Goya hardware neck

[griff]

I have a 1972 Goya G174 on my bench in need of a neck reset (among other things). I understand that Goya was using a hardware joint that used a continuous rod up the heel and into the truss and two socket connector bolts through the block. Only problem is that I only see one 3/16 or so hole and no bolt, only a small glint of metal down inside (see pic). Before I do any exploring, is there a simple explanation? Unless that glint of metal is a threaded screw of some kind (which couldn't possible take the stress by itself), I have to assume it's a dovetail joint and proceed that way. Magnus is our resident Goya expert, any information on this?

[Magnus Hultin]

Griff,

I have had one Goya 174 just like the one You have on Your bench.

It is from the period when Levin abandoned their bolted neck-joint to a traditional dovetail. The one I had was actually not in need of a neck reset, and I never examined the neckblock closely. I do know however that all Levins had this hole throught the neckblock, and I have used it on several instruments to inject the steam. It leads it right to the center of the joint. I think it was put ther for manufacturing reasons, I have seen pictures from the Levin factory of guitar bodies hanging in the neck block.

I had anotherone just like it, which I still have, only two numbers apart in serial number, with a bolt on neck. They both have the label with "Distributed by Dude", which I recognise on Your picture. The 174 I kept is in the 53900 range.

I really cant hint You on the metal You see. The vertical rod in the heel of a bolted Levin/Goya neck would not be visible, and I doubt that what You see is a screw. One possibility could be that it is an anchor of some sort for the trussrod, but in this case it is a trussrod-design I have never seen in a Levin or Goya before. There is also a possibility that what You see is something that hasn´t been there form the beginning.

I add some pictures of a neck reset I did on a 1974 Levin W-36 which could have the same type of trussrod. You see the anchor in the heel, but on this guitar it seems to be far from the hole in the neckblock. You can see the way I inject steam into the neckblock.

Good luck, and please report Your findings!

Magnus

[griff]

Very helpful Magnus, thanks. I'll let you know what I find.