About those factory-standard threaded neck inserts.....

[stubhead]

Though I have two sets of the "self-tapping" ones left, they are the ones with thin, spiral threads (yes, 6TPI) and the EX LOK metal-tapped ones look to be a vastly superior mechanical mating - and as I have semi-modular plans for these upcoming "testbed" guitars, well, why not.

These are the 10-24 internal, 3/8-16 external ones that Philtone is using:

Them's some big holes. There are a few thinwall/thickwall variants, but say these are the 329-3's -The EZ LOK company calls for a 5/16" drill for these inserts in an aluminum engine block - 0.312". And Philtone uses a 23/64" = 0.359" Forstner drill instead, then taps with the 3/8-16TPI, 3/8" being 0.375" of course.

Sticking with the 5/16-18TPI holes, with either the 8-32 or 10-24 internal screws, will keep it a bit further in from the edge, but it would seem there's probably going to be a bit of fiddling to get the right size wood hole - enough grab but not too much sideways push. Although, lightly lubing the inside screws to avoid fubar then slobbering superglue all over the damn things meets the approval of 11 of 17 brain cells surveyed so far.... some pine scraps will be meeting their doom before I dig into me neckies, fer sure.

 

[Cagey]

Certainly a good-looking installation. Must be less fight?

 

[stubhead]

I have finally got the whole EZ-LOK sizing/threading/meaning-of-life thing figgered out. PM me for the details (anyone who cares), it involves lotsa stuff. But I know what I'M gonna get & where. I'm just too exhausted to order..... :sad1:

 

[stubhead]

But now yet another pix:
http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2012/Jan/Builder_Profile_Teuffel_Guitars.aspx?Page=3

That nutty Teuffel fellow is using what appears to be the jam nuts with the hex drive installation, but he's found (or made?) a specific tap to fit those threads. He does go as far as making and tempering his own screws and stuff. I'd be happy to try one of his guitars, I agree with some of his philosophizing:

But guitar playing now seems to mean something akin to taking part in a kind of reenactment—as if you are role-playing the battle of Gettysburg. You could call this the Stradivarization of the electric guitar. But if you don’t see yourself as the role-playing type of guitar player, you might be attracted by the freedom that my guitars will give you— because they don’t lock you into the scenery of a reenactment.

These look like the nuts that McFeely's sells:
http://www.mcfeelys.com/steel-thread-inserts

 

[Cagey]

Interesting stuff. I can see where you got some 6tpi inserts. As it turns out, I have some myself. I was digging through my myriad little drawers of fasteners and accessories and found a bag of them I apparently bought some time back and decided not to use. Unsurprising, given their outside diameter. The holes required would have been much too large to safely fit in the confines of a guitar neck's mounting area without risking wrecking the neck.