribed then you don't need to do anything. Just enjoy the videos. You might want to click the bell icon to receive notifications on future uploads.
Guns and Guitars yeah it was a poor attempt at a joke sorry
why not record an A/B comparison with the angled bolts to see what difference it makes
How much can the intonation be affected by shortening the distance from the nut to the bridge - which must occur when we remove wood from either the body or neck. I understand the need for a better joint. Maybe I should ask - how good is the intonation in these kit guitars? Never put a guitar together before and I look forward to trying. Thanks for the videos!
+Alan Meijer when building a kit you place the bridge yourself, so you would just compensate for the extra material you removed. If it’s a guitar that’s already built, you’re removing such a small amount of material you should be able to compensate with adjusting your bridge saddles. If your bridge doesn’t adjust, then you have a lot more work to do shimming the neck pocket back up to its original placement.
Very slick!! Wish l had seen this earlier.. starting a strat build and a Squire SE body l bought on line sat a few months waiting for me to start...well, when l did, the neck was like a 1/8"-3/16" too small. This shim trick might have had me try and fix the issue, however the body is finished and to do this trick shimming l would have to add time and materials to get a Squier right.. not worth it.. for a lil more money than time, labor, materials for refinish and the original cost, l was able to get a brand new Deluxe strat parts body! Its beautiful and waiting on small parts to finish.. had it been unfinished l would have done the shim and paint! Thanks! Love the channel! What other country can we discuss Fender neck pockets or HB triggers for a CZ?? GOD I LOVE AMERICA!
Thanks Dan. Great video really useful.
I wouldn't do that until I had the bridge on and made sure my neck/sting alignment is perfect.
I use machined inserts and screws for solid neck fitment on bolt on neck guitars I build.
I can see this on a bass but regular guitar its just not needed.
Are you one of those guys that hangs all that useless crap on an AR 15?
I just got a Strat knockoff kit from Amazon and it has this very issue. I guess grinding the neck pocket won't affect scale length? I considered sending it back and asking for a replacement but that may just be what you get for $89.00. This is my third build, the second from a kit. The first kit was the carved top hollow body (Gibson Les Paul knockoff) with a set neck and it was a perfect fit. The second build was a Strat knockoff. I got the neck and body from Precision Guitar Kits. Again, perfect fit. I guess this is a learning process but if it's not going to tune properly, I want to know that up front so I can put a cool paint job on it and hang it in the man-cave.
With a strat you should have no problem, strat bridges have lots of wiggle room for intonation. You shouldn’t be removing too much anyway. And, if it’s a trem bridge, you might have enough room in the trem cutout to just slide the bridge back a bit to compensate anyway.
Guns and Guitars Thank you, Dan. I appreciate what you do. I have used you as a reference several times.
I did not see any pre-drilling for the neck. Without pre-drilling wouldn't there be a chance of splitting the hardwood of the neck with two large deck screws?
@5:27
@@michaelsteffeck6114 Thx.
Dude after all this, did you put that plastic POS shim back in between the neckplate and the neck ? I hope that's a metal shim you custom made from the original plastic shim ! ! ! ! Just Sayin' ...
If the fit between the heel of the neck and the bottom of the neck pocket (that portion adjacent to the neck pickup area) is so critical, why not simply "Glass Bed" the neck heel / neck pocket to obtain a perfect and air pocket free fit? You could add a few degrees of bevel to the heel before bedding so that as you tighten the screws installing the neck, it would automatically create a full contact and tight bed with the last quarter turn or so, of the neck bolts/screws.
I'm no "tone expert" but to my way of problem solving thinking, glass bedding that heel area would resolve the issues that the angled screw fix does, but with less intrusion.
Not a bad idea! I think you should try it and post back here how it goes!
for me this topic is brilliant... even a small issue can affects our tone.. thank you
I was sitting here squinting at the body with the bathtub route because I thought I recognized it, and then I saw the body slant for the Trem system and I'm 90% sure that was a Teisco ET-440 Spectrum? The one that would have come with the flowers and vies on the pick guard?
