How To Install A Guitar Neck Properly For A Perfect Build Project!

[@kengouthro]

What a great lesson on installing a neck. Very well done. Thanks Tony!

[@BurnerBell-kd7ym]

It was my first time putting a neck on, and as a cheapskate DIYer this was something I needed to learn to build my partscaster without paying for labour. And I gotta say, this vid helped me the most of all the neck vids out there! For some reason your cool and collected voice helped me stay calm while trying not to screw up with the drill 😂 Awesome vid, thanks for the help!

[@chrisguzman7926]

Where did you buy the body? Would like to build my own but not sure where to buy it from

[@maxmustardman298]

Good video. One thing I recommend everyone to get is a digital caliper to measure all the important bits. It comes in handy at all kinds of diy work even outside of guitar building.

[@eddiejr540]

Perfect Tony…that’s exactly how I put on a neck, with 2 “throw-away” strings…lets you get a precise visual of the neck being centered…that body finish looks freakin professional….great work👍

[@joespadaro361]

Also I want to add that when seting the neck, if the pocket and neck do not exactly match then you can not just put the neck to the pocket... You will need to do measurements from your bridge saddles to the 12 fret and 12 fret to the nut. Many different necks have different pockets.... Great video...

[@hodgepodge26]

Great and professional explanation. Appreciate your tricks and workflow.

[@meadish]

Super useful content for any aspiring guitar builder, right here.

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

These things to build guitars are a need to know. The detail you show is important. Even if one just buys a guitar you have a better idea of what you are getting. Maybe more so what you are not getting. Thanx Tony To anyone reading this take out literally a second and hit the thumbs up and subscribe. Join us on Sundays. You will feel included and make friends. We don't just welcome new guys we look out for each other. Tony answers any questions you have and unlike 99% of other sites you do not have to bring your wallet.

[@addictedtogear]

Thank you for the kind words Paul!

[@3cardmonty602]

To get the neck “tighter” in the pocket I like to put the strings on. Tune the guitar. Release each screw just a 1/10th of a turn counter-clockwise. Tune the guitar again, then really tighten the neck screws(bolts). This will bring more sustain to the guitar.

[@maxonmendel5757]

howd you figure that out?

[@maxonmendel5757]

I tried this. i ended up breaking all six strings on the guitar and the bridge pulled all the way off the body. crazy tip. would not recommend

[@pietjestront2858]

​@@maxonmendel5757he probably ment with 'all screws' just te screws from the neck. You shouldve left the Bridge on

[@Stephen_M.]

Great video Tony!

[@CrenteCidadao]

Thanks a lot for sharing with us!

[@robertbennett6418]

Thanks. Just what I needed to learn. Will be installing a neck soon. Great job!

[@addictedtogear]

Glad it helped!

[@MarkJohnsonJams]

These videos are very relaxing Tony. Very zen. My wife is begging to watch a movie. I’m relaxing and watching this video instead 😂😂😂😂

[@shanewalton8888]

This is like the world's most useful video. Definitely going to do this someday.

[@davidstarrett7179]

Thanks i am about to put on a neck on my partscastorgreat vid

[@niknotez]

i really appreciate this video. It was really helpful and detailed. Thanks!!!

[@pjincho]

May I ask you a question? I took the neck from my fender and installed it on my Squier, then a mighty mite onto my fender. The fender roasted maple is a little less than an inch thick from backside of heel to fingerboard edge. The mighty mite is just about an inch. I didn’t know the e string method of aligning, so I taped a string down the middle right at the saddles and pulled it tight and eyeballed it, marked my holes… actually screwed my holes with an 1/8” bit with a hand drill. Taped the bit for depth, but didn’t tape it to prevent eating wood in the body (since I used it as a guide to help it go in straight.) I’d love to send u a couple pics, because there’s equal space on the sides of each e string…. Maybe a little less on the low end side, which I know isn’t the way it should be. The fender neck took the Squier screws immediately, and I don’t THINK I had any problems there. Did I do this wrong? Should I take them apart and redo this? How do I know that the necks are seated firmly in the pockets? Butt end (where the date stamps usually go) making contact with body?

