#16
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Unfortunately, these guitars nearly always need some moderate to severe neck remediation, a reset being one of the most expensive options. I've had luck with Bridge Doctors in taming a high action, but it's a cheap fix that can offer only moderate gains in playability. Only a neck reset can dial in the proper relationship of the neck to the body and bridge to achieve optimal playability. Once repaired and set up properly, these early Yamaha's offer a very playable and nice sounding instrument that are pretty much bulletproof due to their laminate construction and beefy necks. For laminates, I'm always amazed how light these guitars feel in the hand. I've replaced the tuners on most of my RL-NG's with Stew Mac tuning machines-excellent quality and affordable priced. |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
JIMBO53, what were the tuners you bought as replacements? It can be a real task matching up measurements.
|
#18
|
|||
|
|||
I steamed off the necks of 3 Yamaha FG's last weekend. 1973 FG-160, 1974 FG-170 & a FG-180 with no serial number or markings on the inside. I've also done a 1973 FG-200. All shallow dovetails with hide glue. A 10 degree dovetail angle vs. 20 degrees I've seen in the only other neck reset I've done. The neck joint is 1/8" to 3/16" to the heel side of the 15th fret. There's also a huge 1/2" wide pocket it the center for the truss rod head.
I drilled 3 holes. 1 on 3/4" to each side of center, and one in the middle into the big pocket. I alternated steaming each hole for 6 minutes total. I used a neck jig I built, which was clamped to the table. With pressure from the screw on the jig, a few side to side wiggles and the necks popped off. I didn't wiggle the neck until I saw a little vertical movement from the screw pressure. I assume less chance of snapping the heel in half. I think the problem is they used glue on all neck surfaces including the outer surfaces, gluing the heel to the sides of the guitar. |
#19
|
|||
|
|||
Invaluable thread. The tech parts, that is. Me, not so much.
|
#20
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I think there are 2 problems with this joint. The neck joint gap is offset quite a bit from the 15th fret, maybe some people miss it. The gap is only 1/16". And they seemed to get glue everywhere, the first one I did last weekend took 8 steam sessions. I was learning but in the end I tore away a section of the side material because it was glued to the heel face! The steam can't get there!! I assume the heat gets there but no moisture can. Another problem is this is a very shallow angle dovetail, only 10 degrees. On the FG-200 I finished last week I had the joint a little too tight, I was able to force it down the last 1/32" with a clamp. But when I added the hot hide glue the joint swelled a little. The clamp couldn't quite get it down (a very small fretboard gap), but the worst part is the heel ended up with a .010/.015 gap because the shallow angle of the dovetail allowed the heel to be pushed out. I was told you want a tight joint. That probably would have been fine with a normal joint with a 20 degree angle, but not the 10 degree of the Yamaha. Another lesson learned. I actually should take it apart and fix it, I overset the neck slightly and the saddle is a bit taller than I'd like. Yea, a little of the mahogany tore out of the neck dovetail. I can fill with a little epoxy. Last edited by CTGull; 12-13-2016 at 12:06 PM. |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
Here's a video of a Japanese luthier steaming the neck off a red label Yamaha FG-150. You can clearly see the shallow dovetail. Also notice, after the necks been removed, that when drilling the hole at the 15th fret, to get to the dovetail, he hit the part of the body. Maybe the 15th fret doesn't quite line up directly to the gap and people are missing it. There is an alternative view of the removal also. There is also a video of him showing the neck angle and straightness of the neck that also shows the approximation of where he drilled at the 15th fret. Also a video of him cleaning the the dovetail with steam. There also other videos on this guitar on his channel.
Videos don't seem to be working on here at the moment, so here are the links. Neck remove for neck reset on YAMAHA FG-150 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0hlj5J_GX0 Neck remove for neck reset on YAMAHA FG-150 - alternative view https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkpR5ZtqB1s Checking neck angle and straightness for neck reset on YAMAHA FG-150 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EjaU9bnmvE Cleaning neck joint glue for neck reset on YAMAHA FG-150 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZAuyZXoTTw https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...deyuki+higuchi Last edited by judge70; 01-07-2019 at 11:21 PM. |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
Here is an article I did on how to tell...
https://howardguitars.blogspot.com/2...ic-guitar.html |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Thanks, and keep on keeping on.
__________________
Something something, beer is good, and people are crazy. |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
Post is a revamped 3 years old topic, pretty sure they have worked it out by now.
Steve
__________________
Cole Clark Fat Lady Gretsch Electromatic Martin CEO7 Maton Messiah Taylor 814CE |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
Ah, but more than one can learn from a thread, grasshopper.
__________________
Something something, beer is good, and people are crazy. |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
Adding my .02 to this old discussion, i’ve reset 2 FG75s and an FG180. I found some blue glue in 2 of them (both Taiwanese FGs). All came apart within less than 20 minutes of steaming, and the 180 was very tight. The heel cracked slightly.
|
#27
|
|||
|
|||
I've done 9 or 10 neck resets on vintage FG's. 60's to mid 70's. ALL of them were hide glue.
20 minutes is way too long. Do you use a neck jig to press the heel out? I do no more than 6 minutes before turning the steam off and re-evaluate the neck. Any more and the heel lamination cracks. I also wiggle the neck to loosen the joint. Many of the joints were very tight, AND they use too much glue, also gluing the heel to the sides of the guitar where the steam can't get too. I took the neck of a FG-110 3 days ago. It was the easiest I've ever done. 3 minutes of steaming, some wiggling, and it came right off. I never even tightened the neck jig. Probably would have come off without it. But most were very tight and the neck jig is the only way to get them apart. |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
Certainly not 20 minutes of steady steam... lots of wiggling, intermittent steam, a very strong pressure from the neck jig, and lots of determination was needed to get the one neck off. The others were very straightforward. In all cases they used a ton of glue, and the joint is very tight on the 180. All very much worth the work. Remarkable guitars!
|
#29
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|