Twisted Neck

winston · Post by **winston** » Tue May 30, 2006 7:45 am

Curmudge,

My 360V64 has had a twist in the neck near the headstock towards the high E string side ever since I bought it (second hand). It does not affect the playability at all but I would like to straighten it out. In order to compensate for the twist, the bridge height has been increased on the treble side to give me a bit more clearance up at the top of the neck. I can post some pics (this evening) if indeed you need them to in order to assist.

Hopefully you have a procedure that I could use to get it straightened out. Right now the neck has a small amount of relief that I need for my playing style. FYI I do have a small amount of experience performing neck adjustments, but not on instruments that utilize a double truss rod system.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue May 30, 2006 8:41 am

Depending on how bad this is, it should either be left alone or placed with a competent luthier for a heat and clamp treatment.
If the neck has even relief, and the truss rods are neither slack nor cranked way up, chances are that this is the best solution.

I'd unstring it and remove all tension from the rods to evaluate how the neck sits naturally before doing anything.

If it's not too bad, I'd leave it.

winston · Post by **winston** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:15 am

More than anything Paul it just bugs me. We don't have any luthiers or any instrument technicians in these parts that I would trust with my instrument. In fact most people in the music business here have never held a Rickenbacker in their hands. I have promised the proprietors of a prominent local music shop the opportunity to play two of mine, since they ask me every time I go in there if I have one with me.

As you suggest, I'll probably just leave it as is.

Perhaps if I decide to go to see my relatives next summer in Oregon I'll head down to California and get you to make the necessary adjustments.

Thanks for taking the time to consider a solution for me.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:23 am

If you are going down to Oregon, Brian, do contact Dale Fortune, who is in the Portland area. As you probably know, Dale used to work at RIC and is quite familiar with this type of repair.

I mention this because it would save you a 500 mile drive from Portland down to SF.

Dale can be reached at: [email protected].

winston · Post by **winston** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:35 am

I have Aitch coming here this summer so it will be next summer if I decide to head down that way.

I did not realize that Dale lives in the Portland area. My relatives are in Gresham. So that would work well for me. I will likely go to California anyway, since we also have relatives and friends there.

Thanks again.