Thoughts about neck resets?

richnrbq · #1 06-24-2018, 07:47 PM

Hi all,

I've got a Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner that I just love- big, beautiful voice.

Over time, the saddle has gotten lower and lower as the neck has slowly come up. I just adjusted the truss rod yesterday to adapt to the humidity of the summer and while it plays fine enough, I can feel the compromised geometry of the neck angle being off.

My experience with guitar techs, and I think the folks here in Philly that I've worked with have been excellent, is that they will try to wring out all possibilities of working with the bad geometry before going to a neck reset: lowered saddle, ramps to steepen the string angle over the lower saddle, even shaving the bridge.

I feel like I'd rather just get the neck reset and get back to the great feeling of the right neck angle. When I play new guitars (always curious for what might be next...) I feel like a big part of the temptation is simply that great feel when the neck is right. The sound and dynamics of my VS are outstanding; I'd just love to get the feel perfect again, especially with the summer humidity making the issue a little more obvious.

Besides the cost, is there a reason to delay getting the neck reset? Are there issues and risks to consider? If it's only about putting off spending a few hundred dollars, I'd rather go ahead and get it done.

Thoughts? In terms of choosing a tech to do it, what are things to consider?

Rich

SKYHIGH · #2 06-24-2018, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richnrbq

Hi all,

I've got a Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner that I just love- big, beautiful voice.

Over time, the saddle has gotten lower and lower as the neck has slowly come up. I just adjusted the truss rod yesterday to adapt to the humidity of the summer and while it plays fine enough, I can feel the compromised geometry of the neck angle being off.

My experience with guitar techs, and I think the folks here in Philly that I've worked with have been excellent, is that they will try to wring out all possibilities of working with the bad geometry before going to a neck reset: lowered saddle, ramps to steepen the string angle over the lower saddle, even shaving the bridge.

I feel like I'd rather just get the neck reset and get back to the great feeling of the right neck angle. When I play new guitars (always curious for what might be next...) I feel like a big part of the temptation is simply that great feel when the neck is right. The sound and dynamics of my VS are outstanding; I'd just love to get the feel perfect again, especially with the summer humidity making the issue more obvious.

Besides the cost, is there a reason to delay getting the neck reset? Are there issues and risks to consider? If it's only about putting off spending a few hundred dollars, I'd rather go ahead and get it done.

Thoughts? In terms of choosing a tech to do it, what are things to consider?

Rich

I always wanted one of those Vintage Southerner by SCGC.

Are you by chance a Original owner? If so, I think reset is covered. Never the less, I would have SCGC do my reset if shipping is something you’re willing to do.

Cheers!

zoopeda · #3 06-24-2018, 07:52 PM

No decent luthier or tech is going to shave down the bridge in order to delay a neck reset. Once the geometry is off, relief and nut are right, and the saddle is low, a good one will set the neck.

richnrbq · #4 06-24-2018, 08:02 PM

Thanks, Skyhigh. I would definitely recommend the VS- it's a great guitar. Mine was secondhand, built by Dan Roberts himself (he designed the VS for SCGC when he worked there and now builds his own guitars in Montana) for his own guitar. There's no serial number in fact, just his signature. I bought it from a guy in Tennessee who shared all of his correspondence with Dan and put me in touch with him to ask questions. It's a special guitar...

So while not under warranty, I have thought about sending it back to SCGC for the work. I visited the place a few years ago (and my wife and I ended up in this newspaper piece as there was a reporter there doing a feature on SCGC: https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/07/...sured-guitars/) and was so impressed with Richard Hoover and the whole vibe there.

So thanks for that thought- it might be the best way to go.

Rich

richnrbq · #5 06-24-2018, 08:04 PM

Thanks, zoopeda. I haven't had a tech suggest bridge shaving, but I've seen that suggested online by some well-respected folks. Not something I would do... Thanks for that thought. Have you had neck reset on a guitar and do you have any reservations about the process that would warrant delaying it?

Wade Hampton · #6 06-24-2018, 08:48 PM

Rich, I know you weren't asking me about neck resets, but I have had it done a couple of times. In both cases it improved things so much that I was really kicking myself that I hadn't had it done sooner. (Of course, there was the little matter of paying for the work that slowed me down...)

