Damaging thread on JB neck - Advice appreciated!

[bakerster135]

Hi all,

Would appreciate a little advice on this...

I was adjusting the truss rod on my AVRI Jazz Bass last night (adjustment at body end). When reattaching the neck I thought I had it firmly it the socket, and started to screw back in. There seemed to be slightly more resistance than normal, but I thought nothing of it and continued...

Once I had all four screws tightened as much as necessary I turned the bass over, but noticed (to my horror!) that when looking at the join between neck and body (looking from the underside of course), there was a slight gap of around .5mm inbetween, meaning that the neck had been at a very slight angle and not flush with the body join while I was screwing!

I immediately unscrewed the neck again and rejoined, ensuring that it was completely flush. What I want to know however, is whether there's any potential that I may have done some damage to the screw threads in the neck, and also whether this could cause potential instability now the neck is back on and the bass tuned to concert pitch?...

Would appreciate any advice and/or reassurance (please!) that anyone can offer.

Alex

[Manton Customs]

You probably just enlarged one of the existing holes, so no, it's not big deal and it'll be fine . If it ever got to be a problem in the future you could either have it filled and re drilled or add threaded inserts. But that wont be necessary now, I just mentioned it so you don't panic in the future if it ever became stripped.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Manton Customs

[bakerster135]

Thank you for your reply, that's great to know!

[Thunderbird]

If it was me I would be fitting a set of these bad boys

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Guitar-neck-bolts-screws-and-inserts-/141484633402?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20f1242d3a

[3below]

Agree with comments above, highly unlikely to have done any serious damage.

[gelfin]

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1416944207' post='2615380']
If it was me I would be fitting a set of these bad boys

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Guitar-neck-bolts-screws-and-inserts-/141484633402?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20f1242d3a"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item20f1242d3a[/url]
[/quote]

Nice link. Just ordered a few sets for some builds that are on going.

[Billy Apple]

You probably just jammed the screws in at an angle and that's why they stopped turning. Maple is a very hard wood and it's not easy to screw into areas that have not been pre drilled. Those inserts are only of use if the screw holes have been seriously damaged by someone who has kept turning long after the screw had wanted to stop. As long as you ceased the pressure when the screws had wanted to stop then I'd stop worrying and enjoy the bass. But it's a little lesson to double check the neck is sitting properly in the pocket as you go.

[bakerster135]

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1416946429' post='2615412']
Agree with comments above, highly unlikely to have done any serious damage.
[/quote]

Thank you for the reassurance!

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1416970308' post='2615665']
You probably just jammed the screws in at an angle and that's why they stopped turning. Maple is a very hard wood and it's not easy to screw into areas that have not been pre drilled. Those inserts are only of use if the screw holes have been seriously damaged by someone who has kept turning long after the screw had wanted to stop. As long as you ceased the pressure when the screws had wanted to stop then I'd stop worrying and enjoy the bass. But it's a little lesson to double check the neck is sitting properly in the pocket as you go.
[/quote]

Hmmm, this makes it a bit more worrying as the screws were all the way to the neck plate before I noticed...

All seems fine though, as mentioned the neck is now flush at the joint, and doesn't appear to move at all when I'm playing it. Lesson learnt though, I certainly won't be doing that again!