I've been using a heat press since the 80's. It has saved many instruments!

Love the generous way you share your knowledge and experience

This process was used on one of my guitars. Early eighties Dean V. It was done by Joe Zon (now Zon Guitars in California) when he had a shop in Cheektowaga, NY back in the day. The guitar was in a truck at an outdoor show for hours and developed a twist. Joe completely fixed it. Still have this guitar and no problems since. Of course our guy Dave found out how to do this.

Owners lucky you gave this a shot. I feel a lot of luthiers would've said sorry your screwed. Nice work Dave!

"Craft is just shitty art." Well spoken, fabri-cobbler.

Cool vid! Another way to do this is use an Erlewine neck jig and a silicone side bending heating strip with thermostat on the fretboard side like you did. I’ve also had a very focal bow at the 5th fret (stupidly didn’t let a freshly milled neck season long enough - a good reason for 3 or 5 ply necks!) on a new build and so I hung a gallon of paint off the headstock with the neck on the edge of the workbench right at the bow, and used a good old regular heating pad. It worked like a charm. The finish and binding was ok too. Of course, it was a lower temp but i left it in for a couple days. I simply had to let off the paint can to check progress. I’ve used wet heat too, but that’s on unfinished guitars and is similar to what bowyer’s sometimes have to do for self-bows. That has limited application because that will loosen anything that glued and put a haze on the finish.

One of the most satisfying videos I have ever seen. A guitar is born again!

Right when you said it may take more than one try, those famous words echoed through my head, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing over and over and over...”

And you did it without a helmet. You're a brave man, Dave.

Keeping the secrets of the gods alive for another generation! Well done that man

I've done a similar process on three different guitars, but using heat lamps instead of the heated beam for the heat source. Cost me basically nothing as I had the lamps already. So far 100% success.

Wow I saw that neck bow instantly😲

I did a poor mans neck reset on a cheap acoustic using a similar technique. I melted the glue on the fret board overhang with an clothes iron and forced back the neck until my ruler aligned with the top of the bridge. The guitar still plays great many years later.

I've always enjoyed watching cooking shows. This dish turned out fantastic. *Chef's kiss 👌

Nice one Dave, the owner of that guitar is going to be a very happy camper.

*I did something similar on a friend's Ibanez 5 string Soundgear bass..., except that I wrapped the neck tightly in a heating blanket..., (as used on beds during Winter), then laid the bass face down between two chairs that were facing each other, with the lower half of the body on one chair, and the upper half of the headstock on the other, and then with a small but stiff couch pillow on the back of the neck, and a single fairly heavy weightlifting dumbell on it... I would let it sit for a while and then check it, and after about three tries and two hours, it was just right... Thankfully, it didn't twist..., but just took out the excessive relief action...*

In 1990 I took my 1967 Gibson 340 to a violin maker who actually put a torch to the back of the neck! Fortunately, he knew exactly how to do this maneuver. The guitar came out literally perfect and is still the best playing guitar that I own!

Been saving old Stellas for years with home made heat press.. I had read where wood has memory and at 140 degrees F when pressed will retain shape it has been pressed to. The fibers in the wood have softened and when cooled wa la newly formed memory. Pressing new shape with slight back bow works well to counter string tension especially when there is no truss rod as with Stellas

I have a neck iron like your friends. First I loosen the truss rod. Sometimes I put 1/4” shims at the 1st and last fret . This allows a gentle back bow. After it’s cool and unclamped and strung I use the truss rod to finesse the neck with proper relief. Good tool.

This is why I love watching guitar/amp tech videos...finding creative ways to solve problems that otherwise are insurmountable. Killer work Dave!

Awesome job and vid Dave! You made me chuckle once again! "The patient may live or the patient may die and become a donor "! Lol

Great video. Bought an American Standard 50th Anniversary Tele with a bent neck about a year ago for a super great price . Loosened the truss rod, put it in some clamps to slightly reverse the bend, and wrapped it with an electric heat pad for around for two days. It's been over a year now and the neck has stayed perfectly straight and truss rod works perfectly.

