T-nut (tee tut) as alternative to insert for neck attachment

[kimbass]

I am interested in a machine screw neck attachment method, but the use of inserts seems somewhat difficult for a non-craftsperson such as myself, and in any case I don't own a drill press. Are there any reasons to not use t-nuts for this purpose?

 

[kimbass]

Never mind. Thought about it some more, realized that the fretboard would have to be removed for installation.

 

[line6man]

They would not transfer energy as well as a threaded insert, if you're the type to obsess over those sorts of things. I see a minimal surface area in contact with the wood.

 

[stubhead]

I asked about installing these at the factory, to be told that most t-nuts are junk. But there are good t-nuts too, slap them on under the fingerboard - this was all in reference to the Q: I asked about factory installation of threaded inserts, which everyone agreed we would pay extra for - so Warmoth disappeared it. Screws are outmoded, even Fender's Custom Shop is installing inserts. Except on models that need to be authentically-outmoded. :dontknow:

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

The better tonal vibration transfer that I've seen mentioned, a wood screw is metal and threaded into wood, a metal insert is metal and threaded into wood.  I understand the advantage of metal to metal contact that makes frequent removal advantagious; metal removable parts last longer than wooden ones.  But, in the end, isn't wood still going into metal?  Where's the tonal advantage?  Better yet, where's the difference?  Does a neck that's only had the screws attached once sound different than the 4th time? 

 

[Jumble Jumble]

I recently put inserts into a Strat neck I've had since 2002. It had been on and off a lot, and two of the holes got stripped. I repaired it with toothpicks and glue originally; however, this is only a temporary repair. You have to re-do it almost every time the neck comes off. So I decided to go with inserts.

I got a kit from eBay and did the whole thing myself by hand and eye with a regular power drill. The kit specified drill bit size in the instructions, and came with a short, allen-headed bolt to put in each insert to wind them into the neck. After I put each one in, I re-fitted the neck to make sure I hadn't screwed anything up. Quite surprisingly, everything went just fine.

It's true that you feel comfortable tightening the screws more, and I'm not afraid I'm going to strip the wood. I have no idea if it produces more sustain - the guitar was already fine in that regard and I haven't measured it. It's definitely going to help with removing and re-attaching the neck, of course.

In all, I would definitely do it again, but only if I had the same problem again. I'm fine with metal screws going into wood; that's a very very strong join.

 

[mayfly]

I use threaded inserts, but they are only really necessary on B-Bender telecasters IMHO.  The necks move too much without them when you're flipping the neck up and down on those fast bender licks.

Having said that, I kinda like them and I usually install them in whatever I'm building, bender or no.

 

[leo12.]

There is a US maker who uses t nuts under the fretboard the name escapes me.
While there is some good quality  t-nuts  & some lower quality, putting them under a
fretboard is a difficult repair for stripped threads.
Yamaha used it in this guitar the Super Flighter SF500
http://forum.japanaxe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=2751( for pic reference)
Under the coil at the end of the fretboard extends a tennon on the neck using 2 T-nuts
2 wood screws are  used under the 21st or 22nd frets . The joint is tapered & very snug
before you attach bolts or screws, potentially best of both worlds.
I can understand Warmoth not using it. I have used it for speaker mounting with good
results.