Neck with a twist

[Funkytowne]

This is my first time posting on this forum, I’ve been a lurker for a couple of years.
So my question is to you luthier types, do you have a remedy for a maple neck with a slight twist in it. I’m a long time woodworker with pretty wide experience, I have plenty of resources, so I can do most anything in the range of suggestions.
Thanks for your consideration,
JC

 

[Holy smokes]

It will be expensive. But there are probably some here with make shift ways . Just buy a new neck. Is my advice. Which is not worth much

 

[badinfinities]

This is my first time posting on this forum, I’ve been a lurker for a couple of years.
So my question is to you luthier types, do you have a remedy for a maple neck with a slight twist in it. I’m a long time woodworker with pretty wide experience, I have plenty of resources, so I can do most anything in the range of suggestions.
Thanks for your consideration,
JC

If it's a slight twist, the best approach is to remove the frets and level the fretboard. With a precision straightedge, you can hunt down the areas where the twist is affecting the fretboard. You can chalk those areas and work on them with a short leveling bar. Once you've addressed those problem areas, you can use a radius block to get the entire fretboard properly radiused.

 

[Freeman Keller]

A lot depends on the neck and how it is twisted. A one piece maple neck I would probably pull the frets, plane it flat, sand the radius back in, refret and refinish. A two piece neck (separate fretboard) I would probably remove the fretboard, plane the neck itself flat, replace the fretboard.

Things that can complicate it - compound radius, side pressed frets, binding. Sanding the fretboard probably will require deepening fret slots. Work on maple boards usually requires finish repair.

ps - before I forget my manners, welcome to TDPRI and I approve of your age.

 

[43mmNut]

Welcome to the club!
Unless the neck is vintage, I'd consider buying a new neck.

 

[Funkytowne]

_

A lot depends on the neck and how it is twisted. A one piece maple neck I would probably pull the frets, plane it flat, sand the radius back in, refret and refinish. A two piece neck (separate fretboard) I would probably remove the fretboard, plane the neck itself flat, replace the fretboard.

Things that can complicate it - compound radius, side pressed frets, binding. Sanding the fretboard probably will require deepening fret slots. Work on maple boards usually requires finish repair.

ps - before I forget my manners, welcome to TDPRI and I approve of your age.

First off it’s a brand new G&L Tribute 2 piece maple neck with a maple board, I looked at a YouTube video of a guy using a flatiron to heat the board and soften the glue, looked pretty easy, but, I don’t know what kind of glue is in my neck, is there confidence that heat sensitive glue is used in pretty much all necks?
Once the board is separated I know I can flatten it without a problem, I’m a little apprehensive about how much I’ll thin it down, but can’t worry about that since in its current form it’s junk.
Thanks, and now if we could only do something about our age.
JC

 

[Boreas]

Welcome aboard!

Depends. Unless it is a valuable vintage neck, it likely isn't worth paying to get it fixed. But if you have the tools and knowledge, you can likely salvage it as @Freeman Keller describes. If you can't DIY, I would just buy a new or used/open box neck. If it is a vintage neck with good frets, you may be better of with a replacement and save the neck in case you sell it. Re-planing the neck will likely devalue it somewhat.

 

[Harmonic]

_

First off it’s a brand new G&L Tribute 2 piece maple neck with a maple board, I looked at a YouTube video of a guy using a flatiron to heat the board and soften the glue, looked pretty easy, but, I don’t know what kind of glue is in my neck, is there confidence that heat sensitive glue is used in pretty much all necks?
Once the board is separated I know I can flatten it without a problem, I’m a little apprehensive about how much I’ll thin it down, but can’t worry about that since in its current form it’s junk.
Thanks, and now if we could only do something about our age.
JC

If it's a brand new neck then return it.

 

[Freeman Keller]

If it's a brand new neck then return it.

I agree with that but if you want to try the most common glue today is AR (Titebond original) which will come apart with heat. Here I've got a neck that I want to take the board off, the red thing is a slicone heating blanket that I use to bend sides. I'm working a pallet knife into the seam



I've heard you can use a clothes iron for this but since I haven't actually done it I can't say.

Here is the ebony fretboard off of the mahogany neck, you can see the truss rod. Yours will be different but I haven't don one like yours I don't have pictures

Obviously mine is unfinished, you will have some finish repair work to do

Pulling the frets and sanding the twist out is another very good option, its a shame to waste good frets but we do it all the time. Personally I would not try to twist it the other way altho I've seen all sorts of jury rigged devices to do that. In my opinion if a board wants to warp I don't want it as a neck on my guitar. But if you are out in the shop with a cup of coffee and nothing to do it might be worth a shot.



Glued it back on in the usual fashion Titebond and locating pins

 

[Peegoo]

@Funkytowne Welcome to the crazyhouse!

First: how do you know it's twisted? I ask because when sighting down a neck from the nut to the bridge--and vice versa--some necks can appear to be twisted because of how the top of the nut is planed off.

Don't compare the nut to the bridge. Instead, compare each fret with its neighbors when sighting down the neck like a rifle. Frets out of parallel will indicate a propeller twist.

Example: this looks really twisted because of how the top of the nut is cut. But the neck is fine. See the difference in those posts (yellow lines)? Thad adds to the illusion because the unwound string posts on the left are shorter. There is probably a very skight left twist, but not enough to matter.

This neck below is twisted; see how the frets are out of parallel?

The good news is many guitar necks are slightly twisted and are never a problem when set up properly.

 

[Funkytowne]

I bought the neck directly from G&L, B-stock, no warranty.
To PeeGoo, yes I know how to sight a wind in the board, and, I had it on a guitar and no matter what I did I couldn’t get it set up so it felt right, then discovered the wind. BTW, the head stock and the heel should be in the same plane, sitting on a flat surface the warped neck rocks. Mounted an identical neck and it set up perfectly.
Since I have nothing to loose, I’m going to try removing the board, looks like the best option.

 

[Ted Keane]

@Funkytowne Welcome to the crazyhouse!

First: how do you know it's twisted? I ask because when sighting down a neck from the nut to the bridge--and vice versa--some necks can appear to be twisted because of how the top of the nut is planed off.

Don't compare the nut to the bridge. Instead, compare each fret with its neighbors when sighting down the neck like a rifle. Frets out of parallel will indicate a propeller twist.

Example: this looks really twisted because of how the top of the nut is cut. But the neck is fine. See the difference in those posts (yellow lines)? Thad adds to the illusion because the unwound string posts on the left are shorter. There is probably a very skight left twist, but not enough to matter.

This neck below is twisted; see how the frets are out of parallel?

The good news is many guitar necks are slightly twisted and are never a problem when set up properly.

Many guitars are slightly twisted,and so are many guitarists.