I just love way you find methods of sorting stuff out , your head must be buzzing trying to figure out to solve these problems . This is one of your best !! Take care , stay safe Derek UK

Interesting stuff Dave. Loving learning things like this

Nice job, Dave. The owner owes you big time and I appreciate your resourcefulness!!! Thanks for sharing.

I have watched all of your posted videos and love them all, but you have out done your self on this one. No having to remind us you have done this so many times before in previous videos. We got to see it all first hand right along with you. And your thought process making your own version of the heat press was excellent. Please feel free to share any more extensive learning projects like this one. It is by far, "The Best Yet!" Thanks Dave for sharing...

I used to do heat press neck repairs routinely in the 1980’s. I used a heating pad wrapped around the neck to get the job done. It worked well.

As the old adage goes, Necessity is The Mother(s) of Invention. You sir are brilliant!

The patient pulls through. I love it. Well done Dave 👌🏻

Nice setup! Years ago I did a similar job on a classical guitar by heating it carefully over a burner on my stove top and clamping it with wood blocks to hold the neck where I wanted it. I would never have dared try it that way with a Les Paul though!

Quality video, great information. I always learn something from Daves videos. This was almost like watching a Surgeon perform life saving surgery.

This was definitely one of the most enjoyable videos. I liked watching the entire process and learning about the neck heat press.

Really cool to see how this can save a guitar that would otherwise be junked

Dave the McGyver of strings! Really cool knowledge

I wonder if, say after a week or two, the wood goes back to the way it was before the heat up. Wood tends to be stuborn sometimes, and the glue under the fingerboard may not be enough for the bow. I wonder Dave if its possible to see the guitar again two weeks from now? Maybe ask the owner (or is that a baaaaad idea?). Thanks for the videos - be safe all.

I got a flying V in my shop now that needs this done. I've done this on bolt on a neck in my home oven and it worked. Never a set neck until now. I need to make me something like this.

Since I got to know your channel I already learned so much that I was comfortable enough to tweak/setup my own guitar. It handles so much better now that I actually started to enjoy playing again. Thanks Dave!

Nothing venture nothing gained. Hats off to you for taking the chance!

I had this done to a new Les Paul (luckily under warranty) back in the 90's. it worked fine and I kept the guitar for a couple years afterwords with no issues

Strong work. Good technique to learn. Back in the 70’s my buddy bought a strat that had a neck that twisted and they tried that....no joy.

This is better than cable tv. Love this channel. So much knowledge. And he’s local.

Nice save!

GOOD SAVE DAVE! Glad to see the patient survive to play another day! She's a beaut!

Tex & Shyboy on Queen did this on my '87 Ric. Made a piece of firewood into an instrument again.

Another great video. Reminds me of heating up wooden hockey sticks to change the curve when I was a kid. It's even cooler that you built your own rig.

Another nugget of knowledge from Dave. You sir are a wizard with repair. Awesome stuff!

My local luthier who is very good, offers this service.I had a problem neck on a bass that was going to have it done to but luckily he got it straightened before this last resort.

this is beautiful. endless source of valuable knowledge!

I've done this with a Hondo neck. Bought a used ebay guitar and it had a ton of back bow. Took the rod nut off and wrapped a heat pad around the worst part, made up some clamp blocks and used a long piece of maple to clamp it to. Did this twice in 4 hour blocks. Got it almost there, after installing a set of Slinky 11's it was level and still holds tune.

"Somebody might stick their tongue on it........", pffffttt, there goes my beer!!! Interesting vid, Dave, thank you.

Congratulations, Dave! I hope the guy who sold this guitar to your customer will watch!

Wow! You're my hero! I've realised after watching many of your videos, it's only part technical knowledge! But it's mostly empathy with the guitar, knowing what's wrong & knowing what it needs! Thanks Dave...

