Fill holes and redrill or file away some wood?

Demon_Hunter · #1 09-17-2009, 10:41 AM

I have an SX Fretless(SJB-62QMD)
and I got a replacement fretted maple/maple neck to put on it. When I went to screw in the bolts the holes from the body into the neck don't exactly line up and when you bolt it down the neck goes off kilter a tad. Also, the neck doesn't fit as snug into the neck pocket as the other neck I have. Which accounts for the neck holes and body holes not correctly lining up.

My question is:
Should I drill out the neck holes and fill them with glue and wooden dowels and then redrill them?
The problem with this is I don't have access to a drill press to make sure the holes are perfect.

Or, should I file away some of the wood on either the neck or the neck pocket so it fits snug?

Thanks!!

Jazzdogg · #2 09-17-2009, 10:49 AM

The first thing I'd do is make sure the neck fits the pocket properly; only then would I address the screw holes.

Neither a drill press nor perfection are required to fill the old screw holes. Just dip some wooden matchsticks or toothpicks into some glue and stuff 'em into the screw holes until full. When the glue has cured, a few swipes with a sharp chisel will bring the matchsticks flush with the surrounding surface.

Edit to add: fill the holes in the neck and use the existing holes in the body.

dblbass · #3 09-17-2009, 11:05 AM

Take wood out of the body, not the neck. Also, I'd drill and plug the neck with dowels. Be careful when you redrill the holes because the bit will have a tendency to go intonthe softer dowel rather than the maple ( that's if the new holes are partially on the old
one )

THand · #4 09-17-2009, 11:22 AM

Fill the holes in the neck with a dowel.

put the E and G strings on,

place the neck in the pocket.

clamp to center-line of bass, using the outside strings to be sure of placement.

flip bass over and use the screws to mark the neck by screwing them through the body, and letting them indent where they contact the neck.

Remove neck, and carefully redrill holes, using the indentions as a centermark for the holes. Also put tape around your drill bit to mark how deep you want to drill, so you don't drill too deep and go into the fingerboard.

Blow any sawdust out of the holes, and bolt the neck back to the body. If done correctly, you should have a perfect centerline from the body to the neck.

Jim C · #5 09-17-2009, 03:03 PM

I'm with THand
No need to remove material when you can re-fit the original

Steveaux · #6 09-17-2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

The first thing I'd do is make sure the neck fits the pocket properly; only then would I address the screw holes.

Neither a drill press nor perfection are required to fill the old screw holes. Just dip some wooden matchsticks or toothpicks into some glue and stuff 'em into the screw holes until full. When the glue has cured, a few swipes with a sharp chisel will bring the matchsticks flush with the surrounding surface.

Edit to add: fill the holes in the body and use the existing holes in the neck.

I'm curious as to how you intend to find the holes in the neck once you've filled the body holes.

Transfer screws ?

Jazzdogg · #7 09-17-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steveaux

I'm curious as to how you intend to find the holes in the neck once you've filled the body holes.

Transfer screws ?

Thanks for the heads-up - fixed it - that's what happens when I type faster than I think!

johhn smith · #8 09-17-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

Thanks for the heads-up - fixed it - that's what happens when I type faster than I think!

not that it matters much to me, but this still doesn't really make sense to me. plug the (through ) body holes and use the ( blind ) holes on the neck. i assume then that you'll be re - drilling the body holes once the neck has been fitted. if i am not reading this right then i apologize, but this sounds backwards.

Jazzdogg · #9 09-17-2009, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johhn smith

not that it matters much to me, but this still doesn't really make sense to me. plug the (through ) body holes and use the ( blind ) holes on the neck. i assume then that you'll be re - drilling the body holes once the neck has been fitted. if i am not reading this right then i apologize, but this sounds backwards.

Sorry for the confusion. The OP said the the neck doesn't fit the neck pocket properly and the screw holes in the neck and body aren't aligned with one another. If his bass is like the bolt-ons I own, the screws go through holes in the body and anchor in the back of the neck.

If the neck doesn't fit the pocket properly, that's the first thing I'd fix. The next thing I'd do is fill the holes in the back of the neck so the screws that go through the body don't exert unwanted forces if they find their way through the body and into misaligned holes.

With the neck properly fitted in the pocket, I'd use the through-holes in the body to mark the position of the new holes to be drilled in the neck. Drill new holes. Insert screws. Done.

johhn smith · #10 09-18-2009, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

Sorry for the confusion. The OP said the the neck doesn't fit the neck pocket properly and the screw holes in the neck and body aren't aligned with one another. If his bass is like the bolt-ons I own, the screws go through holes in the body and anchor in the back of the neck.

If the neck doesn't fit the pocket properly, that's the first thing I'd fix. The next thing I'd do is fill the holes in the back of the neck so the screws that go through the body don't exert unwanted forces if they find their way through the body and into misaligned holes.

With the neck properly fitted in the pocket, I'd use the through-holes in the body to mark the position of the new holes to be drilled in the neck. Drill new holes. Insert screws. Done.

thanks, that makes sense and is exactly the way i would do it as well.