Would like to see a pic of your rig you used

@@ManotickGuitarTech not sure how but would be glad to send pics

@@perrymann6807 send to my email in the description

It lasted just a few hours... It seems, I need to give more heat to the neck.

@@calabash-um9mv good work!

Very cool!

@@ManotickGuitarTech Thanks. I know leaving a guitar in a hot car can warp a neck so why not the reverse....

@@gvair I would worry more about the finish cracking

I am glad it worked for you! I hope you have subbed to my channel as well?

I don't have radiators...wish I did!

Glad the video helped you out - don't forget that I would only do this on unfinished fingerboards... not maple. I hope you have subbed to my channel?

@@ManotickGuitarTech I did and fortunately none of the maple need it but literally a dozen rosewoods do.

@@jondeth298 maple is much stronger

Glad to hear it worked and thanks for the sub!

Everybody should have them

Dual.purpose!

I have had about a 75% success rate... some wood just won't straighten out.

@@ManotickGuitarTech: That means 25% of your work is being redone, by you or someone else. Not a good rate. I hope you warn your customers, they may be paying for nothing, before proceeding.

@@zapa1pnt I don't guarantee that the neck will stay straight, my customers understand that.

@@ManotickGuitarTech: Then your customers are stupid, for paying you to do it.

@@zapa1pnt 75% is pretty good if it's a last ditch effort..

LOL - i do use it for a warmer for my lower back when it is sore

And then eat the rice straight out of the sock.

Let me know how it turns out

And... WOILAH ! It appears do have done the trick 🙂 Minimal backbend, and with .13 strings she is just (arched) right ! What I did is build a custom press (glued neck) clamped foot, with a v-shaped block with leather inbetween at the lowest point and squeezed the headstock clamp until backbend on the (selfmade) ruler. Heated the rice sock 3 sessions with 4 hours in between ( microwave is 700W - 3 min, 3 min, 5 min) and covered with a towel. Total time including final cooling and glue able to dry was 24 hours. Rings like a bell ! Next up will be refretting and placing a Johnny Smith neck mounted pick-up with V&T ..... and I am afraid she needs to be refretted (will be a first for me and your next youtube I will look for THANKS !

@@gijsvlas9120 that is great!

I have never used steam - it could damage the fingerboard or the finish on the neck. Dry heat works fine.

Rice is universal 😋

@@ManotickGuitarTech had some tonight and I may have to do this rice trick on a replacement neck. I just finished a bass build. I will let things settle. If things don’t get better then rice it is......

@@JuanJaim I have only done it on a natural fretboard without finish, but in the comments some people have done it with a poly fretboard with success

Glad it has worked for you...I hope you have subscribed to my channel? Thanks.

I would put a tea towel (something thin) on the neck then apply the heat sock - not sure how a maple board with finish will react. I have only done this on natural fretboards like rosewood or pau ferro, ebony...

That is a good suggestion- I will try that next opportunity I have. There was not much thread on the truss rod end.

You nailed it Rick. First thing you do if a truss rod nut won't go any tighter is take it out, lube the threads and the bearing surface. 9 times out of 10 you'll end up being able to straighten the neck and then some. Of course this only works on single action rods. What'd ya do with the rice when you were done? I have a wicked biryani recipe.

@@brianmascarin3875 sock rice doesn't taste good😁

@@brianmascarin3875 I have added washers on the past with varying degrees of success. I really just wanted to test out this idea to see if it would work.

i have the same problem,what happened, could you fixed it?

You get more torque clamping on the headstock- just go easy and steady pressure. I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?

Thank you. Yes I have happily subscribed to your channel. I appreciate your thorough systematic approach and calm delivery to problem solving. You're a teacher at heart, with none of the sarcasm found on other similar channels. Very satisfying. 🙂

@@ManotickGuitarTech what about a weaker joint (gibson)?

@@timothysmith294 I would clamp adjust ahead of the nut on the fingerboard- Gibson necks are weak

@@ManotickGuitarTech right that was my plan... its old too

Nice - good idea!

@@ManotickGuitarTech I'm actually using the heating pad on another bass this morning, opposite bow, this one has too much forward bow.

