George Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 Hi All Once again, great site!. Just a question. I have a BC Rich Gunslinger guitar (i guess irrelavant) i had initial problems with neck alignment. i had issues with string alignment down near the 20th frett hence the strings running crooked. i tried adjusting the floydrose trem with no luck .. so ive read to adjust the neck but unscrewing and moving then tightening .. by doing this i noticed a small crack in the neck pocket closest to top horn of body. the repair guy said this is normal on bc rich and ibanez guitars and a simple glu fix will solve it and not to worry. ok so thats cool, not worried about it.. now to fix the neck alignment problem (high E was very close to edge of frettboard) i moved the neck as much i could without levering out the cracked piece and still nothing.. so i though might just need a little bit of a snad/file just to give a little more play for the neck to align correctly .. and now its better EXCEPT!!! i noticed at the heel of the neck where it sits in the neck pocket of the body there is a 1mm arc gap (( i musta taken too much away from the section and now i fear of tuning issues.. cause the guitar stays in tune but then for some reason pops out.. and i think its cause there is play in this section of the neckpocket when it should be flush up against the bodY!!... sooo what can i do to resolve this issue?? .. filler ?? i want to repaint this guitar and make it all look good but now im thinking no point if the thing is gunna be unstable if you know what i mean? any help from the gurus would be appreciated.. thanks George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 We’re not Gurus here. We have reached the level of Sage (where you realise that you still have more to learn and return to the level of student…nevermind). I have a little hard to understand exactly were that gap is. A picture would help. If no picture is available try to describe the situation a little more. If the guitar is laying flat on its back, is the gap under the neck or at one side of the neck? Is the gap visible when looking at the top of the guitar or from the side? Does the neck move from side to side in the pocket? If so, is it possible to tighten the screws a little more? Are some of the screws just turning in the hole without getting a good grip in the neck wood? Without more info my experience suggests that the neck is moving from side to side in the neck pocket. This can cause the tuning to go out like you describes. BTW do all of the strings go out of tune, or is it only one or two? If so the problem is more likely to find elsewhere. If the problem is the neck moving in the pocket it can be fixed. Tighten al the screws. If one ore more just turns without getting a grip you will have to drill out the wood, glue in a hardwood dowel, and redrill. There have been a few threads about this fix and you should be able to find it via a search. If this doesn’t stop the neck from moving, you might consider threaded steel inserts and steel machine screws. That is my standard way of building bolt-on necks and I have done a few retrofittings too. That process is just a little bit more complicated, but the way I do it, it requires a pillar drill. But you should be able to get a good grip in the neck wood if you drill, fill and redrill. With fresh wood the neck screw should be able to hold the neck steady. Then you have the look. If you are planning on refinishing the guitar it is OK for a quick fix to use a filler, although I would prefer to make a small wooden shim an glue that into the pocket before refinishing the guitar. I cannot think of any real issue with using filler in this case, but I always try to use wood instead of synthetic fillers because I would imagine that the wood filler would behave a little more like the surrounding wood and the risk that the repair showing up through the refinish would be lesser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 I have a little hard to understand exactly were that gap is. I get the feeling he tried to shift the neck over in the pocket by making the neck heel narrower? Is that right, George? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted June 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 (edited) Yeah, i filed/sanded one side of the pocket to shift the neck over a tad but realised it wont move over until i sanded the adjoining side where the end of the neck sits against (where the neck pickup would be near). so i started to file that side bit by bit knowing to be careful but somehow it the gap is about 1mm and i swear i wouldnt have taken that much off.. it a visible gap .. hmmm the gap is where the neck pickup would be near .. not the sides but the back of the pocket... LOL its hard to describe.. if someone could tell me how to post a pic i will .. im not sure how to.. thanks! I have a little hard to understand exactly were that gap is. I get the feeling he tried to shift the neck over in the pocket by making the neck heel narrower? Is that right, George? Edited June 14, 2006 by George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 First thing that occurs to me is that the neck isn't going to move unless you move the screws. You can probably shift the neck back against the pocket, if that bothers you, assuming you have enough play in your bridge saddles (because you're going to screw up your intonation by doing that). I'm guessing this guitar doesn't have a pickguard? You