When should you do a neck reset?

If you have almost any steel-string acoustic guitar for long enough, odds are it will need a neck reset at one (or some) point(s) in its life. Wood settles and string tension pulls the guitar’s geometry around over time. The upshot can be that the action gets slowly higher and higher so that it’s uncomfortable to play.

Does a neck reset devalue a guitar?

A: The seller is right that a neck reset can change the tone of a vintage guitar. Neck angle not only regulates action but also affects mechanical forces that load and drive a top. It’s well known that ’30s-era Martins and Gibsons sometimes lose tone after neck resetting.

How long does it take to reset a guitar neck?

Remove neck from guitar, and clean off old glue, takes about 1 hour. 2. Let guitar and neck dry before resetting. 2 days is enough.

What does a neck reset cost?

Generally speaking, a neck reset on an acoustic guitar can cost between $250-700. Any less than that, and you’re getting a very good deal. Any more than that, and you’re likely shelling out to one of the pricier luthiers out there.

How often does an acoustic guitar need a neck reset?

Acoustic guitars typically need to have their necks reset every several decades or so, as the 200 some-odd pounds of tension pulling on the neck at all times slowly pulls the neck forward, changing the angle at which it joins the body.

How high should the action be on an acoustic guitar in MM?

Measuring at the 12th fret (as in the photo), the action height should be 2.6 mm for Steel String Acoustic guitar, 1.8 for electric, 2.0mm for bass and 3mm for a Classical.

What does it mean when a guitar neck is overset?

“Overset” necks are where the neck angle rises above the bridge of a guitar. Clearly, the neck shifted down below the bridge (called underset) thus high string action. When the neck shifts upwards (called overset) the neck angle is above the bridge and we hear fret/string buzz.

What is a good action for an acoustic guitar?

A typical action on an acoustic guitar is at around 5/64″ (2.0mm) on the high E string and 7/64″ (2.8mm) on the low E string. The slight increase in action height gives an acoustic guitar’s strings more room to vibrate. This gives you a clearer tone and allows you to strum chords without ending up in a buzzing mess.

How do I know if my guitar needs a neck reset?

This allows a guitar’s string action be set using the height of the saddle. A good indication that a guitar is a candidate for a neck reset is when a straight-edge along the top of the frets contacts somewhere below the top of the bridge (as in this image).

Can neneck repairs improve the sound of a vintage guitar?

Neck repairs are a common procedure on a vintage guitar and can enhance the sound of a valued instrument. Q: I am somewhat anxious about whether or not to commission “major surgery” on a vintage (1962) Martin D-18 . Because this instrument has no truss rod, it needs a neck reset and refretting in order to make it comfortably playable.

How do you remove the neck from a guitar?

The neck will be removed from the body of the guitar. On most guitars currently requiring a neck set, this means a complicated process of heating the fingerboard extension to soften the glue holding it to the guitar top and then ‘steaming’ the glued-in dovetail joint to release the neck.

Should you shave the bridge on your guitar?

Shaving the bridge can potentially impact the instrument’s value—many buyers don’t look on it kindly. This particular instrument is a nice guitar, with a bit of vintage under its belt. The owner and I had a very frank conversation about the implications of this job on the guitar and on its value.