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Just wondering if anyone has considered or actually used magnets as all or part of the mechanism for attaching a removeable neck.
I'm not promoting it or even interested in trying it but interested in hearing comments for the sake of discussion.
Nelson Palen

Nelson.
I admire you for sticking your neck out with what I initially thought (2 hours ago) was a nutty question. But instead of just replying "what a nutty idea" I've mulled it over and think it may be a brilliant idea! Aside from the weight issue, which may be balanced out by negating the alternate neck attachment hardware if you use that method, I would think that the logical next step would be a parts investigation and a human trial.

Keep us up on the progress of your trials Nelson. I'm very interested.

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David--Remember, I said that I wasn't interested in trying it.
Could a magnet(s) be combined with other types of mechanical joints such as dovetail or mortise/tenon?
Could a magnet be used to temporarily engage/disengage some type of internal locking mechanism not accessible from the exterior?
Could a magnet be used to hold down the fretboard extension?
??????????????

In a way, it makes sense....
From a physics standpoint, Most of the string tension is pulling the neck straight into the body.
There is about 50 in-lbs of torque on the neck from the Bridge height/angle (With medium strings.)

That wouldn't be a whole lot if you could get them in the bottom of the heel somewhere...

Could a Magnet that strong have some weird effects on Magnetic (Steel) strings
like Induced current or pulling them in strange directions?

Could a magnet that strong induce a current in Wound Nylon strings?

Would these effects cause any trouble with currently used pickups?

Good luck

John

Would you have to put a warning on it for people with pacemakers?

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Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY

I thought about it alot for sticking down the fretboard extension but abandoned it. It sticki-ness was good to hold the extension down to the top but seemed really bad at sticking it from sliding forward and didn't give any help to the body in resisting the pull there. Also, the size of the magnet I would have needed to really hold the extension down tight was much larger than I thought. In the end, except for being totally cool, I couldn't find any thing better about it than bolts. For other things, though, I could see it being awesome. We just haven't thought of them yet!

There are a lot of things the magnets could be amazing for. On Connor classical guitars he has figured out a way to magnetically adhere the soundport cover so it can come on and off and is a lmainate of the same wood as the sides. It is really nice. Same with a removable armrest, it should be possible to inlay magnets in the rims/sides and pop that sucker on and off and not have to build a special case for the permanently installed ones that I have seen. I have been working on that one for a while and it is still not done.

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

I got some really strong magnets last month because I was going to make some removable side pads for a double bass that I was making. These things were so strong they were dangerous. After working with them for about 5 minutes, and after 2 blood blisters, I determined that I didn't really want to have anything to do with them. I was holding on in my hand and accidentally moved it too close to another on the table and the it jumped about 8 inches and slammed into the other, with the fleshy pad of my forefinger inbetween...ouch!

Well I did fiddle around with inserting one inside and another outside embedded in the removable pad. It didn't even hold that well and was dangerous when the pad was anywhere near metal.

I determined that I don't want to have anything to do with them.

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Ken

Using magnets to hold the neck to the body is like making a really tight neck pocket or mortise and just jamming the part together (friction fit) with nothing else to hold it in. You're asking for things to slide out of alignment which the end user (players) will wonder what the heck just happened putting your reputation in jeoperdy. Also a magnet with sufficient strength to hold the neck to the body will also impart enough magnetic strength to interfere with any electronic devices like pickups and preamp, not to mention stuff (belt buckles, spiked armband, and other metal stuff that guitar players likes to wear during gigs) will be attracted to that part of the guitar causing finish damage. The joint will have to be something that precisely fits with no slop allowed that will result in the neck being in the right angle, and this will complicate things when resetting the neck. A dovetail will not work because it needs to be able to keep the neck from sliding up.

Short answer is you will need a positive mount such as glue or nuts/bolts.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Thanks to all who contributed to this discussion.
I think the consensus is that magnets do not have a place here.

Maybe not, but keep them ideas coming!

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Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY

If one had magnets that were powerful enough to do the job, how would one "release" them? There are magents out there that when put close together can crush your finger! And given its location to the human body, someone walking by with a fork and knife could become hazardous to your health!

And NEVER carry magnets in both front pockets!!!!!

Only way to be able to release the magnet would be to make it an electromagnet, then you'd need HUGE amounts of power (think more than 10 car batteries) just to keep the neck attached. To me using magnets to hold the neck to a guitar is like laser guns... it looks and sounds cool but offers no advantage to conventional firearms.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Right. But if you must carry two, put them in the same pocket and for pete's sake take the pocket knife out of the other.


(thread drift... sorry)

Hey, this could be a cure for folks with a bad case of noassatol..

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Mag Switch makes some magnets that you can turn on and off (not electro-magnets), and they could be strong enough, (70 mm square -- "Up to 1,000-lb breakaway force on flat 1/4 inch-thick steel.") but a neck makes for a pretty long lever arm. Pretty bulky and heavy though.

http://www.magswitch.com.au/

Mike

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Mike Lindstrom