First build - neck attachment?

[recurve]

Hi all,
Just got all the parts for my first build project, very excited.  everything is top notch!  Any tips/trick for getting the neck to line up correctly with the bridge?  any tutorials on how to correctly position and attach necks? -( I did a search but maybe used the wrong terms).  Do the pre-drilled attachment holes line things up correctly?
BTW it's a WGD body with mahogany neck.
Thanks a lot folks.

 

[bagman67]

I assume your bridge is already installed.  Attach the neck with the usual screws, but don't tighten it all the way down.  Then string up the high and low E strings.  Then just grab the neck and torque it up or down until the strings line up the way you want them. Even a very tight neck pocket will yield a little movement when you consider the leverage you get by working the neck up near the nut.  Once you're lined up, tighten the neck attachment screws.  You're done. 


  You don't need to waste guitar strings to do this - you can use any reasonably fine string or fishing line.

 

[stratamania]

I'd say about the same.

This is how I went about it on my first Warmoth.

http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=22445.msg336594#msg336594

 

[fdesalvo]

I've literally just bolted em on and went on about my business.  Every W I've bought as a neck/body combo has been right on.

 

[bagman67]

Yep, in most cases of Warmoth body + Warmoth neck, wobbling the neck into alignment is not necessary.

 

[recurve]

thanks folks,
this is an all warmoth body/neck system so glad to hear it most likely will line up properly.  I did an acoustic dreadnought build about 10 yrs ago and really sweated that part of the build -worked out well in the end and the guitar is still playing well.

When finishing the neck I presume you all finish the entire neck including the body attachment area with the screw holes/little turtle guy -correct?  And you finish it all prior to installing tuners?

It would be great if there was a Warmoth tutorial on start to finish basic building/assembly but I guess with so many options available that would be hard to do.

Thanks much

 

[stratamania]

Finishing the heel area of the neck... Some do and some don't.

You would finish prior to installing tuners. Although some may fit them and then remove them to finish the neck and do a final fit later. But again what type of finish ?

For tutorials there is lots of information around on the forum. But also a set of videos on You tube by a user called smbstressfest.  And various books etc.  theres even quite a bit of stuff in the build diaries in my signature to whet your appetite, and other build diaries done by Cagey and others.

A lot of it is about taking your time and working methodically. If you aren't sure there's a wealth of knowledge here and members who can offer advice.

Also the book "Guitar Player Repair Guide 3rd Edition" has a wealth of useful information.

 

[Cagey]

When finishing the neck I presume you all finish the entire neck including the body attachment area with the screw holes/little turtle guy -correct?  And you finish it all prior to installing tuners?

Actually, I suspect there are a lot more unfinished necks in the member's collections here than finished ones. That's a large part of the draw of Warmoth necks, beside their high quality - exotic woods that don't need finishes (other than perhaps burnishing).

For those that do use a finish, they're probably most often purchased that way as the cost is not prohibitive and Warmoth does a superb job. Otherwise, I think you'll see in the examples in some of the build threads that the neck is attached to a "paint stick" to make handling it easier. This means the inner face of the heel isn't going to get finish on it. But, I'm sure some hang them from a tuning peg hole during finishing, in which case the heel would get finish on it.

In any event, that area is hidden so there's little reason to worry about it.

 

[dmraco]

I always finish the heel if the neck has a finish.  However I am careful not to go too thick here.  I do not want to make it so tight I could stress or crack the finish on the body.  A few light passes is all do

 

[jmcecil]

Otherwise, I think you'll see in the examples in some of the build threads that the neck is attached to a "paint stick" to make handling it easier. This means the inner face of the heel isn't going to get finish on it. But, I'm sure some hang them from a tuning peg hole during finishing, in which case the heel would get finish on it.

In any event, that area is hidden so there's little reason to worry about it.

This is a bit off topic but is another of those things that makes me laugh about the ultra "tone" obsessive.  Depending on the finish, you can either enhance contact with the body, or dampen contact with the body.  And, if the best "tone" comes from maximum contact between body and neck, you would think that you want an unfinished pocket back.  However, I would venture that a lot of those tone junkies have no idea that they have 1/2" of lacquer sitting there. 

It's like the guys who spend $200+ bucks a foot for cryogenically treated and molecularly aligned audio cable, then attach it to their speaker with a .05 cent banana plug where a marginally copper set screw makes contact with a couple of random strands of the million dollar cable.  Not to mention the speakers internal lug is probably low grade copper as well.

Sorry for the OT ... just some food for thought.  Back to your regularly scheduled discussion