As for sending the guitar back to the factory or getting it done by a competent repair tech, since you're not the original owner I'd suggest you find a good repair tech within driving distance to do the work. It's not that the folks at the Santa Cruz Guitar Company (SCGC) can't handle the task, but there are a couple of factors that would make me opt for the local option.

Any guitar manufacturer is going to be set up primarily for building guitars, not repairing them. Yes, they can and do execute necessary repairs as needed, but it generally takes longer to get the guitar back from a factory than it will from a regional repair center that makes repair work their primary focus. So long as they can pencil you in for the work within a reasonable amount of time, it usually makes more sense to go local.

The second reason is that every time you ship a guitar someplace you're putting it at risk of being damaged while in transit. It's not a huge risk, obviously, or UPS and FedEx couldn't stay in business. Even so, that's a risk you avoid when you can deliver it to the shop yourself and then retrieve the instrument when it's done.

Since you won't be getting free warranty work on this guitar regardless of who fixes it, I think you're better off taking it to a good local or regional repair shop instead of shipping it to SCGC.

Naturally, it's your call.

Hope this helps.

Wade Hampton Miller

richnrbq · #7 06-24-2018, 08:59 PM

That's really helpful perspective, Wade- thank you!

In your experience, is this a job most competent techs can handle? It seems like major surgery to me, but this may be routine for good techs. I had a headstock break years ago on another nice guitar that scared the bejesus out of me but my local tech said it was no problem and even not that expensive to repair, so that was reassuring and all went well with it... Is this a similar proposition?

Rich

jmat · #8 06-24-2018, 09:09 PM

I had a reset done on a Collings 000 and was very happy that I went that way. I found the tech by calling collings and they suggested someone nearby. I would call SCGC and get their read, it is a no risk move if you aren’t sure about your tech.

tadol · #9 06-24-2018, 09:33 PM

Definitely call (or email) Carolyn and see if they have someone they can recommend in your area to take it to. You will definitely save a few bucks. BUT - if you do send it back to SC and have the patience, they can reset the neck then plek the fingerboard and refret it, and you will get back a VS thats been raised to a whole new level.

Br1ck · #10 06-24-2018, 11:06 PM

I look at a neck reset like an appendectomy, seems like a really hard thing for us, but pretty much any surgeon can do one.

I would go for the old tech, someone who has done a couple hundred. Same thing for surgeons.

Jabberwocky · #11 06-25-2018, 04:16 AM

If it due for neck reset it is due for a neck reset. Any other fix is just delaying having to do a neck reset. But it will come up again. Don't get the bridge shaved; you will be damaging it. The bridge is part of the overall design.

I would get it done by SCGC and get the satisfaction of having it "restored" by the folk who made it. Then it will good for another ten or more years.

Long Jon · #12 06-25-2018, 06:03 AM

I have never , ever , done any guitar repairs, but I would watch a couple tube vids, then have a crack at it m’self, how hard can it be ?

YMMV

Goodallboy · #13 06-25-2018, 06:39 AM

I’d send it back to Santa Cruz. The guitar is far too valuable to hope you pick the right shop for the reset.

My friend just sent his guitar back to the shop and had it plek’d and refretted. He was extremely pleased.

jim1960 · #14 06-25-2018, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richnrbq

In your experience, is this a job most competent techs can handle?

"Competent" is a subjective term. I wouldn't be shopping around for the cheapest price on this work. I'd be starting a new thread and asking for recommendations within a couple of hours drive from where I live. I'm sure some people here can help with that.

Borderdon · #15 06-25-2018, 08:11 AM

Had the neck on my older ('73) Martin 000-18 reset a couple of years ago, I bought it knowing it needed to be done, but hoping it could become the guitar I thought it might be.
I'm fortunate that our smallish town has several excellent luthiers.
Guitar was gone for a couple of weeks, had it re-fretted as well, came back better than I thought possible.
Put it in the hands of a good repair person, you'll be glad you did.
Good Luck !