How to Install Threaded Inserts on a Bolt-On Guitar Neck (EZ LOK) **UPDATED**

0:00 Parts Used & Tool Setup
0:50 Initial Setup & Checking for Level
3:12 Drilling the Holes
5:56 Threading in the Inserts
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HOW TO INSTALL A BOLT-ON NECK:
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• How to Install a Bolt-...
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CLEARING THE NECK POCKET HOLES:
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• Bolt-On Neck SECRET | ...
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DOWEL CENTER MARKING JIG
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• Dowel Center Marking Jig
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Using a 10-24 or 10-32 bolt will require a significantly bigger pilot hole and get even closer to the edge of the neck -- it'll work, but in my opinion, is not necessary, and gets uncomfortably close to the edges of the neck.
I've been doing this on all of my personal guitars, as I do all of my own work and am constantly tinkering with necks, swapping them out, taking them on and off, and that can really wear on the threads in the neck heel after a while.
An added benefit is full contact with the neck pocket, which can only be good for sustain, resonance, and guaranteeing for playability's sake that the neck goes back into the exact same position every single time, no matter how many times you take the neck off and put it back on.
Also, the 8-32 screws are a little smaller than most neck screws because they don't have that aggressive thread on them, so you'll likely be able to get away with leaving the neck pocket holes alone.
What does that mean? I mean that most of the time the holes will have to be cleared, as the screws should NEVER thread into the neck pocket, EVER, not even a little bit. You can check out my important video on clearing the neck pocket holes (again!) here:
• Bolt-On Neck SECRET | ...

[@NapsterRulez]

Thank you for this video! I've just ordered a scalloped neck from Warmoth and I'm planning on doing this mod on it.

[@seamdye147]

Dude, finding your channel is like striking gold! I was doing some research on making my own pickups and videos showed up. I love your detailed and intelligent descriptions. I am starting my own custom building and repair journey, and I really like a lot of your methods. The nut spacing one is brilliant, and makes complete sense to understand. I have subscribed and will be looking to your instructions often as I learn new and/or improved techniques. -Dave, dfb guitars.

[@guitar_md]

