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Epiphone FT-565 neck problem


FredB

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Hello all! I am new to this forum, but not new to Epiphone guitars. I have an Ft-565 (made in Japan) 12-string that I purchased new in 1974. It’s been a wonderful guitar, but time has taken it’s toll and it’s become hard to play due to the neck angle to the body. Has anyone ever had experience with re-setting the bolt-on neck to restore the playability of this guitar?

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I only took apart a bolt on neck guitar once in an attempt to correct the neck. I ended up just putting it back together as I have found it and slightly lowering the equivalent of a bridge saddle (it was an electric archtop) and sinking its pickup a bit. Be prepared to have a bunch of neck shims, most very minor ones to keep trying in combinations is my only possible suggestion. And, patience. And, maybe the sense to take it to a luthier.

 

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

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  • 1 month later...

While you have the neck off do yourself and especially the guitar a favor and reglue the neck block which most certainly has come loose from the body due to structural deficiency in it's design. There is a post somewhere on this forum about an Epiphone model 6832 with the a similar problem as yours. I think it is Tommy K who does an excellent job of describing his repair method with lasting resusults. All good. I'm new to this forum and this is my first post.so I'm not trying to be Capt. Obvious.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The 1971-1979ish FT guitars with bolt-on necks all suffered from neck blocks that come loose over time. That causes the neck to pull up and makes them hard to play.

 

I thought that the FT-565 had a set neck - are you sure of the model?

 

I have a number of these guitars - a 6832 & FT-135, an FT-165 12 string, and an FT 6732. All have been restored by Tom Dodson in Jackson GA. I had the adjustable bridges replace with traditional bone saddles, Fishman electronics installed, and all the neck blocks re-glued. Most of them had top braces that needed re-gluing as well. The cost to repair one of these Epiphones will likely exceed their market value. For me it was a labor of love.

 

The FT-165 12 string needed a Bridge Doctor installed. Tom Dodson installed it and it actually increases the tone of the guitar:

 

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Bridges/JLD_Bridge_Doctor.html

 

I'd advise that you take the guitar to a competent luthier and have him repair it.

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