I did Johns Neck maneuver on an un-playable 1970s 12-string hummingbird Ibanez about more than a year and a half ago and happy to report it is still good and actually, it even Hardley lost its tune for a period of about 6 months when I touched it last time! my guitar had a bent top and neck. after rest, I added a small bracing between the bridge side to prevent the belly bulge and bridge lifting again... I did steam neck rest out of desperation as the cost of a "surgical"l reset was more than the guitar was worth! thanks for the genius technique and for sharing it on youtube!
I have done this on 5 guitars over a year ago and it works on neck resets and on belly bulge ( not on my belly bulge LOL ) ! The first one I had to steam 5 times but now usually only once! I used a similar jig and made a steamer out of a kettle and a garden hose to get at those tight spots! Temperature is a little tricky but if it feels hot on top that is what you want to soften the glue! Make sure all the braces are in good shape with no cracks and are all fastened tight! I fix all the braces first when the guitar is in the jig and then wait overnight before you steam the problem area! Fill it with rags and I only wait about a week! When you release the clamp at the head of the guitar you will know if it worked because it should come loose almost right away because it is now where it should be and is set! Most people would not share this information so THANKS JOHN !
@@JohnMinerLuthier I was surprised that you shared your info on a couple video"s but at any rate if i was was there or you where here we could have a few beers together! I thought about trying it before but until I saw your video I wasn't sure! Your video showed me what I wasn't sure of and thanks to you I did it ! Thanks John great info !
John I’ve been using your method before i Even knew about it officially. I am a dumpster guitar restorer and it has worked on another project. Last week I pulled a very expensive guitar out of the trash a 1968 guild hollow body . I was told to have it professionally done which I am considering still but not until i give your method a go . Been clamped up for 3 days now arch top hollow body 64 years old thanks and I believe !
Hi again John. I finally got the courage to try on my Martin D 62. It has been a week now post operation and it seems to have settled in. It was perfect the day I put strings back on. 2mm action and strings were 1/2 above the soundboard at the bridge. Over the week it has sprung back a bit but is resonably comfortable to play and still have a bit of saddle left. Prior to this I had no saddle left and it was unplayable. Thank you again for your time and effort to share this with us. I plan on doing it again in a year. This time maybe leave the steam on a bit longer. I was a bit timmid this time. Much more comfy now. Cheers
I did something like that to raise the flattened top on an electric archtop guitar by concentrating on the area under the bridge. I created a way to pull up the bridge area up by clamping the top underneath it to a beam suspended from the fingerboard. With some judicious application of steam and time it raised the top. On an archtop with a flattened top the bridge will be adjusted all the way down. You want the adjustment wheels to be up a bit and have the correct action height. It worked on an electric archtop which is generally a plywood guitar. I don't know if I would try the steam on a solid carved top. Perhaps the heat source could be one of those bridge removal heat pads but a low power version that wouldn't get so got.
Hi John, really enjoyed your video doing this method. On this video you held down the body of the guitar on the sides and had a pad on the back. I was very happy to see that given you're clamping on the sides of the guitar, you're applying the loads on a vertical column on each side vs the center of the belly of the guitar (in many cases) which could have a curve in it and potentially crack it. Given we're talking about the belly of the guitar area, if you have a problem with it being "concave" (for any reason, bridge tension over time, bracing issues, etc), I'd recommend fixing those issues first (glueing, bridge doctor, etc) to get the belly back to it's original curvature (flat or curved) then apply your method. If you do the "belly" issue second, you'll be raising the bridge and the strings putting you back in same string action problem you were trying to cure in the first place. I read in the comments about clamping on the end of the "bar" vs the head of the neck. My vote would be that would be clamping to an extended bar given the kind of leverage load you're applying especially in the head to neck joint where you've got 2 parallel sharp edges in that area of the neck where the nut is installed makes me very nervous (high stress loads in a very thin area). Applying the neck load on the bar is by far a safer application of getting the pressure required at the neck/guitar joint where the problem resides. Sorry for being "wordy", just my thoughts. I very much appreciate alternative methods in helping us all in fixing guitars we so enjoy.
