I would like to do my own neck reset

[mark belanger]

Hello. I have a few guitars "that I made" Over 10 years ago. Two need neck resets. One of them is overset, my fault. It was the second guitar I made. The other is under set. I also have one with a broken truss rod. It's been ten years since I made any guitars. I was tempted to just pay someone to do it. But it's not cheap. I was looking at the things I might need Like a neck jig, steam hose, heating iron, and maybe a dvd for instruction? Any advice would be very cool. Thanks. Mark.

[Bob Gramann]

If you look at the picture of the StewMac neck removal jig, you can figure out how to make one with scrap wood. I just build one up each time with clamps and scrap wood--that way it doesn't even take up storage space. I use an espresso maker to make the steam, an automobile vacuum hose to direct it, and a needle from an inkjet cartridge refill kit to inject it. A clothes iron will work for the fingerboard extension, but I have a smaller iron that is used for shrinking fabric on model airplanes (I stole it from my son). Assuming a good dovetail to start with and no mystery glue, the removal of the neck isn't too much of a big deal. Refitting it is easier if you figure out how much wood needs to be removed and mark it carefully before you remove the neck. Once you get the steam going, let it spray until it's all steam and no droplets. It's easy to get scalded here.

Frank Ford has a pretty complete picture essay on the whole thing here: http://frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Tec ... set01.html

[mark belanger]

Thank you Bob. That gives me a great starting point. The overset one I think should be a little more tricky. I'm not sure how to take the fingerboard off the one that has a broken truss. I glued some of those fingerboards with epoxy. Mark.

[Clay Schaeffer]

Heat will release many epoxies.

[Michael Lewis]

Recently I removed the neck from a Yamaha red label for a neck reset and the glue joint in the stacked heel came apart before the whole thing released from the body. That makes the job significantly more involved and something to think about. An ounce of prevention and all, you know. What needs to happen is to get the joint hot quickly and not drag it out for 20 minutes. Sometimes it just goes it's own way.

[mark belanger]

Thanks Michael. The stacked heal coming apart? Yikes! It makes a butt joint/bolt on neck sound so much better. Thankfully my later guitars are done that way. Mark.