Take off neck shim? If so how?

[Voicing 13]

Hey,

Probably an obvious question but just want to make sure. I have a MIM that has a shim in the neck pocket that is glued to the neck. I am planning to change the body over the holidays.

1. Should I remove the shim?
2. How would you go about it considering it is glued to the neck?

Thanks!

[drvoodoo]

An image might help. Is it a wood shim? Try a razor blade or a scalpel and wiggel it under the shim. Or if it is paper gently scrape it off. Or just leave it and see how it works with the new body, chanses are that you do not need to remove it.

[garrett]

May as well leave it for now and see how the set up is with the new body first.

[jefrs]

A wood chisel is the correct tool.

Just slide it under the shim through the glue, keep it flat to the neck. Scrape remaining glue off with same tool.

[SixShooter]

Put some heat on it using a clothes iron. This will soften up the glue slightly. Then use a firm scraper to pry it off. If this was glued with white glue this should work.

[telex76]

I agree you shouldn't remove it until you see how the fit with the new body is.
It was there for a reason. Reason may still exist even with a new body.

If it should be removed, I'd just sand it down until it's gone.
If someone used Superglue to put it in, you may pull a chunk off the neck trying to pry it out.

[Vizcaster]

Are you sure it's glued and not just stuck? Sometimes shim material sinks into the finish a little and hangs on there. Either way, a chisel would be the proper tool to gently pop it off - but only assuming that it needs to come off. Try it on the new body first.

[old goat]

I'd use a very sharp chisel but I wouldn't try to pop it off. I'd use the chisel to pare off the shim a layer at a time. If you try to pop it off all at once you may take pieces of neck with it. And sanding is way too much work. If it needs to come off after you try the new body with shim in place. It would be a good idea to try to figure out what the shim is doing--is it flat or wedge shaped and if the latter which end is thinner. That should give you an idea what problem the shim is fixing.

[Voicing 13]

Thank you Gentlemen,

I will start by seeing if the shim is really glued or just stuck. Then like Old Goat mentioned I will check if I can see why it was placed there. Unfortunately, I am using the guitar currently and need to wait for the body to arrive. Will report back once I have received it.

[Voicing 13]

Here is an update:

Vizcaster you were right. The shim was just stuck.

As most of you recommended, I looked to see what the problem was. The pressure of the neck joint was such that the shim made a depression in the body almost to it's full thickness. It really doesn't seem it was doing much.

It was place just before the neck screws that are closer to the body.

I'll post picture a soon.