Thank you so much! And stay tuned. I'm actually in the process of redoing this video (again) and redoing my bolt-on neck installation video. Please check out this following description I'm writing up just for you. I've been working on redoing these videos and am storyboarding my ideas, filming, and editing, and it's slowly coming together. It may be several more months or more so in the meantime I'd like you to have the most up-to-date information: The redone videos will be using a Woodpecker Mini Square (huge fan of that tool, have had it for many years), a transfer punch, and a drill press vise. Let me explain briefly: Square the drill press table to the chuck with the square, checking along both the X and Y axes. You do this by chucking a transfer punch/drill rod into the chuck and sliding the square up to it. Should be no gaps. You can even check the runout of the transfer punch if you want to make sure it's straight. A couple thousandths of runout is OK for the level of precision we're shooting for. I exclusively use the drill press vise now, and I shim like this: one set of shims under the neck heel itself in the drill press vise, and the other under the *base* of the drill press vise. Think about it: when you shim one object, you're creating a wedge shaped gap. If you go to shim the other axis on the same object, you're no longer shimming under a flat surface, but a wedge. Not good. Only will be contact on the very end and it'll wobble and be unstable and won't even be an accurate adjustment. So shimming under the neck heel itself for *one axis* (I do it for the Y axis, or "pitch") and shimming under the drill press vise for the other (I use that for the X axis, or "roll"), completely solves that problem. ---------------------------------------- Most recent example: I chucked the neck into a drill press vise and loaded it onto the table. Checking with the mini square, and a transfer punch in the drill chuck, I checked along both axes. The "pitch" (Y or vertical axis) was off by .018". So I put an .018" shim (several pieces of mylar film) under the neck heel in the vise. As in, the mylar film is under where the frets are touching. That solved it. No gaps of light on the Y axis. Then the X axis was a mile off. I had to use .030" of shims under the drill press vise itself to fix the X axis. With both independently shimmed, I was now getting no gaps of light between the square and transfer punch. Additional tips: make sure the table is tightened before *any* checking for square. Always tighten the table first. Kerfing clamps are handy for clamping mylar film together when you've reached your desired thickness. I use mylar film as it's generally increments of .005" or so (available in different thicknesses) and easily stackable. Oversize it when you cut it so you have enough length to clamp. A kerfing clamp on each side will keep the stack together and it'll move with the drill press vise as you slide it around the table for drilling each of the 4 holes. Caveat I haven't addressed yet: neck heels aren't always flat. You can countersink the screw holes and use a hand file to mill the heel as flat as possible and eliminate any bulging from the neck screws. However, if it's warped, well. I haven't figured out a method for dealing with that yet. But screw bulge is very common. You can't use a square on a surface that isn't flat and expect meaningful results. So get the bulges flat. ------------------------------- For now, my method for enlarging pre-existing neck screw holes, which are 1/8", is to use the drill press vise free-floating on the table. Then I use a step bit that goes from 3/16" to 1/4". Drill to 1/4". You line it up carefully, over the hole, and allow the bit to pull the workpiece to center. This does require a certain "touch" and sensitivity. Drill all the way to the 1/4". You can go a little more to slightly countersink the top. Now you want to use a 1/4" twist bit, which is taped off to the appropriate depth. The twist bit will guide right into the hole. It should not remove any material until it reaches the depth that the step bit reached previously. Then you drill to the tape line with the 1/4" twist bit. Now your holes are .250" and drilled to depth. The last step is a 17/64" (.265") chucking reamer. That's to size the holes correctly. Reamers are appropriately used when they're enlarging a hole that's a *maximum* of .015" undersized. Any more undersized than that and it won't be centered/accurate. This is, at least, according to official manufacturer specifications and recommendations in regards to reaming bits. Now you have to adequately countersink the holes. If you don't, driving the insert in will cause the wood to bulge and even split. I countersink pretty aggressively before driving the inserts in. For the bolt-on neck attachment video, the only modification is really that woodpecker square thing. I no longer use radius blocks to hold the neck, or neck rest cauls. The drill press vise is king. And shimming under the neck and the drill press vise base separately is the way to go. This depends on the neck heel being flat. For buliding, perfect. For repair work, a tall order. In that case it may require screwing the neck onto a body to flatten the warp and drilling one hole at a time through the body itself. You'll be limited by the size of the neck plate/body holes of course. Anyway, a topic for another time. For drilling new holes, clamping the drill press vise to the table is preferable. That's my thinking for now: new holes = clamp the drill press vise to the table, and use a Brad point bit. For enlarging old holes, let the drill press vise free float, and use these bits in order: step bit, twist bit to depth, chucking reamer for final width. Let the step bit pull the workpiece to center by having the vise free floating on the table and using a light grip at first -- then when it's centered, bear down on the vise with your hand and drill steadily. Currently I believe this is the most accurate method for these jobs. In the new videos I don't think I'll even mention using radius blocks or neck rest cauls as it's too damn complicated. The KISS principle -- Keep It Simple, Stupid -- really does apply here. Just like the nut slotting method. Deeply appreciate the compliment there! And it's a perfect example of something that just works. The only reason I'm so confident in it is because I've field tested it hundreds of times and it works every single time. My goal with this channel is to find other such definitive methods and share them here for free. I'm always looking for the most optimal way to do things. I look back at my old videos and realize I have to redo a lot. I could take a couple years just updating so many things I've already uploaded, and I just may do that. In the meantime, hope this helps! Thanks for reaching out and thanks for the support. If you have any questions go ahead and ask me here and I'll do my best to respond.

[@guitar_md]

Also: got a lot more about pickups on the way that I'm very excited about. Can't wait to get these videos published!

[@seamdye147]

@@guitar_md Wow man! I really appreciate your detailed reply! Juat awesome! Woodpecker mini square, I thought that was brilliant in the video you have on sanding the body sides with adhesive backed sandpaper. I have several Woodpecker tools and appreciate their quality. Using the step drill first is also a great tip. I know exactly what you mean by having that right 'touch' when centering before drilling down. I have definitely come across the buldge in the necks, and a great reminder to make sure those are flattened. I like your idea of cutting down some short files (I have a draw half full of Nelsons). I need to get some chucking reamers. My uncle is a retired machinist, so I am familiar with a lot of tooling and operations, but he didn't use reamers and broaches very often. Who do you like to sourve your chucking reamers from? Although I like the radius blocks for holding the neck, the leather in the drill vice looks solid af to keep the neck steady and not move. Yes, KISS! I was telling my wife at lunch today about the 'eureka' moment I had when I learned of your method of the string spacing. F--- that's so good! I probably will keep my StewMac nut rule as a wall decoration amd not toss it in the trash (I know you did that for effect!). Thank you again for taking the time to offer more of your knowledge. I'm sure others will find this helpful as well. -Dave @ dfbguitars

[@guitartec]

The sonic connection between the neck and body is truly substantial. I installed s.s. inserts to the koa topped mahogany Tele in my profile pic to the left. This is the most stable guitar I've ever seen or heard about. Plus, it has a Warmoth fatback neck which is a baseball bat of a neck.

