ES 125TC Neck removal

[Charles Savage]

Greetings, It's been a long time since I visited...

I have a customer in need of resetting the neck on this. It is pulled away from the heel about 0.050" to 0.060" I am guessing. I cannot read the serial number enough to date it but it has the burgundy finish which as I understand is fairly rare and I do not want to upset it. I am a novice and this would be my first neck removal. Before I continue I have a few questions:

1: Should I attempt to direct steam towards the back of the heel area where it is pulled away to soften the glue or invest in a needle from StewMac?
2: Is it possible this model had a clear polyurethane coat instead of lacquer from the Gibson factory? (Finish is beautifully and evenly checked so I believe is original) I do not want to cloud from the steam it if is a poly finish.

Thanks.

[Brian Evans]

I do love a nice ES 125TC, I owned two of them, let both get away. It's going to date between 1960 and 1970, and the finish is going to be nitro-cellulose. I am almost certain the neck joint is a quite short dovetail, both of mine were moving and I had them in the 1970's and 1980's so I'm not all that impressed with the joint design. If I were doing this, it'd see if it can be wiggled enough to be sure it isn't a mortise and tenon a la ES335, and steam it off if it won't come dry. If the body is fully hollow (haven't looked inside an ES125 TC in decades) I would strongly consider putting a threaded insert in the dovetail and converting it to a bolt reinforced glued dovetail joint. It's quite easy to fish a knock-down furniture bolt through a hole in the neck block and use a long allen wrench through a hole in the tail block that would be covered by the tail piece. If there is a block under the bridge disregard this advice....

[Charles Savage]

How refreshing to know that it is not poly. It is definitely hollow but I will check out the to see if there is a block. So you feel that I may be able to work it loose dry considering the fact that it is already pulled at the heel? I am all for that. I already scored the finish along the top of the body where the neck meets so I do not add more damage when it does free up. Any advise as to my best approach on steaming? I have a home made steamer with a football inflating needle but I fear that may not be enough steam as I try to wedge it between the small opening. Its just a slight bit too big.

[David King]

Look for blunt needles in the 12-16ga range from your usual source of all things. Here's a kit from ebay that includes 6 syringes which you can probably find a use for around the shop. http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-x-10ml-BLUNT- ... 1607367710

[Charles Savage]

I wiggled at it to see if it would free up dry however the fretboard gave way to the extension block at the top of the body instead of the block first. I do not know it this is dovetail or tenon but I've tried pulling I straight upwards and away in case it was a tenon joint. It seems to rock enough to free itself but I'm a little nervous that its because there is a dovetail fit that will not be able to come off until the extension block is separated from the body. Unless there is a chance it (The extension block) is not glued to the body. ???