I agree except for the bridge doctor ! I would fix the belly bulge problem first and even steam that part as well and then deal with the neck ! Avoid adding any new braces ! Also if it takes a lot of pressure to pull the neck down then steam it first and then clamp it to spot you want it to be to avoid snapping the headstock ! You could of course just clamp it at the first fret !
I have no real experience in anything more than very simple guitar set up and maintenance (fitting a new nut etc.) so I was very wary of trying this method. I first tried it a couple of weeks ago on a 70's Harmony guitar that was basically unplayable. The results were amazing more or less as John says. Next was my old Suzuki and a cheap old Epiphone . I wonder how permanent these fixes will be ? I would assume that weakening the glues would have an effect over time but we will see, For now I have three characterful guitars restored to extreme playability for no money. For sure if I can do it most people can. If I ever return to Brisbane I will seek John out to thank him in person.
Good on you sharing this mate. Great info. Thanks! Gives me more confidence to buy some Yamahas I might be worried about. Great knowledge to have in the back pocket and I'm sure I'll be giving this a go some time soon.
Awesome video John, I've recently used steam for a second time to repair guitar top bulge at the bridge position which is typical even on decent guitars. I have filled the guitar rear end with steam and clapped a straight edge over the top so that controlled downward force can be applied to the saddle gradually as you steam away. It has worked a treat and fixing high action problems. A question with your neck reset method. Do you ever place a clamp to sit inside the sound hole so the frett board gets some gentle persuasion to come back up to meet the straight edge if the guitar top at the neck position is dowed inwards? I think this would be effective, let me know.
I´m doing this procedure right now on a 1982 Tokai CE-500 Dreadnought; I´did clamp the beam on frets 3 and 10, then clamp the edge of the beam on the soundhole (all 3 clamps firm but not too tight, just as suggested by John), then put the last clamp on the headstock side from bottom of the woodbase to the top edge of the beam and began to tight until the straight edge stop touching the bridge and had a 1mm clearance on top of the saddle, applied steam until the guitar top began to feel hot on both sides of the fingerboard extension (about 40 sec per side) then covered the soundhole with a few more rags. Now I just notice a 2.3 mm gap from the bottom of the edge of the beam and the last fret. Is this gap normal or should I correct something at this moment?
I just watched your older video, thanks for the update, already made the "jig", now I'm looking at steamers. I have about 5 old acoustics in need of. Thanks. sub'd.
Hi John. You may be my savior. I have a Martin D 62 that is 30 yrs old now and needs a reset. I am in a remote part of Brazil with no real luthiers near. My question is.... are you using the head of the guitar as the point to force the neck down? Could you extend the aluminium beam a bit and use it to clamp onto in order to force the neck down?
Humidity, tempature, and time is what changes the neck angle in the fitst place.So I know this method works.Ive done this before using the damp weather and pressure on the neck and body of a guitar to bring it back to were it needs to be. and then letting it go thru a warm dry period and it will move it into the correct position. But my method can take 2 or 3 months, but it works and it works very good everytime.
It’s a great question and there is no single answer. In my experience, you need to take it slow and steady, the guitar will sort of “tell you” when you should stop. I’ve done this on several guitars now, all have been a success except for one which resulted in a crack in the neck heel. This was an old instrument and it’s possible that the neck heel was already unstable, and I was able to do a nearly undetectable fix and the guitar still plays like a dream. But it’s a good reminder to go slow and steady, inspecting the guitar closely after each steam/clamp.
If it feels like too much pressure then use steam to loosen the glue bond a bit and then use the clamp to get it in position ! The other option is to put another clamp on the metal bar or whatever you are using to keep the neck straight ! It could also feel tight if you have already gone beyond the point it was at when it left the factory and what you have done is flattened out ! I generally get the guitar set in position first before applying steam but maybe you are dealing with hide glue or even expoxy ?
I'm fixing up an FG-75 that plays nice but its action is high nearest the bridge, looking like it needs a neck reset. I actually googled to see if this method exists, because a luthier reset would be too costly for such a guitar. Instead I'll be buying some clamps and studying your method. Thanks for sharing this!
If I understand what you've done here, you clamped this all down including the headstock, leveling the top of the frets with the top of the bridge BEFORE applying any steam. Is it safe to force the headstock down that entire distance before steaming? Thanks for teaching this method.
