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Got the bridge glued on #1 yesterday, I feel like I've accomplished something! Now I feel like I am getting close to actually getting this thing done. Today's question is, how necessary is it to use glue when installing a bolt-on neck on an acoustic? Building an Antes Parlor. I know the C book says to scrape finish off under the fret board extension, but getting finish off this thing is a nightmare. the book also mentions putting a small bead of white glue, like Elmers if I remember right, where the neck contacts the body. Is it really necessary to glue these joints in place? I was thinking to just put a small bit of white glue under the fret board extension, tighten everything up, and call it good for my first. Been bitten too many times on this project, afraid i may have to take the neck off again!

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Phil

http://www.oleninstruments.com

"Those who tilt at windmills are only considered insane by those who can't see the dragon."

I glue down the neck extension but not the heel. I have heard other who do not glue down the extension, arguing that it is tight to the body due to a slight bend induced by the frets compressing the fret board. I personally feel the joint between the top and the fret board is a structural element helping to resist the pull of the strings. I may be wrong but it seems that way to me.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

If you are bolting on the neck, the only part that needs glue is under the fretboard extension. Don't put any on the spots where the heel of the neck meets the body. That's counterproductive.

I don't recall Cumpiano/Natelson ever recommending glue between the neck and the body, by the way. I think that book only recommends gluing down the fretboard extension.

I glue down the extension only, and then only a thin 1/32" bead around the very outside edge.

I feel quite strongly that the shear stength of the glue prevents that joint from slipping under string tension and pulling the angle of the neck forward.

So, you are about to string up your first guitar build! This is a very exciting experience. Congratulations! On your first build there is a fairly high chance that you will end up doing some adjusting of that neck joint in the first few weeks after you string it up. That is OK - it is one of the great advantges of a bolt-on design that you can do that easily. For this reason I suggest that leave the fingerboard extension unglued initially so that you can get the neck on and off without further bother. BTW, you don't even need to remove the string when you are taking the neck off. Just loosen them but leave them attached at the headstock and hold them in place on the neck by putting a capo on (I put two capos, one at 2nd fret and another at about the 9th) - then take out the bridge pins and detach he strings, but leave them on the neck. You can reattach the strings in a jiffy once the neck is back on (but, of course, this trick doesn't work for a classical or pinless bridge).

The guitar can live with the fingerboard extension just sitting on the soundbord, unttached, until you are happy with the setup. But sometimes this can be a source of buzzing as the two sufaces vibrate without being coupled together. So, once you have your neck all sorted out you should probably glue the FB extension down. You are right to say that this can be a very weak glue joint, to assist future disassembly. So just a thin smear or a few dots of some sort of weak wood glue that will easily release later with a bit of heat.

Recently I have been building with a bolt-on and bolt-down design, so there is no glue at all. The Gore & Gilet books outline a method for this. I have used this system and really like it:
http://www.luthierscooltools.com/Tools.htm#Bolt-on

I was gonna say exactly what Mark said. Now I don't have to.

When doing neck resets on a bolt on with a glued extension my experience has been that if you get the angle just right under string tension with the extension unglued and then glue it the neck becomes slightly overset.

The glued extension definitely adds stability to the neck joint and things move less after it is glued down.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

no need whatsoever to glue the neck/heel joint..and before I'd glue the fgbd extention down, I'd string the guitar up and play it.. there may be some tweeking to do, even removing the neck...easier without having to un-glue the extention... once you get everything ' right' ,then glue the extention down after scraping the finish underneath ...otherwise, might get some buzzing

Thanks, I double checked my book, and it is in there, so I wasn't completely out of mind. Check Ch. 15, Step 8, Pinning the Neck. in my book, it's on page 336. They mention a "fine bead along the edges of the heel where they contact the soundbox." Done for appearance sake, as I take it. Just wondered if anyone did this.

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Phil

http://www.oleninstruments.com

"Those who tilt at windmills are only considered insane by those who can't see the dragon."

Thanks everyone for all the feedback. Think I'll go without the glue to start with, and see how it goes. This first one has been a nightmare in so many ways, and a long time to completion. (Am I working on a record here? Hope not!) Important thing is, it didn't beat me, and now the end is near. It's not as pretty as I'd like, but otherwise it is as close to perfect as I can do. Hope it sounds and plays OK, but even if it doesn't, I have learned so much that from now on this should be a lot easier. And I guess that is what the first one is for, right?

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Phil

http://www.oleninstruments.com

"Those who tilt at windmills are only considered insane by those who can't see the dragon."

I tell ya, I'm about to string up #61 and I still get the same feeling as stringing up #1. Well that was so long ago I can't remember now but as was mentioned it's very exciting. Just don't get too excited. The setup stage takes a long time to get it right and you will be eager to get it done fast and play that first note. Step back, breathe and take your time

I use a bolt on butt joint and as others have mentioned I too see the FB extension as a structural joint. No need to glue the butt or the mortise if in that case. Also use Titebond not white glue.