Godin 5th Avenue Neck Joint?

[29er]

So I have a local who is offering a Godin 5th Avenue (acoustic version) The catch is the neck heal is beginning to separate from the body. This begs the question of me wondering if the dreaded practice of using epoxy to attach Seagull flat top necks is the same with these Godin arch tops. I may buy it if the price is right and a neck reset can be done. TIA!

[upsidedown]

How good a price is it, and, are you factoring in how much a neck reset would - offset - the supposed savings?

I'd look for something else.

[29er]

I agree and passed on it. It would have to be darn near free to justify the cost of a neck set on a guitar that's probably worth $500. The 5th Avenue is a nice little archtop but it is what it is. I still don't know if the factory uses epoxy on these models, maybe someone out there knows?

[Robin, Wales]

I have had a good look inside mine and it is a totally different design to the Godin integrated set neck (where the neck extension bar is epoxy glued into a box under the fretboard extension). The neck on the 5th Avenue appears to be held in place by two bolts (Looks like 4mm hex) and there is not really any surface available to be glued.

If the neck heal is beginning to separate from the body then I would start by tightening the bolts. This is easier said than done as getting at the bolts though the F holes looks very tricky - which I expect is why the present owner hasn't tried!!!

[29er]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

I have had a good look inside mine and it is a totally different design to the Godin integrated set neck (where the neck extension bar is epoxy glued into a box under the fretboard extension). The neck on the 5th Avenue appears to be held in place by two bolts (Looks like 4mm hex) and there is not really any surface available to be glued.

If the neck heal is beginning to separate from the body then I would start by tightening the bolts. This is easier said than done as getting at the bolts though the F holes looks very tricky - which I expect is why the present owner hasn't tried!!!

That is interesting. It sure does seem like it would be tricky to access those bolts on an F hole arch top.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by 29er

That is interesting. It sure does seem like it would be tricky to access those bolts on an F hole arch top.

On some guitars you can use a LONG extension through the end pin hole. On my arch top I angle the extension over to an F hole, add a hex head socket and then use a flashlight to guide it up to the neck bolts.

[Robin, Wales]

I have done a bit more looking inside my 5th Avenue and there is a hole drilled through the tail block, near its upper edge, which is covered externally by the metal tailpiece attachment flap. That hole would give you a straight line to the neck bolts if you made a long tool to hold a hex end. I guess that's how the necks are bolted on in the factory. Smart!

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

I have had a good look inside mine and it is a totally different design to the Godin integrated set neck (where the neck extension bar is epoxy glued into a box under the fretboard extension). The neck on the 5th Avenue appears to be held in place by two bolts (Looks like 4mm hex) and there is not really any surface available to be glued.

If the neck heal is beginning to separate from the body then I would start by tightening the bolts. This is easier said than done as getting at the bolts though the F holes looks very tricky - which I expect is why the present owner hasn't tried!!!

Late to the thread but about 2 years ago, I was brought a 5th avenue with a neck that all but fallen off. Removing strings and giving it a good pull finished the neck removal.
This guitar had a ( very loose) dovetail neck joint in a presumably baltic birch plywood neck block. There were no bolts only a couple small dots of what looked like epoxy glue. There were also 2 very small holes through the neck block that looked like a staple had been through it at one time but not now.

I removed the epoxy, heavily shimmed the dovetail and re-glued with titebond. The guitar has not come back.

Possibly this example was older or newer than yours and construction methods changed at some point.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by Fathand

Late to the thread but about 2 years ago, I was brought a 5th avenue with a neck that all but fallen off. Removing strings and giving it a good pull finished the neck removal.
This guitar had a ( very loose) dovetail neck joint in a presumably baltic birch plywood neck block. There were no bolts only a couple small dots of what looked like epoxy glue. There were also 2 very small holes through the neck block that looked like a staple had been through it at one time but not now.

I removed the epoxy, heavily shimmed the dovetail and re-glued with titebond. The guitar has not come back.

Possibly this example was older or newer than yours and construction methods changed at some point.

That does seem strange? The Godin brand guitars are generally bolted (or bolts and glued in neck extension into a box underneath the fretboard extension). My 5th Avenue is definitely bolted with two large head hex bolts (think IKEA flat pack!).

It would be an interesting question to ask Godin.

[pszy22]

Several years back I had bought an early Godin 5th Avenue that the dealer had preformed a neck reset on before it was put up for sale. I don;t know the process used, but it is doable.

Since the guitar was sold to me by the dealer for $325, I would guess they hadn't invested significant time doing the reset, it wouldn't have been worth their time.