Adjusting the neck alignment during a reset

[bisco1]

When I adjust the tilt of the neck on a reset, I pull sanding strips through the neck/body joint to get the correct neck angle. On this particular guitar, it came from the factory with a pretty significant side to side alignment problem. I was going to adjust this by pulling sanding strips sideways through the joint. Is there a better way to correct this misalignment? Thanks, Bill

[phavriluk]

From where is material going to be removed? What kind of neck joint is involved?

[bisco1]

The neck joint is a dovetail [Harmony]. Material needs to be removed from the side of the neck heel [about .030"]. Thanks, Bill

[JonWint]

Originally Posted by bisco1

The neck joint is a dovetail [Harmony]. Material needs to be removed from the side of the neck heel [about .030"]. Thanks, Bill

.030" needs to be removed at the fretboard or the heel cap to correct the alignment? How far off is the neck centerline from the bridge centerline?

Majority of wood removal is usually done by chisel. Final mating to the sides with sand paper.

[phavriluk]

Dovetail experts might join in...I think that removing cheek wood won't be sufficient, in that the dovetail moves, too, and it's got to have someplace to go.

Also, thirty thousandths off the cheek is a huge amount of wood, considering the influence of moving that much will show up quite a ways away at the headstock and quite dramatically.

[mirwa]

Neck Angle is set vee pulling through sandpaper evenly on both sides as this process does a tapered sand.

Neck orientation to bridge is set vee even amount of material removal on one side of the heel only

Shimming is needed regardless of neck reset or orientation correction, as shimming is you joint locking process

Steve