Neck bolts stripped - repairable?

[Mr. Pickles]

UPS did a number on my 2004 5 string Fender Am Dlx Jazz. The forwardmost neck holes are stripped out. Is there any way to repair this?

[SurferJoe46]

Threaded nut-serts or dowels, drilled and then the original screws seem to be the best option.

Be sure to back-charge the handler for the damage - and document everything with pixs and bills, etc.

Be sure to check for pocket cracks and hidden damage too.

Did you already inform them of the possible claim?

[RustyAxe]

Two common ways. The holes can be drilled out, a plug cut to fit the holes (with a plug cutter is best, but a dowel can be used although not as strong), a new hole drilled and tapped. Or ... the holes can be drilled to accomodate a threaded insert.

Unless you really know what you're doing, have a good luthier tackle the job. And get a complete setup while he has your axe. The neck may need to be shimmed, for example. Whole job shouldn't be more than $100.

[Mr. Pickles]

UPS is supposedly handling the claim, but its been a few weeks and they have yet to contact me to inspect the damage. I have a thread going on that subject.

In the meantime, I'm without a backup instrument and I'd like to try and get this repaired. Would the inserts be strong enough to hold up to several years of use? I'd really like to not have to buy any more basses. If it's a temporary fix, I'd rather just claim the whole thing as a loss.

[phmike]

I would not consider the inserts a temporary fix and they will be plenty strong enough to do the job for a very long time. Some folks think they are an improvement over using just wood screws into the neck.

[walterw]

be sure to get steel rather than brass threaded inserts.

assuming no other damage, inserts done right are rock solid.

[Mr. Pickles]

Good to know. Thanks for all the input. I'll be sending the bass along to luthier Bill Merchant if he is available for repairs.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by phmike

I would not consider the inserts a temporary fix and they will be plenty strong enough to do the job for a very long time. Some folks think they are an improvement over using just wood screws into the neck.

They are absolutely superior to woodscrews!

Caveat: I use 1/4-20 machine screws/threaded inserts, which have an enormous torque advantage over the more commonly used 8-32s.

I like "button head" bolts, that tighten with an allen wrench, low profile, use them w/ existing neckplate.

[Pilgrim]

Here's the "how-to" on installing inserts that I posted:

Installing threaded inserts (insert nuts) on a neck (long)

[Mr. Pickles]

Thanks, Pilgrim. I don't have the tools or skill, so hopefully Bill Merchant is available.

[Pilgrim]

If I had to do this fast, I'd drill the base of the neck and plug it, then just pilot drill for new screws. You DO have to make accurate holes for the wood plugs, though.

[ThrashMaster]

If youre using wood screws instead of inserts what type of screws you use matters ALOT. Most of the screws that manufacturers use are threaded all the way up, so that the threads are just touching the holes of the body. A much better option (although almost impossible to find) is to use screws that are only threaded where they go into the neck and have an unthreaded 'throat' as wide as the threads. This makes for a much more stable joint as the throat of the screw is in contact with the clearance holes through the body all the way up and wont cut into it.

Many screw manufacturers do custom orders of surprisingly small numbers (around 1000), so if its something your really care about you can get what you want without too huge of an outlay....and youll have neck bolts for you and all or your buddies for the rest of eternity. All my stuff has stainless steel screws with torx heads...take that fender! haha

[Caca de Kick]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

If it's a temporary fix, I'd rather just claim the whole thing as a loss.

Dude! this is a typical everyday repair for a luthier. This really does happen alot.
You can go either way: dowel and re-drill to use the original wood screws, or drill and install machine threaded inserts and new screws. Either way is an inexpensive job.

[Mr. Pickles]

Cool. Bill is going to do it. I'll report back on the results.

[Turnaround]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

Cool. Bill is going to do it. I'll report back on the results.

You are in good hands. The result will be good as new - maybe better.

[phmike]

Originally Posted by JLS

They are absolutely superior to woodscrews!

Caveat: I use 1/4-20 machine screws/threaded inserts, which have an enormous torque advantage over the more commonly used 8-32s.

I like "button head" bolts, that tighten with an allen wrench, low profile, use them w/ existing neckplate.

I should have clarified my statement a bit. I know they are structurally superior to wood screws but what I should have said was some folks think the inserts improve the sound of the instrument and some do not. See this thread about A/B'ing the sound before/after inserts:
Threaded Inserts (Steel) - TONE A/B TEST

I put steel thread inserts (for 1/4-20 machine screws) in my SX fretless and used stainless button head/allen head screws. Because I also changed strings and pots while doing it I can not give a before/after sound report (relevant to the inserts) but I do feel good about how tight the neck is attached to the body now and the bass sounds better than before the changes.

[Mr. Pickles]

So, Bill threw in some maple dowels to shim the holes and fixed the two stripped neck bolts free of charge in about 30 seconds. He'll be keeping the bass this week to glue and putty the splintered tip of the headstock and give the bass a nice setup. I'll post before and after pics soon.

[Caminante]

Just had the same problem on my SX. Waiting for the pics

btw any videos out there that show how the proper repair is done?