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Help Fixing Crooked Neck


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Hi all,

I have had my Palm Bay Cyclone for 10 years now, and decided I need to fix it up and re-finish it. Over the last couple of years the neck seems to have moved and the 6th string often slips off the fretboard. Any ideas how I could fix this?I was thinking I could fill the holes on the neck and re-drill maybe.

http://i43.tinypic.com/34ipqpk.jpg

It definitely didn't use to be like this!

Thanks all :D

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Thanks for the responses, guys. Apologies for the lack of details. The neck is a bolt-on and I can actually move it by hand which makes me think the screw holes may be slightly too large. I have loosened and re-tightened before but it keeps happening. Here are some more pics:

Full length

http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=4AtXI6...Tt5kIh4l5k2TGxc

Bridge

http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=4AtXI6...c2LVIh4l5k2TGxc

Gap between neck and body

http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=4AtXI6...%2Fk4h4l5k2TGxc

Thanks again for the help!

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i think plugging the body holes and redrilling them would be the best way to get it straight if the neck pocket holes are the problem,

id drill them out, plug them with dowels and then redrill. this could ruin the finish on the back of the body, and if the drill slips could wreck the neck pocket.

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This is a typical case of a "shifting" neck. If you have tried to tighten the screws you need to dill out the holes and plug them with a hard material ie maple or similar. To get appropriate sized dowels you can chuck a piece of maple in a drill and use a file or similar to shape the wood to the right dimension. Of cause a lathe is better but in case you don't have access to one...

When drilling out the neck a pillar drill is strongly advised. Lay the neck "on the back" using a cam clamp to stabilize the neck.

Also check if the neck screws bite into the holes in the body. If so open up the holes through the body to make sure that when you tighten the screws they are only digging into the neck wood and not the body wood. this makes future problems less likely.

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Grab the neck and push it toward the high e while holding the body tight, use the headstock for leverage. Most bolt ons have some play in them yours just shifted over time. You can also loosen the strings and the neck screws slightly and do the same thing. If it was fine when you started no modification should be neceassary..

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Grab the neck and push it toward the high e while holding the body tight, use the headstock for leverage. Most bolt ons have some play in them yours just shifted over time. You can also loosen the strings and the neck screws slightly and do the same thing. If it was fine when you started no modification should be neceassary..

+1 i had a strat do the same thing to me once (only to the high E side) i loosened the screws just a little moved the neck and cranked the screws back down havent had a problem since.

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Dan Erlewine suggests that you can cut a piece of window screen to fit the pocket and that will help the neck stay in postition. You would have a neck sitting a bit more proud of the body though. If the pocket and the neck are finished fairly glossy, you could try roughing them up a bit with sand paper.

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Thanks for the input, guys. I tried loosening the strings and screws and pushing it back in place and it worked temporarily. I can still move it fairly easily by hand and a couple of the screws just keep turning. I think I will use Swedishluthier's suggestion and fill the holes with dowel and re-drill.

Thanks again :D

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