Fender neck on Squier body issue.

[big_teee]

You want the dowel to be a snug fit to the new drilled hole.
Sometimes it is advantageous that the dowel be a size larger than the old hole.

[Dave H]

You want the dowel to be a snug fit to the new drilled hole.

I like dowels with grooves in the sides. They can be a snug fit but the excess glue can still escape.

[Sea Chief]

I like dowels with grooves in the sides. They can be a snug fit but the excess glue can still escape.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]36709[/ATTACH]

Ive used these before, but dont think 3 or 4mm available (still not sure which so I'll get both). I should be ok doing this now- much better I dont have to rout the body/ christ what a pita. And also the neck the same length this way so no need to put saddles back/ should in theory, be absolutley spot-on without need to adjust saddles at all.

Terrific- got the prep done thanks to y'all.

I'll post a pic of her once done this week, fingers crossed all will be well. SC

[Steve A.]

You worry too much! Glue some toothpicks in there, trim it flush, and drill new holes. Once they're filled, they aren't holes anymore. I wouldn't even wait for the glue to dry if it was me. It's taken me longer to type this than it would to fix it.

I use the tapered flat toothpicks and pack them in tight! When that doesn't work*** I'll use hardwood dowels, enlarging the hole in the neck if necessary to match the appropriate doweling.

Steve A.

*** Like when the new hole will be really close to the old hole. Toothpicks work great when existing screw holes have gotten stripped out with no need to relocate them, like for pickguard screws, etc.

[Sea Chief]

Ok done the dowels- hardwood: drilled the holes a tad larger to 4mm/ sanded the bit fat '4mm' dowel shaft down for a tight fit/ woodglued. Ok next thing is the neck heel contour doesn't quite match the squier neck heel & body pocket countour. And looks damn hard to sand the neck off at the edges to match perfectly. I need one of those huge gibson neck belt sanders!

Then I can clamp & drill the new holes- but the neck must be hand in glove fit first.. not an easy prospect. Maple looks about as hard as it gets, and clamping it in a vice for sanding? strewth I don't know hiw Im going to do this.

[Richard]

I see your point. Clamp it together and drill through it. It would be a challenge to lay out the holes on the body. Also the body holes act as a guide if you don't have a drill press.

[Richard]

You would drill a hole for the dowel that's slightly larger than the current hole. The dowel should be snug fit.

[Sea Chief]

Dammit- new neck hole positions centrepoints marked. Two are just about ok IE I can drill a 3mm hole & it will just maybe touch the edge of the filled 4mm dowel.

But other two (nearest headstock) are overlapping the old filled holes: so I'll be drilling half into the dowel. That doesn't sound good does it?

[Sea Chief]

You would drill a hole for the dowel that's slightly larger than the current hole. The dowel should be snug fit.

This bit all done ok, thanks Richard.

[Paleo Pete]

If the dowels are glued in well you should have no real problems drilling into them. It's the neck, not the body, that is critical. The holes in the body should be slightly larger than the screws, so the screws only hold the neck, that way you don't have problems with the neck not seating properly in the pocket. That's what someone above was referring to, I can't remember who. Even if you do have to drill into dowels for the neck screws, they should hold up.

Elipsy had a very good point about alignment, I hadn't thought about that.

The biggest problem is alignment of the new screws to the neck screw holes, if it were me I would dowel fill those too and start from scratch. Get the neck in place, put the metal plate where it needs to be and mark the holes. Drill a screw fit hole all the way through body and into neck. This should be a drill size small enough for the screw threads. This is where you have to be very careful about drill depth. I use either a white metal marker or masking tape to mark a definite stopping point. White or yellow metal markers can be found, I'm not sure where, but maybe you could stop in and ask at a machine shop. They use them a lot and should know where to find one. Masking tape will work, as long as you're careful and barely touch the edge of it.

