Neck Reset on a Yairi? (DY75 DCB 1989)

[JazzyJ]

Hi,

I've got a Yairi DY75 DCB (1989) and the saddle is as low as it can go, after having a professional set up. I can't even slide a medium thickness (Dunlop 0.73) plectrum between the top E string and the bridge! Anyway, the guitar plays great and is fine for the time being, but I can see that it's probably going to need a neck reset in the not so distant future.

My question is this: Does anyobody know whether a neck reset on this particular Yairi is a straight forward job (as far as neck resets go) or will it be problematic?

I've come across a few posts on line talking about the glue used in Yairi's and the type of joint making it nearly impossible to do. Is there any truth in that? And has anyone seen or had done a neck reset on thr particualr model or Yairi that I've got?

Thanks for any insight.

[ChrisN]

I can't answer the question, but suggest you correct the title's typo from "rest" to "reset" to get better responses.

[JazzyJ]

Thanks. Will do.

[jzach46]

I had a Yairi back int the 70's. Don't remember the model number. It needed a neck reset, but the neck was epoxied in. The repairman virtually destroyed the guitar getting the neck off.

Jon Z.

[JazzyJ]

Thanks for that. I've contacted a Luthier, who, in his research thinks that my Yairi should be a 'standard' job.

I'll go for it in a few months and post the results.

Thanks.

[JazzyJ]

The Yairi went to a Luthier, apparently the neck was an absolute nightmare to get off. The "guitar was made to not have the neck taken off".

Some difficult type of glue (not hide glue), and apparently there was no dovetail 'pocket' either.

Waiting for the guitar to be set up properly (intonation was shockingly bad after neck reset so I left it with the luthier....) before I can make a judgment as to whether it's the 'end of the road' for the guitar or whether it's a 'new beginning......'

Will post an update.

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by jzach46

I had a Yairi back int the 70's. Don't remember the model number. It needed a neck reset, but the neck was epoxied in. The repairman virtually destroyed the guitar getting the neck off.

Jon Z.

I have an S.Yairi Classical Guitar that I bought in the 1970's. It's got laminated rosewood back and sides with a solid spruce top. I'm certain that it was built with two part (epoxy type) glue. That was very common in that era.

There would be no resetting the neck on mine. Thankfully it's OK.

[Big Band Guitar]

If the neck is epoxied and destroying the guitar is the option. Then slipping the neck block is another way to go. I have done a few on my own guitars.

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by JazzyJ

The Yairi went to a Luthier, apparently the neck was an absolute nightmare to get off. The "guitar was made to not have the neck taken off".

Some difficult type of glue (not hide glue), and apparently there was no dovetail 'pocket' either.

Waiting for the guitar to be set up properly (intonation was shockingly bad after neck reset so I left it with the luthier....) before I can make a judgment as to whether it's the 'end of the road' for the guitar or whether it's a 'new beginning......'

Will post an update.

Sorry to hear that. I don't know the brand, but it's true the Japanese makers were using lots of weird cheap-to-make neck joints that were not designed with future work involved, and epoxy instead of hide glue. For these reasons, a lot of luthiers won't touch these unknowns - they usually have to end up eating a lot of $$, and/or having an angry customer. Can't blame them.

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by Big Band Guitar

If the neck is epoxied and destroying the guitar is the option. Then slipping the neck block is another way to go. I have done a few on my own guitars.

I recall that method. That was at one time called a "California neck reset". It was common prior to the point where luthiers began doing regular neck resets.

I agree that would be a way to go where epoxy was used in the original construction. One would still need to loosen the back below the neck block.

[JazzyJ]

Picked up the Yairi DY75 DCB and it's now great. Had to get a new nut cut too.

So in summary:

1) A 1989 K. Yairi acoustic is not an easy neck reset job

2) The glue that's used is not hide glue, but mainly it's an extremely tight fit and according the luthier I used there was no 'pocket' in the dovetail joint in order to get the steam in....

3) I needed (obviously) a new saddle, as the whole point of a neck reset is to get the neck angle back to what it was at 'factory' in order to have a higher saddle with a low string action

4) The intonation wasn't good after neck reset (cringe when playing a D chord) but after a new nut cut, with apparently 'correct' spacing it drastically improved the intonation.

5) Now the guitar needs to be played and played for it all to 'settle in' after the shock of having 'your neck taken off'..

Just to add, the DCB (Dircect Coupled Bridge) is a Yairi invention (if you see a photo you might raise an eyebrow) and the bridge is not very deep - meaning that 'shaving a bridge' (in an emergency) is not an option. The was a DY75 model with a standard bridge previously.

So my nearly 30 year old Yairi has a new lease of life. Other Yairi's go a lot longer b4 needing a neck reset but it is what it is.......

A happy ending, and I got a really good price too ($360 / £260 / €292)

[JazzyJ]

And a great website: http://alvarezyairi.web.fc2.com/

for finding out info about Yairi Guitars. They have all of the catalogues for download.

Mine is:

Model: DY75 DCB Lexington Dreadnought
Top: Solid Spruce
Back: Rosewood
Sides: Rosewood
Bridge: Ebony
Fingerboard: Ebony
Neck: Mahogany
Heads: Chrome Gotoh (Japan)

Dimensions
L= 40 1/2”
W (lowerbout)= 15 3/4? (difficult to read the catalogue)
D= 5”
Strings: Bronze Wound
Binding & Inlay: Wood, Maple, Rosewood

A catalogue shows that in Jan 1991 (Huelsing Music Co. Missouri) USA the guitar sold new for $1050 USD

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by JazzyJ

Picked up the Yairi DY75 DCB and it's now great. Had to get a new nut cut too.

So in summary:

1) A 1989 K. Yairi acoustic is not an easy neck reset job

2) The glue that's used is not hide glue, but mainly it's an extremely tight fit and according the luthier I used there was no 'pocket' in the dovetail joint in order to get the steam in....

3) I needed (obviously) a new saddle, as the whole point of a neck reset is to get the neck angle back to what it was at 'factory' in order to have a higher saddle with a low string action

4) The intonation wasn't good after neck reset (cringe when playing a D chord) but after a new nut cut, with apparently 'correct' spacing it drastically improved the intonation.

5) Now the guitar needs to be played and played for it all to 'settle in' after the shock of having 'your neck taken off'..

Just to add, the DCB (Dircect Coupled Bridge) is a Yairi invention (if you see a photo you might raise an eyebrow) and the bridge is not very deep - meaning that 'shaving a bridge' (in an emergency) is not an option. The was a DY75 model with a standard bridge previously.

So my nearly 30 year old Yairi has a new lease of life. Other Yairi's go a lot longer b4 needing a neck reset but it is what it is.......

A happy ending, and I got a really good price too ($360 / £260 / €292)

That's a very decent price for a difficult reset, new saddle, etc. As a renewer of a '76 Conn student guitar (now confirmed as a bolt-on neck), I appreciate that you gave new life to a nice old instrument with its own history and mojo. Plus, don't underestimate the knowledge you gained from the experience - makes the reset even less expensive.