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I'm having trouble removing the neck from an Ibanez 12-string acoustic M312. The tongue is already separated and I have scored the finish around the heel. I have removed the first fret past the point where the neck meets the body and have drilled a hole. When drilling I don't seem to find the pocket. Have tried working the bit toward the neck and also toward the bout. I injected steam anyway but the neck doesn't loosen at all. I using a neck jig just fit snug. When I try to apply pressure the jig bends but the neck doesn't budge. When I tried cleaning more around the where the heel meets the body, it seems this has been filled with glue. Any suggestions as to how to proceed from here.

Thank you.

My first neck reset, before I had any business even attempting one, was an old Alvarez 12 string. Had the same exact problems you have encountered. I made my own jig and had a lot of pressure on the neck. I drilled several holes at different angles through the 14th fret slot to allow drainage while I steamed different holes. Seems like I remember about an hour in getting frustrated and I started wiggling the neck up & down, back & forth. It suddenly popped loose. After getting a good look at it I discovered the biggest glob of rock hard epoxy or something like it. Steam was never going to penetrate it. Had to grind it off with a Dremel tool. If I had it to do over I would saw it off and convert to a bolt on. It was a successful reset, but what a pain. Good luck.

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Brad Hall
Mystic Dawg Guitars

It may well be epoxied in... If all else fails - get out the saw...

I know some consider it unorthodox but I still find it appropriate in some cases to saw off the fretboard at the 12 or 13th fret (on a 14 fret guitar assuming this is) and remove it. Then you can see exactly what is going on. They used to do that as a normal operation but cut it off at the body fret. Cutting it off at a fret or two before that will make a much better joint when you put it back together again.

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like I'm going to keep working on in till I give up and cut it off.