Then remove neck, and drill the through holes in the body, just enlarging the existing smaller ones. If you drill through half the dowel it shouldn't be a big problem, both Titebond and Elmer's are stronger than the wood. I've tried both, take it apart and you'll rip the wood before you break the glue loose.

Hardwood dowels are perfect for a hardwood (maple) neck. I use toothpicks and matches for smaller stuff, like pick guards and strap pegs, for larger holes I use dowels. I like one piece of wood that fits right, not several with glue for filler. I know that will work, I just prefer a proper one piece fit.

To shape the neck heel to fit in the pocket better, maybe start with the fine side of a wood rasp. Maple is hard, 60 or 80 grit can sand it but will still take a while, I did it with a walnut rifle stock a couple of years ago. It takes ages...I ended up with a wood rasp then finished with sandpaper, since this was a rifle stock I went up to 400 grit for finish. With the guitar heel you can probably do fine going no finer than 180 or 220 grit. That will leave a decent finish, pretty smooth, and it's not in a location that requires the kind of finish you need on the body. Always sand with the grain of the wood when possible. Clean off all sanding dust well, especially if you need to paint it.

[Sea Chief]

Paleo Pete- great info, thanks so much.

Its a little tricky knowing whether the neck heel (although its -very- slightly differently shaped to the squier's) is sitting in the pocket ok, or indeed if its slighty out of kilter. I get a slight 2mm gap at the scratchplate meeting point, near the last fret/ heel end.. & could see if the same gap there with the squier (and so just fine as is/ crack on & drill 4 new holes) IF it wasnt a rosewood type with the sticky-outy extra bit of fretboard over the scratchplate hiding any same 2mm gap, or flush as it may be.

Once I have it set to drill, and my holes I'd still prefer were at least only touching the edge of the dowel: what about enlarging the body holes by say 2mm.. so I could then sit the 3mm drillbit for the new 4 holes into the enlarged body holes -away- from the dowel areas a few priceless mm's more. This means Id have the 4mm wide (inc thread) large bolts clamping the neckplate on with a fair old gap around the rear side of the bolts, in each of their body holes.

Is that wise? or, just drill the new neck holes 2 of which are 1/2 on the dowel tops, with the bolts sitting perfectly in the body holes? (Im not sure Id get an ideal alround joint with the fairly significantly enlarged body holes, would I?)

[Dave H]

Its a little tricky knowing whether the neck heel (although its -very- slightly differently shaped to the squier's) is sitting in the pocket ok, or indeed if its slighty out of kilter. I get a slight 2mm gap at the scratchplate meeting point

I'd check the "kilter" by fitting the E strings to see how they line up with the edges of the fingerboard. Also check that the distance from nut to 12 fret is equal to the 12 fret to bridge distance (the 2mm gap may be "correct"). If both check out mark and drill the holes in the neck where they need to be. Don't worry about where they are on the dowels. It will be OK.

[Sea Chief]

I'd check the "kilter" by fitting the E strings to see how they line up with the edges of the fingerboard. Also check that the distance from nut to 12 fret is equal to the 12 fret to bridge distance (the 2mm gap may be "correct"). If both check out mark and drill the holes in the neck where they need to be. Don't worry about where they are on the dowels. It will be OK.

Ok Dave H understood. The same last fret point I marked on the scratchplate is maximum only Id say 1mm different (further -out- with the new neck)..which implies maybe the neck could be shaped to null this 1mm difference, but a heck of a lot of work, & if the neck fits reasonably well as it certainly does/ prob best to go as is do you think? I can easy just nip each saddle fwd 1mm.

[Sea Chief]

Im not sure how crucial the mating of the neck heel spot-on-perfect to the body pocket is to the fundamental sustain/ solidity of the sound is my point ^ really you see.

[Dave H]

Im not sure how crucial the mating of the neck heel spot-on-perfect to the body pocket is to the fundamental sustain/ solidity of the sound is my point ^ really you see.

When you've had to shim the neck (to tilt it back say) did the sound change? Because it won't be spot-on-perfect when it's shimmed.