Fixing a warped neck - Page 2

b00mer · 06-13-2006, 04:00 PM

I'd be willing to pay a lot to get this fixed... any idea on how much?

mnemonic · 06-13-2006, 06:36 PM

give us some pictures of the neck joint. also try and take picture sighing down the neck from the headstock so we can see how warped it is.

b00mer · 06-18-2006, 10:20 AM

Sure will do when I have a spare moment... the neck is very straight, but the arch in the neck is what is wrong.

NavyBass · 06-18-2006, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b00mer

Sure will do when I have a spare moment... the neck is very straight, but the arch in the neck is what is wrong.

I must be missing something here. How can the neck be very straight and have an arch at the same time? If it has an arch, then it's not straight.

The only way to have a straight neck with an arch is for the neck to be straight from the peghead to the body joint, and the fingerboard having an arch from one side to the other, but then again, that's a normal neck.

b00mer · 06-19-2006, 03:07 PM

Your right I havent been particularly clear about what is 'warped' about the neck... ok so I'll give it another shot.
The neck joint itself is warped, im not sure whether its the socket where the neck is bolted on, or the neck at the point where the neck is bolted to the body. Hope that helps.

mnemonic II · 06-21-2006, 05:55 PM

so... like the neck needs to be higher in the joint? if so, maybe try to unbolt the neck, and put some sort of shim underneath it, then bolt it back on

b00mer · 07-21-2006, 03:37 AM

Yeh, good advice, I was in the process on making a thin sliver of wood for a shim when I read this, I'll let you know how it goes. If it works then i can move on to repainting and rewiring

Slight Return · 07-21-2006, 12:25 PM

Don't make the truss rod do all the work. If it isn't doing anything, it's possible that there's too much tension on the truss rod.

Here's what you can do:

Take the neck off and back clamp it or forward bow clamp it; if you said that the action is an inch off the neck at the 12th fret, it sounds like you have a wicked forward bow.

If the neck has a forward bow, get some wooden blocks with leather on top and lay them underneath the base of the neck (the wooden blocks should be going against the fretboard, not the back of the neck) and right in front of the nut. Get some leather on the center of the back of the neck, and get a C-clamp. Clamp the neck, trying to get it dead straight. Leave it there for a little more than a day, and then take it out and sight it for relief. If there is any forward bow, clamp it for a while longer until the neck is straight. You want to release all of the tension from the wood so you can adjust the truss rod, which I'm assuming has the ability to work but isn't due to the wood's bowing.

I wouldn't recommend doing this yourself as there is a very small window for fixing this problem, but maybe you could ask someone if they could do it for you. I only know of one luthier who does this, and he does it all the time. He also takes the guitar against his knee and forces the neck back, making a cracking noise. That is the tension being released, and making it easier on the truss rod.

In your case, however, I'd think that that wouldn't be enough. The C-Clamp is the only solution I can think of.

I've seen a horrifically bowed neck on a Squier before, and it was salvageable. Don't give up. Even if the truss rod adjuster is stripped, it can be fixed, although it will probably cost more than a new neck.

There are a lot of luthier stories. Almost anything can be saved. My friend fixed a completely busted up mandolin from the early 1900's; the fretboard was in 11 pieces, almost all of which were warped, and the body I believe was split open in more than one place. I can't remember most of what he said about it's condition, but he said it was an absolute nightmare. It took him 10 months to fix and cost the customer over 1,000 dollars, but it was rescued.

EDIT: Guess I missed parts of what you said. Still, that method can be used to get the neck in any playing position that you want. Keep looking around for luthiers. There has to be one somewhere that can fix it.

dudeness · 07-27-2006, 01:13 AM

is it neck itself bent in anyway
if so you cant fix it

i was asked to repair a 49 broadcaster and the neck was warped we hung it up on a wall beacuse after extensive reasearch i found nothing could be done

CannedSpaghetti · 07-29-2006, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dudeness

is it neck itself bent in anyway
if so you cant fix it

i was asked to repair a 49 broadcaster and the neck was warped we hung it up on a wall beacuse after extensive reasearch i found nothing could be done

You must not know alot about fixing guitars there bud.

