Thanks so much! Check out my playlists for the most up-to-date content as well. As I continue to publish more videos, I'm building up a repository of organized videos there that will cover a very broad range of guitar tech topics (and playing/music lessons as well). Thanks so much for the support! Comments like these inspire me to keep going. I have a lot more stuff on the way that I'm excited to get out to viewers like you.

Thanks so much! Made my day to know these videos helped you out. It's the whole reason I make them. Let me know how the Strat comes out! Also thrilled you enjoyed the one about clearing the neck pocket holes, it's something I do to all bolt-on necks and is one of the first techniques my friend and mentor Steve taught me about 18 years ago. Love that your woodworking experience corroborates that!

You're welcome! The neck pocket causing fret buzz can be a maddening issue, and seems crazy until you look in there and see a potential disaster. I really like the Harley Benton guitars, and you can't beat them for the price, but definitely helps to know tricks like this to deal with potential issues they can have, especially the cheaper B stock models.

You're welcome! So glad it was able to help! Didn't see this anywhere else so I'm always stoked when someone mentions it's helped them. Thanks so much!

I do think of all this as playability first, tone second. Even if it has zero impact on the sound, still well worth doing for the improved playability. I've had electric guitars that sound phenomenal unplugged, loud and resonant...but don't sound any different than any other guitar plugged in. It's a fascinating world with guitars!

@@guitar_md Yes, a better playability leads to a better sound too… I noticed that it’s not necessary the unplugged sound to be loud, but to be nuanced singing and sustaining. Those guitars sound also very good amplified. But the nuances get partially lost with more gain or with pickups that are coloring too much.

Thanks so much! Really appreciate this. Will be doing my best to keep videos like this coming!

It is shocking! I wish it wasn't necessary so often as it's a fairly involved procedure. I have a new video showing a baseplate I made just for this job as I've had to do it so many times since making this video -- and also showing a case where I had to rout the pocket down a *lot* deeper to accommodate a new neck. It's hard to imagine how this happens, as the neck pocket needs to be routed originally. They do look roughed out by hand. I'd be very curious to know exactly what's going on with that. New video here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pJOBZbVksaiZfmw.html

This is it, that's why I look for this video. The neck pocket on my 40th anniversary strat is an abysmal. Also the fret is uneven. That sucks bcs the overall guitar seems excellent, especially the neck profile and satin finish is soo good

Thank you so much! Appreciate you!

Yes. You can check out my new video here, where I use a Dremel with a custom baseplate I made: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pJOBZbVksaiZfmw.html I do mention that a trim router is too big for this job, but if you're careful, that's not necessarily true. The main thing is just to watch out for chipping the finish at the edge of the neck pocket, but outside of that, the trim router certainly will work much faster as it's much higher horse power. You might be able to get away with a standard baseplate for your trim router, or you could make one yourself similar to the one I made. Or even completely different! The whole idea is to just have enough surface area so you're in contact with as much of the body as possible at all times, so the router doesn't tip, dip, or do anything it's not supposed to. The 1/4" shank on the trim router is great. I'd recommend Amana Tool router bits, which are my go-to for every job. 1/4" shank x 1/4" cutting diameter x 1/4" cutting height should do the trick. Anything around there. The 1/4" cutting width will be good for ensuring that you're actually making it into all the nooks and crannies of the neck pocket, which a larger diameter router bit might not reach. I'm extremely cautious with power tools, and while I personally use a Dremel, if you're careful, your trim router should be perfectly fine. Especially if you follow my tips about filing the edge of the neck pocket down a bit, and taping around it before routing, just as a safeguard.

Thanks! Clearing the neck pocket holes 100% only helps vibration transfer. I've seen it hundreds of times. When the neck screws are threading into the body, the screws are not able to pull the neck tightly into the pocket. The tight fit against the pocket is what transfers the most vibrations. Wood to wood contact is what matters. My mentor taught me that when he showed me how to clear the pocket holes. When you have a tight fitting joint, wood to wood contact is maximized. When the holes aren't cleared, wood to wood contact between the neck and the body is compromised. Also, every vintage Fender I've seen had the neck pocket holes cleared. They definitely knew what they were doing, and the benefits extend beyond tone and resonance. I do regret not mentioning resonance/vibration transfer in that video. It does make a huge difference. Be sure to check out my new video on flattening the neck pocket as well. Always working on new things. I've seen many, many guitars transform after clearing the holes and leveling the pocket, and together they're a "missing link" in most setups, as almost nobody considers them part of a setup, or is even aware of how to do those jobs. Thanks so much for watching and for the comment. Will be posting more soon!