[@InGrindWeCrust2010]

As long as you can play it without either E string coming off the board, that's not a huge deal. As for neck pocket and neck fitment, IMO all four of sides of the neck heel should ideally fit flush. But IMO they're most important in this order: back, sides, and butt end last. The other thing you want to watch out for is if the fretboard is protruding up above the body further than the previous neck (you mentioned the Mighty Mite neck is very slightly thicker). This will affect the neck angle and action. Once you can attach the neck, assuming it has a mostly functional nut, I find the best thing to do is to string up the guitar with your working/cheap set of strings and set up the guitar (neck relief, saddle/bridge height, intonation). If you just can't get the correct spacing of the strings to the fretboard surface *and* to the guitar body (pickups and saddles), you may need to sand the back of the neck pocket slightly. Use a light grit (400 maybe), use a block to be uniform, and go slowly. If it's just a matter of the neck angle but not overall action, a neck shim can solve that for you. You may have already completed your build by now but I hope this helps.

[@joespadaro361]

Hey I like your little tool you shook around, a bit hard to see. what is it called? a screwdriver countersink guide of some sort....

[@nimblybimbly4002]

Did you do a follow-up video showing the completed project? Looking through your videos it looks like the next telecaster video is the red one.

[@InGrindWeCrust2010]

Fantastic video. Did you use the "Duck Fuzz" house brand pickups that Guitar Anatomy sells?

[@jaeseokjung4386]

how did you fix the neck on the body without screwing a nolt?

[@oldschoolfunkster1]

Couple of newbie questions; Other than the tape hack, how do you measure how deep you need to go with the drill bit? Also, can you do a good job without a drill press and only a cordless drill?

[@addictedtogear]

I would say you can do it without a press if your have a level hand. The tape method is all I use and it works great.

[@BigEdWo]

good video, thanks

[@kennyburg5882]

Use tapered drill bits for maximum purchase

[@jordanlamb1907]

Thank you for this! I successfully did this today on my Godin Session. Do you think it's possible using a hand drill instead of a drill press?

[@addictedtogear]

Yes, you just have to go slow and be careful

[@sagrsalem6340]

Hi ... Nice works ..... Q : what is the type and the Size of each Drill bit you used in this Video Thank you

[@addictedtogear]

Which bit are you referring to?

[@sagrsalem6340]

@@addictedtogear 1- The (Neck pocket)drill bit size and 2- (the Neck) drill Bit Size and 3- the (pickgaurd screws) Drill bit Size Thank you

[@antlou123]

Hi! I just installed an after-market 22 frets guitar neck on my strat. The issue I'm having is the tune of the strings is not on point to its note. Example, the lower E becomes an A when I tune it using the tuner. Then, the A becomes a B and so on. What could be the issue? Im thinking that maybe I bought a knock off strings at amazon or its the neck or how I installed it. I'd appreciate all the tips and help I can get. Thank you

[@addictedtogear]

Did you check the scale length of your guitar?

[@stephenviana2077]

Nice,but I have 2 guitar bodied & 2 necks...no holes for mounting anywhere

[@addictedtogear]

In that case I would use the neck plate as a guide and drill new holes into the body and the neck at the same time.

[@DougHinVA]

Calipers are very cheap (in plastic) and can measure the INSIDE of a screw... not the sharp edges outside and the bit diameter.... they should match

[@tomfoolery2082]

Is there a certain rpm ur drill is set to run at ?

[@addictedtogear]

Lowest is best if you must use a drill

[@tomfoolery2082]

Do u use stainless screws ?

[@addictedtogear]

When I can but it’s not a must.

[@mpmonzon]

how deep should i go with the drill on the neck?

[@addictedtogear]

Only as deep as the depth of the screw.

[@mpmonzon]

@@addictedtogear thanks

[@upload2352]

And by "depth of the screw," I assume he means the depth of the exposed screw, after accounting for the body and back plate thicknesses - basically, just the part that sticks out after that (my squier tele exposed 5/8" of screw end).

[@shanewalton8888]

Installing the neck is actually the scariest part. Alignment is so easy to get wrong.

[@addictedtogear]

Yes that is true. A crooked neck is no fun to play!

[@yoheff988]

Sorry to be a party pooper, but before you mark the locations for the neck screws YOU HAVE TO CLAMP THE NECK IN POSITION why? because even if you move the neck 0.5 mm everything will be off.

[@addictedtogear]

The neck pocket was so tight it was not necessary in this case. Cheers!

[@onlyusernameleft2]

This is starting to get me worried about the baritone neck I just ordered.

[@Richyounger-qy6sh]

THIS IS FINE IF YOUR REPLACING A NECK, BUT WHAT IF YOUR PUTTING A GUITAR TOGETHER FROM SCRATCH AND THE TREM IS NOT FITTED