How hard is it to swap bolt on necks?

[tapper mike]

It's something that's always scared me to do but the more I think about it the more I want to swap the neck on my SX Furrian (tele copy) with a better one.

I know this is something for the dyi forum but I thought I'd ask here.

[werp]

Just had mine done.
It took a professor of neurosurgery, an anaesthetist, 6 rugby players, 4 nurses and a packet of m and m's.

[aMUSEd]

It's easier when he's not conscious.

[Hink]

It's something that's always scared me to do but the more I think about it the more I want to swap the neck on my SX Furrian (tele copy) with a better one.

I know this is something for the dyi forum but I thought I'd ask here.

what are your concerns?

[tapper mike]

I've never done it before for myself. Hell I haven't even held a drill in better then thirty years. I want ti to fit right no irregular tilt no accidents of the bolts not going in right. Just got done watching a fender university video about attaching a fender neck to a fender guitar and it seemed easy enough.


Some mechanical things (not all) I'm good at but most I'm not.
I've built computers from parts but god don't let me under your cars hood.

I've changed pickups and done some rewiring before, done basic setup (thanks music castle they would let me watch and explain every step of the way_

Mostly it's just fear. How do I know that the replacement neck will fit the cavity properly? What if the holes aren't aligned properly to begin with. Hell the Rondo neck doesn't fit properly for the guitar as it isl (slight gap) Am I going to have to shave some of the body or worse still try to put sheathing in to fill a void.
It's not a perfect universe guitar to begin with and I'm no guitar whisperer.

[Orbit-50]

It's easier when he's not conscious.

LOL!!!!!!!!! I swear to God, that's what I got when I saw the thread title!!!! I had to look at it 50 times before I actually understood that that's not what he was asking about!!!!! I must have been in a daze for a moment, but the timing was perfect!!!! Thanks tapper mike!!! That made my day!!!





.-.

[Orbit-50]

It's something that's always scared me....

Even better!!!



.-.

[ghettosynth]

I've never done it before for myself. Hell I haven't even held a drill in better then thirty years. I want ti to fit right no irregular tilt no accidents of the bolts not going in right. Just got done watching a fender university video about attaching a fender neck to a fender guitar and it seemed easy enough.


Some mechanical things (not all) I'm good at but most I'm not.
I've built computers from parts but god don't let me under your cars hood.

I've changed pickups and done some rewiring before, done basic setup (thanks music castle they would let me watch and explain every step of the way_

Mostly it's just fear. How do I know that the replacement neck will fit the cavity properly? What if the holes aren't aligned properly to begin with. Hell the Rondo neck doesn't fit properly for the guitar as it isl (slight gap) Am I going to have to shave some of the body or worse still try to put sheathing in to fill a void.
It's not a perfect universe guitar to begin with and I'm no guitar whisperer.

Disclaimer: I am NOT an expert, in fact, I'm way out of my depth when I start talking about actual guitar work beyond electronics or things that are unlikely to go wrong, e.g., new tuners.

The bottom line is that you don't know. If the holes aren't lined up there could be problems, I'm assuming that the neck is pre-drilled? That said, about three fourths of the time I've done it with guitars that it was supposed to work on, I've not had a problem. So, you could just gamble, and if it gets tricky, or things don't line up, just take it to your local guitar guy.

I will say that I started doing some of this myself when the local guitar guy(s) couldn't actually fix my guitar, they just kept making the same adjustments that I could do myself.

[Hink]

I've never done it before for myself. Hell I haven't even held a drill in better then thirty years. I want ti to fit right no irregular tilt no accidents of the bolts not going in right. Just got done watching a fender university video about attaching a fender neck to a fender guitar and it seemed easy enough.


Some mechanical things (not all) I'm good at but most I'm not.
I've built computers from parts but god don't let me under your cars hood.

I've changed pickups and done some rewiring before, done basic setup (thanks music castle they would let me watch and explain every step of the way_

Mostly it's just fear. How do I know that the replacement neck will fit the cavity properly? What if the holes aren't aligned properly to begin with. Hell the Rondo neck doesn't fit properly for the guitar as it isl (slight gap) Am I going to have to shave some of the body or worse still try to put sheathing in to fill a void.
It's not a perfect universe guitar to begin with and I'm no guitar whisperer.

I pretty much agree with what GS said above but I understand your fears...where do you plan to get the neck from?