Also, to answer your question, clearing the holes is essential for a proper wood joint. The screws should ONLY thread into the neck heel, not the body. However, this only requires a few thousandths of clearance. Just enough so the screws aren't threading into the body. It's okay if the screws are making contact with the body. Just not threading in. Clearing the holes just enough so you can push the screws in by hand is what you want. Too much clearance and it may be hard to locate the holes when you tighten the screws. It makes disassembly and reassembly much easier too. Taking a neck off and putting it back on without cleared holes is a much more difficult process

I'd inspect the back of the neck itself as well. Sometimes the neck heel isn't flat, and that can cause issues. Drilling out the pocket is definitely the first move though. If the holes aren't cleared, it can cause bridging -- gaps between the workpiece and the piece that the screws are pulling the workpiece into. It's possible that clearing the holes will solve the problem. If not that, flattening the neck heel and the pocket will do the trick. It really is a pain, and even with the right tools it can be a tough job to get precise. Blocks and sandpaper will work, even though they take longer. Let me know if you make any progress!

@@guitar_md What’s a good method for checking the neck? Just measuring the sides to make sure they’re the same? A 90 degree ruler? Thanks again.

@UberBman I use a machinist ruler or Fret Rocker, then some good lighting -- even a good flashlight, so you can clearly see any gaps. It helps to mark a line with the neck mounted as well. Sharpie or pencil. Sharpie will come off with rubbing alcohol and if it's a poly finish, it will be unaffected by the alcohol. Marking a line where the heel meets the body can act as a guide. It's purely cosmetic of course. But if you start sanding and don't want your work to be visible, that line goes a long way. It is a balance though as if you don't get close enough to the line, the neck won't lay flat. Really makes you wish they got these things right at the factory!

Not yet. But working on it. The basics: you need to clear the neck pocket holes (neck pocket clearance holes) so you can move the neck either way. Then I use a shim on the appropriate side. My favorite is mylar film, which can be easily cut and stacked, then taped in place with Scotch tape or packing tape. Usually I'll back off the screws a little under string tension so I can adjust the neck and see where the alignment is. I'd like to come up with a method to measure this as well to know how thick of a shim to use right off the bat. Would make things much quicker!

Thanks! I've run into the same thing, and I do think angled pockets can be intentional. Although if it was cut evenly it should be flat when checked with a straightedge. The one I checked was not level at all, though it was tilted. I've since made a router base with a handle to do this more easily. Most commonly the neck pocket just needs to be stripped of paint and finish and maybe sanded a little. But on some cheaper guitars I've seen some that were severely messed up and really benefited from the router treatment. Appreciate the comment! And glad you found this interesting!

Yeah I should have done a set up first to see if the angled pocket actually helped to get a low action, but whatever, cant plan for everything ;) I was wondering about the dremel use as well, could you get right into the corners without it eating into the sides ? I probably would need to make a thicker template for the dremel to ride along that, but then again I dont know if that works with the plunger tool. I dont not necessarily want to buy a standalone router for neck pocket work.

@@maxmustardman298 The Dremel with the 1/4" guide bearing Amana bit will get into all the corners and will only cut the bottom of the pocket. The Dremel is the best as a regular or even trim router will be too unwieldy. When using a guide bearing bit, the walls of the neck pocket themselves will act as a template, so no actual template is necessary. I do find I have to be the most careful when routing the front edge of the neck pocket, farthest from the body. That can be prone to chipping, so extreme caution is advisable. That's the one part of this job that makes me really nervous and it is possible for a big chip of finish to come out, so go slow. If the finish is separated at all, even a tiny bit, I'd wick in some thin CA glue first, before routing, just to reinforce the area. Carefully filing a slight angle before routing might also help. Anyway, I'm going off topic there! I still have to test the base I designed to see if it'll work well. But it should. Most people don't have the Stewmac soundhole jig so I've been thinking about making a base for the plunge router that would be a lot less expensive. The Stewmac plunge router base is expensive. But worth every penny. It's a great base for the Dremel and I use it for everything. Very well made! I know what you mean about doing a setup first. Occasionally I've had to shim the pocket after leveling the pocket. Neck angle is extremely important but fortunately with bolt on necks, it's possible to change it easily to whatever angle you'd need. I've run into oddball necks and bodies too and have had to make full pocket, flat shims as thick as .045". I have no idea why, but there can be serious mismatches between necks and bodies.

