Rehydrating a neck vs resetting

[Retropicker]

I inherited a 73 Guild that sat for 30 years in a case strung up and now has about 1/4" at the 12th fret. (2) respectable luthiers said the neck needs a reset. I met another luthier that said he recommends before resetting the neck to try unstringing and putting in the case with (3) humidifiers, one at the peghead, one at the heel and one inside the soundhole.

Let it set for a while to rehydrate the wood and allow the neck to bow back, work the truss rod, etc.

Your thoughts? Is there such a thing as too much hydration making things spring? I like the non-invasive approach.

Thanks

[Ned Milburn]

Rehydrating a neck will not lead to significant improvement. In fact, since necks usually have adjustable truss rods, the neck is usually not the problem. Rather, reasons for neck resets include body deformation over time due to string tension, and failed neck joints.

[Ben-Had]

Originally Posted by Ned Milburn

Rehydrating a neck will not lead to significant improvement. In fact, since necks usually have adjustable truss rods, the neck is usually not the problem. Rather, reasons for neck resets include body deformation over time due to string tension, and failed neck joints.

+1 , seen that many times, you won't get that kind of movement. Working on a 73 Gibson like that now.

[Tom West]

Bite the bullet................!!!
Tom

[Frank Ford]

We have often avoided resetting by dealing with humidity, on an instrument that has been subjected to prolonged HIGH humidity, where the top has risen considerably.

Sometimes a couple of weeks in our dryer shop will cause the top to return to a more favorable contour.

We're talking about DRYING it, not ADDING moisture, which would have the opposite effect.

Count on your 40 year old Guild to need a reset at this age. . .

[redir]

That's too bad that they left the string tension on it. But anyway a free 73 Guild will be worth the price of a reset. I'm curious to know why this one repairman thought the guitar needed to be humidified? Does it show sign's of dryness? Cracks? Corduroy top etc...? As mentioned this is typically the opposite of what you would want to do to lower the action.

Got any pics?

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by redir

That's too bad that they left the string tension on it.

If you read the main forum, only fools remove the string tension on guitars that are to be stored for long periods of time.

[Retropicker]

Thanks for the feedback. He's just a guy I met and when discussing the situation offered this solution. I guess I'll save my nickels a little longer for the reset.

[John Arnold]

only fools remove the string tension on guitars that are to be stored for long periods of time.

I fail to see the difference between a stored guitar and one that is played regularly when it comes to loosening or not loosening the strings. The tension is the same. The only caveat is when the stored guitar is not inspected regularly.
IMHO, the only reason for loosening the strings is if you are going to abuse it by overheating it or by subjecting it to extremes in humidity.

Let it set for a while to rehydrate the wood and allow the neck to bow back

If the neck itself is bowed, rehydrating may help that condition, but as Frank said, it will tend to cause the top to belly.
One thing is for sure....resetting the neck is NOT the remedy for a bowed neck.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

The tension is the same.

Of course it is.

[B. Howard]

FWIW I never do a neck reset without establishing that the instrument is at the proper moisture content. I log them in and track them by weight to ensure that they have stabilized. You can't do precision woodwork when the wood is moving.

[redir]

That's the thing about storage. Typically it is stored in a non players house. It's a family heirloom or something they just have a hard time getting rid of so they store it. So that means you have non players who have no idea how to treat a guitar and are probably storing it in less then ideal situations like in an attic or basement.

That and ultimately it's string tension that folds up a guitar like a book in time so it seems to me if you lessen that then you have a better chance of not having problems due to tension especially if stored in bad conditions.

That's just my opinion.

[pops]

If you live in a humid environment there is no reason to dry the guitar as it will just suck up moisture as soon as it is in any normal house, gig or what ever. We have a lot of humidity in the summer, heat and dryness in the winter, chasing action all the time, thank God for truss rods and adjustable bridges (mandolins)