Neck block work

[Jeff Bollbach]

The sides would be the next in holding power. I have taken out many a neck in which there was almost no contact between the bottom of the neck and the mortise yet it was still holding under tension. The leverage factor and also that the bottom of the neck is end grain adds to this being the weakest link.

Don't be such an elitist re screws. I've done it plenty of times-don't worry, not on your basses! ...and of course not on any carved bass but sometimes its the only cost effective way to get a Kay or something similar up and running. Generally you see only amateurs using metalwork but a skilled luthier can screw with quality.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Jeff Bollbach

a skilled luthier can screw with quality.

Well, I feel better already..

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by wayne holmes

Jeff- you show wisdom beyond your years-great to know that there is at least one other who is not afraid of a little screw that can't be seen

let us not use screws, rather, let's just keep making the block bigger and bigger and bigger

So you prefer a bolt-on to a neck-thru then?

[Eric Hochberg]

Doesn't using screws to hold together neck to block make a broken neck more likely in an accident involving the neck (as opposed to the neck coming clean out of the block under stress)? Maybe they never come clean out without breaking?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by wayne holmes

Ken-huh? So, you are saying-what are you saying?

Just a Pun..

If my bass falls I want the joint to give and not the neck to break. Cheaper to fix that way.

[Matthew Tucker]

yes I could screw the neck in, or i could use a bolt like all my other basses;

Thanks for your note Jeff - glad I'm not the only one to hate this type of repair. This bass has also had major button reconstruction as the button was damaged when the back came off to be re-joined.

I guess i'll just pack out the voids between the ribs and the heel and make sure the mortise and heel fit well.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Originally Posted by Jeff Bollbach

The sides would be the next in holding power. I have taken out many a neck in which there was almost no contact between the bottom of the neck and the mortise yet it was still holding under tension. The leverage factor and also that the bottom of the neck is end grain adds to this being the weakest link.

Don't be such an elitist re screws. I've done it plenty of times-don't worry, not on your basses! ...and of course not on any carved bass but sometimes its the only cost effective way to get a Kay or something similar up and running. Generally you see only amateurs using metalwork but a skilled luthier can screw with quality.

Jeff is Back!

And my addition to the discussion is this: when I work on a neck joint like Matthew's, I will chalk-fit the bottom of the neck heel, then size it before gluing it in. During clamp-up, I arrange for there to be considerable pressure downward as well as pulling in on the button. I do believe the "floor" of the joint can be structurally useful.

[John Cubbage]

Don't be such an elitist re screws. I've done it plenty of times-don't worry, not on your basses! ...and of course not on any carved bass but sometimes its the only cost effective way to get a Kay or something similar up and running. Generally you see only amateurs using metalwork but a skilled luthier can screw with quality.[/quote]

If it is not a "wonderful" bass, why not bolt it? Check out web sites for basses with detachable necks / travel basses, to see how they do it: uptonbass.com; foldingbass.com; patrickcharton.com; stringemporium.com. There seem to be a variety of solutions for re-attaching necks.

- Dr. C.