@@guitar_md thanks for laying it out, makes total sense. Im currently working on a very cheap Fazley strat where the neck heel and the back end of the pocket are uneven, you cant even get the neck to properly sit in there. From the factory and retailer no less. Shows that there is still a limit to cheap imports.

@@maxmustardman298 Yep! You never know what you're gonna get. If the pocket is angled it should still be even, otherwise there will be gaps between the pocket and the neck. It isn't the end of the world but I've been surprised at how it can affect the actual playability. You can compensate with the saddles to some extent but if the pocket can be flattened perfectly that's always preferable. A lot of guys will use a block and some sandpaper, but the router is much faster. But sometimes going slow with a block can be the best way if it's especially tricky. I've also occasional used grain filler to fill in low spots. It's so soft that I'm not sure if it even makes much difference but it can help, and it does seem to act as a solid surface for the neck.

I agree. I've always known that, and my only reason for including that caveat was to avoid uneducated commenters accusing me of BS if I said it increases sustain and resonance. Which you're 100% right, it does. These days I'm more confident. If you look at my newest video on installing threaded inserts, I do say I believe it increases sustain and resonance via maximizing wood to wood contact -- but even if it didn't, it would still have these other benefits. I'm getting better at being truer to my beliefs. And I do wish on this video I stuck to my guns more and said what I've always known to be true instead of trying to prevent people from leaving negative comments. In reality, I see this procedure as essential for maximizing a bolt on guitar's potential. My only concern these days is whether to leave these old videos up or simply redo them and delete the old versions. Again, I 100% agree, and only wish I had the balls (at the time) to confidently make my case in this video. I do appreciate your specifying mechanical impedance mismatch too -- I was not aware of that term. And then I realize it isn't about having "the balls" to do it. It's about having the math and evidence. Confidence comes not from believing you're right, but knowing. I'll keep that in mind for my upcoming video on the compound radius and how mathematically it's the only fretboard profile that makes sense and can achieve even action. A radius with a narrower width progressing to a radius with a wider width *has* to be conical or it will be uneven. And leveling along the string paths automatically will create this compound radius. The older I get, the more I realize math is my best friend. Same with pickups. You can plot their resonant frequency which is a mathematical calculation based on the inductance and capacitance of the pickup. People can say a pickup sounds like X or Y -- get it on a bode plot and there is no debate. Pickups act as frequency filtration devices, for lack of a better term, and the bode plot shows you exactly what frequencies they're filtering in what amount and what curvature. Thanks again for the comment, and my only regret is not having the confidence I have now. Perhaps I'll end up redoing this video into an updated version. I've also gotten a lot better with my camera and video editing as well. Appreciate your input and it's comments like yours that motivate me to keep producing and to be confident in my work -- so thank you again!

@@guitar_md It's interesting that you've mentioned the question of flat vs. conical radius. I was actually thinking about the same thing for a while. If you consider a cylinder with straight lines (strings) going from one end to the other, they will necessarily intersect the cylinder, unless you have no taper, i.e. the lines are parallel to the centerline. Shaping the surface of the fingerboard/frets like a cone should allow for a more even height between the string and the frets.

@boshi9 It absolutely does. You are correct. I actually have some upcoming videos about this. The first will be going over the formula to calculate a conical profile for any fingerboard. It's very simple, but very difficult to explain simply. You got it though for sure. I only use conical profiles these days. If you add fallaway, or what I call "selective fallaway," this conical profile changes somewhat. There's only one correct conical profile for any given neck start and end width and starting radius. Deviating from this is OK but it's important to understand that it's no longer a true cone, and why those deviations might be helpful. String bending is a major factor. On fretless instruments it's not an issue. But desired relief is also a thing. A perfect conical profile will only be maintained with a straight neck. The actual exact geometry of ideally profiled fingerboards is far more complicated than most people think, and this becomes more apparent the lower the action gets.

