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GUEST,Obie 10-minute neck set (31) RE: 10-minute neck set 16 Jan 06


If your guitar is not bellied below the bridge (bracing problem) and the neck joint is intact and the truss rod is not stripped there may be a rather simple repair for a bowed neck. Don't try this on your D45 or Hummingbird but if the option is self repair or junk this may be your solution.
The curve of a guitar neck is controlled by string size and tension resisted by the truss rod and the necks inherent resistance to bending. The fretboard also adds to the neck strenth and the frets act as wedges holding the neck straight. The fretboard is held on the neck by hide glue which can be softened by applying heat. You will need 2 C clamps of about 4 inch jaw, some pieces of wood, a 2x4 about the lenth of the neck and a small wooden block. You will also need a heat source such as a heatlamp, a paint stripper gun, or even a hairdryer.
1 Remove strings and loosen the truss rod until it is slack.
2 Place the block of wood at the back of the neck midway between the peghead and the body. Place the longer piece of wood on top of the block and clamp it lightly to the neck at the top and bottom using rags to protect the finish. The block will now be a fulcrum bending the neck back.
3 Apply heat slowly to the fingerboard until it is hot to the touch and start slowly tightening the clamps and continue heating until the neck is srraight. Leave the clamp tension in place for several hours until the neck has fully cooled.
4 Tighten truss rod until you start to feel resistance from the neck.
5 Remove the clamps and restring guitar (perhaps with light guage)
6 Tune to pitch and allow guitar to sit a couple of days.
7 Retune and use any available adjustments on saddle and truss rod for best action.
With luck the action should be better . Do not over do it and you may have loosened some frets which you will have to re-seat.
If you do a google search for guitar repair you may find some illustrations. I learned how to do this from a book on guitar repair that I borrowed from the library.
       good luck!
                Obie


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