# Twisted neck advice.



## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

I have a set neck LP knock off from a pawn shop.

it has a twist in the neck on the bass string side. It's also Old, from somewhere in the late 70s. 
Mahogany neck and body.

I was thinking of building a support jig and using the tuners and two strings nailed to the jig to twist it back straight. 

How long should I leave it under tension. 
it's not particularly valuable, but the less invasive the better.


----------



## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

Well you're on the right path, wood can almost always be made to go back to where it was but while using the tuners seems like a crafty approach I wouldn't do it, better I think to grab the whole headstock by clamping it down and twisting the body, that's how I do it anyway.

Any time I've done this I've over bent it and checked it daily to see how far it springs back - you should be doing it in a warm room that does not have low humidity, time is you're friend and you can win if you persevere, the last one I did took at least 2 weeks in the clamps before it returned to flat.


----------



## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

How bad it the twist??? 

If it is only a very slight twist of a few millimeters, you can easily correct it by removing the frets and sanding the fingerboard until it's level and adjusting the height of the string slots at the nut and saddle to correct the action on the side that had the twist.


----------



## blam (Feb 18, 2011)

Erich said:


> How bad it the twist???
> 
> If it is only a very slight twist of a few millimeters, you can easily correct it by removing the frets and sanding the fingerboard until it's level and adjusting the height of the string slots at the nut and saddle to correct the action on the side that had the twist.


that's a lot of work for a knock off


----------



## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

I suppose, If you really consider that work.. It's rather easy really.. I'd have it done in an hour or two and would be strung up and playing it again by tonight.. Wouldn't be out a guitar for a week or two waiting for it to twist back.


----------



## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

I have 4 others at my disposal for practising/rehearsal/gigging. 
This is a fun/learning restoration. 
It's a 30.00 pawn shop no name (nothing on the headstock not even a number) Lester. 
I might refret it for practise because it's a bound board, and I've never done one before.


----------



## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

In that case, have fun with it.. try checking out a bunch of youtube videos till your confident you have a good idea of what to do, and ask questions if you still have any, then try to re-fret and level the neck yourself.. That is almost exactly how i got into this work several years ago.. you never know, you might really enjoy it. Best of luck!


----------



## NGroeneveld (Jan 23, 2011)

Erich said:


> I suppose, If you really consider that work.. It's rather easy really.. I'd have it done in an hour or two and would be strung up and playing it again by tonight.. Wouldn't be out a guitar for a week or two waiting for it to twist back.


Wow - an hour? Super luthier to the rescue!


----------



## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

To be fair I said an hour or two.. and that's totally legitimate.

Most guys I know would spend no more than 10 mins to remove the frets, 10 - 20 mins to level the neck, and 10 mins to put the frets back in. And that's being generous.


----------



## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

Erich said:


> I suppose, If you really consider that work.. It's rather easy really.. I'd have it done in an hour or two and would be strung up and playing it again by tonight.. Wouldn't be out a guitar for a week or two waiting for it to twist back.


Remove frets, level and radius the finger board, and refret... "done in an hour or two". Ya, right buddy...


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Erich said:


> ......10 mins to put the frets back in.


Are you putting all of the original frets back in? Is that typically done?...just curious.

Cheers

Dave


----------



## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

Dradlin... If you sand the finger board properly, you don't need to radius it again. You should follow the arch of the fingerboard as you level it. By level it I mean truing it up straight, not necessarily planing it flat. 

And Yes Greco, That was assuming the frets are fine and you are simply fixing the neck, not completely re-fretting with all new frets..

If the frets were terrible, I suppose I'd replace them with new ones.. in which case it'd take me at least another hour and a half or so...


----------



## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

Erich said:


> Dradlin... If you sand the finger board properly, you don't need to radius it again. You should follow the arch of the fingerboard as you level it.


You can't follow the arch of the fingerboard if it is twisted, there is no true reference geometry by virtue of being twisted. Furthermore, you are assuming the existing radius is true to start with, often this is not the case.




Erich said:


> If the frets were terrible, I suppose I'd replace them with new ones.. in which case it'd take me at least another hour and a half or so...


Gasp!... at the notion to even consider reinstalling all the old frets.


----------



## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

The twist in the neck will not affect the radius of the fingerboard.. They are independent variables. And the radius SHOULD be fine, But if you are doubtful, you can take a tongue depressor and trace the radius of the fingerboard onto the tongue depressor, sand the tongue depressor down until you graze the line, and that's your radius gauge.. you can use that to check the radius before you start and as you go. And if you are using the proper technique while sanding, the sanding blocks fill follow the existing radius. So, as i said, there should not be any need to re-radius the fingerboard unless you sand the radius out by accident. All you are doing is following the existing radius and taking the height of the fingerboard down on one side. I have done this on numerous guitars, including the Pan bass in the pics in my other thread, and they all turned out great.

And if the old frets are fine, why not??? If they are removed carefully and they are not damaged there is no problem. Older fret wire for the most part was made of harder and better metal (german silver to be precise). Newer fretwire is far softer and not as durable.. I'd sooner re-use the old frets if they are still in good shape and give them a quick dress and polish, rather than put in new frets that are simply not going to be as durable...


----------



## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

Erich said:


> ...there should not be any need to re-radius the fingerboard unless you sand the radius out by accident. All you are doing is following the existing radius and taking the height of the fingerboard down on one side.


I would agree in general if the neck wasn't twisted, however I strongly disagree in the case of a twisted neck. The process of leveling a twisted neck, if ever was that needed or attempted, will irregularly remove material such that the radius would need to be tended to in the process. If you are not taking an irregular amount of material of (at the two diagonally opposing high corners of the twist) then you are not working the twist out.




Erich said:


> And if the old frets are fine, why not???


A few reasons why not are apparent to me, but you already seem to have your mind made up.

I don't care to argue with you...


----------



## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

I'm not arguing. This is how I was taught to correct a twisted neck by Mike McConnville.. I am sure there are many ways to do it. This is the way I was taught. Feel free to do whatever you like. And by the way, I got the tip about reusing the old better quality frets if they are in good condition from James D'Aquisto. You might have heard of him. 

I would love to hear your reasons regardless of whether you think i'll listen or not.. I will, of course, because i always keep an open mind to learning new ways of doing things.


----------



## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

Erich said:


> I'm not arguing. This is how I was taught to correct a twisted neck by Mike McConnville.. I am sure there are many ways to do it. This is the way I was taught. Feel free to do whatever you like. And by the way, I got the tip about reusing the old better quality frets if they are in good condition from James D'Aquisto. You might have heard of him.
> 
> I would love to hear your reasons regardless of whether you think i'll listen or not.. I will, of course, because i always keep an open mind to learning new ways of doing things.


You are neither Michael McConville nor Jimmy D'Aquisto... sorry.


----------



## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

dradlin said:


> You are neither Michael McConville nor Jimmy D'Aquisto... sorry.


For a guy who's complained numerous times that everything turns into and argument or debate, you certainly go out of your way looking for it.


----------



## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

Jimmy_D said:


> For a guy who's complained numerous times that everything turns into and argument or debate, you certainly go out of your way looking for it.


You are right... I digress.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I am glad to see reasonableness re-enter this thread. In many cases there is more than one way to do things. What is best with one person is not always the best way for everyone.


----------