Give it a try... I am sure it will heat up 😂

Heat won't make the frets sharp...not sure what you asking there? I used rice in a sock to show that you don't need any fancy or specialty devices.

@@ManotickGuitarTech I have used an iron before for heat and it sometimes made the frets sharp. So now I put the iron on the back of a guitar neck on a metal ruler for heat and clamp it after. A guitar repair book has using an alcohol lamp for heat but I don't know how to do that.

@@GabrielSkolderblad it does soften a bit and then hardens again once you have bent the neck into position... that is the idea.

can't read this comment... full of abbreviations??

Applying heat to the back of the neck will certainly cause problem with the finish. It is not hot enough to release the glue.

It has been a few months now and the neck is holding up great according to my son. I dont reccomend using this technique on a fretboard with a finish(like mae with lacquer) but it works well with natural fretboards. Good luck and let me know if it works for you

Thanks for watching and pleas subscribe I f you havent already.

@@ManotickGuitarTech , thank you for the reply and the information. I'm planning to try this out on a very cheap bass at first and see how it goes. Glad to hear your son's bass is still playing well.

@@ManotickGuitarTech , you're welcome. I just subscribed now. I look forward to watching other videos on your channel.

Don't know what setting on your microwave but you should heat it up to about 175-200f. All cotton sock is preferable

I ended up putting the rice in a double layer of 4" stockinette, a coarse jersey tubing used under fracture casts. Also great for hanging salami. My microwave is only 900W and the heat tolerance of the stockinette was unknown, so I went with 90% power, 4 minutes. Barely too hot to handle, which in food safety means 165º. I just carried it out on the platter and placed it by the ends. As this was for a urethaned maple fretboard, I took the extra precaution of putting a 4x18 strip of "ShamWow" over the wood. @@ManotickGuitarTech

Sure, just using mechanical force could help- I would clamp the neck in a significant back bow then tighten the truss rod and leave it like that for a few days. Wood has a memory so no guarantee this would work... you might have to do it a few times.

There is such an easier way to do this without heat....loosen the truss rod, have a friend push down on the headstock, tighten the truss rod....BAM! Worked for me and my bass neck was really bent, too.

I would be careful applying too much heat on a finished fretboard

Well, it has been over 2 months and the neck is still holding it's shape well and my son says it plays great. I don't recommend this method if the fingerboard has a finish on it eg. maple with lacquer - only on natural wood boards like rosewood, pauferro, etc.. You may have to do it 2-3 times tightening the truss rod as you go... let me know how it works out for you! Please subscribe if you have not already -thanks.

@@ManotickGuitarTech Glad your son's bass is still holding it's straightness and that it plays great.Thanks for the tip about the finish. The old strat in question has no finish left on it, and has a brazilian rosewood fretboard. Thanks for the reply.

@@ManotickGuitarTech Thanks again, your video really helped me out, and my 1959 Stratocaster plays like a dream, with the neck good and straight. I ended up using one of those heatable neck warmers, very similar to the stuffed sock you made, and it worked like a charm. I did have to apply it in a few sessions, but I wanted to do it slow and easy. The neck is holding well. I don't want to hijack your post here, by attaching a video, but if you are interested in seeing the strat, and hearing it, I did make a video of some sound samples available on my page. A huge thanks to you! Yours was by far the most helpful of any of the videos I looked at that covered this approach to a bowed neck. This strat is happily rocking, after over 50 years of silence, man it sounds, and plays good!

@@paintdrink that is awesome! I am glad it worked for you.

@@paintdrink That is great!

Dan, I am glad this technique worked out for you. I havent tried the heel specifically but it should work with 2 or 3 applications due to the thickness. Let me know how it goes.

@@ManotickGuitarTech Will do! It's currently clamped and under heat. It's such a short run and a thick piece of lumber, but hopefully with time it will level out. If not then plan B is a possible partial re-fret or I can see if G&L (30 minutes away) will make me one. This is a 1982 El Toro. Pretty killer sounding pickups. Thanks again.

@@DanBerens2112 Did you succeed? It would be a major breakthrough if it works with a ski jump!

