This guide is limited to ‘RG’ and ‘S’ models.  Keeping my scope narrow should make this a more useful guide and very straightforward.  The modern Ibanez guitar is separated into two basic neck differences.., the ‘square heal’ and ‘All Access Neck Joint’ (or AANJ).  The differences are VERY easy to spot.., the AANJ doesn’t use a neck plate and is contoured, whereas the ‘square heal’ is, as it sounds, square.

Putting the neck on the guitar is very easy.  Be sure to use a soft surface that will not scratch your guitar.  I tend to go ‘high tech’ and use my lap and a towel.  Put the neck into the neck pocket making sure slide in as gently as possible.  Usually it slides in very easily, occasionally it’s quite tight.  MAKE SURE that the neck is pushed all the way into the body so that the neck pocket is making contact with the neck. With the body and neck on, gently, while holding both pieces, turn the guitar over so that you are looking at the back of it.

Go to either AANJ or Square Heal depending on your neck.

All Access Neck Joints – AANJ:
To put things back together, you will need special screws and ferrules (or the washer like part that goes into the holes on your Ibanez body that keep the screws in place).  All of the ferrules are the same, but you should have two sets of screws of like size (two long, two shorter).  With the guitar and body together (and upside down), put the ferrules into each of the screw openings so that the flat part of the ferrules are against the flat part of the screw opening (or so that the concave part is out).  Check again to make sure that the neck is all the way into the body.  On the AANJ’s the longer screws both go closest to the tremolo.  The screws should go in easily (if they do not screw in partially by using your fingers, you may not have the neck aligned correctly).  Finger tighten all 4 screws, then partially tighten all 4 screws with your Phillips head screwdriver, then tighten the fully though not excessively (use common sense).

Square Heal Neck Joints:
To put things back together, you will need special Ibanez screws, neck plate and casket.  You should have two sets of screws of like size (two long, two shorter).  With the guitar and body together (and upside down), put the gasket and neck plate on the opening (check to make sure that the Ibanez logo is facing you so that you can read it).  Check again to make sure that the neck is all the way into the body.  On the Square Heal Neck Joints the longer screws both go into the thickest part of the wood side by side.  The screws should go in easily (if they do not screw in partially by using your fingers, you may not have the neck aligned correctly).  Finger tighten all 4 screws, then partially tighten all 4 screws with your Phillips head screwdriver, then tighten the fully though not excessively (use common sense).

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