1959 Guild M20 neck reset issues.

[Alalush]

Hello all!

Any thoughts on what steps to do a neck reset on this 1959 Guild M20? Main issue is that the heelcap is actually an extension of the back. So when I take the neck of with the usual proces of my hotwire foamcutters... I can clean up the inside of the cheeks with a chisel easily but how to sand the cheeks to get the correct angle? When there is no heelcap this is an easy step with 100 grit sandpaper (while holding the neck tight to the body... Here the heelcap is in the way to be able to use that sanding method...

Any thoughts or suggestions? I could saw the heelcap off that would solve alot but dno...

[Fathand]

There is a method where the fretboard is raised with a tapered shim rather than reset the neck angle at the heel. I think it is more common in the violin world where backs extended to be heel caps are more common or classical guitars with spanish heels.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luth...e/fbwedge.html

I don't vouch for this method, just throwing it out as a possible option in your case.

[John Arnold]

In the violin world, that extension is called the button. It adds strength to the neck joint, where the neck is set in a shallow mortise. It is totally unnecessary with a well-fitted dovetail.
It is not necessary to floss the heel with sandpaper, though it does speed up the fitting process a little.
I would lean toward sawing it off and replacing it with a rosewood heel cap.

[H165]

I could saw the heelcap off

Despite the cool factor of the integrated cap, I would do just that. Trying to leave it intact would likely make a bigger mess than a clean cut.

Heating the cap and separating that part of the joint would likely mess up the finish. A clean cut across the body line could be pretty well hidden.