@@bradstock You have done it and so have I ! It is hard to explain to someone that has not done it isnt it ? Im thinking its a lot like riding a bicycle !
Love your Video: Is it possible to do this neck re-set with out removing the original nut 1971 FG 170. Which has a small crack? in the nut & I hate to break it. So the bar would go right up to the nut? Some of the FG 170 were made at the Nippo Gakki factory for Japan market only. Tan label with hand written K. No serial # PS: I thought I posted this so if it is a re-post I am sorry.
I’m thinking that if you don’t have a “jig” handy you could always clamp the guitar on top of closed acoustic hard case. Hard cases are made of wood and usually pretty sturdy, likely sturdy enough to help rebound the neck of the guitar. I’m going to try it and find out
Hello John. I'm seeking guidance about the target distance between the bridge top and the straight edge. Is one millimetre sufficient? Thanks in advance.
Hi John, great informative video, how sensitive or fragile is the clamp on the headstock to apply the pressure for correcting the neck angle? A bit afraid of snapping a headstock.
Don’t clamp the head stock, make sure that your straight edge bar (which is used to clamp the next street) all the way to the head stock, and then fix your clamp to this straight edge, not the headstock itself.
I am doing it now. Got my steamer. I have it in the jig and I have steamed it three times now. QUESTIONS: How long each time you press steam I mean 3 minutes? 2- do you steam on the heel of the inside neck? or mainly stay on the fingerboard line? Its a Washburn looks like its working.
I've done this twice successfully, and I would say time is going to depend on your steamer. Steam the neck block area until the top is very warm to hot on either side of the neck.
How much is possible? With this method I refresh the joints glue µm by µm but there is no actual changing the Neck joint isn't it? I just reglue the fretboard to the body and stress the top plate or do I really refresh the glue on the neckjoint any suggestions about this. And in both possibilitys There must be a limit if I reglue the joint there will be empty space in the joint and if I stress the top plate it will tolerate up to some point but then it should start bending and making a wave after time. Or do I have wrong fantasy?
@@77guitarts22 He said about half a dozen times over a course of a month. So if you did 2 times a week, once a week, that be half a dozen, and you'd have one week left to make the month.
My twelve string has developed a belly bulge. Could this method be adapted to fix that as well? I’ve considered a Bridge Dr, but that would interfere with my under-the-soundboard transducers.
@@JohnMinerLuthier It worked for me on a belly bulge but it was a 6 string! Maybe it is a cheap 12 string without a good hardwood bridge plate or one that was too small or it could even have a loose brace that can be difficult to find ? I always have it in my mind what caused the problem and go from there !
Since, I'm a little new at guitar repairs like this; I was wondering about the number of times you said you do this which I think was about 6 times over a one month period or so. Are leaving the guitar clamped down for the entire time - 30 days - or are you just coming back and redoing this say every 5 days or so and if its the latter; how long do you leave it clamped down each time you use the steam? Also is the headstock and or neck clamps applying all the pressure to change the neck angle or is it simply the steam that is changing the neck angle and the clamps are just holding it in place? Thanks so much; I enjoyed your videos!
Great to see again your method and thanks again! I've tried this on some guitars and didn't really worked, I'm thinking I should have steamed the neck more, not just in the beginning. But from your previous video I didn't get that it needs more steaming during the time it stays there. So, question: is it like a month it needs to stay? How long you leave it after releasing the pressure?
@@JohnMinerLuthier Thanks for the answer! I think the most annoying thing with this method is the waiting time. If you don't leave it for 2 weeks to dry could it get back to the bad angle of the neck?
@@JohnMinerLuthier well I managed to clamp straight the neck but have just used weights for the rest as I only had 2 clamps ..but forces are in the same direction. Fingers crossed it works. thanks.
@@osvaldomorinigo it helped a bit.. I took it off too early and I will put it back on for more.. I am pretty sure it is the problem with the guitar.. don't know if it left factory like that. Will let you know how i get on with it , thanks,
@@paulcrawford5153 I understand, thanks for answering. You can check if it works by putting a 60cm ruller on top of the frets, they should all be lined up. You also have to be careful of the ambiet humidity, if the humidity that the guitar is exposed to is too high, it can cause the wood to bend. The string tension can also be too much for the guitar, if it's a classical, you have to bear in mind to use nylon-only strings. It can also be a factory problem caused by the way it was assembled. Kindly let me know how it turns out. Thanks again.