[@DavidRavenMoon]

There’s no need to use a bubble level on the neck in the drill press. Your table needs to be square with the chuck/bit. That’s it. The level is showing how square the neck is to *the floor*. That doesn’t matter. If your drill bit is square to the table you will drill a straight hole. You just have to make sure the neck is square to the table. Here’s how to help ensure your holes in the neck heel are square to the body: When I mount a neck for the first time, when the neck is clamped to the body, instead of just marking the holes (and use a transfer punch, not a drill bit), I drill my pilot holes using the body as a guide. With my current system I use a piloted face cutter to then follow that pilot hole and machine the hole for the insert.

[@guitar_md]

I will be redoing this video. I appreciate the input. Caught a glaring error here, which would be that bubble levels only are in reference to the center of the earth. Even floors are typically not level. Bubble levels check for plum and level in relation to the center of the earth. However, I will add that my drill press table is square to the chuck, and also level when checked with a bubble level, which is why this method has worked for me. The reason for checking repeatedly for level is because when shimming under the vise, the squareness to the drill chuck will change potentially for each and every hole. As long as the drill press table is level to earth, and square with the chuck, a bubble level will work as I've shown it in this video. But I'll admit -- the bubble level adds an unnecessarily complicating variable, and given that almost no floor or drill press mounted on a floor is going to be perfectly level with the center of the earth -- useless. I'll be redoing this video using a transfer punch in the chuck and a square on the neck heel. What matters most is that the neck heel is square to the drill chuck / drill bit. I had a more extensive response written out, but suffice to say this video needs to be redone. I appreciate the comment -- worth its weight in gold and this is the kind of constructive criticism that really pushes me to keep going with my channel and do the best job I can.

[@eddiejr540]

I have threaded inserts on 2 of my guitars and I love them…I plan to put them on the build I’m currently working on 👍

[@mookytc]

Good instructional thanks!

[@winstonoboogie2424]

That's the best method so far, but I've got a couple more: Homemade inserts. I haven't made them yet, but I plan to make them out of coarse threaded rod with holes drilled and tapped in the center. Depth to the bottom of the fretboard, and wider than normal inserts. Yes, you can tap machine threads into wood. Scuff up the threads of the insert with sandpaper and swab some wood glue in the holes. It would work better than the hardware store inserts. My current method is to use longer and larger stainless sheet metal screws, cut to length, right to the bottom of the fretboard, no sharp ends. I make a thread tap out of a screw by cutting slots down the length of it, and cut threads into the wood. Putting olive oil in the holes causes the wood to swell up around the screws, and lubricates to keep them from binding to the wood if you remove them. I'm getting great results with this method. Rock solid.

[@guitar_md]

My friend Steve K. uses T-Nuts on his builds, installed before the fingerboard goes on. I'll have to check my Hagstrom but I'm pretty sure the top neck bolt on that bass uses a machine screw that threads into nothing but wood. Very interesting. Sounds like the full and deep contact is very beneficial and solid. Never thought of that before! Someone else on the old version of this video said they thought stainless inserts detracted from the sound. That's an area of some debate. Threading machine screws into wood would solve the problem of air gaps in the inserts, for sure.

[@jhshepley]

You better re-check if it's level 3 or 4 more times. Maybe set up a laser level just to be sure.

[@guitar_md]

Shimming under the vise like I'm doing here means that level will potentially change for each of the four holes. And will have to be readjusted four times accordingly. That's why checking for level before drilling each is necessary if you're doing it the way I'm doing it here. If you want to just check for level once, use a square on top of the heel of the neck and shim under the neck itself, not the vise. Get it level on the X and Y axis, which you can verify by shining a flashlight behind the square while it's up against the chuck -- with something straight chucked into it, like drill rod or a transfer punch. As long as the drill press table is square with the chuck, you'll only have to set it to level once. But with this method I show here, if you only check for level one time, you're going to have a very unpleasant surprise and a major headache pulling inserts out, filling holes, re-drilling them, then reinstalling the inserts the correct way

[@utube321piotr]

Love your content, but those inserts should be installed as deep as possible into neck instead of just at the surface.