If the actual board is warped to ****, it can be planed down and restored.

audioman76 · 03-12-2010, 07:39 AM

Try this link It was helpfull for me in repairing my twisted neck on my bass although the instructions are for an Ibanez Jem. http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/warped.htm

03-12-2010, 07:39 AM	#31
audioman76 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1	Warped neck. Try this link It was helpfull for me in repairing my twisted neck on my bass although the instructions are for an Ibanez Jem. http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/warped.htm

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06-13-2006, 04:00 PM	#21
b00mer True Scotsman Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 30	I'd be willing to pay a lot to get this fixed... any idea on how much?

06-13-2006, 06:36 PM	#22
mnemonic Drink Water Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: and Alcohol Posts: 10,791	give us some pictures of the neck joint. also try and take picture sighing down the neck from the headstock so we can see how warped it is.

06-18-2006, 10:20 AM	#23
b00mer True Scotsman Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 30	Sure will do when I have a spare moment... the neck is very straight, but the arch in the neck is what is wrong.

06-19-2006, 03:07 PM	#25
b00mer True Scotsman Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 30	Your right I havent been particularly clear about what is 'warped' about the neck... ok so I'll give it another shot. The neck joint itself is warped, im not sure whether its the socket where the neck is bolted on, or the neck at the point where the neck is bolted to the body. Hope that helps.

06-21-2006, 05:55 PM	#26
mnemonic II Registered Chess Set Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bastard Man's Evil Death Base Posts: 1,029	so... like the neck needs to be higher in the joint? if so, maybe try to unbolt the neck, and put some sort of shim underneath it, then bolt it back on

07-21-2006, 03:37 AM	#27
b00mer True Scotsman Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 30	Yeh, good advice, I was in the process on making a thin sliver of wood for a shim when I read this, I'll let you know how it goes. If it works then i can move on to repainting and rewiring

07-21-2006, 12:25 PM	#28
Slight Return The Procrastinator Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,435	Don't make the truss rod do all the work. If it isn't doing anything, it's possible that there's too much tension on the truss rod. Here's what you can do: Take the neck off and back clamp it or forward bow clamp it; if you said that the action is an inch off the neck at the 12th fret, it sounds like you have a wicked forward bow. If the neck has a forward bow, get some wooden blocks with leather on top and lay them underneath the base of the neck (the wooden blocks should be going against the fretboard, not the back of the neck) and right in front of the nut. Get some leather on the center of the back of the neck, and get a C-clamp. Clamp the neck, trying to get it dead straight. Leave it there for a little more than a day, and then take it out and sight it for relief. If there is any forward bow, clamp it for a while longer until the neck is straight. You want to release all of the tension from the wood so you can adjust the truss rod, which I'm assuming has the ability to work but isn't due to the wood's bowing. I wouldn't recommend doing this yourself as there is a very small window for fixing this problem, but maybe you could ask someone if they could do it for you. I only know of one luthier who does this, and he does it all the time. He also takes the guitar against his knee and forces the neck back, making a cracking noise. That is the tension being released, and making it easier on the truss rod. In your case, however, I'd think that that wouldn't be enough. The C-Clamp is the only solution I can think of. I've seen a horrifically bowed neck on a Squier before, and it was salvageable. Don't give up. Even if the truss rod adjuster is stripped, it can be fixed, although it will probably cost more than a new neck. There are a lot of luthier stories. Almost anything can be saved. My friend fixed a completely busted up mandolin from the early 1900's; the fretboard was in 11 pieces, almost all of which were warped, and the body I believe was split open in more than one place. I can't remember most of what he said about it's condition, but he said it was an absolute nightmare. It took him 10 months to fix and cost the customer over 1,000 dollars, but it was rescued. EDIT: Guess I missed parts of what you said. Still, that method can be used to get the neck in any playing position that you want. Keep looking around for luthiers. There has to be one somewhere that can fix it.

07-27-2006, 01:13 AM	#29
dudeness weee Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 727	is it neck itself bent in anyway if so you cant fix it i was asked to repair a 49 broadcaster and the neck was warped we hung it up on a wall beacuse after extensive reasearch i found nothing could be done