Thread: Neck block work
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Old 04-24-2010, 07:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wayne holmes View Post
anyone ever use screws from block to heel?
if not - why?
I have seen it. More work fixing it from the screws than it took putting them in I'm sure. Bad idea. If someone did that to one of my Basses, that person would need to hide! A good joint with strong hide glue would work just fine.

Screws put in from Heel to Block is an emergency repair that ruins the integrity of the Neck. A neck graft would be needed in my opinion to un-do the damage as well as possibly needing a new Block as well. For a cheap school plywood bass it's like fixing furniture, a handy man repair, not a Luthier job regardless of who does it. If put in from the inside, either the same mentality or the person doesn't know how to fix the block or use glue.

What if a screw comes loose? What if a screw breaks because that was all that was holding the neck and it suffered more damage in handling breaking the screwed repair? Do it again with more holes, more screws? Junk on junk.

At that point, instead of screws you might as well try using 2-ton epoxy!

Wayne, are you asking about fixing a normal made carved bass or a cheap bass shaped object?

I just got in an old Mittenwald Bass c.1850 and the Block/Rib area is just like the Rubner bass Matt described. The difference is the age. This Bass has a button repair and wood plate overlay on the Back showing that it had past damage. Basses are big. They take hits and things break. No reason in my mind to stop being a Luthier and start becoming a handy man. Right?
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