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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1026
Location: Back in the Valley of the Sun Mesa Az. | Hey guys.
Well, my CS255 has just become unplayable due to the neck angle. My local luthier isn't too keen on doing a neck reset on a shallow bowl Ovation (besides, it would probably be a good year or more before I got it back). I don't have any faith in my own ability to do this type of work. So, has anyone out there done this type of repair, and would you be willing to try it on my CS255 for a reasonable price...please let me know.
Thanks...and Happy New Year everyone!
Norse(only shows up when he needs something)man1 |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3666
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Well, I will share my experience. I did manage a "bowl bend" on an old 1113 several years ago, and it held the revised angle. Probably because it was a nylon-string critter.
My next attempt was on a CC-257, and the bowl wouldn't budge, so I dropped the bridge & saddle as much as possible. It was still at a quasi-slide height, though.
I was left wondering if the bowl material was different between the 2 guitars, much less the Celebrity was a cutaway.
Sorry, but a full-steroid 12-string may require major surgery, or a block-&-tackle.
BTW, I have never had success pulling a neck from an Ovation, without significant collateral damage. You save the body, or the neck, not both. |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1026
Location: Back in the Valley of the Sun Mesa Az. | ...thanks for your honest...and scary reply. I would hate to mess the guitar up, but she is virtually unplayable as is. The saddle is so low the strings barley touch it...the bridge is slightly raised as well, which aserbates the problem.
Does anyone out there know if this is a glued on or bolt on neck (CS255)...looking inside, I can only see the brace around the truss rod...no bolt, so I am guessing it is glued on. |
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Joined:
September 2002
Posts: 806
Location: Seymour, Tennessee | I've been quoted $200 for a neck reset on my 87 Colector's by the MS, I just need to send the thing in.
Give 'em a call. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3666
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Norsey, the neck is glued-in. I repaired one several years ago. I was comparatively lucky; I only had to reglue the peghead. The neck geometry was intact. That success only proved to exacerbate my compulsion, and promulgate the creation of the BFLG (BottomFeeders Luthiery Guild, or Bottomfeeders League of Gentlemen- according to MWoody's preference) |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1026
Location: Back in the Valley of the Sun Mesa Az. | Thanks again for the tips...Mike (with the appropriate name of) Winters (as I just spent 6 hours in sub zero weather digging out of 10 inches of heavy snow) I believe the MS will only work on US made models though.
I was afraid it was probably glued on...what is this bowl bending?
Norse(how bout I place the guitar upside down between two chairs with a 50 pound weight on the back of the neck, burn some incense and chant a prayer?...I am almost out of firewood)man1 |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3666
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Actually, Norsey, that's not far from how you accomplish the bending-of-the-bowl ritual.
You need to apply a general amount of thermal persuasion to the area at the base of the neck heel, while applying prodigious physical persuasion at the nut & endpin locations. Tie a cord betwwen those 2 points and leverage it up with a block about the middle of the bowl.
THEN start praying...... |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3666
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Oh yeah, make sure the fretboard extension isn't glued down. You need to isolate the fulcrum point at the base of the neck block. |
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Anyone interested in trying a neck reset?