Vacuum Dish for Neck Removal

I’ve performed my last three batches of guitar neck removals for resets on this very nice vacuum dish. Normally the guitar is lying flat on the workbench while the steam is injected into the joint as the luthier wiggles the guitar neck loose as the glue heats up and softens. This process can be vexing as you need to keep wiping away the water and moisture from the guitar while you are holding it and trying to remove the neck all at the same time.

This dish uses vacuum (suction) to hold the guitar firmly in place above the bench, freeing both your hands to work the neck loose and wipe away the moisture. The dish rotates up and down from vertical to horizontal and everything in between. This makes it easy to shoot steam where you need it without actually having to touch the guitar! Because the guitar is resting on a vinyl gasket, it is never in danger of being damaged on the bench during the process.

Even if the power were to fail, the guitar stays firmly in place until the pressure valve is released. It is very cool and a wonderful tool that I’ve added to my guitar repair arsenal. The “safe” factor of having the guitar above the bench in the air is wonderful…it protects the guitar, minimizes contact, and really allows you to get both hands and your eyes up close as you work. The guitar in these photos is a Santa Cruz belonging to my client Dave Waxman.

All the best, Scott