@@guitar_md This sounds awesome, I've subscribed and will be looking forward towards those videos. I also think that the parameters of the cone aren't arbitrary, as you probably want the surface of the frets to be parallel with the imaginary conical surface defined by the strings, though perhaps there are some other factors to consider like the ones you've mentioned. It's surprising that this information is so hard to come by, even among highly experienced luthiers. May I ask a question related to the topic of neck pockets? I have a guitar with a neck slightly tilted forward, which I can tell both visually and by measuring the height of the strings above the pickguard (it's lowest near the bridge and rises as it approaches the neck by ~1.5 mm or so). As far as I can tell, the neck and the pocket are flat, the holes through the body are wide enough so that the screw threads don't catch on the body, etc. (I think I watched all your videos on the topic). The neck itself has consistent thickness in the heel area. It appears that the pocket was routed at a slight angle at the factory. The guitar actually plays fine with decent action, but I think I would prefer it more ergonomically if the neck was flat to the body or even had a very small back tilt. I'm choosing between using a shim or filing the pocket to change its angle. My concern about the shim is that a typical shim doesn't provide full contact and may cause the neck to warp over time, whereas a full pocket shim is harder to make and has some thickness to it, raising the neck from the body. Would you say it's possible to change the angle of the pocket properly using hand tools only? I own a flat Iwasaki file similar to the one you show at 1:27, a StewMac fret rocker to check for flatness, etc.

@@boshi9 I've gone largely to using full pocket, un-angled shims. I just use wood veneer and do not sand it down to a taper. The only caveat is you'll have to use a much thicker shim if you don't taper it to achieve the same reduction in action that a tapered shim would achieve. It averts the potential issue of partial pocket shims causing the neck to warp over time, and I haven't noticed any issues at all in my personal guitars that I've done this on. This is by far the easiest solution. I don't know of anyone else using it. I've used partial shims for many years and am only now second guessing the practice. I'd like to actually log this and get some data for how thick of a shim is needed to raise the action by a particular amount. This should be much easier to calculate when just using a totally flat full pocket shim, which I'm coming to think may even be more ideal. Tapering shims is just not feasible for 99% of people, myself included. I don't even know how I would do it, though I'd probably use one of those Byrnes Model Machines thickness sanders. Byrnes Model Machines do look awesome. On my wishlist for a while...mostly all of them. As for the conical radius: this is one reason I want to publish this video. I'm publishing a video tomorrow morning, and I'm debating whether to post it or not. I may refine it more. Currently I have a video scheduled on how to install vintage Kluson style tuners, which I may end up posting first, and the conical radius one a couple weeks from now. But now that you're curious....well, maybe it would be a good time, to post that video tomorrow. I lay out the whole compound radius formula in great detail with a real world example of how I create a compound radius using that formula as a guide. I don't elaborate on how the formula works in the video, just the numbers and how to get them and plug them in. The reality is that X = the convergence point of the two lines, like your outside E strings. They form a cone. When you have a radiused surface that's narrower at the start and wider at the end, it *has* to be conical, by definition, to be perfectly level along its length. The appropriate ending radius for any starting radius can be mathematically calculated based on the starting and ending width of the radiused sections and using the formulas. All it requires is measuring the neck and selecting a starting radius at the nut. Then you solve for the end. I do know what you mean. It took me forever to discover this, and it just so happens it's in Stewmac's "Guitar Player Repair Guide." It's a small section. I forget the name of the guy but he figured this out. Don MacRostie I think. That's the guy. As far as I know, he came up with this formula. Way smarter than I'll ever be.

You can do that for sure. I haven't tried that method yet though. It would require a different setup

@@guitar_md I'd like to know for sure

@@thawthaw03 You can do it for sure. I've seen it done by at least one person online. I can't remember the setup they used but routing down the neck heel will work just as well as trimming down the pocket. However, most of the time it's the pocket that's too thick. At least that's what I've found. I'm working on a new video where I show how to do this same job using a Potvin neck pocket jig. Much more foolproof though it requires more setup. Deepening the neck pocket seems like a much simpler operation to me overall. The problem with shaving the neck heel down is that it's fretted on the other side so getting it to sit perfectly flat can be an issue. You're also going to run into the problem of needing to trim it perfectly even with the neck pocket or it's going to look messed up. Way too complicated, way too high risk. I've seen it done before but I would absolutely not recommend doing that vs. taking the neck pocket down. The neck pocket is the way to go to do this job safely and correctly. Deepening the neck pocket is a safe operation when you know how to do it and also easily adjustable with shims. I prefer full pocket shims these days, and I don't use tapered shims either. Just because of convenience. Untapered full pocket shims need to be thicker to get the same effect but they work the same way. Again -- you *can* do it by taking the neck heel down, but you're opening up a can of worms, and there's a real risk for permanently damaging the neck. The neck pocket -- much less so.

