Installing A Bolt-On Guitar Neck

Special Re-print

    at: Haywire Custom Guitars Inc.

  Haywire Custom Guitars Inc.

If a bolt-on neck will drop in a body with a bit of room to align it right or left that’s a good start so far. Generally when I prep a neck I’ll fill any existing screw holes in the heel. If there are holes already drilled in the neck heel, you can try to use them, but honestly never trust holes on necks drilled by someone else.  It’s always best for the most successful project to drill your own holes in the neck heel (and have a depth stop on the drill bit so you don’t drill through the fret board on other side)…. blue tape works well. When ordering a “New” neck, I recommend omitting the mounting holes and drilling them yourself to match your body. 

To achieve perfect alignment and intonation when adding a bolt-on neck, the most effective method involves dry-fitting the neck and using the outer E strings as a precise visual guide before any drilling occurs. This technique ensures the neck is correctly positioned relative to the bridge across all axes—vertical (pitch), lateral (side-to-side), longitudinal (scale length), and rotational (centering).

The optimum way to begin, with the least headaches, is clean the neck pocket well and simply dowel the existing holes. Use wooden Bar-B-Que skewers then add glue in the hole break them off in the holes, sand smooth and you ready to go. Now with a fresh clean surface to work with you can move to the next step.

So let’s go over how to get this operation PERFECT.  I have used this method in hundreds of neck installs and it is the best technique. As follows and note: You’ll need to add both ” the 1st & 6th E” strings to the neck before final installation on body to set the string margins exactly.

Haywire Custom Guitars Custom Fat Strat with Floyd Rose tremolo and Dimarzio pickups with gold saddles is difficult to setup, however the string margins are perfect!

Let’s start……….

First: Tape the neck plate onto the back of the body vertically and horizontally leaving the holes exposed. Next, using a “C” clamp, add the bolt-on neck, body and neck plate together and place a thin piece of wood in each jaw to protect the guitar fret board and the neck plate then tighten. Snug it but not too tight. Now, add the two outside “E” strings. This is where a very slight gap between the sides of the neck heel and body comes in handy and extremely helpful.

Setting the margins is a critical operation, however not difficult

Setting the margins is a critical operation, however not difficult.  Once you have clamped the neck and added the 2 outside strings, face the guitar. Now, most important, move the neck right or left to get the string margins set perfect on each side of the fret board all the way down.

Once this is done then you can enter the next installation steps. Finally, take care to “mark the screw hole depth” on the drill bit with tape.  As a result, you won’t to drill through the front of the fret board.  Ready?  Tighten the clamp, spin the guitar around and drill one hole. Add the first bottom screw (some liquid dish detergent always helps the journey for the screw threads to enter smoothly). Now spin the guitar back around to check your string margins again.  Be sure the neck hole alignment is good through the back plate. If the neck needs a side to side adjustment then tap hard on the head stock with the heel of your hand until the string down each side has the same margin.

This will get everything aligned again. Now you’re ready for the rest of the holes to be drilled in the bolt-on neck.

Check: margin space between the outside strings and the edges of the fret board…

Installing  a bolt-on neck is not a difficult process but methodical and deliberate. Most noteworthy, follow this on EVERY neck install.  Your necks will all come out with the perfect amount of margin space.  The space between the outside strings and the edges of the fret board. Once in the neck may need shims to tilt it either up or back. Be sure and add shims if necessary. They are sometimes critical to eliminating “Buzz”.

This technique will assure that everything is straight and true. A small gap will help to accomplish this. It will give you enough room to set the margins exactly right on each side.  Let me know if I can assist further. Also please write us from the Haywire Custom Guitars website and let us know what you’re interested in.

Ordering From Haywire Custom Guitars

If you would like to order this or any other custom guitar, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your guitar needs.

Rick Mariner-Haywire Custom Guitar Shop

Bolt-on guitar neck

Let’s Re-Cap:

Adding A Bolt-On Neck

Installation Preparation

• Clear the Surface: Ensure the neck pocket is level and free of debris. If the pocket has excessive finish, it may require careful scraping or a shim to achieve the correct pitch.
• Plug Existing Holes: For the most accurate result, dowel any existing screw holes in the neck heel with wood and glue to create a fresh surface.
• Check Hole Sizing: The holes in the guitar body should be slightly larger than the neck screws so they pass through without resistance. If they thread into the body, the neck may shift during final tightening.

Precision Neck Alignment 

1. Clamp for Stability: Place the neck in the pocket and secure it with a C-clamp or quick-grip clamp. Use protective cauls or wood scrap to prevent damage to the frets and the body.
2. Use “Two” Strings: Install the 1st and 6th E strings. Adjust the neck laterally until the distance from the string to the edge of the fret board is equal on both sides.
3. Verify Center lines: Use a long straight-edge or laser level down the center of the neck to ensure it hits the center of the bridge saddles.
4. Confirm Scale Length: Measure from the nut to the 12th fret; this distance must be identical to the distance from the 12th fret to the bridge saddles. 

Drilling and Final Mounting

• Mark Pilot Holes: While the neck is clamped and aligned, use a drill bit that fits perfectly through the body holes to score the neck heel, or use a neck screw and tap it with a hammer to create set marks.
• Drill to Depth: Use a depth stop (ex: masking tape) on your drill bit to avoid drilling through the fret board. A brad-point bit is recommended for centering accuracy to start holes, then, normal twist drill bit to finish.
• Lubricate and Secure: Apply liquid detergent or thread lubricant to the neck screws before installation to prevent them from snapping in hard maple. Tighten them evenly with first the bottom screws then the top screws.