Vintage Yamaha neck reset

[Sponserv]

I recently bought a FG335.

All the research I have done on it say the neck resets can be really tough due to possible use of epoxy. But I actually bought it to try a neck reset on my own so if I destroy it I am only out $150 bucks. If I do it right I have a very cool old plywood guitar.

Any thoughts on this job? Have you done an old Yami neck reset? Anythiong specific to these guitars I should watch out for?

There is a guy online who wrote an amazingly comprehensive document to do this job and I am so grateful.

Thoughts?

[DickHutchings]

I hate to say it but why not practice your first neck reset on a guitar that's meant to be taken apart like like Gibson or Martin? I think I know the answer, cost. There are probably others out there if you do some research but you bought this guitar to practice so good luck and I'll be following your progress.

[Zigeuner]

I used to do repairs on damaged Yamaha guitars for a wholesaler in a major city. We did replacement bridges, truss rods, loose tops and backs damaged in transit. There were FG-150's and FG-180's mostly. We would often purchase the ones that were more heavily-damaged and sell them as used at a discount from new.

If the necks on your target guitars are held on with some sort of steam soluble glue, then fine. Otherwise forget it.

My experience with the typical Yamaha guitar is that they were built with two-part epoxy. That's mainly because they were built for the world market and some places have extremely high humidity.

So, the answer as to whether you could do a standard neck reset where the neck is removed from the dovetail is maybe, maybe not, It all depends.

[John Arnold]

I have done a couple. It is not just the insoluble glue, but the lack of an open pocket in front of the dovetail that precludes steaming them out with the football needle. I cut the fingerboard at the 12th fret and remove the lower section. That exposes the dovetail so that I can drill it with an extra long 1/16" bit. I drill it multiple times on the sides and end of the dovetail, all the way to the bottom of the joint. That allows the neck to be removed with the dovetail mostly intact. I true up the drilled dovetail surfaces with a chisel and a small sanding block. The reset is routine after that, and I use thick shims to make up for the lost material in the dovetail.

[StrumChi]

What John Arnold said. I've done a couple on vintage Yamahas. I havsnt run into the asian mystery glue myself. The procedure is just a hit different.

[Mirosh]

"That allows the neck to be removed with the dovetail mostly intact." --- John Arnold

I'll be drilling and/or sawing along the edge of the dovetail.

Is any more drilling (or sawing or steaming) needed to get the neck off? What is needed where the heel meets the upper bout - is the heel glued on along that 1/4" or so where it meets the bout? I have cut through the finish with an x-acto knife. Do I have to saw in a ways from where the edge of the fretboard sat?

(I have got the lower end of the fretboard off, so I can see the dovetail, etc. Never have done any of this work before, but have read and seen videos of the steaming method. Seeking advice and thanking in advance.)

[Piercast]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

I have done a couple. It is not just the insoluble glue, but the lack of an open pocket in front of the dovetail that precludes steaming them out with the football needle. I cut the fingerboard at the 12th fret and remove the lower section. That exposes the dovetail so that I can drill it with an extra long 1/16" bit. I drill it multiple times on the sides and end of the dovetail, all the way to the bottom of the joint. That allows the neck to be removed with the dovetail mostly intact. I true up the drilled dovetail surfaces with a chisel and a small sanding block. The reset is routine after that, and I use thick shims to make up for the lost material in the dovetail.

Hello John, you're drilling through the block itself, aren't you? English being my second language, I'm a bit unsure, but as drilling the neck part makes little sense to me... I figured as much. ;-)