What is the best way to drill neck holes in new body.....

SilverSurfer2 · #1 04-13-2003, 09:09 PM

I just bought an Ibanez neck that has the neck screw holes drilled, and i want to use the neck to fit a guitar body that i just made on my own.....I need some advice on the best way to drill the neck pocket holes on my body so that they line up exactly with the holes already drilled on the ibanez neck??

I was thinking about patching up the drilled holes on the neck with dowels and then drill the holes on my body......fit the neck, clamp it, and then mark
the drill holes for the neck.......this way, i'm sure to line the holes up just right.

If there is a better way to do this, let me know!!

Rich · #2 04-13-2003, 09:15 PM

Hmmm, reverse engineering from the neck pocket side. Couple options. You could whittle down a pencil till it fits in the hole with just enough lead protuding to make the mark. Or you could cut an 8-10 penny nail down to do the same thing.

SilverSurfer2 · #3 04-13-2003, 09:33 PM

I would probably try the nail thing over the pencil if i were to do it the reverse way. The only thing i have against the reverse engineering options is the accuracy of the marks. I would have to be careful when i'm fitting the neck...not to make a mark where it's not supposed to be........during the fitting. This is the only worry i'd have with it. The neck has a nice fit.....not too tight and not to loose. I'd have to use some force, not a lot, to fit the neck snug in the pocket,

If i stuck with my original process of patching up the neck holes......then i would feel more comfortable being able to fit the neck in the pocket as best as i could: snug up against the walls of the pocket and the floor of the pocket....and then secure it with clamps. this way i can mark the holes accurately. I just want to get it right the first time, and not have to patch up holes that i don't want to.

Rich · #4 04-13-2003, 09:39 PM

A dowell should be the last option, you'd be surprised at how lousy holding power it has, the grain is running the wrong way.

SilverSurfer2 · #5 04-13-2003, 09:49 PM

I'll try the penny nail method then

and then see if i can eliminate the dowel option

ScottB · #6 04-13-2003, 11:27 PM

When I bought my Warmoth body, The neck had already been drilled for a Kramer body that I used for a while.

To match the holes, I broke the tips off of 4 brand new black Crayola crayons. I stuck the crayon tips into the holes of the neck so that they protruded about 1/8". I slowly mated the two together until the crayon tips were just touching the body. When I was satisfied with the location, I just mashed the 2 together. When I pulled the neck back off, I had 4 black dots to mark the holes. I removed the crayon pieces with a straight pin.

Maybe Rich's nail idea would have been simpler.

frankfalbo · #7 04-14-2003, 12:40 PM

I take four pickguard screws, because they are the right size to fill the hole but not be loose. First I countersink the neck holes a little bit, because that is a sound practice anyway. It insures against lifting wood particles blocking the neck from a tight fit. So the pickguard screws are self centering with the countersink in place. When I put the neck in and press, using only hand pressure, not a mallet, it leaves four reverse phillips marks. Then, "X marks the spot!" It is easier to center your drill bit because the center of the X is level and flat. You also can tell if your drill bit is walking to one side, because the markings are still there. They also make dowel centers, too. They are little inserts that are sized for the hole. You put them in, and they do the same thing, only they have a little point. Because your mark is a point, it disappears as soon as you begin to drill your hole. So you can't tell if the bit walked or not.

Do not dowel your neck holes. That's all I have to say about that.

Here's another tip: drill two of the holes just large enough that the neck screw slides through the body freely. Drill the other two smaller so the screw has to thread the body. Install the loose ones first. Then when they are tight and the neck is in nice and flush, install the two others. They will thread the body and the neck, and lock your neck in place. This greatly reduces or eliminates neck movement.

littlegreenman · #8 04-14-2003, 03:00 PM

or you could do it the easy way.

cover the neck heel with a piece of tracing paper, cut the outside edges to match the neck heel, mark the holes on the tracing paper, the put the piece of tracing paper in the neck pocket upside down like it was on the neck and you put the neck in, and transfer your holes. As long as your neck fits good in the pocket, your holes will line up perfectly every time. Unlike using pickguard screws or something like that, if you are sure to accurately cut the holes in the paper to match the neck, you can measure to find exact center, screws in the neck holes could tilt and be off center. Not that it matters, you want your holes in the body slightly loose anyway to allow for some adjustment, plus, if your screws are threading in the body holes, you'll never have the neck suck in tight, the screws should be free turning in the body, they are a clearance hole for the neck screws, you only want them threading into the neck.

Rich · #9 04-14-2003, 03:34 PM

I love this board, all these methods I would have never thought of at 12:30am

frankfalbo · #10 04-14-2003, 05:49 PM

As I was saying, that's why you countersink the neck holes. It centers the screw automatically, and insures tight contact. Also, there are lots of Ibanez guitars and other brands that do thread the body slightly. I don't like it for the same reason you don't. It doesn't really let the neck lock tightly against the neck pocket. It's my fault, I didn't explain that the two screw holes that are loose are opposing, not next to eachother. Usually I will open up the treble/neck side and the bass/body side. But once those two are screwed in tight, it's okay to thread the other two. With the countersunk neck holes, the screw locks the joint in place. You don't thread the body holes as tight as the neck holes, though. Just so there's a little threading going on.

SilverSurfer2 · #11 04-14-2003, 06:41 PM

It just amazes me how many ways you can go about doing something....at least now i know how many options i have should i ever have to face the same situation.

I don't have trace paper, i do have pickguard screws and i probably don't have penny nails........i think i'll try the pickguard screws. Don't want to go to the store right now, Traffic is heavy and i don't want to be in it

Pickguard screws it is!!
Thanks for all the suggestions and tips