[@guitar_md]

Thanks! The collar on the EZ Lok Driver tool is .375", and the pilot holes for the inserts are .265". Unless you use an alternative tool for driving the inserts in, or use a step bit to drill a .375" counterbore over the pilot hole, which would leave giant, empty holes over each insert, you're limited to installing this just below the surface of the neck heel. From the manufacturer, the inserts are designed along with the driver tool to be installed just below the surface of the wood. The provided installation tool bottoms out when the insert is just below the surface. I do countersink the holes to allow the inserts to be driven a little deeper, and to prevent them from splitting or deforming the wood. What would be the benefit of having them deeper? It reminds me of my friend and mentor Steve K. who uses T nuts before he glues the fingerboard on. If you want inserts as deep in the neck as possible, T nuts installed before gluing the fingerboard on is the best solution. He's very adamant about that being the best solution as far as rock-solid stability goes. I'd imagine stability would be the biggest advantage there -- the guitar could tip over and take a really nasty fall, but with the support of the machine screws threaded completely into T nuts embedded deeply in the neck, it's unlikely to damage anything. But curious if there would be any other advantages, or what the risks or downsides of having inserts installed like this would be. For me personally, after having taken off and put the neck back on this particular guitar many dozens of times, torquing it down hard each time, I've had absolutely zero issues with any of the inserts lifting or loosening or having any issues at all. They feel exactly the same way they did the first day I installed them over a year ago and they work phenomenally well, much better than the original sheet metal screws, which tend to strip the holes in the neck heel out after taking off and putting the neck back on enough times.

[@utube321piotr]

@@guitar_md The neck wood is just layers of fiber, the deeper you install insert, the more layers of fiber you trap in compression.

[@guitar_md]

Also: I'm in the process of redoing this video (again) so this is something I'll absolutely consider. It's going to take me a long time to finish as I'm redoing the entire process of squaring the neck heel with the chuck, and explaining all the ins and outs of that -- -- but if the inserts are better off deeper, well. I'm always looking for the best way to do things. So let me know your thoughts and if I get around to finishing that video I'll credit you with bringing this to my attention. Even if I continue doing the installations the same way I always have I'll point out the potential superiority of having the inserts deeper -- and a way to do it. Already brainstorming ways to do this, like a simple screwdriver seems like it would work but I'd have to see how difficult these are to thread in by hand like that. Anyway. Appreciate the input. Always something more to cover. One of the reasons I'm always redoing videos and take so long to publish anything is because there's always a million caveats and side notes with every single job. Literally just about everything you could imagine. So...appreciate the comment and bringing this to my attention. Yet another thing to consider and improve upon. I'll add it to my notes for the redo of this video I'm working on and I'd love to hear any thoughts you have about how you'd drive them deeper and what the benefits would be.

[@utube321piotr]

@@guitar_md I am hard pressed to find flaws in your approach, but as a mechanical engineer I spotted the layer structure of wood that would benefit from a deeper sandwich clamp. Thanks and keep them videos coming.

[@guitar_md]

@@utube321piotr What you're saying makes perfect sense. I might experiment with a way to thread them in deeper. If they go easily enough it may be possible to simply do it by hand with a screwdriver. The drive tool can get it dead straight on the drill press for most of the way. Maybe I could screw them down deeper by hand after that. Also: I'm redoing this video for the squareness thing too. I'm using a square to make sure the neck heel is square to the drill chuck. Much better than the bubble level, which was an embarrassing mistake on my part. Still a lot of caveats. But using a square and a transfer punch in the drill press -- you can test it to make sure the runout is .002" or less, which is more than accurate enough for this kind of work -- much, much more accurate. I just didn't know any better at the time when using the bubble level. Making sure the neck heel is square to the chuck is key. Sometimes neck heels are warped and they're actually quite rarely very flat, oddly enough. So that poses some extra challenges, even to the point of making doing a truly accurate job impossible. Or so it seems. Anyway. Appreciate the input and it's something I'll see if I can do. I understand completely what you're saying and agree.