Contemporary series neck issues discussion thread .

[Rayk]

So if it’s ok to do this here or does it have to be moved to the repair page ?

So since I took the day off I remembered I need to get going on repairs . I mentioned before as many know my experience with the Contemporary series and their neck issues specifically CV’s and CO’s .

What I’ve come across mostly is the hump in the top being the most common issue from my experience.

other issues include neck alignment being north or south of center and proper neck set angle.

Ok so let’s get back the hump thing . As a result this particular issue it causes some other unwanted issues like fretboard separation, stress cracks between FB ( fretboard) neck , cracked FB and potential damage to the top from the FB extension screws .

I don’t have the old pics from my first repair but we’ll just start a new .

In the pictures I’m posting now you will see the hump I’m talking about . You can also see how this is effecting the FB at the neck joint and FB extension and top.

hough you won’t actually see any top damage we’re hoping there isn’t of course but what happens is some try to over tighten the FB extension screws to draw the FB flat to the body/ top .

Doing that pulls the screws through the top even if the washers are present in some cases for whatever reason they are not .

I used a plastic ruler a straight edge unfortunately it’s light green but you see why I’m doing here .

As to the fix I feel I know exactly what to do but We’ll see once the neck is off and we can get a good look at what’s going on .

Something to keep in mind because of the graphite neck block system the one thing they didn’t considered or maybe they did and just shrugged their shoulders is future neck angle adjustments .

Come to think about it I’m not sure exactly how they do it on the bolt on necks as I never looked into the different types .

in my mind what my concern is having a perfect marriage between the neck and body after the reset .

With the Contemporary series the graphite block system is fixed so you have to ad shims under the fretboard graphite guide rails and between the top and FB extension depending how bad the angle is off .

My fix if it’s just the hump issue will eliminate those needs .

Now I have to admit I don’t know for sure if there’s any gaps between neck and neck block as to the mating between the two parts as it came from the factory maybe I can test that to see .

ok let’s begin .

 

[Rayk]

Here’s a poor man’s video pretty the same info as above but you get hear my great angelic voice . Lol

 

[Tom O]

Ray,
The third picture explains the issue. The top is not perfectly flat from the neck block to the sound hole. This is true on my dovetail neck guitars as well. If I hold a ruler on the top of the frets from the 5th fret down, I can slide a card stock paper from the end of the fretboard over the 18th fret. It only goes one fret further on my CV-1CE (after reset). I was concerned with the hump seen sighting down the fretboard until I compared the straightness with a ruler to my other guitars. So it is a more cosmetic issue with gap under the fretboard extension. It is seems to labor intensive task to fit the finished neck to the finished body to get a perfect fit with no gaps.

So referencing these pictures from pervious thread, you would have to sand the sides of the fretboard along the Graphite rails near the heal block to perfectly match the top contour. Body top on this guitar appears to be sanded as well, which I did no see on mine when it was apart.

Wrote this while your video was being posted. I agree with your approach.

 

[Rayk]

Crazy Ray and Video 2,3,4,5 I put them all together . Lol

please accuse my heavy mouth breathing and odd slurps lmao had know idea I sounded that bad . Hahaha

 

[wileypickett]

Hmm. Interesting.

Seems like trying to fix things UNDER the fingerboard extension is going to be tricky.

Might it be easier to reinstall the neck, pull the frets from the fretboard extension, plane the hump out of the fingerboard (since it's present with neck on or off) and then replace the frets?

 

[Rayk]

Hmm. Interesting.

Seems like trying to fix things UNDER the fingerboard extension is going to be tricky.

Might it be easier to reinstall the neck, pull the frets from the fretboard extension, plane the hump out of the fingerboard (since it's present with neck on or off) and then replace the frets?

Yeah that’s a good way to
way to go . I’m will consider that . I’ll be thinking hard on the best way to go but I’m stubborn also . Lol

I like trying to do certain things the hard way just to see if it can work after that I’ll go to the next idea . Lol

I’m still thinking Lol

 

[Tom O]

Interesting video. You are on the right track. I wonder if the fretboard was slightly warped before it was glued. Have you compared the straightness of the fretboard (or hump) to your CO-2 and CV-1? Recheck the straightness on top of the frets. Looking at your first video the 13th fret looks low. You might get lucky and only have to dress a couple of frets to eliminate the fret buzz. Looks like a lot of work for the few times one plays the 6th string at the 13th fret. I get a little buzz there also there on my CV-1. Maybe the compensated saddle is to low for the strings that are buzzing. There are several ways to fix the buzz. Keep us posted.

 

[Rayk]

Interesting video. You are on the right track. I wonder if the fretboard was slightly warped before it was glued. Have you compared the straightness of the fretboard (or hump) to your CO-2 and CV-1? Recheck the straightness on top of the frets. Looking at your first video the 13th fret looks low. You might get lucky and only have to dress a couple of frets to eliminate the fret buzz. Looks like a lot of work for the few times one plays the 6th string at the 13th fret. I get a little buzz there also there on my CV-1. Maybe the compensated saddle is to low for the strings that are buzzing. There are several ways to fix the buzz. Keep us posted.

Yeah so far what I’m seeing is the neck is sitting a tad low on the body .

so there’s an up swing/rise of the fingerboard which also put pressure on that spot where it separating .

the ebony is warped and I think I said in the vid that I believe the even the graphite rails under fretboard moved as well .

if this came from the factory it’s a big bummer and disappointment but who knows .