Damn dude! I’m impressed! Fine work brother

Congrats Dave for 2021 Video of The Year Award! And it’s only March! Seniors rock! 😂😂😂

I've only used a steam iron , and various beams and clamps to prevent excessive land fill in my area, cool tool from a cool guy.

A Luthier friend of mine has one of those original heat presses you spoke about in this video and has had some really good success in straightening not only bowed necks but also some that were badly twisted.

Very informative video, Dave. Thanx. It's not something I could do, but it's a great old world technique that some repairers will take a look at, I'm sure.

"The Force is strong in this one ..." Nicely done Dave. Thanks for sharing.

i fixed a cheap fretless jazz bass neck with this method, it was so badly back bowed that truss rod wasn't able to straighten. nice video as always Dave!

Cheers from Long Beach Ca. Enjoyed your video Dave!🤟🏻🎸🎶☮️

Nice save on a nice axe. Your heat press rig/method is the best I’ve seen on KZfaq.

Really cool to see you demo this technique, super handy for people looking for a hail mary. Once upon a time I got taken for a ride by a shop who told me they had the equipment to give this a shot on a gooched archtop of mine that was built with a fixed steel rod in a baseball bat of a neck instead of an adjustable truss. Called me back the next morning to tell me everything was done (maybe 3-4 hours of actual working hours had passed) and what I got back was just as bowed, but with a shiny new fret job that had shaved everything basically flat to eliminate the dead zones. Haven't trusted a shop do to work for me ever since.

Very cool - thanks Dave!

This is interesting. I have an old Aria Pro II bass I saved from a local charity shop. It's neck is twisted worse than any guitar I've seen, but also bent up & down along it's length which gets far worse with the truss rod up to tension. I find it amusing to hear that the company started selling some of the only commercial heated neck straighteners! It's been waiting in the queue to be repaired for probably 8 years now... I keep telling myself I'll find the time ;-)

Interesting, thanks for the video

Now this was interesting. Eager to see how it turns out Dave

That is pretty awesome Dave. I had heard of these years ago when Aria made them. I do some repair work myself, this def would be handy. I am surprised Rickenbacker didn't include one with their basses hahaha.

Great work, fantastic video. Always enjoy Dave vids, but particularly like one's like this where the repair is way out of the norm. Great save, hope it lasts.

I love building contraptions from the scrap at work

Thank you so much for this Dave. I have been curious about this for many years.

Yep, my first classical guitar was an Aria. I was 15 and new little about guitars so I just went for it. Only months later playing with friends, I realized that the neck was absolute shit. The action was super high and the neck looked like a banana. When I asked a luthier, a friend of my father, how much would it cost, his words were "Get a new guitar and check the neck from now on." And I did! My father did give a piece of his mind to the guitar shop, and although they didn't reimbursed us, they told him, the guitar was on the shop's window for a long time. Loved the upload! Very informative!

She lives! Rock on, Dave! 🤟🏻🎵🎸

Interesting technique and video. Thanks for sharing it. All the best to you.

Dave remember when I told you about applying dry heat to a bent neck years ago. I did that to my 1992 Strat that has a none working truss rod and it allowed me to move (bend) the neck where I needed it to go. I learned about applying dry heat from video's made by people in the middle east who make an instrument like a fretless Lute, it's called an "Oud". They use heat to actually bend strips of wood so they can construct the body which resembles a large old fashioned mandolin, which is kind of shaped like a pair that has been sliced in equal halves from top to bottom. Hey Dave: While I'm on the subject of pair shaped things, and heat...read the little jingle below. It's an Oldie but a Goldie (sure you've heard it). I first heard it around 1968. What's round like an apple Shaped like a pair Split down the middle and surrounded by hair. -Peter age 71

Reminds me of the first time I took off a fretboard from the neck, didn’t sleep so well, it turned out fine as did yours Dave, well done and thanx 👍🎸

Nice work Dave. A Les Paul saved :) I love my 1996 Standard. Awesome to play. :)

i had a friend, an old school gunsmith, that had built a press/rig he used to bend (walnut) rifle/ shotgun stocks to create "cast" ( an offset L/R from the center line of gun, to align the eye better with barrel). Consisted of a set of clamps to hold stock, and a few extra screw/ pressure points to apply pressure. A heat lamp was used to add heat (pointed at area where bend was desired) as heat was allowed to work, tension screw were slowly tightened (over hours/ days). He said it could be a bit nerve racking when working on REALLY expensive, REALLY old guns ;) Sometimes, they broke...

