Attn: Andrew Thomas or any other WolfHeads

[Otis5150]

I received my ivory standard on Thursday, off eBay, and it's great. However, I like the neck on my special just a bit more than the standard and I'm seriously contemplating swapping them. The special neck also has a graphite nut and locking tuners, so that would be an added bonus.

As our resident wolfgang expert, can you think of any issues involved with swapping the necks - other than the fact that it would effect the values of both guitars - which I'm not concerned about? I know, I know, it's a travesty. Please let me know asap, as I'd like to try this today.

If it works, I shall call it: Wolfenstein. BuuuuuHaHaHaHaHaHa....

Thanks!

[Wolfgang_'99]

Wolfenstein, how original.

[Otis5150]

Wolfenstein, how original.

Do I sense a hint of saarcasm?

[MF5150]

You must call your house or room that you play it in a Castle...so then you can say..."Lets enter... Castle Wolfenstein".

Classic video game!

[Otis5150]

You must call your house or room that you play it in a Castle...so then you can say..."Lets enter... Castle Wolfenstein".

Classic video game!

I like it! Done!

[AT]

I received my ivory standard on Thursday, off eBay, and it's great. However, I like the neck on my special just a bit more than the standard and I'm seriously contemplating swapping them. The special neck also has a graphite nut and locking tuners, so that would be an added bonus.

As our resident wolfgang expert, can you think of any issues involved with swapping the necks - other than the fact that it would effect the values of both guitars - which I'm not concerned about? I know, I know, it's a travesty. Please let me know asap, as I'd like to try this today.

If it works, I shall call it: Wolfenstein. BuuuuuHaHaHaHaHaHa....

Thanks!

Otis, I laughed. I told my girlfriend a couple of weeks ago that I've slowly earned the reputation of being a "Wolfgang nut," and her response was: "Well, that's about right."

I've never mounted a Standard neck to a Special body, nor vice versa. However, as near as I've ever been able to tell there is no difference in the cut of the neck pocket or screw holes. They should match up decently. The Standard's headstock is angled ten degrees, which might have some impact on string tension and overall weight distribution. (Since the Standard is an arch top, there is slightly more wood to the body. Whether or not the headstock angle is related at all, I have no idea.) If you're going to swap necks, be very careful when screwing the bolts in; maybe have the screws in the body and coming up just slightly in the neck pocket. See how the holes match up, and keep them visible when initially tightening. What you don't want to do is split the wood, which could happen if the screws and holes don't line up perfectly.

Out of curiosity, what is it about the Standard's neck you don't like as much?

[AT]

Whenever re-mounting a neck it is a good idea to wax or soap the screws. Doing so will help avoid stripping the screw holes.

[Double Down]

I don't know shit about the Wolfie's and I don't build or take apart guitars, so I'm probably talking out of my ass here. But I'd be careful fucking around with the necks. It's probably a harmless swap you want to do, but there's always that chance it's not. Then what? Are you sure you can't just adapt to the neck you're not crazy about? Play it for a little while and there's always a chance within no time you forget what it is you don't like about it.

[fast98dodge]

The Standard's headstock is angled ten degrees, which might have some impact on string tension and overall weight distribution. (Since the Standard is an arch top, there is slightly more wood to the body. Whether or not the headstock angle is related at all, I have no idea.)

Andrew, I didn't delete your other points because I thought they were irrelevant, because they are, but I wanted to address this one specifically...

The lack of a 10 degree tilt was done to "cut costs" according to Peavey. Whether that's true or not, that was the company line regarding that feature or lack thereof...

[Ted Van Halen]

Andrew, I didn't delete your other points because I thought they were irrelevant, because they are...

They were irrelevant or they are irrelevant?

I ain't no Indian, but i know war talk when I hear it.

far be it for me to instigate though.

[Otis5150]

Otis, I laughed. I told my girlfriend a couple of weeks ago that I've slowly earned the reputation of being a "Wolfgang nut," and her response was: "Well, that's about right."

I've never mounted a Standard neck to a Special body, nor vice versa. However, as near as I've ever been able to tell there is no difference in the cut of the neck pocket or screw holes. They should match up decently. The Standard's headstock is angled ten degrees, which might have some impact on string tension and overall weight distribution. (Since the Standard is an arch top, there is slightly more wood to the body. Whether or not the headstock angle is related at all, I have no idea.) If you're going to swap necks, be very careful when screwing the bolts in; maybe have the screws in the body and coming up just slightly in the neck pocket. See how the holes match up, and keep them visible when initially tightening. What you don't want to do is split the wood, which could happen if the screws and holes don't line up perfectly.

Out of curiosity, what is it about the Standard's neck you don't like as much?

Thanks for the advice (everyone). As far as preference, the special's neck is a little narrower and thinner; which is good/more comfortable for me becuase I don't have huge hands. I thought it was just my imagination, but a few other people tried both of them and agreed that there was definitely a difference.

Now for the results:

Good news: The special neck fits perfectly on the standard.

Bad news:

- I can't get rid of the buzzing on the standard w/special neck and will probably have to have a pro set it up.

- The standard neck does not fit in the special's neck pocket. It's too wide.

I will most likely keep the standard neck, in case I ever want to sell the standard as original, and sell the special body w/pickups and all hardware. Basically all it needs is a replacement neck (anyone interested?).

Comments/thought/advice?

