overtightened neck screws- neck plate loose

jorri156 · #1 04-08-2009, 07:58 AM

The neck screws on my jazz bass have been overtightened, and have caused the back plate on one of the screws to come loose as the ring that is held by the screws has been worn down too far.

I hope i havent wrecked my neck; it seems to play the same, at the moment, though i couldnt comment on sustain, as i was shifting the neck to the side as it was off centre anyway.
Do i just need a new plate now? is there anything stronger perhaps?

And how tight do the screws need to be? i was under the impression that it was tight as possible without forcing too much, but this has happened.
Its a 2007 MIM standard if that helps.

thanks, hope someone ha the answer to this!

xaxxat · #2 04-08-2009, 08:49 AM

Check out this thread:

Installation of threaded neck bold inserts

jorri156 · #3 04-08-2009, 10:55 AM

thanks, but i'm not sure if inserts counter the problem, or how.

to be more concise the neck plate has slipped through the screws and is not flush.

i dont think the screw thread has stripped as it still moves up and down, rather than spinning without movement as i have had a lot on scratchplate and strap screws. I may take out the screws to check, though if its not going to get me in a complete mess with having to reinstall the neck.

may be a shop job.

xaxxat · #4 04-08-2009, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorri156

thanks, but i'm not sure if inserts counter the problem, or how.

to be more concise the neck plate has slipped through the screws and is not flush.

i dont think the screw thread has stripped as it still moves up and down, rather than spinning without movement as i have had a lot on scratchplate and strap screws. I may take out the screws to check, though if its not going to get me in a complete mess with having to reinstall the neck.

may be a shop job.

My bad - I thought the screws were loose. Are you saying the screw head had gone through the plate?

santucci218 · #5 04-08-2009, 01:41 PM

i think he is saying that because they were overtightened that they are now stripped and will not hold tension.

a little woodglue and a lot of toothpicks!

Downlowd · #6 04-08-2009, 01:45 PM

I think they misunderstood and thought the screws would turn but not tighten.... Sounds like the screw was tightened so much that is pulled through the neckplate. Get a new neckplate and four new screws and you will be fine. good luck.

jorri156 · #7 04-08-2009, 03:51 PM

Quote:

I think they misunderstood and thought the screws would turn but not tighten.... Sounds like the screw was tightened so much that is pulled through the neckplate. Get a new neckplate and four new screws and you will be fine. good luck.

this.
thanks, will do no knowing there is no permanent damage.

jorri156 · #8 04-09-2009, 09:31 AM

sorry to bump this thread:

1.
the neck is now off, and i noticed a shim was in place in the bridge side.
i was having problems with buzzes on the high frets, and there was barely any clearance with the next fret when fretting. also i got lower notes clanking against the last fret. when setting up i needed ridiculous action to sort this out. and it feel like the neck wasnt at a comfortably straight angle in relation to the body.

should i just scrap it? or will it cause any other problems?

2.
the reason i destroyed the neck plate in the first place was trying to move the neck to the bass side. is there anything i can do to achieve this further, as it was not quite in the right place.
I dont see how a neck can shift when its screwed in, but would sanding a side off the neck pocket and making sure its all level help?

3.
and another thing- what can i do to protect the screw threads when screwing up again. would it be safe to use a bit of wood filler as a safeguard?
i hopefully wouldnt be taking the neck off regualrly. i'm just worried if i might have to mess about with shims.

Pilgrim · #9 04-09-2009, 03:42 PM

Shims are your friends. They're a legitimate tool and they're used in thousands of basses - often from the factory.

If you have decent wood to screw into, just don't kill the screws and you'll avoid stripping them out. DO get a new neck plate...they're cheap.

DO NOT start sanding. Most bolt-on necks can easily be shifted from side to side in order to move the strings left and right. Take advantage of that...you only have to loosen the screws a little to shift the neck.

Play with the shim. The principle is easy - it's a lever that changes the angle of the neck relative to the body. I've used a folded-over business card more than once for a shim.

xgator4u · #10 04-10-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

Shims are your friends. They're a legitimate tool and they're used in thousands of basses - often from the factory.

If you have decent wood to screw into, just don't kill the screws and you'll avoid stripping them out. DO get a new neck plate...they're cheap.

DO NOT start sanding. Most bolt-on necks can easily be shifted from side to side in order to move the strings left and right. Take advantage of that...you only have to loosen the screws a little to shift the neck.

Play with the shim. The principle is easy - it's a lever that changes the angle of the neck relative to the body. I've used a folded-over business card more than once for a shim.

YUP to all of the above, and if the screw holes themselves are stripped/wallered out in the wood, jam toothpicks dipped in wood glue to fill in the holes, then put the screws back in.