how do you guys attach neck to body?

[kbobb]

this is a warmoth neck to warmoth body - do you clamp the 2 together first and then put in screws?  do you just hold them together with hand pressure and tighten screws?  What is your process to ensure a good fit?

thanks

 

[vid1900]

I tap the neck with a rubber mallet gently to make sure it's completely seated.

Then I clamp the neck and body together with an Irwin Quick-Grip bar clamp.  These have rubber faces that don't leave traces.

I then use a Transfer Punch to transfer the body hole centers into the back of the neck.

Using these punch marks, I know my pilot holes will be perfectly centered when I drill them on my drill press.

If I'm using brass inserts in the neck, I drill the larger insert holes, then install the inserts with white glue.

If you don't have a Transfer Punch Set yet, it's the best $8 you will ever spend:

http://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-transfer-punch-set-3577.html

 

[Cagey]

Warmoth neck heels are already drilled, so no heroics needed there.

Their necks are a very close fit, almost a press-fit. You push them in from the top - you won't be able to slide them in length-wise. As a side note - you probably don't want to dry-fit them and remove them because of the close fit. There's some risk of chipping the body finish on the top of the guitar on removal.

The screws will pull them tight - no need to clamp unless you want to handle the assembly without installing screws or bolts.

I always recommend inserts and machine screws for attachment, but they're not strictly necessary. It just makes for a tighter heel/pocket joint which is good for sustain and eliminates some losses. It also makes it easier to remove/install the neck if you're prone to moving them from one body to another, or need access to pickup/control cavities that are sorta locked in place by the pickguard like happens on Strats.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I find that a little prep work on the neck pocket goes a long way. I use a self-adhesive sand paper on a machinists rule to sand the finish accumulation off of the front and sides of the pocket, and sand paper on a piece of dowel rod to clean up the finish from the corners and back of the pocket. *Inward/downward strokes only, outward strokes may pull up the finish!* This will prevent finish chips when installing the neck and cleaning up the front of the pocket will prevent neck angle issues (a lip of finish on the front of the pocket can act like a reverse shim!).

 

[Cagey]

Good points.

 

[kbobb]

thanks all

this is a warmoth neck and body so the holes are already drilled and they lined up with the body.  I did put the neck in from the top down - also cleaned up the neck pocket with self stick 220 grit sandpaper on a block the same height as the body side walls.  Neck then slid in firm but smooth.  -didn't read about the dowel or front of the pocket but the neck is on securely now with no gap between body and neck any where that i can see.

Didn't use inserts cause this neck is never coming off!  Will have the local luthier give it a good going over also.

thanks again

 

[BigSteve22]

cleaning up the front of the pocket will prevent neck angle issues (a lip of finish on the front of the pocket can act like a reverse shim!).

And it doesn't take much finish to screw up that angle. Just a tiny amount was all it took to mess with the set up on my strat. When I finally figured it out, and carefully cleaned it up, everything fell into place.

Like Verne said: "...a little prep work on the neck pocket goes a long way."

I wish you all the luck in the world with your new build. But "....this neck is never coming off!" sounds like famous last words.

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