Neck reset on a Korean Sigma DM-3

[Lakesnake]

I have a Sigma dread that I use for a camp / travel guitar that is in need of a neck reset. The guitar is in decent shape but really has minimal value. I have been playing for about a half century and a professional woodworker for 30+ yrs. I have been doing my own repairs for a few years and have been studying and tooling up to attempt my first neck reset for a while. I read on the web somewhere that some of the Asian guitars used epoxy or something similar in constructing some of their guitars. Are there any luthiers that can advise me on whether this guitar would be a candidate for a novice reset attempt. I don't want to get into it and find that I can't get the neck off ( I can always use it to play bottleneck).
Thanks in advance for any advice and input. Jim in Austin

edit: Maybe my question wasn't clear. Anybody out there know if Sigmas are assembled with Titebond or something similar? I want to take the neck loose. Thanks

[BradHall]

My first neck reset was on an Alvarez 12 string from the same era. I made a copy of the StewMac neck removal jig. An old garage sale steam cleaning machine and a modified basketball air needle and I thought I was in business. That's when I discovered the joys of epoxy mystery glue. I ended up drilling multiple holes in adjacent fret slots and steamed with an exit hole for the condensed steam. I applied a lot of pressure with the clamp on the heel and wiggled the neck up and down till it finally gave up. There was a massive amount of glue in the oversized dovetail pocket. I ground it out with a Dremel tool and made shims, one over a quarter inch thick, to reset the neck. It was successful, but a hard way to learn. I think a lesser "tank" would not have survived the abuse. The guitar was not worth the cost of having a shop do the work. I gave it to my nephew and he has been playing it for several years now. Good luck with yours.

[Frank Ford]

I decline most all "opportunities" to reset Asian-made guitar necks because of the unpredictability of the joint and cost/value relationship.

Sometimes you'll give it a try only to find the neck has a butt joint reinforced with dowels - a nasty piece of business that's almost as much "fun" as epoxy set dovetails. . .

[Lakesnake]

Thanks Brad and Frank for your input. Sounds like my options are gonna be either set it up for slide, or attempt one of the more un-orthodox methods of neck angle adjustment. Hmmm! I wonder if Martin had any influence in how the neck was attached , or did they just turn the Koreans loose to do whatever they thought seemed right at the time.
Frank, I can see as a businessman how it would make sense not to dive off headfirst into an unknown situation. It probably would make the most sense to just assume the worst, and 'carefully' cut the neck off at the 14th fret with a thin blade Japanese pull saw, mortise both pieces, glue in a tenon, and reinstall as a bolt on neck. Not exactly how I had envisioned my first neck reset , but possibly do-able.
Thank you guys for responding, I need to ponder on this some.....Jim

[Frank Ford]

If you do cut the neck off, there's no need to mortise - a butt joint with screw inserts will work rather well - it served for many thousands of Taylor guitars, among others.

[Lakesnake]

Thank you Mr. Ford for your kind reply and attention. I can't express how great it is to get advice from someone of your experience and reputation. Can the screw inserts be bought at the 'big box' hardware stores or are they more of a specialty item? I think I'm going to attempt the surgery on this axe as the down-side exposure is minimal and I'm getting no joy from playing it in its present state.
Regards, Jim

[Frank Ford]

Sure most folks use the 1/4-20 brass threaded inserts available through normal sources. Taylor found that screwing them in with a bit of superglue helped long term survival.

Here's an article I did on that job - please ignore the "bone saw." I used it for the article because I'd had it for years and wanted to show it off:

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luth...ichreset1.html

[Lakesnake]

Thanks for the link Frank.. I do have one of the little vibrating flush cut saws in my remuda..and a nice , thin Jap. pull saw that I use for cutting off bungs....That's a slick pull cut countersink bit you have (I'll have to scratch my head on that... maybe a foredom tool with a tapered burr) .... My truss rod adjusts through the sound-hole so I'm hoping to just be able to back it all the way out till it comes loose from the neck block. Thanks to craftsmen like you, who are willing to take the time and effort to pass along their experience and knowledge, guys like me can press the envelope of our abilities. A tip of the Stetson to you sir.
Regards, Jim in Austin

[Frank Ford]

Don't overthink it - for example, there's no need to countersink the screws at all. In fact, you can simply screw the neck back on from the outside with a nice long deck screw. Top it with a strap button, and the job can even look intentional.