Twisted neck on my RG550 - any hope of repair?

[bikeman]

Well I was planning on taking one of my old RGs to band rehearsal this week to give it an airing. I've not really played it since I bought it a while back, and I tried to set it up tonight. After slackening off the truss rod to get some relief in the neck (there was none) I found this problem



It's like someone's grabbed the headstock and the body to give the neck a twist like a chinese burn

Can this be repaired? Or do I now have a very 80s looking ornament???

[Davey]

Ouch, that's not the one I sold you is it? I certainly wasn't like that when I sold it you because like you know from the Eggle we dealt with, I always make sure to sight the neck as soon as I get to changing the strings.

[bikeman]

Actually Dave, it IS the one you sold me! It's odd becuase I haven't used the guitar much and it's stored in a spare bedroom in the wardrobe. No extreme temperatures etc unlike a loft or garage. Bizarre huh?

I guess it's replacement neck time? Unless there's any way to straighten it????

[Davey]

Wow... not sure what's happened there then. Does it stay like that after tightening the truss?

I'd just take it to a luthier, have the fretboard plained (which will make it look practically new again) and have a re-fret done. Shouldn't cost much at all.

Edit: Just looked back, it was a year and a half ago that I sold you that guitar. Time flies!

[bikeman]

I know - crazy isn't it?

I can tighten the truss, but then I get no relief and it buzzes.

It's quite badly twisted, quite noticeable from the side. I think it's a case of trying to straighten it (some sort of clamp/split arrangement?) or a new neck. The planing/re-fret option won't fix the twisted back of the neck.

I guess this ones the player then and my other is the collectible

[Algiman]

A steam press is probably the only thing that would be able to sort that, but given how easy RG necks are to buy you may as well save money and just replace the neck.

[albee1952]

Just curious if you string it with SKinny Top/ Heavy Bottom strings? I agree, just grab a new neck off the bay. I know several JEM rootbeer models that did the twist but they were all rosewood boards.

[bikeman]

It's strung with regular 10s - Ernie Ball Slinkys.

New neck it is then

[jim777]

Something like that happened to mine, though not as severely. I had it refretted, and then had the frets ground and polished to that the frets were right despite the neck. If you can straighten that a bit you could likely do the same, but a new neck might be the same price. That's a good twist you got there, unfortunately.

[bikeman]

Yeah, it's fairly major.

Replacement necks look like hen's teeth for the old block heel joint though - and the new RG20ths aren't a direct swap over either.

Might have to look at a custom order...

[brothersnowgone]

Originally Posted by bikeman

Yeah, it's fairly major.

Replacement necks look like hen's teeth for the old block heel joint though - and the new RG20ths aren't a direct swap over either.

Might have to look at a custom order...

He said it was an old RG, so it's not that hard to find a replacement neck for it.

[bikeman]

Thanks for all the advice folks.

I've just spoken to my local luthier on the phone and he's suggested a "heat and clamp" treatment, which he has done before. I've used him for other (more minor) work in the past and he's done an excellent job so I feel I can trust him with this. He says a full setup and neck treatment is going to cost me about £90 so I'm going to give that a go. I really hope he can save the original neck as it's so superb to play.

Fingers crossed....

[jazzedout]

Good luck! I certainly hope you can fix it!

[Batchimp RG]

Good luck, man. Let us know. £90 to have it repaired (as new, hopefully) is not that bad....and, hopefully, it will be done quickly.

[Ayrton]

You may be able to send it back to Ibanez, and but a replacement neck direct.