wileypickett
Enlightened Member
I had a '73 F-512 that had a shim. Tom Jacobs fixed it and eliminated the shim. I don't think placing a shim is the best way to deal with a neck reset. IMO.
Hey Rich,
So far as I know, it isn't so much a matter of opinion as it is geometry. Did Tom do a neck reset on your F-512, or some other repair to the neck? If he did a neck reset, how did he accomodate the change in angle of the neck above the 14th fret without adding a shim?
Everyone,
I'm not being contrary -- I simply don't know of a way around shimming the underside of the fretboard extension -- assuming the geometry of the neck is going to work as it's intended.
But if there is one I'd love to know about it!
In the various luthier publications I subscribe to, adding a shim under the fretboard extension is part of a neck reset job -- it's the only way to maintain the proper geometry of the neck for its full length.
If you change the angle of the neck and don't shim under the fretboard extension you're left with a bend in the neck where it joins the body, and no way to play above the 14th fret.
This discussion came up before on LTG and people were split on the idea of the shim, some prefering to maintain the proper geometry of the neck, others saying, "I hate the shim and I never play above the 12th fret anyway," or things to that effect.
But no one has pointed to a method of doing a neck reset without shimming
Maybe I'm not up to date on neck resets? If so, please englighten me!