Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
Moderator: jingle_jangle
-
- New member
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 9:28 pm
Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
Hey y'all.
I've been struggling with this stupid thing since I've owned it. It's a '91 or something. I've had it for maybe 5 years?
Nevermind the Sunn. That's the best photo I could find of it without trying too hard.
Anyway, so, the problem is this: We all know how truss rods (dual or single or triple or whatever) are supposed to work. Their range of adjustment typically goes...
These are exaggerated drawings but we get the idea, right? Forward bow, back bow. That's it.
But mine...
(you guys know where this is going)
I've tried everything. Played with different string gauges, brands, tunings, and setting the guitar up appropriately for each one. Same thing happens. I've tried getting used to it and just accepting it the way it is. Well, that just means I don't play it because it's impossible.
I even took the strings off, loosened the truss rods completely, let it sit overnight, clamped it to the straightest, stiffest piece of metal I could find (overnight as well), slowly snugged up the truss rod nuts, restrung with just a six-string set of 9's only to see how the neck will respond, and it's the same problem.
See, look
It can be set up with either 1) wayyyyyy too much forward bow in the neck and miserably high action or 2) low-ish action as long as I don't play past the 5th fret or 3) lower action as long as I never play below the 5th fret or past the 12th and am ok with being horribly out of tune.
Of course, I can't intonate the thing, even with a 12 saddle bridge. Gotta have a straight neck to accurately do that.
What else is there to do, other than sell it as a project guitar for 40% of what they go for, at best? What causes this? I know it's not the most unusual thing.
I'm tempted to do that anyway, but I'll accept any insight before making that decision.
What do y'all think?
I've been struggling with this stupid thing since I've owned it. It's a '91 or something. I've had it for maybe 5 years?
Nevermind the Sunn. That's the best photo I could find of it without trying too hard.
Anyway, so, the problem is this: We all know how truss rods (dual or single or triple or whatever) are supposed to work. Their range of adjustment typically goes...
These are exaggerated drawings but we get the idea, right? Forward bow, back bow. That's it.
But mine...
(you guys know where this is going)
I've tried everything. Played with different string gauges, brands, tunings, and setting the guitar up appropriately for each one. Same thing happens. I've tried getting used to it and just accepting it the way it is. Well, that just means I don't play it because it's impossible.
I even took the strings off, loosened the truss rods completely, let it sit overnight, clamped it to the straightest, stiffest piece of metal I could find (overnight as well), slowly snugged up the truss rod nuts, restrung with just a six-string set of 9's only to see how the neck will respond, and it's the same problem.
See, look
It can be set up with either 1) wayyyyyy too much forward bow in the neck and miserably high action or 2) low-ish action as long as I don't play past the 5th fret or 3) lower action as long as I never play below the 5th fret or past the 12th and am ok with being horribly out of tune.
Of course, I can't intonate the thing, even with a 12 saddle bridge. Gotta have a straight neck to accurately do that.
What else is there to do, other than sell it as a project guitar for 40% of what they go for, at best? What causes this? I know it's not the most unusual thing.
I'm tempted to do that anyway, but I'll accept any insight before making that decision.
What do y'all think?
- sloop_john_b
- Rick-a-holic
- Posts: 13836
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:00 am
-
- New member
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 9:28 pm
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
Heat it while clamped straight? Am I understanding this correctly? I'm curious how that would help, what problem that would correct. Have you had that done to one of yours?sloop_john_b wrote:Heat treatment perhaps?
- kennyhowes
- Veteran RRF member
- Posts: 4908
- Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 1:03 am
- Contact:
-
- New member
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 9:28 pm
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
Those are a LOT cheaper than I would've imagined.
- 8mileshigher
- Senior Member
- Posts: 4871
- Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 12:34 pm
Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
I think there were some heat-treatment mentions in a thread of a restoration that Mark Walker was working on before...
- kennyhowes
- Veteran RRF member
- Posts: 4908
- Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 1:03 am
- Contact:
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
...or, I'll offer 40% of the going rate.
- kennyhowes
- Veteran RRF member
- Posts: 4908
- Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 1:03 am
- Contact:
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
Did you try replacing the rods?
- lumgimfong
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 704
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:57 pm
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
So whatever happened? Fixed?
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
that's one heck of a zombie thread bump... are you having a similar issue? S-curves are very bad news!!!
- lumgimfong
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 704
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:57 pm
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
No but once I saw a Mapleglo at a shop that had it. So I'm curious how the fix is done.
Maybe remove strings and rods. Hang on a guitar hanger for a month or so and then put new rods in and see what happens.
Disclaimer:
I am not a luthier or repairman. Have no idea how to fix.
Maybe remove strings and rods. Hang on a guitar hanger for a month or so and then put new rods in and see what happens.
Disclaimer:
I am not a luthier or repairman. Have no idea how to fix.
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
I can't imagine what new rods could do that the old ones didn't, unless there's an issue with the threads.
S-neck is indeed very bad news.
S-neck is indeed very bad news.
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
I used to have a 4002 with an S curve. Pick of the Ricks got it out... I think he used a combination of new rods and steam or pressure or something. Or maybe a heavier E string. I can't remember. I was so happy he fixed it!
- lumgimfong
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 704
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:57 pm
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
What causes the neck to "s"?
Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience
Don't know. Wood's a such strange, inconsistent thing, even within one tree, or one neck!