He’s really not. Ted ain’t that kind of guy. In fact he asked people not to come and be an idiot in the comments here. Good try stirring though. You should look into a career in epoxy prep. John - love to see an Aussie having a red hot go, knock yourself out mate!
I notice all most of the comment are all the same even if it is a different video. I wonder if this really works the other luthier on another channel have a video of this kind to prove and his conclusion did not work.
Maybe he put all his comments on this video ? It really works and I have done it about 5 times now ! This is the kind of thing that is exrtremly hard to describe but easy to show ! I usually only do the process once and leave it sit for a week and as soon as I loosen the headstock clamp it is loose right away ( maybe one eighth of a turn ) and that tells me it is done !
I didn't understand most you speak. And my english is very good. And I didn't understand what you intended to do. Many minutes of video and almost nothing to see
I understood it very well and am getting up the courage to try this on a nice old solid wood Yairi. Those guitars are likely to have been glued with epoxy and a traditional neck reset would turn into a nightmare in a hurry. Here is what I got out of the video --> Remove the nut. Clamp the guitar body down firmly, but not tight to a board with a soft/medium soft foam sheet on top of it to keep the back from deforming from the pressure. Fill the entire back of the body with rags to keep steam from getting in there and loosening the bracing when you get to steaming. Place a stiff and straight piece of metal on top of the neck; clamp into place. Pull the headstock down with another clamp until there is about 2 mm of clearance between the neck angle and the top of the bridge checked with a straight edge (you can pull down on the metal piece that is clamped to the neck if it over hangs long enough to get a clamp on it - my preferred method). Steam the top of the guitar on either side of the neck/fretboard until the outer surface feels hot to the touch. Add a clamp to the fretboard extension to pull that area up where it was when the guitar was new (small bit of fall-away). Leave the guitar clamped for 1 month while occasionally steaming it. Steam it every few days the first week and at least 1 time each of the following three. Leave it for another 2 weeks to dry out before you unclamp it. Check the neck angle with a straight edge to the bridge. If it is good, fix the saddle height, reinstall the nut, and put strings on it - you are good to go. If not, go back to step one of this process.
I did Johns Neck maneuver on an un-playable 1970s 12-string hummingbird Ibanez about more than a year and a half ago and happy to report it is still good and actually, it even Hardley lost its tune for a period of about 6 months when I touched it last time!
my guitar had a bent top and neck. after rest, I added a small bracing between the bridge side to prevent the belly bulge and bridge lifting again... I did steam neck rest out of desperation as the cost of a "surgical"l reset was more than the guitar was worth!
thanks for the genius technique and for sharing it on youtube!
I have done this on 5 guitars over a year ago and it works on neck resets and on belly bulge ( not on my belly bulge LOL ) ! The first one I had to steam 5 times but now usually only once! I used a similar jig and made a steamer out of a kettle and a garden hose to get at those tight spots! Temperature is a little tricky but if it feels hot on top that is what you want to soften the glue! Make sure all the braces are in good shape with no cracks and are all fastened tight! I fix all the braces first when the guitar is in the jig and then wait overnight before you steam the problem area! Fill it with rags and I only wait about a week! When you release the clamp at the head of the guitar you will know if it worked because it should come loose almost right away because it is now where it should be and is set! Most people would not share this information so THANKS JOHN !
Thanks for the feedback Ron.
@@JohnMinerLuthier I was surprised that you shared your info on a couple video"s but at any rate if i was was there or you where here we could have a few beers together! I thought about trying it before but until I saw your video I wasn't sure! Your video showed me what I wasn't sure of and thanks to you I did it ! Thanks John great info !
Thanks for sharing...one question...how You Fix a belly problema? In a guitar😂
Thanks for sharing...one question...how You Fix a belly problema? In a guitar😂
Drink less beer
John I’ve been using your method before i
Even knew about it officially. I am a dumpster guitar restorer and it has worked on another project. Last week I pulled a very expensive guitar out of the trash a 1968 guild hollow body . I was told to have it professionally done which I am considering still but not until i give your method a go . Been clamped up for 3 days now arch top hollow body 64 years old thanks and I believe !
