Can't be done...can it?

[JM5150]

This may be a coup even posing the question, but here goes:

Is it possible to switch out a set neck with a bolt on?

I realize that a certain amount of modification would be required: possible (probable) neck pocket shims, drilling the holes for the neck, hell, getting the damn neck off!

I'm sure the first question fired across the bow would be "Why would you want to do that?"

The answer is "um, I don't know"

Just curious if it can be done....

[David McCarroll]

Really the question is "why would you bother?"

Removing a glued in neck would almost certainly destroy the neck, thus rendering half of the instrument worthless, and the advantages of a bolt on neck are of dubious value...

...besides, there are more than a few bolt-on neck guitars out there to choose from as it is.........

[j.arledge]

yes it can be done but isn't easy to do . Somthing about you have to have a clamp device that hold the body in place while the neck is forced up . Somewhere along the way i think you have the heat/steam the neck . I am sure there is a lot more to it then that but ti think that is the general idea of how it is done.

[ChopTart]

why not just get a separate bolt-on?

I don't see why it WOULDN'T be able to be done...but it'd be a LOT of work.

[JM5150]

I pose the question from this angle:

say you have a set neck guitar that, for whatever reason, the neck becomes unplayable (bowing, frets, etc). I'm guessing that a "replacement" set neck is pretty hard to come by (if not impossible), so, considering that replacement bolt ons are fairly easy to acquire, I'm just wondering.....

[ChopTart]

Ohhhh, i dig now. In terms of bowing and frets, there's usually always some kind of mod techs (or you) can do to make it playable again.

Replacement does sound do-able though.

[David McCarroll]

Originally Posted by JM5150

I pose the question from this angle:

say you have a set neck guitar that, for whatever reason, the neck becomes unplayable (bowing, frets, etc). I'm guessing that a "replacement" set neck is pretty hard to come by (if not impossible), so, considering that replacement bolt ons are fairly easy to acquire, I'm just wondering.....

Well, a good luthier/repairperson should be able to correct most bows, and a refret is nothing special in the hands of such a person - a badly broken peghead would be a more likely reason to replace a set neck - bolt on necks will impart a totally different tone to the instrument. Gibson's repair dept do this sort of work every day of the week, and can return a Gibson to you every bit as ordinary as it was the day it left the factory ;^). Also, most set neck guitars have 24.75" or 25" scale lengths, as opposed to the 25.5" scale of a Fender style neck.

[JM5150]

Thanks for all of your insight. I know it's a wierd question that lacks all sense and rationale, but hey, that's me!

[JM5150]

Thanks to everyone who responded. My apologies to the mods; I just realized that this should have gone in the section above this one....