I was talking with Ben Wilborn and he’s saying best move is to pull the frets and fret board off .

in my head I’m saying dude I ain’t the shop or tools for that ! Lol

I’m still thinking on how to proceed .

 

[Rayk]

Oh I forgot to mention the FB on the CO-2 might have a slight hump but can’t remember have to look again .
the CV-1 is spot on .

 

[Rayk]

Ok I’m back with an update . So what I did to start which didn't fully work though it helped a little bit was heating it up and setting a weight on top of the fretboard extension to pull it down .

This was repeated over and over for a while. The low E side is good but the high E side not so much.
The next step which was to remove the fretboard and frets .

I don’t mind a challenge but I just don’t have shop to attempt this level of work nor precision enough tools .

also going over the patent drawings it seems the graphite rails under the fretboard go back into the heal a good 1 1/2 .

now with that much epoxy removing the fret board would be a challenge for sure unless one of more experienced folks have options for that ?

It makes me wonder about the post in the Craig’s list section about the guy who had the CV-2 I think it was that he said the fretboard came off and he reglued it back down .

Maybe I should ask him what he seen under there . Was the route out not filled with epoxy ? Or did it not stick to the finger board ? very interesting to say the least wish I had a junker I could just take apart .

I think Willy mention resurfacing the fretboard which at the moment seems the best logical choice . So I order the tools and fret material to do just that .

if I had a good setup and good routers etc I just make a new fretboard blank and try to transfer the rails into it . Since I never done it before it could take a few attempts but hey welcome to my world . Lol

Comments are welcome of course.

That’s it for now Merry Christmas to all again .

 

[Rayk]

Hi Ray ! How are ya ? I’m ok thanks for asking .
Sure thing . So how’s the neck think going ?
Well I pulled the frets keep in mind it’s a first for me .

Great do how’d it go ?

It went chip city ! That’s how it went .

Did you read up on how to’s and tips etc to prevent them ?

Yes , yes I did and I was very careful but I don’t know maybe my inexperience but they say it is very hard to prevent .

Even using the chip guard really didn’t help much

I heated the frets up pretty good but they were glued in and I think there was a tad to much glue used but again it’s all new territory for me .

Did you start doing anything else or did try to fix the chips ?

I had order some glue and whip tips along with Teflon fret dams and a 12 radius sanding block .

I collected the chips and started sanding I also collected the sanding residue for touch up.

Do you think you get it fixed up ?

Yeah I’ll certainly do my best . From what sanding I did it’s starting to look better .

I noticed the radius flattened out starting at the 14 fret a good bit that along with the hump didn’t didn’t play nice with the strings at all .

So what’s your next steps ?

Well everything is on hold now until the glue and fret dams come in . When they get here I’ll repair the chips the I start the sanding again .

I’m waiting on new frets to come in as well .
Ooo that reminds me forgot to order a crowning file .

anyway here some pics .

 

[Rayk]

Well yes ! Glad you asked ! Lol
Still beating that CV-2 horse . Haha

so besides life’s greatness ( said sarcastically) crud gets in the way but sometimes cool things happen in-between .

so the one cool thing that happened today which took awhile to happen was actually a Guild forums member meet up between me and Christopher Cozad .

The meeting was impart to evaluate the CV-2 fingerboard issues described in the above posts .

Eventually I think I got Christopher to admit my way was the best poormans way to go though knowing he was really thinking “ If I could take the whole fretboard off then redo all the banding in wood or something and did this or Oooooo that would be really cool to do instead of that . Lol

Christopher is just to fussy ! Lmao and I love it ! I think we’re on the same page . The only difference is Christopher is more in the “ I can “ and I’m more in the “ I can’t “ do that , at least yet . Lol

Anyway what a great day what a nice guy and wonderful family .

This guitar has bit more things going on with it the banding in the waist is separating . Other then that it’s just an issue of making it a players guitar or more of a project guitar and do more things to it that would pull it away from the original look but over all it would have a look just as nice if not better then original. Not sure at this point what path I’ll take .

I would in this case have to rely a bit more on Christopher’s help in this case but we’ll see how it goes in time right now getting it back to player status is the priority.
I really need to hear what this guitar can do.

Christopher held the body up with the back facing me and said place your hand here on the back then he hummed or made a some sound into it and the body resonated very well and he said feel that ? I’m like yeah . That’s good he said or something like it . Lol

Actually I about fell out because I’ve walked the guitars in the GC Acoustic room and hummed into the sound whole to feel that exact same thing checking for resinous and yes people thought I was a bit nuts for doing it but it works and saves me time from pulling a guitar of the hook for no reason obviously it’s dead . Lol

I just never thought anyone else would do it . Hahaha ! Seeeeee I’m not nuts !

Ok what else I guess the finger board Christopher noted the Chips and probably was thinking I didn’t do it right or have the proper tools of course I said oh yes I do and described how I did it .

Also I said I’m not overly experienced at this but I said someone put these frets in with a excessive amount of crazy glue . I know enough to call that out . Lol

So Christopher went to pulling the fret , now I wonder if he doubted me and expected to pull a clean fret but alas not to be as I said “ See ! I told ya so see see ! I tried to tell ya but nooo would you listen , Tis a foul beast and will bit your head off ! Lol

so yeah fun filled day great conversation and stories . I think we’ll get together some more times and yes I will be riding Christopher’s coat tales . Lol

Ok so proof you say ? Here it is just a photo of my ugly mug and Christopher working on filling the chips . Lol