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I need to do a neck reset and would prefer not having to remove the fretboard, but here's the problem: The neck is actually set too far back and needs to come forward. So, are there any nifty ways to remove material from the heel on the front side of the guitar without removing the neck? I'm guessing no but if it's been done I'd love to hear how.

Thanks!

John

Wow, how in the world did you end up with that problem?

The point behind removing material where necessary in this case is to set a new angle and mount it flush with the head block. You may be able to remove material there but you will need to remove the fretboard in order for it to nudge forward and flush.

Make sense?

+1 to jfmckenna. I'm also curious about the situation... how high would the saddle have to be to get good action? Enough to crack the front off the bridge, or cause problems of excessive torque on the soundboard?

Prayer? If you can't get any tool or sandpaper there, you can't remove any material.
Courtesy of John Slobod, the best way I found to remove the fretboard extension without damaging the finish is with a heat lamp (or a 100/150w halogen bulb). You need to make masks out of cardboard wrapped in aluminium foil (to deflect the heat from the top), and they should overlap 1/8" over your fretboard edges. Put masking tape on the top around the fretboard to protect it. Monitor often, when the underside of the top under the fretboard gets warm, take the masks off and slowly slip a polished knife under the fretboard paying attention to runout (the masking tape is there so you don't scratch the finish), and you're done.
The reason it works so well is because the lamp heats the ebony (or whatever material) slowly, but deeply, thus it stays warm a long time. The heat lamp works well for the bridge too.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

This is how I do it and it comes apart very easily.

Jf is that burlap on fingerboard/top?? I also need to reset neck on old harmony arch top that is off center. Yes I have heat lamp. heat lamp is useful for wicking in water thin Ca in very tight places

The old way of resetting a neck was to separate the back from the neck block and move the block relative to the back. But I doubt that's any less work, and it introduces a whole new set of problems. But you don't have to remove the neck.

Joe

This was my first bolt-on neck (man, spanish heels are so much easier for me). Anyhow, I thought I had all my angles and joints correct, but when i put the neck on, it's too far back. The guitar is awesome otherwise so I was hoping to not havr to remove the fret board, but it seems like that's my only option. Cheers!

John

If it's a bolt on then you might want to consider using a screw down tongue setup too. Just a thought. Odd you didn't catch that problem before gluing down the FB tongue. Just be glade it didn't happen with a Spanish Heel.

You only have to separate the fret board from the body to remove the neck. Then you remove material with the usual chisels, files, and sandpaper. Or are you asking about doing a reset without removing the neck? Your first said you didn't want to remove the board, and then that you didn't want to remove the neck. In which case Laurent is right: ask for divine intervention and wait.

Doing a forward set will move your fret positions. The bridge, or at least the saddle, will have to be moved to get teh intonation right.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

You say it's too far back. How far is too far? Can you compinsate the saddle to correct the problem? That way you won't have to move the neck, just the saddle. I do bolt on necks and always check the intonation before anything is glued down. I made this jig to check it by stringing it up to find the saddle position before the bridge is glued down.

Mark, do you find that the clamp is necessary on your jig and that the strap button won't hold the tail piece in place?

Chris, it stays in place without anything holding it, but i put the clamp there for extra insurance. I don't have the strap buttons installed at this point , so can't use that to hold it in place.

Thanks for the reply Mark.

No its a fire retardant material. You can get it at a hardware store, not really sure what it's intended use is but it works very well.