Members rusholmeruffian Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 I've heard about people like Merle Haggard and Ritchie Blackmore having this done on their guitars to increase sustain, but I have a more down-to-earth reason--namely, an otherwise perfectly serviceable (and actually quite beautiful) neck that, for some complicated reasons, cannot be bolted into a body using the standard Fender bolt pattern. I probably wouldn't do this any time soon, but I'd like to give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Funkwire Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 I knew a few guys back in the day who glued their Fender necks when they were being made with the 3-screw pattern. Kept the necks from shifting around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jarick Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 I did when I was a kid and took my Ibanez apart, mainly because I thought it was supposed to be glued in. Didn't change anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rusholmeruffian Posted February 9, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 I don't really care about the impact on sustain; arguably, a glued-in joint has less than a properly done bolt-on, because the two pieces of wood have a layer of glue between them instead of being in direct contact. I actually kinda prefer the sound of guitars with less sustain, anyway, like Jazzmasters and Rickenbackers. Time to get a body and a couple more big C clamps, I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members webwarmiller Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 Never done it, but there's no reason why it couldn't be done. Don't believe for a second it will increase sustain, however. With that said, if you can get that neck in the pocket to glue it, then I can't imagine why it couldn't be bolted in there as well. Any existing holes can always be drilled/doweled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mel Cooley Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 I did it to an old lower end Teisco years ago to help stabilize the neck. It didn't do anything for sustain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members harold heckuba Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 I have done it several times. I read about it on a different forum, then a couple years later my nephew dropped one of those Dean Evo guitars down some stairs onto concrete. He was going to throw it away, as it had landed on the neck and pushed it forward pulling it out of its neck pocket and stripping the threads and splintering wood in the pocket. The guitar was amazingly tough and still looked good, and i put the pieces back together and still used the neck screws but I added a thin layer of epoxy to the neck pocket when I tightened it. Still holds and plays great, has great sustain. The glue didnt hurt the sustain but that cheapy already sustained like crazy prior to the glue. ----- Since then I have done it to a few other cheapies that have breaks, etc. However, I always use the neck screws and just use the epoxy as an addition. I wouldnt want to use glue in place of the neck screws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rusholmeruffian Posted February 9, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 Never done it, but there's no reason why it couldn't be done. Don't believe for a second it will increase sustain, however. With that said, if you can get that neck in the pocket to glue it, then I can't imagine why it couldn't be bolted in there as well. Any existing holes can always be drilled/doweled. It'll bolt, just not in anything resembling a standard Fender pattern. It's been doweled and redrilled a few times, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members webwarmiller Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 It'll bolt, just not in anything resembling a standard Fender pattern. It's been doweled and redrilled a few times, too. Well, if you do end up gluing it you might as well get out some rasps and sculpt the hell out of the heel. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesnapper Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 I knew a few guys back in the day who glued their Fender necks when they were being made with the 3-screw pattern. Kept the necks from shifting around. This is probably why Blackmore did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rusholmeruffian Posted February 9, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 Well, if you do end up gluing it you might as well get out some rasps and sculpt the hell out of the heel. ;-) YES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rusholmeruffian Posted February 9, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 Maybe if I do this, I can go full-on Blackmore and use one of the S-[blank]-S pickguards I have. I rarely use the middle pickup on Strats, and always wire them (in varying ways) to allow for the neck+bridge pickup combo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesnapper Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 -S pickguards I have. I rarely use the middle pickup on Strats, and always wire them (in varying ways) to allow for the neck+bridge pickup combo. Don't forget to scallop the neck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rusholmeruffian Posted February 9, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 Don't forget to scallop the neck! Man, I play with 11s. Then again, it does make bending easier... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members larryguitar Posted February 9, 2011 Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 Having built both, you have to realize the difference between a set-neck pocket and a bolt-neck pocket. A bolt neck can (and some would argue, should) have at least a tiny air-gap around the sides and bottom. A set-neck pocket should be a near air-tight as possible, since you don't want just the single planed bottom surface of the pocket holding all that tension (about 220# with 9/42 strings) in shear. If you're going to do it, you're going to need to ensure the pocket is tight all the way around, and glue it sides and bottom, IMHO. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rusholmeruffian Posted February 9, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2011 Having built both, you have to realize the difference between a set-neck pocket and a bolt-neck pocket. A bolt neck can (and some would argue, should) have at least a tiny air-gap around the sides and bottom. A set-neck pocket should be a near air-tight as possible, since you don't want just the single planed bottom surface of the pocket holding all that tension (about 220# with 9/42 strings) in shear.If you're going to do it, you're going to need to ensure the pocket is tight all the way around, and glue it sides and bottom, IMHO. Noted. This is a pretty standard-sized Strat neck so it fits snugly in properly-sized Strat bodies (i.e., with a slightly-smaller-than-spec 2-3/16" pocket). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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