You are correct, that body is a teisco that I bought as a project that I’ve never got around to finishing.
That's a shame, I love that body style! Plus if the Spectrum Pickups are actually working they sound pretty neat. Would have loved to see it all done up.
I've just stumbled into the world of DIY kit guitars and have spent the last 2 days down an internet rabbit hole that led me here.
This is an interesting tip that may help if I get a kit.
I'm wondering if you've ever heard of a pocket-hole jig?
It may make your creation of these additional holes a touch easier - although the trick of coming in through the neck side is a good one.
Yeah I’ve been trying to figure out how to use a pocket hole or Craig jig for this task, but it’s difficult to predict exactly where it will come out the other side, and I really need it to come out in the base of the neck pocket.
@@GunsandGuitars
I had to just work it out with mine. On certain wood thickness I just knew what setback I needed for my jig.
For example - on a 35mm (1.5"?) piece of wood I knew I needed to setback 25mm - or the thickness of a wooden ruler - and the screw would come through the middle of the face every time.
Once I worked it out it was very consistent.
The string tension should pull the neck into the pocket with hundreds of pounds of force, the added screws are arguably redundant.
exactly
Seems like one of those steps people use, who doubt their building skills . Like adding more screws to something you're building, will make it hold better. But, you just end up weakening the wood, with more holes.
As for other companys using this. Who cares. It still doesn't make sense.
"I did see hear that, at fender, they have a guy that shoves all custom shop builds up his ass, to increase sustain "
Try to loose the screws of your guitar a little bit and see how wrong you are. The force of the friction of the neck against the body is way superior than the strings pulling it.
I need help. I have a 2005 Gibson Les Paul Standard with a sticky neck. Where do I start?
At that point, just use hyde glue and glue it in under pressure. Good enough for Strad violins, good enough for a bass. It drys crystalline hard and wont effect the tone like some of the other glues
Why not glueing the neck in? Would that have any disadvantages?
Only that you can’t ever remove or replace it
Good tips. Thanks
Hey Dan! Really enjoying your guitars. I am a woodworker first, and just started building some guitars. laughed at your Voice over of your Australian friend since you clearly had no idea what tools he was using. I am going to try the two extra screws to tighten that neck joint. Cabinet builders use a similar method called pocket hole joinery. You might look into a kreg Jig. the Mini Kreg is $20 on amazon. This would give you a more consistent angle and you and add filler plugs if you don't want to see the holes.
Awesome idea. Thanks!!
i believe it can hurt .that many screws and holes in such a small area is probably just going to cause problems. But if you like it keep doing ! Not something i would ever do or advice anyone should but if you or anyone else wants to risk it feel free it's your guitar to do what you want with.really if your concerned with better contact , more sustain just build a set or through neck guitar instead of making your bolt on into swiss cheese .
Working on guitar with a tremolo system. Should I be concerned with spring system in the back getting in the way of me trying this? I got the guitar for free. Im drummer and not a guitar player with decent wood working skills.
Hey Dan, my guitar kit came with a crack right next to the neck pocket, starting at the side of the neck pocket and continuing a quarter inch down the body of the guitar about a 1/4". will these mods help secure the neck as I'm having trouble returning the kit
Idk man, that sounds terrible I’d do everything I could to return it. If not try to reinforce the crack with some wood glue and maybe even a screw as well. That sounds like a bad spot to have a crack (if I’m imagining it correctly)
Guns and Guitars you probably are. it's parallel to the neck right where the neck pocket meets the body on the right hand side
What number were those deck screws for the 45 angle? #8 ? #10 ?
my fretboard seem to high the bridge saddles are max height and still touches the fret board should I raise the bridge or lower the pocket or sand the neck heel?
very interesting.. Keep em coming!
I think that threaded inserts are a better fix than chopping out wood. As far as neck bends go, anyone doing that with my guitar will be taking at least a 6 to 8 week break from guitar, as well as nose picking, and other more "personal" things.