That was fantastic.

Had to rewatch this a couple of times. Has to be one of the best tutorials on the use of a DIY neck heater! 👍🏼👍🏼

Doctor at work! Very interesting video. Happy to see it come out good as I'm sure the owner is too. Cheers

Awesome to watch, great content Dave.

I was just wondering if heat and clamps would straighten a guitar neck, and I just happened to find your video in my search. I have a 1980 Ibanez Blazer with a back-bowed neck...I’m gonna have to rig something up. 👍🏻

What a great idea.

thank you so much for this one Dave. when I was 15 I bought my first guitar for 500 it was an aria Les paul custom copy and it's been sitting in the closet for about 12 years cause of a shitty neck. so the rumours are true!!! learn something new every video I watch of yours

Yep, before you said who made the neck press, my brain was shouting "Aria, Aria, Aria"... The Aria pro II SB series bass guitars of the 80's where dream machines. Exotic woods, solid, heavy brass hardware, stunning finishes and neck-thru construction. ... Big, notorious, twisty neck-thru construction. I'm looking at one now. Hanging on the wall with it's big, unplayable, twisted neck-thru construction. Anyone in Scotland wanna do a heat press job?

Great Video. I am always amazed at the techniques out there that we aren't privy too, and you Mr. Davidip make them happen!!

Muffler clamps work well too, can be sized to suit neck tapers and dimensions from mandolins to bass and seven or eight string necks. Cheap too. Dave your T handles doubling as stands is great! We love your brain. And all of its endearing oddities.

It's ALIVE!!!!

That neck looked totally f'ed, even on camera.. of course it was a Gibson that required the application. ;) This is an amazingly interesting technique and a very intriguing video, Dave--You were like an ER doc monitoring someone's EKG. Thanks for sharing your insight and educating us. Another beautiful guitar saved!

Wow Dave! That was REALLY interesting! I love it when I can save or refurbish something expensive that was destined for the dumpster. My dad was a finishing carpenter and he would have enjoyed watching this episode. Thanks! 😎😎😎

I’ve heard and thought about this process. Fantastic that it worked! Thanks!✌️🌞😎🎸

I use the walmart 15 dollar rival iron. Fixed banana necks quick and flipped them on craigslist. Just beware that backbow heat press can cook the cheap frets and you will have to recrown them. They have like some kind of strange oil that goobs out of them. Front bows have no issues and have fixed many classical guitars with no truss rods.

Neato. Sneaking up on 150k SUBS too...Double neato. Cheers!

Very cool Video. I'm glad you were able to save that beautiful guitar. Rock on, Dave!!

Applause!!!! Gandalf, Gandalf!!!!! Great Share.

Wow cool! 9/10 I'd take my chances.

It's a Christmas Miracle, Dave. Really well done, mate.

Top marks Dave!

I did a bass neck years ago differently. Might have been a Dan Erlewine tip. Bolt on neck, cheap jazz copy. So bent the truss wouldn't fix it. Took the neck off, loosened the rod, heated in oven at 200 degrees+- for a couple of hours. Clamped it up with a slight reverse bow. The glue-line between the neck and board, softens, slips and sets up again as it cools. It worked. Still have the bass. I use this technique in fine woodworking on curved laminations, cabinet doors, or any glue-up needing straightening or bending. Good way to tweak the curves to perfection. I really like the heater bar though. Better than the oven.

A nice solution Dave!