I should have asked this last week before I did some work on my Strat but After I changed pickups and trem block and put new strings and did a intonation and felt real happy, I thought, "gee I should have taken the neck off just to see how it looked". No reason other than I was tinkering anyway and was curious how the neck and body fit together.

But now having done all that work I don't want to do it! But next time....

I'm wondering if by taking the neck off and then putting it back on would I need to do anything special? Would the truss have to be rechecked? Would I have to do a full setup again?

It's a stock neck. No micro-tilt feature on it.

-T

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-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield

Hi Tyronne: something important to remember when taking a neck off for the first time is: with the guitar flat in front of you, to lift the neck upwards out of the pocket. Don't pull it horizontally, in a direction away from the bridge (if you see what I mean?).

When putting it back, first rub a little candle wax (some use a bar of soap) on the screws which helps them go in smoothly and grip without damaging the wood. Many of us like to screw them all about three quarters of the way in and then tighten diagonally opposite pairs of screws.

How much to torque them is the crucial issue. First thing is to notice how tight they seem to be when you unscrew them; that's often a good guide. Very hard to describe torque levels on the page, but if in doubt - not too tight! We want everything seated firmly, but we don't want to risk stripping the wood the screw threads grip on. Gentle, gentle adjustments to each screw in turn is the way to go. You can always tighten them a touch more later, if you think it is necessary (though better to have it right before the strings go on).

Fixing screw holes that have been stripped is possible, but it is a very tiresome job which I suspect you don't want to get into. So be careful.

Last thing. Watch out for any shims that fall out of the neck pocket when you lift the neck out. Those need to go back in as they were if you want the guitar to set up properly again.

After all that, I'm making it sound much more scary than it really is. Most of us are taking necks on and off all the time without any problems, so don't worry too much. Just be sensible about it...

Cheers - C

What Ceri means is the neck doesn't slip sideways into the pocket, but rather goes in and out from the top, like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

I agree with using wax, I have a block of beeswax. I have no idea what most soaps may contain, and if there's anything in them that may react with a guitars finish over time, so i usually recommend people don't use soap.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I use a hammer. If that doesn't work, I use a bigger hammer.


NOT!

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I always do it upside down (reason why follows)

Remove or capo the strings (remove is easier).
Fully support the guitar face down on its entire length body and neck.

Clean old towels work well.
If you fold one towel length ways for the neck it will support it well.
Then use another folded into a square for the body.

Undo the screws and then get a friend to hold the neck if you need to and slowly lift the body up.

Not supporting the neck will mean when the last screw is out the neck can fall away from the body. You risk cracking the paint finish around the neck pocket if your not careful. Which along with dropping the neck would be the two most common problems.

OK, that was a really funny, spit a mouthfull of coffee all over my keyboard moment..

The thing I look out for when removing a neck for the first time, is that the paintwork on the guitar around the neck pocket doesn't chip or lift as the neck comes out.

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

Thanks folks for the advice...those were a lot of good tips!

Ceri - never even thought about the torque values! I'll see if I can get my torque wrench to measure how tight they are as I take them off. Not sure if I have a "inch-pounds" wrench. Possibly only "foot-pounds". But I can go by feel too.

Thanks also for the beeswax/soap tip.

Probably won't happen for a while but I'm glad I asked beforehand.

All the best,
T

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-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield

I thank you!

A further tip for an "organic solution" for those so minded:

I recommend a heaping portion of Marmite be applied to the interlocking neck/body joint prior to removal; ALWAYS allow a few minutes for permeation.

And in accordance with maximum efficiency with minimal effort, the now dissipated Marmite has surely seeped into the neck screws holes and fully onto the screws so there's surely no need for separate or further lubrication of the screws upon reinstallation - It's a beautiful thing!

As you may expect, the job will go most smoothly and will smell good too!

I sincerely hope your mileage DOES indeed vary!!!

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Actually, this is a very good tip. Also, Marmite is excellent for sorting out potentiometers. Syringe some in there and you will never be bothered by crackles or pops ever again - I absolutely promise. [Deadpan expression. No smilies as clues...]


Must admit, that's what I'd have thought. But I saw soap recommended here a while back by someone who's opinion is to be taken seriously, so... I dunno. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

I use candle wax. Got about a billion candles around the house from that phase when it was passingly trendy to do everything by candlelight and everyone's girlfriends went and bought them by the truckload. Before effing off - no doubt in search of a home with more spare space in it...

Cheers - C

Well, I learned something today about potentiometer servicing. An excellent tip!

As to the minuscule amount of soap on the screws potentially damaging a finish, the heat necessary for such a tiny bit of soap to truly chemically break down along with the concurrent heat required to truly chemically break down a guitar's finish to where both the soap and the finish would mix and somehow cause a negative interaction would surely destroy the guitar first.

Case in point: Skanky guitars are often washed with soap and water to clean them and I've yet to see where even this practice has ever done any finish damage.

As always, YMMV.

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Now I'm going to admit that I don't actually remember which well-respected Forum user it was who recommended soap. Was it you?

All I remember is that I thought: "Well, I wouldn't have thought soap was a good idea. But if HE (whoever it was) says so, then maybe I must think again..."

I never remember a face. But I always remember what the face says, if it was a guitar related tip!

(Oh. That sounds pretty autistic, doesn't it...?)

Cheers - C

I might have said it but truth be told, I honestly don't remember.

In retrospect, it looked like I may have directed my post covertly at you but believe me, in NO way, shape or form was it nor did I mean to even imply it. My apologies if I came off this way.

My aim was to prevent such a postulation (the soap effect) gaining steam and being inducted into the infamous and irrevocable realm of "Infallible Web Dogma" where next, such doctrine will have players stop using soap for fear of whenever they play their guitars, they will compromise the finish.

In perspective, routine sweat and body oils should be feared infinitely more as they are outright caustic whereas controlled soap of marginal proportions surely is not.

Going one step further and to prove my point, typical fabric softener sheets are universally recommended to dissipate static in pickguards. This is clear evidence of how one "Infallible Web Dogma" statute clearly could and would contradict another. See, no one ever balks at the notion of leaving this soap and silicone impregnated sheet under pressure between the pickguard and the guitar's body for extended periods of time in a perpetual replacement cycle as the problem reoccurs. Yet, if one treats the cause by simply grounding the pickguard to the rest of the circuit, the symptom goes away forever. Apparently, this is too logical and easy where it is therefore, completely unacceptable in "Infallible Web Dogma" annals.

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The soap thing could have been from me... I used to work for an old piano tech (Moeller) and he would use soap on $50,000 Bechsteins which is esentially the same finish material as guitars... nitro or polyester.

Wow, I see Marmite has way more uses than I ever imagined. Maybe it has value after all? Ok, Mr. C and or anyone else, please explain this too me, as I do not want to do this wrong. I have either removed necks by very slightly wiggling it and then sliding it out of the pocket, horizontally, like removing a knife from it's sheath, or pushed down, carefully, on the headstock, while the guitar is laying face up, and kick the butt end of the neck up out of the socket and then lift the whole neck out by then raising the headstock upward. Why should I not do it that way? Maybe I am risking something? Also if the neck is snug and you lift it upwards out of the pocket, how do you do it? You pry it up, or ? can one lubricate with Marmite when you put the neck back on????

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

This is the way I've done it for over 40 years and have never had even close to a problem; and with NO Marmite assistance ever, mind you!

I just thought of something: Woudn't it be something if Fender made a guitar with a Marmite looking finish? But then again, I'd rather see a pepperoni pizza finish.

See what happens to my mind when I have nothing to do?

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