Hi again John. I finally got the courage to try on my Martin D 62. It has been a week now post operation and it seems to have settled in. It was perfect the day I put strings back on. 2mm action and strings were 1/2 above the soundboard at the bridge. Over the week it has sprung back a bit but is resonably comfortable to play and still have a bit of saddle left. Prior to this I had no saddle left and it was unplayable. Thank you again for your time and effort to share this with us. I plan on doing it again in a year. This time maybe leave the steam on a bit longer. I was a bit timmid this time. Much more comfy now. Cheers
Hi John a fantastic method worked on my Yamaha APX - 4A .Thought she was to expensive to repair however your amazing advice saved her Many thanks
I TRIED THIS! OMG!!! IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome tip!
I did something like that to raise the flattened top on an electric archtop guitar by concentrating on the area under the bridge. I created a way to pull up the bridge area up by clamping the top underneath it to a beam suspended from the fingerboard. With some judicious application of steam and time it raised the top.
On an archtop with a flattened top the bridge will be adjusted all the way down. You want the adjustment wheels to be up a bit and have the correct action height. It worked on an electric archtop which is generally a plywood guitar. I don't know if I would try the steam on a solid carved top. Perhaps the heat source could be one of those bridge removal heat pads but a low power version that wouldn't get so got.
Hi John, really enjoyed your video doing this method. On this video you held down the body of the guitar on the sides and had a pad on the back. I was very happy to see that given you're clamping on the sides of the guitar, you're applying the loads on a vertical column on each side vs the center of the belly of the guitar (in many cases) which could have a curve in it and potentially crack it. Given we're talking about the belly of the guitar area, if you have a problem with it being "concave" (for any reason, bridge tension over time, bracing issues, etc), I'd recommend fixing those issues first (glueing, bridge doctor, etc) to get the belly back to it's original curvature (flat or curved) then apply your method. If you do the "belly" issue second, you'll be raising the bridge and the strings putting you back in same string action problem you were trying to cure in the first place. I read in the comments about clamping on the end of the "bar" vs the head of the neck. My vote would be that would be clamping to an extended bar given the kind of leverage
load you're applying especially in the head to neck joint where you've got 2 parallel sharp edges in that area of the neck where the nut is installed makes me very nervous (high stress loads in a very thin area). Applying the neck load on the bar is by far a safer application of getting the pressure required at the neck/guitar joint where the problem resides. Sorry for being "wordy", just my thoughts. I very much appreciate alternative methods in helping us all in fixing guitars we so enjoy.
I agree except for the bridge doctor ! I would fix the belly bulge problem first and even steam that part as well and then deal with the neck ! Avoid adding any new braces ! Also if it takes a lot of pressure to pull the neck down then steam it first and then clamp it to spot you want it to be to avoid snapping the headstock ! You could of course just clamp it at the first fret !
Do we slacken off the truss rod ? would it help or hinder .. thank you ! col
I have no real experience in anything more than very simple guitar set up and maintenance (fitting a new nut etc.) so I was very wary of trying this method. I first tried it a couple of weeks ago on a 70's Harmony guitar that was basically unplayable. The results were amazing more or less as John says. Next was my old Suzuki and a cheap old Epiphone .
I wonder how permanent these fixes will be ? I would assume that weakening the glues would have an effect over time but we will see, For now I have three characterful guitars restored to extreme playability for no money. For sure if I can do it most people can. If I ever return to Brisbane I will seek John out to thank him in person.
Very smart idea. I just happen to have one of those Heavy-Duty steamers. I may give your idea a try on a couple of old guitars. Thanks.
Good on you sharing this mate. Great info. Thanks! Gives me more confidence to buy some Yamahas I might be worried about. Great knowledge to have in the back pocket and I'm sure I'll be giving this a go some time soon.
Awesome video John, I've recently used steam for a second time to repair guitar top bulge at the bridge position which is typical even on decent guitars. I have filled the guitar rear end with steam and clapped a straight edge over the top so that controlled downward force can be applied to the saddle gradually as you steam away. It has worked a treat and fixing high action problems.