Sometimes you have to repeat the process multiple times- I had to do it as many as 6 times on one neck. Once you have heated it up and let it cool down completely, tighten the truss rod and let it sit for a day, then repeat as necessary.

Thanks for the reply, thank ne more question: should I leave the rod tightened before each round, or should I loosen it before clamping again? I think I’m in for a few rounds of this game…

@@Mrpatlebrun Loosen each time, heat and bend, clamp and then tighten the truss rod

13-56's? That's crazy, really... these guitars are not meant for that gauge of string. 9's or 10's only unless you want to be adjusting your guitar all the time and risk permanent damage

@@ManotickGuitarTech The tension was so high the 6th and 5th tuners were partly seized--probably bent cogs. One saddle screw was seized too. My guess is the prior owner was using it as slide setup. Had pickups wired out of phase too. Beautiful ash Tele, premium model, and it gets treated like a Greco or Tokai.

You could try some heat treatment but the neck might be toast...

@@ManotickGuitarTech Have a Fender-auth'd tech who says the neck seems alright, so he's working on it now.

@@RideAcrossTheRiver I hope everything works out!

I use the sock for my back! The neck is still good...

@@ManotickGuitarTech I have mine on the bench right now, it seems I was able to straighten it! Thanks for the video

@@GerryBlue sometimes it's good to do it a couple or three times

@@ManotickGuitarTech Thanks' I'll keep that in mind!

I would give it a try since it seems like the steel reinforcement is not doing much anyway

I'm in the same boat. Tiesco?

Me too man! that's why I am here! Found it and cleaned it up and polished the frets but I was trying to figure out the neck situation!

lol - no it is dry! It heats up very quickly - you can also use dry beans instead.

Dry rice bags are commonly used in place of hot water bottles now. Just microwave them and you're good.

For small jobs, infuse generic lamps that are not very expensive. For woodworking, I use Bessey clamps.

Daniel, you could try the technique in the video-it will work for acoustic guitars as well. It will probably take 3 or 4 treatments because you shouldn't put too much pressure on the neck at one time. Take it slow and easy.

@@ManotickGuitarTech I will give it a try! Thanks a lot!

​@@danypb01How did it go?

Have you checked led to see if it is a 2-way truss rod? After it loosens if you keep turning counterclockwise it might engage again adjusting the neck

@@ManotickGuitarTech Thank you for responding that fast. No its not a 2 way truss rod. its getting complete loses.

@@GuitarPlayersFun you could try heating and bending the neck to a straight position- unusual to have a backbow.

@@ManotickGuitarTech Thank you! I will try that out! It's a cheap electric Yamaha which because of that issue was stored up at the attic for at least 15 years. So nothing to lose, only to win.

Maybe- you could try clamping it with more pressure on the bass side... that would be up to you to decide. I have not fixed a twist before. Thanks for watching and I hope you have subscribed to my channel?

I have a twist too, which I intend to correct by shimming one or both of the clamps with a felt bass pick; tapered end on the side that needs least overall compensation.

Just enough so the neck can bend then it sets again

Almost same bass a 2004 Squier P but with the PJ configuration and it sounds great and body is mint condition

All most same bass 2004 Squier P but with the PJ configuration

Frank, thanks for watching the video. Unfortunately, twists are almost impossible to get out. You could try clamping the whole neck straight in a neck caul without truss rod tension first a few times and see if that helps (doing the heat process at the same time). Remember I dont reccomend this process on a fret board with a finish like maple.

Rosewood finger board Maple neck is.ok?@@ManotickGuitarTech

@@frankperricone2065 I have only done this on rosewood fingerboards- there is always a risk that the finish on the neck might get damaged... no guarantees

A wood support in the middle shaped to the neck; uncooked rice, only 😁

It would be... you could try loosening the TR, then bending the neck into a slight back bow, then tighten the TR tight... you might not need heat. Just do it gently LOL

Still the same- the heat treatment seems to have worked just fine. I hope you have subbed to my channel?

Exactly,

It has been over a year and that neck is still straight

Can confirm, did this on my ibanez restoration. As long as you let it cool the glue should harden and it will keep it shape for a decent amount of time. Its much better then getting a new neck or a repair anyway.