[AT]

Andrew, I didn't delete your other points because I thought they were irrelevant, because they are, but I wanted to address this one specifically...

The lack of a 10 degree tilt was done to "cut costs" according to Peavey. Whether that's true or not, that was the company line regarding that feature or lack thereof...

Can you explain what the hell your first comment actually means? I don't understand the wording...

No shit the lack of tilt on the Special headstock was done to cut costs. The necks are all one-piece, and when cutting one with an angle it requires a piece of wood that much thicker. Does it have an effect on string tension? It seems it might. That was my question (not declaration).

FYI: I've done a shitload of pulling many Wolfgangs apart and re-assembling them. Though all were built to the same specs (with the exception of the import EXPs), the parts don't always match up perfectly.

[AT]

Thanks for the advice (everyone). As far as preference, the special's neck is a little narrower and thinner; which is good/more comfortable for me becuase I don't have huge hands. I thought it was just my imagination, but a few other people tried both of them and agreed that there was definitely a difference.

Now for the results:

Good news: The special neck fits perfectly on the standard.

Bad news:

- I can't get rid of the buzzing on the standard w/special neck and will probably have to have a pro set it up.

- The standard neck does not fit in the special's neck pocket. It's too wide.

I will most likely keep the standard neck, in case I ever want to sell the standard as original, and sell the special body w/pickups and all hardware. Basically all it needs is a replacement neck (anyone interested?).

Comments/thought/advice?

There is some variance in the Wolfgangs from neck-to-neck. The second one I ever bought had a significantly thinner neck than my first, and I was actually confused about which one better represented the intended contour. I asked some folks at Peavey, and no one could really give any kind of an answer beyond: "It probably just required more sanding." I don't have the largest hands either, but I've found I really prefer the thicker necks; I think the asymetrical shape really makes the difference.

Are you able to do simple adjustments on the guitar yourself? (i.e. truss rod, bridge height, etc.) The buzzing is probably just basic stuff.

[fast98dodge]

Can you explain what the hell your first comment actually means? I don't understand the wording...

No shit the lack of tilt on the Special headstock was done to cut costs. The necks are all one-piece, and when cutting one with an angle it requires a piece of wood that much thicker. Does it have an effect on string tension? It seems it might. That was my question (not declaration).

FYI: I've done a shitload of pulling many Wolfgangs apart and re-assembling them. Though all were built to the same specs (with the exception of the import EXPs), the parts don't always match up perfectly.

What it meant was I don't have anything to add or comment in regards to the assembly or switching necks... (sorry, I had just woken up and hadn't had my coffee yet so of course I wasn't making perfect sense...)

The 10 degree tilt would definitely have an effect on string tension, but I doubt it would have an adverse effect switching necks between standard and special bodies due to the locking nut...

After your comments about variations between necks and bodies, I'm quite surprised by this because I thought that Peavey would be really consistent in their production processes and finished product... You would definitely know better than I would because I only own one Wolfgang and have never taken the thing apart...

[AT]

What it meant was I don't have anything to add or comment in regards to the assembly or switching necks... (sorry, I had just woken up and hadn't had my coffee yet so of course I wasn't making perfect sense...)

The 10 degree tilt would definitely have an effect on string tension, but I doubt it would have an adverse effect switching necks between standard and special bodies due to the locking nut...

After your comments about variations between necks and bodies, I'm quite surprised by this because I thought that Peavey would be really consistent in their production processes and finished product... You would definitely know better than I would because I only own one Wolfgang and have never taken the thing apart...

When I'm tired (or pre-coffee) I tend to leave words out of what I'm typing.

Otis5150 is swapping necks on stop tail Wolfgangs, so there is no locking nut. I haven't noticed any major differences in string tension from a Standard stop tail to a Special stop tail, but I've never done a back-to-back comparison.

Several months back, someone with luthier-type experience posted here that a guitar is by no means a perfectly engineered device. There are just too many iffy variables, from the wood selection, to sanding, to metals, to the person(s) doing the assembly, etc. I've come to agree. Even though machines are doing the majority of the cutting on Wolfgangs (and most guitars nowadays), each piece of wood is still different, and the final sanding has to be done by a human. I think Peavey was very careful in matching necks to bodies, because all of my factory versions have fit very well while some of my "assembled from parts" Wolfgangs aren't quite as on-the-mark.

About a year ago the store I teach at got a gorgeous transparent blue Wolfgang Standard in on consignment. (No surprise they didn't put it on display--just waited for me to show up.) It was in mint condition and a lot cheaper than any other flame top Standard I'd bought. So of course I nabbed it. The birdseye neck always seemed a lot "softer," though, and there was some very slight roughness from the frets hanging off the edges. The humidity of summer kept the neck in decent shape, but when winter hit (especially in the extrended frigid cold and dry spell we had in February) the thing just shrank up. I oiled it about once a week, took it in the bathroom when I would shower, but the damn thing still had the sharpest frets off the edges. Then I took it off the guitar to have my tech file the frets down, I noticed a severe warp. I've never seen that on a guitar before and definitely not on a Wolfgang. I tried mounting it back on the guitar and stringing the thing up to see if the string tension would help even it out, but the improvement was minimal. So I'll be calling Peavey this week to see about a replacement neck. I have no doubt the guitar left their factory in excellent condition; that piece of wood just couldn't hold up over time.

(End of long story pointing out the downfalls of variances in wood.)