Innocent Bystander wrote:So we had a house-guest from the Netherlands - Berti Peeters! Anyone remember her? One of the things we discussed was she had a guitar - a good one, and quite expensive - that she found difficult to play because the neck was too wide.
She had found a luthier who might be able to do something about it.
Actually, I was horrified. I've replaced the gearbox on my classical guitar, but having the entire neck replaced just seemed so drastic to me. I can't think of another way you could treat it. Maybe you could shave the neck down on each side, but that seems almost worse in its way.
Am I too squeamish? Is this something that gets done from time-to-time?
Sure, I remember Berti, and the horrors of that time. Still see her postings on Facebook. She has definitely accomplished a lot once she got her (defective) Cochlear Implant replaced. Being able to play and enjoy music must have been a welcome relief.
From what I've seen on the Acoustic Guitar forum (
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/index.php ), it's more common to sell the guitar, and replace it with one more closely matching the specifications the player seeks. Sometimes a proper setup is enough to return a guitar to good playability, or a change of nut & saddle to change the string spacing. In extreme cases, an otherwise much-loved guitar might get a neck shave to a more comfortable profile. I'd consider going that far, depending of course on the instrument.
Neck replacements are not common on acoustic guitars, and even then, easier with bolt-on style necks (like Taylor, and some boutique custom luthiers). I would think the cost would be prohibitive for dovetail assemblies, between the cost of the new neck, and the equivalent labor of a neck reset plus any further changes in geometry (possible bridge relocation, finish touchup, etc.). Very rare and discouraged on anything vintage.
I personally wouldn't do it. However, I have considered a conversion of an old Harmony 12-string. The guitar needs a neck reset, and the soundhole has collapsed inward, so repair would either be to do a standard neck reset, and reinforce the other structural failures, or a full conversion. Here's an example of what gets done in a conversion:
http://baxendaleguitar.com/conversion.html
Although it would likely be a significant change from the ladder-braced sound of the original, it would return the guitar to excellent playability, and allow tuning to standard pitch. Older 12-strings such as this were normally tuned from 2 to 4 semi-tones lower.