Is it possible to change the pitch on a set neck?

[WillyPete]

If the neck is set with a positive pitch at the neck joint, can the glued set necks be shimmed or adjusted to lower the action, or is the owner left with having to deal with the ole idea of using a positive pitched neck to reduce fretbuzz?  

I know you could do it with a bolt-on, but how they intended for folks to adjust a set neck is puzzling me?  

[Hellzero]

I guess you're talking about the tilting of the neck, which is impossible to correct on a set neck without ungluing it, correcting the tilting and then gluing it back, so a lot of work.

 

And with a neck through it is close to a nightmare...

 

The only thing you can do is lower the saddles or recess the bridge for lower action.

[WillyPete]

Thank you. Just the straight advice I’d need. 
saw a beautiful Aria Ric copy but the neck had a very exaggerated positive pitch. 
I guess if I really needed to get it I could convert the glued neck to a bolt in. 

[Joe Nation]

It's definitely a neck-off job. Depending on the design it's sometimes easier to convert to bolt-on and add a shim, or you can reset the angle and glue it back on. Check out twoodfrd on Youtube, he has a bunch of great videos about neck resets and the geometry involved (he's more fly-on-the-wall than how-to, so you have the just watch a bunch to figure stuff out, but he's brilliant).

[WillyPete]

On 30/09/2025 at 10:33, Joe Nation said:

It's definitely a neck-off job. Depending on the design it's sometimes easier to convert to bolt-on and add a shim, or you can reset the angle and glue it back on. Check out twoodfrd on Youtube, he has a bunch of great videos about neck resets and the geometry involved (he's more fly-on-the-wall than how-to, so you have the just watch a bunch to figure stuff out, but he's brilliant).

I regularly have his stuff on my recommended list.  

Main problem is that he's so calm about it all and makes it look so easy that it gives me overconfidence to try it.  

Luckily the item sold so I don't have to put that to the test.  

Thanks for the info.  

[Joe Nation]

His advice is to buy something dirt cheap and a bit broken, then fix it up. That way you won't ruin your prized and valuable antique instrument. Head to car boot sale or charity shop and find a battered acoustic and build some confidence with it!