HOW TO REMOVE A BOLT ON GUITAR NECK

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[dbrown]

I would have never thought of using a screwdriver. You are genius, thank you!

[castleanthrax]

The technical expertise required, is beyond my capabilities. 😢

[Metoobie]

I know there are a lot of jokes, but a lot of people don't know if there is some sort of adhesive involved, or other concerns because they haven't done it before. One thing that I might add as a woodworker, is when you re-attach the neck, move every screw in the same diagonal pattern down gradually until you feel resistance. I try to keep every screw as close to the same "altitude" as possible until snug. I like doing it by hand (at least the last bit of turning), because you want the screw torque to be as even as possible. If you decide to do this with a power tool, try to leave the last bit of turning each screw, especially on an older guitar or a guitar where the body and the neck have different reactions to expansion and contraction. You want each screw to be exerting the same amount of force as much as possible as to mate the surfaces as evenly as possible and not introduce any gaps. If I have a gap that even a thin piece of paper will fit into, I've added shellac to the joint to minimize wood movement due to relative humidity. You also want to avoid over-torquing a screw and shredding the wood that the screw is trying to hold onto. Not an impossible fix, but an extremely laborious one.

[edwinstovall]

I'm not saying that this was a waste of time -- because I'm sure someone somewhere will find value in the information presented here -- but this is literally one of the most easy operations one can do on a guitar. I did this operation, plus its re-mounting reverse, on my very first guitar while I was still in my teens with barely a Phillips screwdriver to work with. I might have borrowed THAT one from my father. It is truly THAT hard to mess this up. This is where, when and how I began my journey into guitar tech-dom. (Or is it "tech-ery?") I took the neck off the body and then put it back on -- then I tried to find any differences. Did I find any? I don't remember, but I didn't kill the guitar, which was the real lesson. I began losing my fear of working on guitars that day. I never dreamed that one day I'd look back on that day from the standpoint of someone who since has taken a pawn shop prize with a broken neck and has turned that casualty into an axe that's not only playable, but represents the apex of my modification talents. I took this guitar farther than any other. The next time I undertake a mod of this magnitude, I'll purchase what I need to make sure that I need to cut no wood to install everything, which I did have to do to that one guitar. Still, it is a success that forms a very playable instrument that is someone less objectionable to most eyes than some of Eddie Van Halen's stage guitars. I could go on, and I'd like to, but the bottom line is that a successful neck removal and replacement is an EXCELLENT way to begin the trip to guitar knowledge. Got a guitar with a neck that screws on? Look at the neck joint screws, identify what you need to manipulate them, get that tool (or those tools -- ?) and do it. Loosen the strings (remove or not as you please), snatch the neck off like Landon showed us, then go back the other way to get the neck back on. While you've got it off, you can have a good look at what's in there. Might even be something in there yo wish wasn't there. Dirt and such. Go ahead and clean it out. Anything else just leave. That's something else, and you can get to that later. Just reverse course and put everything but the dirt back the way it was. That's it! It literally takes more time to type than to do!

[Louie_n_Poppy]

So educational. You gave me the confidence to attempt this myself. Thanks for this!

[joshua]

I’m lost after removing the 3rd bolt. Can you make a part 2 plz

[chrisghiardi]

Most of these less expensive imports are built with a cost cutting method where the screws actually cut into/screw through the body wood. Opening up the holes in the body so the screws just pass through the body rather than cut into the body wood is more like traditional MIA Fender construction.

[mkrntn]

But Landon, how do you decide which one to screw off first?

[richardjohnson]

At the end, last part, after getting all the screw bolts out, you said, you just pull it out of the thing. This is where i got stuck, because i've done a few searches, but not really found any further help on where the thing bit is. Can you please help?
Edit, i left it a while and when i came back it seemed to have un-thinged itself. A few scratches on bits and bobs now but they will buff out i hopes.
Ok, so we got there. Thanks.
Think it might have helped to use a capo or 2 on the long bit to keep things tidy? Should strings be loosened a little or best to leave tight so it can auto un thing like mine did?
Would you mind putting a dayglo arrow to highlight the thing bit too?
When will you be posting the part 2 about putting it back in the ting, and how to put the screws back in, please?

[canyonproductions]

Its funny how I was always scared to do this until I started modding guitars a few years back 😂

[iamdjsluggo]

😂😂😂
Was like “what Robert Bolton doing here? He doesn’t play guitar “!!!

[traynelly]

Now the tricky part is putting the on neck bolt back off to on. Ur welcom

[nickp]

First of all, it's important to learn the difference between a screw and a bolt

[kurtcobain]

As a carpenter, this is beyond my knowledge.

[billclinton]

Can you do this but for neck through bodies

[luisvillarreal]

Wait, your going to fast. Nevermind, I’ll just hit replay until I can figure it out. Wish me luck. 😂

[Cruzaman]

Always thought it was funny how it’s called a “bolt on” neck. But yet it uses screws and not bolts.

[dabblesonguitar]

Instructions unclear, in my case only the body came off

[garyleppla]

Bro, , Those Are Screws, , Not Bolts...

[brianbeers]

Which bolt on on the neck is the first one I need to work on