*better in terms of cost

Lol- dry rice only! Cook it after for dinner , if you like.

@@ManotickGuitarTech Thanks man. I'm going to do this on a squier bullet when I get home.

When the neck has too much neck relief-up bow- you can have buzzing on the higher frets.

You can heat up the neck the same way I did in his video, but of course it will still be attached to the body. Take it slow and easy when applying the heat. Thanks for watching and I hope you have subbed to my channel?

Maybe an iron but put a cloth on the fretboard. The key is long slow heat... an iron might be too hot and quick.

Give it a try and let me know!

If you out a tea towel o e the fretboard and used the iron-maybe... you would have to do it for 30mins or more and really know what temp your iron is at. I Never tried that.

Joel, I have a piece of 2x4 wood with a cloth wrapped over it. I hope you have subbed to my channel? Thanks for watching.

Actually, I might be seeing this bass back in the shop soon...

Glad you found it 😁

It shouldnt- you would need to get the fret glue up to about 300F to melt it and you are not pulling on the frets at all.

@@ManotickGuitarTech --- I'd like to tell you something that you advised against... I have an old '74 bullet truss Stratocaster that has had the truss maxed out for years and a terrible dip-bow (convex) that you could drive a truck under (lol) and I put it down, not touching it again - until - I saw your video. The neck is a high gloss finished maple (which you advised NOT to apply your technique to), but I have several backup Strats and decided what the heck and I did it anyway --- it worked out great, man! It did not affect the finish on the fretboard at all, but what it did do is break the glue/finish at the FRET ENDS, causing a mild rise and some sharp fret burrs, which I had to lightly file off and redress and guessing I may have over-extended the back-bow and too much pressure at the clamps, not sure -- and it only did this to heated area which was from fret 4 - 11, nothing else was affected. It amazingly set up so well, I don't even need to tighten the truss anymore --- it's completely stress-free on the neck and I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but all I had to do is change the neck shim height and saddle height to suit my playing comfort. The tension from the strings I use (EB 8-38) give just the right amount of bow-stress that still allow for a great action -------- I can't thank you enough for the tips/video and yes, I have subscribed to you! Bravo Zulu, brother!

@@1958marky Glad to hear that worked out! Thanks for the sub, too...

Hi, Brian. I don't see any reason that it would not work on a 12 string as well. I don't recommend doing this with a fretboard that has a finish on it eg. Maple with lacquer; only natural boards like rosewood, pau ferro, etc. I find you need 2-3 applications to get good results. Let me know how it goes! Please remember to subscribe if you haven't already. Thanks, again.

@@ManotickGuitarTech Thanks. I will give it a try. I have a Sunbeam heating pad that gets to about 115° so I might try that before using rice. The worst it can do is... nothing. LOL The guitar is a Martin D12-28. Have to do something the get the neck as straight as possible. Thanks again.

Well, it appears to have worked. I went from .11 at the 12th to .09 at the 12th. Plus, the intonation seems to be a lot closer than before. It is not perfect, but I believe you have solved my issue. The process I used was to use a 5# divers weight (lead beads in a soft case) on the heel block, the neck supported at the 7th fret, and a 5# divers weight on the headstock. I kept that there for a few days before applying the heat. I took the Sunbeam heat pad and put it on the neck from the neck heel to the nut. I didn't want to apply any heat to the body so I was careful about that. The temperature on the neck during the process was 145° +/- a few degrees. I heated for 1 hour, let cool for 1 hour, and repeated the process 4 times. I Started at noon and finished at 7pm. Now, will this last? I don't know. But regardless my '75 Martin D12-28 has life again. The intonation and tuning were so bad I had to tune to the 2nd or 3rd fret in order to play open chords. Yeah, it was a mess. Thank you for you video and the guidance during the video. Caveat: This might not work for everyone or anyone else. I got lucky. I did an unknown process for me on a guitar worth $2500 or so. But I was very lucky.

@@briandonaldson612stringgui8 I am glad it worked out for you! No guarantees that it will work for every guitar...

