Threaded neck inserts = better tuning stabilty?

[1955]

Do threaded neck inserts reduce tuning problems associated with worn-out neck-hole screws?

My neck pocket holes have been doweled and epoxied a few times. There is a play in the neck, and I am adjusting to lighter strings.

I find I accidentally pull on the neck, and the strings go in and out of pitch. I am trying a lighter approach, but I was wondering if the threaded inserts would help reduce "play?"

Well, earlier tonight at the end of my gig in frustration, I tossed my guitar up in the air behind me, and when I later picked it up, the neck was separated from the body almost, with the screws stripped away from the wood, only the strings holding it on. So I thought this is a good opportunity to learn something. Yes I know it's stupid to throw my guitar, I know.

Thanks in advance!

[Shepherd]

The necks inserts are only going to be as strong as the wood they go into. If it's been repaired a few times you need to make sure you have a good base to start from before you try to install the inserts.

[1955]

Thank you! So the holes would need to be drilled out beyond their previous doweling?

[Shepherd]

Depending on the inserts, the drill bit size is usually around a 1/4" so if the previous dowels are smaller than that you dont have to drill them out bigger.

[1955]

Thanks! Will measure.

[1955]

On the back of the body the bottom right hole is a hair larger than 1/4" and the top right looks 1/4 almost exactly. The other two are a wee bit smaller than 1/4", where the doweled edge extends. They've all been doweled. The holes in the neck don't look as bad but it looks like they've taken a little doweling and filling also.

[trev333]

don't the threaded inserts go into the neck wood?.....

the body holes just need re dowelling/drilling if they are sloppy.......

[PeterUK]

I've got threaded inserts in all of my bolt on neck guitars and I'm a big fan.

There's another past thread where the venerable Boris suggests that threaded inserts do not add any real benefit and that - as I recall - they remove too much wood. However, I would respectfully disagree and have found that they have added sustain, tuning stability and ease of maintenance.

I would point out that if you do go this route and throw you guitar about as you describe, the natural weak point of any bolt on neck will no longer exist so if you threat your guitar in the same way, it could break the neck or the neck pocket. It's not a licence to abuse.

Boris agrees. Here are his comments and the thread I referred to.

Here's another good thread with some good information.

Hope they work out for you.

Peter

[Shepherd]

Originally Posted by 1955

On the back of the body the bottom right hole is a hair larger than 1/4" and the top right looks 1/4 almost exactly. The other two are a wee bit smaller than 1/4", where the doweled edge extends. They've all been doweled. The holes in the neck don't look as bad but it looks like they've taken a little doweling and filling also.

My bad, I misread your original post. Dont worry about the dowels in the body. Those holes should be slightly larger than the neck screws. The inserts go in the neck.

[1955]

Forgive my ignorance, I thought they went in both the neck and body. Otherwise, what's to stop the screws from stripping the wood in the body, and creating more "play"?

How could just having threaded inserts in the neck itself be more stable, if the neck is loose partly BECAUSE the holes in the body have been doweled a lot?

Thanks, and sorry I don't understand.

[waparker4]

Originally Posted by 1955

Forgive my ignorance, I thought they went in both the neck and body. Otherwise, what's to stop the screws from stripping the wood in the body, and creating more "play"?

How could just having threaded inserts in the neck itself be more stable, if the neck is loose partly BECAUSE the holes in the body have been doweled a lot?

Thanks, and sorry I don't understand.

Afaik the holes in the body have little to do with it and should be a little big, the neck is clamped on with the neck plate and so the critical screw holes are the neck's

[Soapbarstrat]

You could put non-threaded inserts on the body, if you really wanted to.

[Bud Veazey]

I use threaded inserts on most of my custom builds. If you throw your guitar in the air alot they might hold up better than the standard wood screws into wood.

[slapshot]

so in this neck i'm working on (ignore the details just know the holes are useless) would you recommend dowelling the existing neck holes or go with these inserts?

and any neck plate issues?I notice the ones I see are a flat countersunk machine screw.would they give with neck plates that have larger than standard fender size screws in them?

[1955]

I've only thrown my guitar about 3 or 4 times in 6 years or so. Just got John Macenroe for a second. Stupid thing to do.

[Shepherd]

Originally Posted by 1955

Forgive my ignorance, I thought they went in both the neck and body. Otherwise, what's to stop the screws from stripping the wood in the body, and creating more "play"?

How could just having threaded inserts in the neck itself be more stable, if the neck is loose partly BECAUSE the holes in the body have been doweled a lot?

Thanks, and sorry I don't understand.

The inserts allow you to get alot more clamping power between the neck and body. If the body holes are too small theres a chance that the screws could bind preventing the neck from making good contact with the body. Is your neck pocket really loose?

[Doug 54]

When JAy at VIntique was a reliable force, I got some of his inserts for my MIJ Strat.

And by-golly, the sound was improved to my ears!! small, but discernable.

[1955]

When I had 13-56, I didn't notice much play in the neck. Going to 10's, wow, big difference, and over time it gets looser and I have to have things repaired every year or so with dowels.

Now there's a shim, the frets are trashed, everything is just worn out, about a thousand gigs worth.

I'm still heavy handed, trying to fix that, but the neck is too loose anyway for my taste. It'd be nice to have it stay tight.

Thanks!

[Shepherd]

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a new guitar .

[1955]

I wish!