Slanted Neck

[Lxke_Gxorge]

Hello,

I recently started an EXA-7 build and I decided to glue the neck to the body early on in the building process. However I believe that I overtightened the clamp, leading a dent in the back but mainly the neck is now slanting back away from the body.

Will this cause any issues in playability or intonation? If so how can I remove the neck easily?

Thanks, Luke

[Brownsworthy]

May just be the neck break angle due to the bridge style used in this kit.

Some more educated members than myself may have better advice though.

[Lxke_Gxorge]

May just be the neck break angle due to the bridge style used in this kit.

Some more educated members than myself may have better advice though.

The thing is when testing that the neck fitted I’m basically 90% sure that the neck was flat

[CascadiaGuitarGeek]

You would need to post a photo of a side view of the neck in place for people to be sure, but Explorers will have a neck angle similar to the Les Paul in this image (http://images.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/2012-Les-Paul-Standard/Gallery-Images/LPNSTDPHSCH1-Side-Shot.jpg) so unless the angle is larger than it should be you'll be fine. The Tune-o-Matic bridge raises the strings high enough to keep them in line with the neck.

[Lxke_Gxorge]

You would need to post a photo of a side view of the neck in place for people to be sure, but Explorers will have a neck angle similar to the Les Paul in this image (http://images.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/2012-Les-Paul-Standard/Gallery-Images/LPNSTDPHSCH1-Side-Shot.jpg) so unless the angle is larger than it should be you'll be fine. The Tune-o-Matic bridge raises the strings high enough to keep them in line with the neck.

How do you attach an image? Sorry I’m new hah

[CascadiaGuitarGeek]

When you post a reply, there is a tool bar at the top where you can select font type, size, etc. Scroll over the buttons until you find the one that says "Insert Image". Then select the photo to upload and post it. Just make sure the photo isn't larger than like 1500 x 1500 pixels.

[chrissyinbkk]

Damn, learnt something new...I always went to "go advanced" and uploaded the image

[Lxke_Gxorge]

I was posting from my phone before but I've found it now on computer
23803
23804
23805

Note I had to crop the pictures significantly

[Sonic Mountain]

Looks about right for a tunematic style bridge. Can you show us the 'dent' on the back of the neck?

[chrissyinbkk]

I'm no expert by any means so wait for someone who know what they are talking about to reply, but the angle does look a bit excessive to me from those pics....... is the neck pocket completely flat?....

[Lxke_Gxorge]

23814

Hopefully this answers your questions. The neck appears to be flat in contact with the body.

[Sonic Mountain]

Its a bit hard to tell what part of the neck heel that is- is that the contact surface between the neck and body?

I just went and had a look at my kits/guitars with the tunematic style bridge and the angle yours is at does seem a little bigger than those. Some careful sanding of the damage might bring it back (if that is what is causing the issue) I would wait and see what others say first though. I'm pretty new to all of this as well and there are people with way more experience sorting out the set necks.

I would say its 100% fixable with the right advice.

[FrankenWashie]

Best thing you can do, is to wrap the bridge posts in a few turns of paper, then masking tape or sellotape. You do this until you can slip it in and out of the post holes without it being loose or wobbly.
Then mount your bridge across them, take a straight edge (750-1000mm or so) and lay that down your neck and across to the bridge.
If you have to wind your bridge all the way up to make contact with the straight edge, or if the bridge doesn't get close then you have an issue and you'll need to remove and reset the neck.
WIth the dent, the most you can do is to try steaming some of it out. Take some well dampened cloth and lay it over the dent, then use an iron or a soldering iron to force steam into the wood. You may need to do this several times. let the wood cool and re-assess. This might not get all of it out but it may reduce it.the alternative is to taper the back a little to eliminate it.

[Lxke_Gxorge]

23821

Do you mean like this? In which case the straight edge comes into contact with the bridge at its lowest point.

Again apologies for the tiny pictures.

[FrankenWashie]

Exactly like that! So it seems you're okay on that neck angle, if your bridge is all the way down, then you can always come up to set your string action up right. If you were still way off the rule and the bridge is all the way up, its a bit more of a problem.
Did the scale length check out okay?

[Lxke_Gxorge]

Ever so slightly short by a couple 8ths of an inch but I assume thats fine?