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Installing a neck

Wxp4759cb

Wxp4759cb

Nov 23, 2000
1,025
132
42
Columbia, MO
#1
This seems simple enough but I thought I should check before I do it. I need to install a new neck on my jazz bass. Both the neck and the body are already drilled. I assume that all I have to do is get a neck plate with 4 screws and screw it on...?? Is it really that simple or am I missing something? I don't want to do any damage to the body.
 
#2
Chris Braddock said:
This seems simple enough but I thought I should check before I do it. I need to install a new neck on my jazz bass. Both the neck and the body are already drilled. I assume that all I have to do is get a neck plate with 4 screws and screw it on...?? Is it really that simple or am I missing something? I don't want to do any damage to the body.
Click to expand...

Four screws and a plate is correct as far as hardware goes. And you would have to do something pretty hamfisted to damage the body.

The important word here is "seems". There is no guarantee that the holes will line up. This is why it is best to order a neck not drilled out.

Clamp the neck to the body using padded cauls. Install the outer strings (E and G on a four string). Check the margin down the bass and treble side of the neck taking care that they are even. Adjust if necessary. Using a drill bit that just slides through the hole in the body spin the bit against the neck. Repeat at each mounting hole. Remove neck and examine. If the bit centered itself in each hole you can install the neck now. If not, they holes must be plugged and the neck drilled to insure proper alignment.

I prefer to drill the holes rather than trust to the factory. I've had too many bad experiences. In the end, it's less work this way.
 
#3
202dy said:
Four screws and a plate is correct as far as hardware goes. And you would have to do something pretty hamfisted to damage the body.

The important word here is "seems". There is no guarantee that the holes will line up. This is why it is best to order a neck not drilled out.

Clamp the neck to the body using padded cauls. Install the outer strings (E and G on a four string). Check the margin down the bass and treble side of the neck taking care that they are even. Adjust if necessary. Using a drill bit that just slides through the hole in the body spin the bit against the neck. Repeat at each mounting hole. Remove neck and examine. If the bit centered itself in each hole you can install the neck now. If not, they holes must be plugged and the neck drilled to insure proper alignment.

I prefer to drill the holes rather than trust to the factory. I've had too many bad experiences. In the end, it's less work this way.
Click to expand...

This is the correct way to do it. By "padded cauls", 202 means that the cauls on the clamp you use should be padded to prevent damage to the fingerboard or bass body. I use a single Quickclamp which have rubber pads on the cauls, fit easily in the awkward space and leave me room to drill, and are easy to clamp with one hand while I tap the neck one way or the other to line it up.

The proper size pilot hole is needed to ensure you don't split the neck wood if too small, or the screw not holding if too big.
 

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