Before you remove the old neck take some pictures, make detailed pics of the end on the neck by the body...

measure how far the neck is from the bridge as well as from the top of the neck pup(I would measure how far the top and the bottom is to make sure the guitar you have now has a straight pocket).

measure how high the fretboard is above the body (again I would do the top and the bottom of the neck)

measure how high the strings are from the fretboard and I would measure how far both the top and bottom strings are from the edge of the neck (again at both ends)

with something that will wash off use the end of the neck to draw a line where the neck ends on the body if there is an overlap to see if it lines up...if there is a gap measure that too

FTR I would take pictures with the tape measure and/or ruler in place so you can zoom in on it (for under 6" I would use a machinist scale which is a 6" small metal ruler that measures up to 1/64 of an inch.

I suspect the holes will line up but if you buy a generic neck off of ebay I would have concerns. The measurements tell you exactly where the neck should be. If you have to drill holes in the neck, use a clamp and start by putting the neck in, use the clamp to hold it firmly but so much you cant move it. (I like the clamps that you squeeze the handle to tighten) then use your measurements to get it in place (most important of course is how straight it is that's why I said measure the distance edge of the neck and the strings) once it's in place clamp it down tight, check you measurements again and then use a drill much smaller than the neck holes in the body (I can tell you what drill to use)...if you dont have to drill holes (and you shouldn't) you wont need to do this.

In the case that the neck is higher or lower or no completely straight you may need shims...when you can do not remove any material, shim. the neck could be a little off and need to be shimmed from the rear...this would be notice when checking the distance the strings are from the neck on both ends. The height may not be the same as it was with the first neck but if it isn't you want it to be off by the same amount on both ends (though this could also be a truss rod issue). You can raise the action or lower it of course at the bridge if it's a smidge different in height.

Note is you drill holes drill through the holes in the body and set the drill in the chuck so you cannot drill all the way through the neck by mistake.

It should be a straight swap, but if it isn't than you may have to make some adjustments...if you do not remove any material you can simply replace the old neck. Shims can be made of many types of material (I have even used bread bag clips). Below is examples of the clamp and machinist scale...be accurate with your measurements.





If you get confused I can walk you through it and can do so by posts or we can hook up on the phone...you can do this

[Hink]

also measure from the bridge to the nut on bot sides of the neck...we know what it should be but it's best to check

[ew]

How do I know that the replacement neck will fit the cavity properly?

Measure the cavity width and the length, and do the same with the heel of the neck. The Fender size pockets (they're different for a Strat and Tele, FYI) are fairly standard with DIY necks and bodies, but it's definitely not standard with other manufacturers. If it's a 22 or 24 fret neck that you're putting on, should the fretboard overhang the body or be flush with the end of the pocket?

ew

[Hink]

How do I know that the replacement neck will fit the cavity properly?

Measure the cavity width and the length, and do the same with the heel of the neck.

The reason I didn't suggest this is it seemed like Mike might be concerned about just taking the neck off...ftr my baritone when I still was using the tele body needed some modification to the pocket for the neck to sit flat in and the neck was a tele neck (still is of course) the very back of the pocket was the issue. When I bought the Warmoth body I had it cut with a tele pocket and it fit perfect...tbh I'm not really sure if the tele/strat pocket is a Fender and a Warmoth thing. According to Warmoth the Strat heel is more rounded than the tele but that is for vintage/original and I am not sure about Squires or MIM's and I dont think it's the same with all strat and tele styles that are not fender...they could be different http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/Op ... ocket.aspx

But the Squire tele pocket was rounded like the strat pocket in the picture and why I had to trim it. In Mike's case I seriously doubt he has to worry about that...but then once again that depends on the neck. Mike, if the pocket is rounded dont be too worried, it's very easy to fix with an xacto knife with the right blade.

Just my opinion but I would not swap a neck with anything but a Warmoth neck as long as it fits and what I mean by that is, strats, teles, jackson and others are all going to fit...good luck if you own an Ibanez though, you wont be buying a replacement neck from Warmoth...in Mike's case if it were me it would a Warmoth neck or I would leave the stock neck...I might (and I stress might) go with an Allparts neck, but imo they are kind of generic and I'm not sure what the improvement would be. I would not buy a generic neck off of ebay.

With a Warmoth you have your choice of contours which would be one of my main reasons for such a swap...the other thing that really sets Warmoth necks apart is even living in a climate such as New England with either of my Warmoth necks I have never adjusted the truss rod. I know you know this Eric but others may not so...the reason this is is because Warmoth uses the double expanding truss rod which is something that I consider to be a huge plus but very few people seem to know about it but for me I think it's one of the best innovations since the locking tremolo. Of course also Warmoth gives you a wide choice of fret size

[ghettosynth]

The Fender size pockets (they're different for a Strat and Tele, FYI) are fairly standard with DIY necks and bodies

BTW: This is what I meant when I said "for necks and bodies that should work together." I have never tried to put an unknown neck on a body and also care much about the results.