A question with your neck reset method. Do you ever place a clamp to sit inside the sound hole so the frett board gets some gentle persuasion to come back up to meet the straight edge if the guitar top at the neck position is dowed inwards? I think this would be effective, let me know.
I´m doing this procedure right now on a 1982 Tokai CE-500 Dreadnought;
I´did clamp the beam on frets 3 and 10,
then clamp the edge of the beam on the soundhole (all 3 clamps firm but not too tight, just as suggested by John),
then put the last clamp on the headstock side from bottom of the woodbase to the top edge of the beam and began to tight until the straight edge stop touching the bridge and had a 1mm clearance on top of the saddle,
applied steam until the guitar top began to feel hot on both sides of the fingerboard extension (about 40 sec per side)
then covered the soundhole with a few more rags.
Now I just notice a 2.3 mm gap from the bottom of the edge of the beam and the last fret. Is this gap normal or should I correct something at this moment?
Perfect! My Guitar is in tune again! Tnx.
I just watched your older video, thanks for the update, already made the "jig", now I'm looking at steamers. I have about 5 old acoustics in need of. Thanks. sub'd.
Good luck!
Do you loosen the truss rod first?
Hi John, great video and such helpful useful tip. Would this steam technique be applicable to situations where the bridge is starting to lift a bit?
Could you do a neck reset on a 12 String Electric Rickenbacker John ?
I'm sorry.. how many times you put the vapor into the guitar? One time every two days?
Hi John. You may be my savior. I have a Martin D 62 that is 30 yrs old now and needs a reset. I am in a remote part of Brazil with no real luthiers near.
My question is.... are you using the head of the guitar as the point to force the neck down?
Could you extend the aluminium beam a bit and use it to clamp onto in order to force the neck down?
Either way is Ok.
Humidity, tempature, and time is what changes the neck angle in the fitst place.So I know this method works.Ive done this before using the damp weather and pressure on the neck and body of a guitar to bring it back to were it needs to be. and then letting it go thru a warm dry period and it will move it into the correct position. But my method can take 2 or 3 months, but it works and it works very good everytime.
Great stuff - Thanks I may try this
How much pressure on you placing on the headstock clamp? Do you gradually add more pull?
It’s a great question and there is no single answer. In my experience, you need to take it slow and steady, the guitar will sort of “tell you” when you should stop. I’ve done this on several guitars now, all have been a success except for one which resulted in a crack in the neck heel. This was an old instrument and it’s possible that the neck heel was already unstable, and I was able to do a nearly undetectable fix and the guitar still plays like a dream. But it’s a good reminder to go slow and steady, inspecting the guitar closely after each steam/clamp.
If it feels like too much pressure then use steam to loosen the glue bond a bit and then use the clamp to get it in position ! The other option is to put another clamp on the metal bar or whatever you are using to keep the neck straight ! It could also feel tight if you have already gone beyond the point it was at when it left the factory and what you have done is flattened out ! I generally get the guitar set in position first before applying steam but maybe you are dealing with hide glue or even expoxy ?
I'm fixing up an FG-75 that plays nice but its action is high nearest the bridge, looking like it needs a neck reset. I actually googled to see if this method exists, because a luthier reset would be too costly for such a guitar. Instead I'll be buying some clamps and studying your method. Thanks for sharing this!
He mentioned half a dozen times for a month. So, Monday & Friday once a week for 2 weeks, then once a week for weeks 3&4 will get you to 4 weeks.
HI JOHN! DO YOU LOOSEN THE TRUSS ROD BEFORE YOU STEAM THE GUITAR?
He doesn't.
If I understand what you've done here, you clamped this all down including the headstock, leveling the top of the frets with the top of the bridge BEFORE applying any steam. Is it safe to force the headstock down that entire distance before steaming? Thanks for teaching this method.
Exactly what I wanted to know. First, force it, then steam??
Yes, I’ve done this several times, first force sit down (within reason, you will get a feel if you’re going too far usually), then steam.
@@bradstock You have done it and so have I ! It is hard to explain to someone that has not done it isnt it ? Im thinking its a lot like riding a bicycle !
