Aspen AD 28 Neck Joint. Anyone re-set one of these?

[Tom Krebs]

A cheap guitar, but has sentimental value to the owner.  Anyone know what type of glue and/or joint used here before I dig into it?  Thanks for any first-hand experience. Tom

[Jeffrey L. Suits]

Ooooooooooooooooh, boy...

 

I have no firsthand experience with one of these, but be prepared for AMG & AMJ.  (Asian Mystery Glue, Asian Mystery Joint).

 

Consider a saw-off, conversion to bolt-on.

[Jim Bancroft]

No first hand experience with the brand, but if I'm unsure about the neck joint I'll still treat it like a dovetail until I find out differently.

I'll basically remove the next fret above the body joint and drill a small hole and probe for the back side of the dovetail, and will even inject some steam to see if anything gives. If that doesn't work then I may partially saw through the body/neck joint and apply a drywall screw and glue or completely saw off neck and bolt and glue it back on.

 

Jim

[Tom Krebs]

Thanks for your time replying guys. I am hip to some of the options and possible mysteries involved with import guitars. I was hoping someone had experienced this particular model.  I think I might pass on this repair.  I am not a fan of the sawn-off shotgun repair - unless I own the guitar :)  Cheers, Tom

[Jeffrey L. Suits]

Passing on this gig, is a reasonable idea. The red flag of, "sentimental value", and the mystery joint, could add up to a sub-minimum wage repair job.

[Matt Haugen]

Hi Tom, I know I am a few years late, but I am a big fan of these Aspen guitars. I have a couple of these D-28 models. Haven't had to reset the neck, but I had to reglue a bridge and replace a bridge plate. Not HHG, but it is heat sensative, similar to Titebond. I just pulled the neck from an Aspen D-18, It had a traditional dovetail with a titebond original type glue, it steamed right out. I should also add, that I have only dealt with the 1970's era Aspens made in Japan. In the 80's operations were moved to (I believe) Korea. These are of questionable quality.

[Kerry Krishna]

Matt, I am so glad you poppedein here! I was just going to jump in and say that it HAD to be a dowel'd neck! You saved me Bucko!

[Hesh Breakstone]

Still could be doweled and there can be a huge difference between Japanese built and Korean built instruments.

There is always what we folks here in Michigan generously call a California reset..... ;)  Wonder if the good folks of California would prefer to attribute this method back at Michigan....

[Alexander Allgood]

Well i can tell you one tho g for sure. That neck is not coming out. I just attempted to reset one for a customer thinking it would be similar to the old yamahas. This neck joint is Mortis and tennoned epoxied and bolted. Tried drilling a number of access holes to put steam through and nothing. There was a bolt under a paper label inside. I loosened that. Still it would not budge. Tried sawing through but of course the bolt won't allow that to happen and the cheeks are glue joints with some sort of crazy strong glue. Sawed off the fingerboard extension and the top runs over the truss rod anchor as well. This thing is now firewood. And I have to eat the cost of the guitar. Not happy.