The neck might need to be flattened as well. Check my video on Neck Pocket Clearance Holes. Tightening neck screws to the same force is only an issue when the neck pocket holes are not cleared. Clearing the holes completely solves this. It's only easy to tell when you have all the screws tightened with the same force when the body holes are cleared and the screws are not threading into them. Lack of clearance holes can absolutely prevent you from tightening all the screws evenly. And you are correct. In such a case, this would be pointless. That's why a full treatment of the neck joint would include flattening the pocket, the neck heel, and cleaning the neck pocket holes. Bonus points for installing threaded inserts in the neck, which I also have a video on. Flattening the neck heel is rarely required. But it is sometimes. Usually due to finish buildup. I haven't figured out a set, easy way to do this yet. My typical method is just block sanding while being careful to avoid sanding into the finish where it will be visible. Of course that all could be avoided if manufacturers just used thin finishes on their necks, which feel better anyway. There's no reason a neck heel should ever *not* be flat other than some serious oversight on the manufacturer's part. But until then, block sanding and even flat filing the neck heel can work. It's difficult to flatten things by hand, no matter what you do. I've only had to flatten neck heels a few times. Chemical stripper could be another option. Then with the finish stripped off you could see if the wood itself was warped or out of whack. That might even be the easiest option. But of course you risk stripping the finish where it will be visible. If I had my way, all necks would be hand rubbed with a thin coat of shellac. It's all that's required and feels the best to me personally. Otherwise just thin finishes in general would likely prevent a lot of these issues.

@@guitar_md Thank you for your detailed anwser! I 100% agrre with thin finishes on the neck, especially with a thin coat of shellac. I'll check your video about threaded inserts, I'm not familiar with this method, but sounds like a very good and working idea.

@@xyrius Sure thing! The threaded inserts are not necessary, but they're an extremely nice luxury to have. I've had many guitars over the years and if you find yourself taking the neck on and off for whatever reason all the time -- -- the inserts guarantee it'll never wear out. I've had to touch up screw holes in neck heels as the threads can wear out over time of being screwed into and out of repeatedly. Sometimes a little CA glue touches them up. Other times you have to drill out, plug, and re-drill. So I find it much faster and easier to just install threaded inserts in those cases. You drill it out, drive the insert in, and you're done. Compared to drilling oversize, filling, waiting for it to dry, then re-drilling. And before you re-drill after plugging a hole, you have to mount the neck back onto the body and re-mark the centerpoint for the hole. So as a repair guy, for me, installing threaded inserts is the best and fastest way to go when repairing stripped neck heel holes. And it's also the best thing to use to prevent that from ever happening in the first place. I do think there's an argument for it increasing mechanical impedance as well -- wood to wood contact. The machine screws into threaded inserts can be torqued harder and also more consistently than wood screws. Stainless steel threads are much more consistent and resilient than threads in wood. I usually only install them on my own guitars because I like them, but for other people, it's only really necessary if they have to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod. In those cases, where you KNOW you'll be removing the neck many, many times, I'd say threaded inserts are imperative.

There's more than one way to approach this problem. But the neck pocket and neck heel needing to be flat is plain as day, regardless of the method used. If this is nonsense, then jointers in woodworking are also nonsense. Two words: Flat Surfaces. I also forgot two other words: Mechanical Impedance. The guitar in this video in particular played much better after this procedure. A neck heel that doesn't sit flat in the pocket can cause the action to feel weird as the fretboard can actually end up tilted in one direction or the other instead of laying flat and parallel with the rest of the top of the guitar as it's supposed to.

I mean… In some pretty extreme examples he’s right. But any qualified tech would be able to pick this up. Neck geometry is not that complicated. What’s more concerning is the way the guitar is wobbling on the workbench, the way his protective cardboard is sliding around.