Love your Video: Is it possible to do this neck re-set with out removing the original nut 1971 FG 170. Which has a small crack? in the nut & I hate to break it. So the bar would go right up to the nut? Some of the FG 170 were made at the Nippo Gakki factory for Japan market only. Tan label with hand written K. No serial #
PS: I thought I posted this so if it is a re-post I am sorry.
Get an aluminum square tube for the neck brace, and cut a slot on the bottom of it to clear the nut.
@@itomburgess Thanks, I have the perfect board.
@@darrencarillo7321 Thanks
I’m thinking that if you don’t have a “jig” handy you could always clamp the guitar on top of closed acoustic hard case. Hard cases are made of wood and usually pretty sturdy, likely sturdy enough to help rebound the neck of the guitar. I’m going to try it and find out
You could try that - or you could take my advice not to try that.
Too late bubs@@Iazzaboyce
Hello John. I'm seeking guidance about the target distance between the bridge top and the straight edge. Is one millimetre sufficient? Thanks in advance.
He said you can have it a bit more distance there because it always comes down a bit in time. I do like 5 mm to 1 cm distance
Hi John, great informative video, how sensitive or fragile is the clamp on the headstock to apply the pressure for correcting the neck angle? A bit afraid of snapping a headstock.
Don’t clamp the head stock, make sure that your straight edge bar (which is used to clamp the next street) all the way to the head stock, and then fix your clamp to this straight edge, not the headstock itself.
I don't see a clamp through the sound hole and on the fret board. It seems that this part of the neck should also be fixed. That gap looks bad.
I am doing it now. Got my steamer. I have it in the jig and I have steamed it three times now. QUESTIONS: How long each time you press steam I mean 3 minutes? 2- do you steam on the heel of the inside neck? or mainly stay on the fingerboard line? Its a Washburn looks like its working.
I've done this twice successfully, and I would say time is going to depend on your steamer. Steam the neck block area until the top is very warm to hot on either side of the neck.
How much is possible? With this method I refresh the joints glue µm by µm but there is no actual changing the Neck joint isn't it? I just reglue the fretboard to the body and stress the top plate or do I really refresh the glue on the neckjoint any suggestions about this. And in both possibilitys There must be a limit if I reglue the joint there will be empty space in the joint and if I stress the top plate it will tolerate up to some point but then it should start bending and making a wave after time. Or do I have wrong fantasy?
Question: how many times do you steam it in the first week? Every day? And totally you said 6 times steaming in the rest of the month?
2 or 3 is my latest method.
@@JohnMinerLuthier Thanks! 2 or 3 times the first week?
@@77guitarts22 He said about half a dozen times over a course of a month. So if you did 2 times a week, once a week, that be half a dozen, and you'd have one week left to make the month.
Do you loosen truss rod before this process?
No.
My twelve string has developed a belly bulge. Could this method be adapted to fix that as well? I’ve considered a Bridge Dr, but that would interfere with my under-the-soundboard transducers.
It won't help a belly bulge, a bridge doctor is the answer,
@@JohnMinerLuthier It worked for me on a belly bulge but it was a 6 string! Maybe it is a cheap 12 string without a good hardwood bridge plate or one that was too small or it could even have a loose brace that can be difficult to find ? I always have it in my mind what caused the problem and go from there !
Would this work on hide glue joints?
Yes
What do you do with the truss rod, tighten it, loosen it during the reset? Going to try this out on one of my guitars.
lossen is the logical way
Since, I'm a little new at guitar repairs like this; I was wondering about the number of times you said you do this which I think was about 6 times over a one month period or so. Are leaving the guitar clamped down for the entire time - 30 days - or are you just coming back and redoing this say every 5 days or so and if its the latter; how long do you leave it clamped down each time you use the steam? Also is the headstock and or neck clamps applying all the pressure to change the neck angle or is it simply the steam that is changing the neck angle and the clamps are just holding it in place? Thanks so much; I enjoyed your videos!
He leaves it clamped.
Great to see again your method and thanks again! I've tried this on some guitars and didn't really worked, I'm thinking I should have steamed the neck more, not just in the beginning. But from your previous video I didn't get that it needs more steaming during the time it stays there. So, question: is it like a month it needs to stay? How long you leave it after releasing the pressure?