New update 12/4/2021 - After about a month, the neck returned to the previous condition where the neck relief was too much forward bow. Going to have it looked at by a luthier. Also I need to post a warning. Too much heat will cause the fretboard wood to shrink, depending on the wood being used. This will cause the fret ends to be exposed. As you run your hand along the neck you will feel the ends protruding out from the fretboard. This condition may return to normal after some time and the fretboard rehydrates.

I only reccomend it for a natural fretboard like rosewood or ebony...nothing a with a finish on it.

It would be hard to control the heat and you would have to hold it over the neck for a quite a while... I would be concerned about damaging the finish on the neck.

If you've a lacquered finger board, you might damage the finshe with the heat.

@@ManotickGuitarTech it's a pretty SEVERE relic but you mentioned getting the glue to slip and reset. Is it the rosewood stripe on the back in this case?

@@deanmlshredder no, the "skunk stripe" on the back will not move

@@ManotickGuitarTech Please don't mistake my relentless inquisition for incredulity. I'm very curious about why this would work because I'm desperate. Lol. It's such a great guitar but the neck just bows over time without fail and the truss rod is very tight.

@@deanmlshredder sometimes the neck just needs to be replaced

That can work, too

Hi, James. It's my sons bass and he plays it everyday... the neck hasn't moved!

@@ManotickGuitarTech That's awesome sir. Glad it work! I am in the process of doing it. I have a satin neck and neither the rice nor the torque affected the finish on the neck. I may have time to put the guitar back together tomorrow. Fingers crossed. Thanks again!

Near the bridge??

@@ManotickGuitarTech Sorry for the low effort question. My guitar's neck has a back-bow from the middle of the neck to where the neck joins the guitar's body. I've tried loosening the truss rod but that doesn't fix the problem - It adds a forward bow from fret 1 to fret 8 but not beyond that. This is a 3 month old Pacifica 012. I'm guessing the recent change in temperature here from hot to cold is the cause. Also, I used to line dry wet clothes in my room, this also may be the cause. Thanks for taking the time to look into my issue.

@@nikhilck629 did you check if you have a two-way truss rod? That would add mechanical force and get the relief you need. Keep turning counterclockwise(left loosey) to see if it starts to engage.

@@ManotickGuitarTech I'll check and get back to you.

2-3 mins on high until you get to about 135-150f

Thanks. I have it on there now. I’m in the Southern California Desert where it’s 110 degrees. Do you think 4 hours is enough time?

@@Jim5150jvc I would do two applications - check it after 4 hrs to see if it has straightened; add a little more clamp pressure to get a back bow, tighten the truss rod and heat again; then let cool for 24hrs clamped.

@@Jim5150jvc How did it work out for you?

@@ManotickGuitarTech would you believe I lost one of the neck screws, and I’ve been trying forever to find it? 🤣

That certainly can happen and every neck reacts differently. I have done at least a dozen necks this way in the last year and they have all remained adjustable and playable.

@@ManotickGuitarTech I'm sorry if I give your channel any kind of bad representation, but I'm pretty sure you know I am correct(I am assuming this so always room for error)...the only reason that this would continue to hold for years is if the moisture was introduced by the player(or dryness) maybe tilted up against a heater or stove...or near a window where it might get damp(more on one side than the other)....truss rods weren't even invented until they started mass producing guitars as a good way to keep necks straight in a mass produced(use all the crap wood too) manner, but wood is wood...IT WILL EQUALIZE over time based on it's environment.

Many people use this Methode whith good results Whats the Deal with you 😂

@@dominicgangolff2138 I'm not trolling if that's what you mean...are you a wood worker or luthier? Because my points are well grounded in facts and experience.

Who said smth about adding moist, the sock looks dry to me. Personally I would leave the clamps there for some days, after removing the sock. Interesting topic! At least old classical gets way too high relief, also some new ones (Alhambra classicals = never straight necks, not even in the music stores). I will just throw out a theory: wood itself has a structural memory, when it comes back to the original shape, it will stay there (?). The clamps and heat just helps the wood to find back to its base. Or what? 🤔

Unfortunately, you can't fix every neck...it probably will stay bowed.

I clamped my classical (in fact two of them, that was bowed) together, face-to-face, made a backbow for 10 days. They both became pretty straight, and still are now after 2 months :)