can post pictures by uploading them to Photobucket or similar, then posting the link to the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted June 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 ok coool i did that .. its hard to take the foto .. but have alook .. maybe i need to loosen the screws and see if i can shift the neck more twards the trem ?? but if i cant .. is there a way to fill the gap .. it looks dodgy ! im planning on getting some airbrushed graphics on there (will cost heaps!!) so you think it still can be fixed etc?? and a stable guitar? i dont wanna waste my money on now a lemon! .. http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/gbx78/DSCF0594.jpg First thing that occurs to me is that the neck isn't going to move unless you move the screws. You can probably shift the neck back against the pocket, if that bothers you, assuming you have enough play in your bridge saddles (because you're going to screw up your intonation by doing that). I'm guessing this guitar doesn't have a pickguard? You can post pictures by uploading them to Photobucket or similar, then posting the link to the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazzyone Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 Try this. take a peice of drywall sanding mesh. cut it to fit the neck pocket and put it between the neck pocket and the neck. move the neck into position and tighten it good. youll have to raise your bridge a little. but if the neck is moving this should solve your problem. as the abrasive in the mesh should bite into neck and pocket and hopefully eliminating slippage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 quote name='George' date='Jun 14 2006, 06:19 AM' post='274041'] is there a way to fill the gap .. it looks dodgy ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazzyone Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 while i dont think the mesh would alter the tone or sustain. i meant it as a test. if you put the mesh in and the problem goes away then the neck was moving and you can plan a permanent repair and i think installing a dowel would do more to alter the tone than the mesh anyway im not saying my method is correct. but its a cheap test and its worth the try right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted June 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 No the neck doesnt move or shift that i can see .. its on tite!. I mean you play a note and use a bit of force at the head stock you can make the note sharp or flat but thats normal right and its not because the neck is moving at the screws/neckpocket. i might play with it some more (havent had a chance yet).. the gap is bothering me and i swear i didnt take that much off with the file etc.. also i want to learn to do my own guitar repairs and stuff. i have an ibanez rg750 which is great cept its just difficult to play and i know it needs to be setup and fretts levelled and all that. the action was hi and i couldnt lower the trem anymore without the strings buzzing.. so i read posts on neck shims .. so i put a piece of card in the neck pocket to make the neck run a bit more parallel to the strings etc.. whcih it did improve but at some fretts like 12th hi E when u bend the note it just fretts out and buzzes .. so i assume the fretts need to be levelled. anybody know of a tool kit that i could buy that has all the correct tools to do this sorta job? or do i have to purchase it separately or can i make my own tools? what does everyone in here do? G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stageleft Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 Go to the setup tutorial on the main site (that was posted in your other thread) and follow that start to finish, do not skip from here to there and just start trying random stuff. You will also find what tools are needed for a proper setup. Sit down a read through it thoroughly before you start messing around anymore. You may also want to get a few books on the subject. A good one is "Guitar Player Repair Guide" by Dan Erlewine. Again, Follow the setup guide in the book, start to finish. If you start making random adjustments, you can introduce other problems that weren't initially there. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted June 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 after looking at my photo i noticed the neckpocket stain/mark on the neck, makes it look like the neck isnt in properly. .. maybe i didnt have the neck flush in the neck pocket in the first place when i screwed it in. I havent had a chance to look but i thought i would ask you guys. ill let you know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted June 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 hehehe Im such an idiot .. i just loosened the screws and the neck slotted in the pocket better lol NO GAP .. well i shoulda tried that first before posting..i appologise. i just thought i would ask whilst i was at work and didnt have my gtr to try .. lol .. well i still did learn from all your advice .. thank you! .. G after looking at my photo i noticed the neckpocket stain/mark on the neck, makes it look like the neck isnt in properly. .. maybe i didnt have the neck flush in the neck pocket in the first place when i screwed it in. I havent had a chance to look but i thought i would ask you guys. ill let you know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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