Martin 000-1 neck attatched by means of.....?

[thefishinmusician]

I've got a 1995 Martin 000-1 in the shop...Has a big Phillips head bolt under the name plate on the neck block , close to the back....I loosened the tongue , but it's still solid...Is there a dovetail as well ?Thanks indeed , for any helpses...

[Frank Ford]

It's a straight mortise joint, secured with that bolt, but GLUED as well, so you can still have the pleasure of steaming to soften the glue as you would a dovetail. It's a stright mortise, rather narrow.

[thefishinmusician]

15th fret ?..As usual ?...Thanks !

[Jay Lowe]

What Frank said. It may help a bit to plug the hole before you start steaming. I sanded down a cork from a wine bottle to fit in it. I've also noticed that my work seems to get progressively better the more corks I save in a day but that's for another post. :)

[thefishinmusician]

Thanks !..As I asked Frank , 15th fret as usual ?

[Jay Lowe]

Yes. A bit narrower than a dovetail.

[thefishinmusician]

Narrower ?...Not sure how you mean that...Smaller gap to get steam to ? ..Or like a kit guitar ?...Do I drill for the gap in the same place ?

[Mark McLean]

I haven't done one of these so pardon my ignorance - but why would you need to drill through the fretboard if you already have that screw hole to access the joint?  I would have thought that you could place the needle in through the hole and maybe plug around it with some BluTac or similar.  But set me straight if that is a bad idea. 

[Hesh Breakstone]

You don't drill though the 15th fret on these.

Instead you remove the bolt and we made a threaded plug with a steam probe passing through it that replaces the bolt.  A cork will work too with the stream probe through it.

Fret board extension is freed up as usual, heat, shield, etc.

If there is a gap at the heel and rim the glue joints on these can come loose on their own at times and you don't always have to steam it.  Loosen the extension first and see what you have before you jump through hoops making a steam plug and such.

If the glue joint is solid these can need resets just like most acoustics and everything is the same except steaming off the neck.

[thefishinmusician]

Extension is loose....That's all...

[Hesh Breakstone]

Then steam probe in the bolt hole, it greatly helps to make a cork or something to keep the steam concentrated in the joint.

[Hesh Breakstone]

This isn't directed at you but I always try to be clear when I answer questions on-line.

I mean the bolt hole on the guitar......

You never know what some yahoo might do..... ;)

[thefishinmusician]

Thanks for clearing that up...It could have gotten ugly....