Post by stylesbitchley on Mar 14, 2024 9:49:31 GMT -5
I am happy to report that I've just had considerable success doing a neck reset using John Miner's "steam" method on an FG 230 I recently picked up. It took some patience and careful setup, but it's nowhere near as difficult as removing the neck. Not only did I get the neck reset to a perfect angle, I also raised the bridge (which had been pushed in from the pressure) and pushed in a belly bulge. This isn't the right thread to get into the details, but I thought I'd note it here since it's a recent comment.
Just to add to the body of knowledge here, my FG 230 is serial number 1018047 and has a manufacture date of 44.7.23 (July 23, 1969). Thanks very much for your fabulous site and forum. I've learned a lot from it and I would never have known that there was a manufacture date lightly stamped deep inside the bout!
I was able to attached the pickguard PDF!!!
Your guitar was made in August 1969.
View Attachment
With regard to the steam reset, I have a background as a professional cabinet maker and, while I've moved on from that, I keep my woodworking skills active with various projects. To me, the steam and form process is pretty sound, as wood gets pretty malleable when heat - especially steam - is applied. There are two challenges with these vintage FGs though: the multiply construction and the fact that Yamaha did a light finishing coat inside these guitars. Basically, how well can the steam penetrate into the wood and allow me to reshape it? I've only just taken the clamps off a few days ago after two weeks so the results are early and maybe a bit premature. What I can say, however, is that the belly bulge is virtually gone and the sunken bridge is fully raised - these results have not changed at all since the bracing came off. The neck angle was considerably repaired, with the neck line sitting about 3/16" above the bridge. This has shrunken to about 1/16 in the past few days, but I expected some spring back (I'd read that you need to overshoot because this will happen). I think I'm pretty happy with this alignment for now, but I'm not sure how this will change with the strings on. I may need to do another steam, but I'm truly convinced that this can work, at least for projects that aren't extreme.
Although I have a lot of fine woodworking experience, I'm not a luthier and - quite frankly - the neck removal and reset feels too advanced for me (even with your excellent guide you've produced). I kind of see the steam reset more like going to the physiotherapist, rather than the surgeon. Maybe physio won't work and you've got to opt for surgery, but why not try first?