Steam around 5 or 6 times over 4 weeks, take off clamps, remove rags & leave to dry out for another 2 weeks.
@@JohnMinerLuthier Thanks for the answer! I think the most annoying thing with this method is the waiting time. If you don't leave it for 2 weeks to dry could it get back to the bad angle of the neck?
@@77guitarts22 I think it's better to let it dry, because wet wood is plastic, it can be deformed under the string tension.
After doing this it will help to loosen string tension when not playing. In fact doing this will help any guitar to maintain its original shape.
Have you done this with a guitar that is all constructed with hide glue?
He has.
Should I do it daily?
Twice a week for the 1st 2 weeks, once a week for weeks 3&4
i am going to try this on a classical guitar... do you think it should work?
It will.
@@JohnMinerLuthier well I managed to clamp straight the neck but have just used weights for the rest as I only had 2 clamps ..but forces are in the same direction. Fingers crossed it works. thanks.
@@paulcrawford5153 Hey! Did you manage to do it?
@@osvaldomorinigo it helped a bit.. I took it off too early and I will put it back on for more.. I am pretty sure it is the problem with the guitar.. don't know if it left factory like that. Will let you know how i get on with it , thanks,
@@paulcrawford5153 I understand, thanks for answering. You can check if it works by putting a 60cm ruller on top of the frets, they should all be lined up. You also have to be careful of the ambiet humidity, if the humidity that the guitar is exposed to is too high, it can cause the wood to bend. The string tension can also be too much for the guitar, if it's a classical, you have to bear in mind to use nylon-only strings. It can also be a factory problem caused by the way it was assembled. Kindly let me know how it turns out. Thanks again.
I noticed that the cat has had a neck reset as well 😂
Has anyone tried this on an ovation?
Ted Woodford calling you out on his latest video. He says you're full of it.
He’s really not. Ted ain’t that kind of guy. In fact he asked people not to come and be an idiot in the comments here. Good try stirring though. You should look into a career in epoxy prep. John - love to see an Aussie having a red hot go, knock yourself out mate!
I really admire Ted but.....has he done it?
I notice all most of the comment are all the same even if it is a different video. I wonder if this really works the other luthier on another channel have a video of this kind to prove and his conclusion did not work.
Maybe he put all his comments on this video ? It really works and I have done it about 5 times now ! This is the kind of thing that is exrtremly hard to describe but easy to show ! I usually only do the process once and leave it sit for a week and as soon as I loosen the headstock clamp it is loose right away ( maybe one eighth of a turn ) and that tells me it is done !
【ｐｒｏｍｏｓｍ】
I didn't understand most you speak. And my english is very good. And I didn't understand what you intended to do. Many minutes of video and almost nothing to see
Australian accent is probably why you can't understand him.
I understood it very well and am getting up the courage to try this on a nice old solid wood Yairi. Those guitars are likely to have been glued with epoxy and a traditional neck reset would turn into a nightmare in a hurry. Here is what I got out of the video --> Remove the nut. Clamp the guitar body down firmly, but not tight to a board with a soft/medium soft foam sheet on top of it to keep the back from deforming from the pressure. Fill the entire back of the body with rags to keep steam from getting in there and loosening the bracing when you get to steaming. Place a stiff and straight piece of metal on top of the neck; clamp into place. Pull the headstock down with another clamp until there is about 2 mm of clearance between the neck angle and the top of the bridge checked with a straight edge (you can pull down on the metal piece that is clamped to the neck if it over hangs long enough to get a clamp on it - my preferred method). Steam the top of the guitar on either side of the neck/fretboard until the outer surface feels hot to the touch. Add a clamp to the fretboard extension to pull that area up where it was when the guitar was new (small bit of fall-away). Leave the guitar clamped for 1 month while occasionally steaming it. Steam it every few days the first week and at least 1 time each of the following three. Leave it for another 2 weeks to dry out before you unclamp it. Check the neck angle with a straight edge to the bridge. If it is good, fix the saddle height, reinstall the nut, and put strings on it - you are good to go. If not, go back to step one of this process.
Hi
Did you try this method on the Yairi?
I want to try it on hy YW_800@@melodicdreamer72