# Gotta ask...neck resets



## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Are there any quality set neck acoustics that are immune to having a neck reset 20 to 30 years into it's life? I understand the physics of a guitar under string tension. How about a guitar case that puts the neck under negative tension once the lid is closed?


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

i think there is little to be done to prevent it on a traditionally built guitar-
obviously, de-tuning the guitar somewhat when not in use will help slow the process down-
i think your idea of a negative tension case would be likely to speed the process up- if i understand you correctly.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

...a case when closed that counteracts the effects of string tension on the neck/body joint.
I guess it's also the compression effect between the bridge and neck joint that causes the top to shorten.


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## Furtz (Nov 27, 2010)

The trick is to buy a decent guitar that has a proper neck angle to start with. The saddle and bridge should be tall enough that they can be trimmed down bit by bit over the years to keep it playable.


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## fudb (Dec 8, 2010)

rainsong guitars are nice and should be immune


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

any guitar with a laminate top should be ok for life.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

There are a lot of forces at play, and many areas of change that can contribute to a guitar requiring a neck reset. Forward bridge rotation, fingerboard extension diving, top bellying, back elongating, brace movement...


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

I've had the necks reset on a number of my old guitars. If the job is well done (it is not rocket science) you may gain some sound improvement as well as improved playability. Good neck resets are now the norm rather than the rarity these days.


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## Furtz (Nov 27, 2010)

Hey Mike, How much do you pay for a reset?


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## JT Foote (Feb 7, 2010)

ed2000 said:


> Are there any quality set neck acoustics that are immune to having a neck reset 20 to 30 years into it's life? I understand the physics of a guitar under string tension. How about a guitar case that puts the neck under negative tension once the lid is closed?


There is no such animal. All wooden guitars eventually succumb to the tension. But you can minimize the problem by purchasing a guitar with a modern neck joint, which makes the entire process much easier, less damaging to the instrument, and a heck of a lot faster.

Many people swear that a guitar with a dovetail neck joint is the only way to go, if you want a good sound, but the fact is ... many fine luthiers build guitars without a dovetail these days, and produce tremendous instruments. 

Personally, the next time one of my older guitars with a dovetail neck joint reaches the point of no return, I'll have it converted to a bolt-on, such as the one used by Collings.

I think this is a smart move; instead of spending years, waiting for the neck to move, and attempting to compensate by lowering the saddle and shaving the bridge ... I'll just get the conversion done, and if the neck joint ever needs adjustment, it'll be a fifteen minute procedure, instead of major surgery. And don't let anyone tell you that a neck reset on a guitar with a dovetail joint is an easy thing to do. It often is _not_, depending on the manufacturer, and I've seen damage from having it done. Ask a qualified tech about how much fun it can be to reset the neck on an older Guild, for example, and see what kind of response you get.

... JT


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

JT Foote said:


> And don't let anyone tell you that a neck reset on a guitar with a dovetail joint is an easy thing to do. It often is _not_, depending on the manufacturer, *and I've seen damage from having it done.* Ask a qualified tech about how much fun it can be to reset the neck on an older Guild, for example, and see what kind of response you get.
> 
> ... JT


 damage: my 76 D18 now has a repaired heel thanks to a well known authorized shop.


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

Hard to tell. The re-sets were part of much larger restorations. 

None of the guitars cost over $600 to do.
'58 D-21 (that was supposed to have been re-set, but wasn't properly done), loose braces, 
'28 0-18K reset, neck, neck support under fingerboard installed, crushed corner repaired, new bridge, several braces dealt with, French Polish, etc.
'53 D-18 Complete re-assembly and rebuild. guitar was used as a weapon in a marital dispute. It's now my "Beater Guitar". - dark humour.
'47 D-18 Neck reset, replacement bridge, plugged bridge plate, other work as required.




Furtz said:


> Hey Mike, How much do you pay for a reset?


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## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

Neck resets are inevitable, so buy a quality acoustic guitar that uses glues in its construction that facilitate such a repair (hide glue or Titebond).

Dovetail versus mortis and tenon construction is secondary to the glue type used. The fretboard extension is still glued on a typical bolt-on mortis and tenon construction so separating a glued joint is still an issue with a neck reset on that construction type. The time to perform a complete neck reset is more so tied to the ease and success of the disassembly task.

If you buy an economy import guitar, which most commonly use epoxy glue, then be prepared to regard the guitar as disposable. An epoxy guitar is repairable, however the cost to do so generally exceeds the residual value of the guitar. It is most often more feasible to buy a new economy guitar than to neck reset one of the same quality and construction.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

> If you buy an economy import guitar, which most commonly use epoxy glue, then be prepared to regard the guitar as disposable. An epoxy guitar is repairable, however the cost to do so generally exceeds the residual value of the guitar. It is most often more feasible to buy a new economy guitar than to neck reset one of the same quality and construction.


man, i hear that. maybe 7 years ago i did a reset on a chinese resonator- had a terrible neck angle from the beginning, so i was just correcting that.
i bet it took 10 hours total to get that neck off. wasnt even a dovetail or mortise and tenon- just a flat heel face and 2 wooden dowels going into the neck block.
and a ton of stubborn epoxy. was a $200 guitar lol- shoulda just slipped the heel, glued the binding back on and called it done-


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## Cadence (Nov 20, 2007)

Furtz said:


> Hey Mike, How much do you pay for a reset?


I had the neck reset on my Norman by Folkway in Guelph the other year. I don't think it cost me more that $300.


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