Post by RandomHero on Apr 28, 2005 1:18:41 GMT -5
Hey everyone. My first guitar was a -real- junker. I mean, this thing was horrible. I replaced half the hardware, the pickups, and did a GuitarNuts mod on it before I finally upgraded, save to say it was far better for my efforts!
However, one particular thing I did with it, I was very proud of, and feel the need to brag abou-, I mean, share it with everyone.
My first guitar had a very noticeable and very mean torque in the neck, the treble side had dropped and the bass side had risen. That is, if you're looking at it from the headstock down (on a righty guitar,) it was twisted to the left. Naturally, this made proper setup, intonation and comfortable playing a true messy hassle! The top strings always buzzed on open chords at any agreeable action, which was hard to fix.
I decided, hm, I should research it. I found placed on sites that described how to fix a bent neck, in almost any direction, but for some reason torques were quite rare by comparison! I couldn't find a single page describing how to fix a torque.
Enter the redneck enginuity! (Sp?) I went to Home Depot and purchased four very long machine screws, a healthy supply of nuts and washers, and a good selection of wing-nuts. I also bought a three-foot-long 2-by-6 board, treated for hardness, and a long, thick, inch by inch square dowel.
I got home and powered up my cordless, and measured out the neck and wood. I drilled 4 holes for the screws in the 2x6, spaced so that they lay on either side of the first fret, and on either side of the neck's heel, when it was lain alone on the wood.
I inserted the screws and bolted them in, then drilled properly-spaced holes in to 4-inch sections of the wooden dowel I had brought with me. Now, the dowel pieces could be threaded over the screws on the plank, two pieces to each set of screws. I placed washers on them and wing nuts, so that their height on either side of the poles could be adjusted.
I laid down the heel of the neck over one dowel, and clamped down a second atop it. Then, I used two dowels over the first fret to clamp around the neck, and then drove down the bass side of the neck until it was slightly over-torqued in the other direction.
Here's the kicker. My next step was to heat and soften the glue holding the fingerboard to the neck. I didn't have a heat gun or even a poweful blowdryer, so I employed a small fan/spaceheater. I left the thing on each of three sections of the neck for two 15 minute intervals, testing if it was ready by touching the fret-wire; if it was too hot to touch, it was done. After the heating was over and I checked it for consistency, I left the neck in my homemade jig for three days.
Upon removing it, I was amazed to find that my guesswork was spot-on and the neck was totally torque-free.
How's THAT for a DiY success story!? ;D
</brag>
However, one particular thing I did with it, I was very proud of, and feel the need to brag abou-, I mean, share it with everyone.
My first guitar had a very noticeable and very mean torque in the neck, the treble side had dropped and the bass side had risen. That is, if you're looking at it from the headstock down (on a righty guitar,) it was twisted to the left. Naturally, this made proper setup, intonation and comfortable playing a true messy hassle! The top strings always buzzed on open chords at any agreeable action, which was hard to fix.
I decided, hm, I should research it. I found placed on sites that described how to fix a bent neck, in almost any direction, but for some reason torques were quite rare by comparison! I couldn't find a single page describing how to fix a torque.
Enter the redneck enginuity! (Sp?) I went to Home Depot and purchased four very long machine screws, a healthy supply of nuts and washers, and a good selection of wing-nuts. I also bought a three-foot-long 2-by-6 board, treated for hardness, and a long, thick, inch by inch square dowel.
I got home and powered up my cordless, and measured out the neck and wood. I drilled 4 holes for the screws in the 2x6, spaced so that they lay on either side of the first fret, and on either side of the neck's heel, when it was lain alone on the wood.
I inserted the screws and bolted them in, then drilled properly-spaced holes in to 4-inch sections of the wooden dowel I had brought with me. Now, the dowel pieces could be threaded over the screws on the plank, two pieces to each set of screws. I placed washers on them and wing nuts, so that their height on either side of the poles could be adjusted.
I laid down the heel of the neck over one dowel, and clamped down a second atop it. Then, I used two dowels over the first fret to clamp around the neck, and then drove down the bass side of the neck until it was slightly over-torqued in the other direction.
Here's the kicker. My next step was to heat and soften the glue holding the fingerboard to the neck. I didn't have a heat gun or even a poweful blowdryer, so I employed a small fan/spaceheater. I left the thing on each of three sections of the neck for two 15 minute intervals, testing if it was ready by touching the fret-wire; if it was too hot to touch, it was done. After the heating was over and I checked it for consistency, I left the neck in my homemade jig for three days.
Upon removing it, I was amazed to find that my guesswork was spot-on and the neck was totally torque-free.
How's THAT for a DiY success story!? ;D
</brag>
