Repairing cracked headstock guitar

Located in upstate ny, we do repair work for local, regional and. In most cases the repair can be affected in such a way that the guitar can play and look as good as new. Hiding the cracked areas requires some skill and knowhow. Repairing a broken guitar headstock part one creativeguitarstudio. To repair these cracks the stress must be eliminated by removing the pickguard and reattaching or replacing it. Ive got a line on a cheap open back banjo that has a crack in the headstock. One drawback of a crack is that, in most cases, its difficult to work sufficient glue into the crack to get a sound repair. Cracked banjo headstock the crack is between the nut and the tuners, it is worse at one side and stops at the middle right in line with the tuner posts. Unlike hide glue, it is ready to use straight from the bottle. Heads up 2 headstock cracks a bit more challenging. At our shop, we use it in dozens of ways, but unless you understand its properties and know how to handle it safely, you can wind up in trouble in a matter of seconds. Cracked necks and headstocks finger lakes guitar repair. You can glue and clamp it up good as new, maybe paint th. After the headstock repair, it held in tune great and has never been a problem since.

Titebond original wood glue is quite common unlike hide glue, it is ready to use straight from the bottle. I own a cheapish acoustic guitar, a fender cd60 mahogany to be precise, and ive run into a slight problem. Our most recent patient is a 70s gibson sg that had been repaired and rerepaired several times in other shops. Please note that the prices listed are labor charges only and do not include strings or parts. And finally, i would be really careful about opening it up. A washboard texture which looks somewhat like corduroy is one of the first signs of dryness. We thought you might like to see how the repair was done. Pointing out a headstock crack repair is not idiots being idiots. This instructable will show you how to repair a broken guitar neck and, depending on how severe the damage, how to do some minor cosmetic repair. How to repair a cracked headstock takamine f340 acoustic guitar. As with a lot of broken headstocks this happened sometime between the guitar being put into airplane baggage and retrieving it from airplane baggage.

If you have a picture of your guitars condition, upload it to our estimator platform and well be able to get you an even more accurate repair estimate. It is very important that you know how to recognize this and what to do about it should your guitar start to show these signs of dryness. Hi all, unfortunately recently dropped my guitar while in its case, and a small crack formed in the headstock. When my bands guitar player broke the headstock off his epiphone les paul for the second time, i saw this as my chance to venture into the guitar repair world. Use a lot of glue and flex the crack little to spread the glue around within the crack. If you look really close, you can tell that i made the headstock ever so slightly thicker at the e string tuning machines where the break came through the face of the headstock. Theres never a good time for a headstock to break, and it can be surprising just how little impact it can take for it to happen. Its enough to make it impossible to keep the guitar in tune. If it can, id probably try that first not trying for an invisible repair, and clamp it together with glue.

The width or length of a wood crack doesnt affect whether it should be repaired or not, because even a small crack can run and get biggerget it fixed as soon as possible, because a delay could further compromise the guitars condition more on the repair process in a moment. However if its still attached to the neck just badly cracked you can definitely fix that. Gibson les paul traditional 2018 now with precracked. Dont let your favorite guitar suffer the indignity of a broken headstock. Glues used in guitar repair fret not guitar repair located. Except for the hairline repair of a cracked headstock. This usually happens when the guitar is allowed to dry out, causing the two halves of the top to come unglued at the center seam. This happens all the time gibson carves their necks out of one piece of mahogany, leaving endgrain exposed and thus creates a very weak point right where the headstock joins the neck. Although a broken gibson headstock seems like the end of the world, its usually a pretty simple problem to fix. Ive showed my guitar to 2 luthiers and they have suggested 2 different approaches. The headstock is a weak point on many guitars, particularly ones made from mahogany, and every gibson owner will be privy to the dangers. Crack repair what caused my acoustic guitar to crack. Before the break i only used it as a backup guitar because it never stayed in tune.

The pinning of the headstock to repair the crack would be stronger than before it cracked. One of the most devastating things for a guitar player to see is the headstock come away from his instrument due to an accident with a guitar. There are tons of videos like this one how to repair a cracked headstock on youtube which show different ways of repairing cracked headstocks and guitar necks. But unless you are very handy with tools, you might want to have an experienced guitar repair technician or luthier make the repair for you.

Jul 30, 2012 what i was expecting was a guitar which the seller claimed was in good shape. Posts about headstock repair written by graham parker luthier. Disaster strikes, youre headless heres how to repair your guitar break like a pro. Impacts with foreign objects whether the guitar is in its case or not will often crack necks and headstocks because of the load of string tension carried by the neck. I repaired a guitar headstock that was busted in a similar fashion but it had cracked completely off through the 3 tuner holes on one side. Hide glue is the best way to fix this nasty peghead break, and heres why. I glued it up with superglue and clamped it then dressed and polished the headstock so the glue and existing finish matched. How to repair cracks in your acoustic guitar guitar alliance. Woodworkers glue is water soluble, has longer working times than hide glue and is very strong. I told him to cut the strings right away and close the case as soon as they were cut. Repair chips and cracks in finish fender stratocaster. Fixing a broken gibson headstock strange guitarworks.

Hello guys, im looking for advices from those of you whove had experiences with cracked bodies, or have knowledge in guitar fixing. Repairing cracks in acoustic guitars examples of cracks. Works fine for holding dust in place, like on a cracked bridge fix, but for a structural thing. If it was my guitar i would make the repair with ar, then use ca for the cosmetic fix. The real challenge to repairing most tight cracks is primarily with the finish. What to do if you break your guitars neck haze guitars. Gibson les paul traditional 2018 now with pre cracked headstocks. Apr 07, 20 the scenario i gave was if the guitar really felt good and wanted to hang on to it and fix it thats the way i would do it. Aug 20, 20 to accommodate the angle between headstock and neck, i bend the new wood. Dogs, kids, vacuum cleaners, luggage handlers, theyre all out to get your guitar. Here is a tutorial on the complete repair of a les paul example.

If you own an acoustic guitar long enough, chances are good that youll have to deal with the repair of a crack in the wood. A new faceplate, wedge and backstrap overlay have made this headstock stronger than the day this guitar left the factory. Les paul guitars always sounding better after repairing the headstock. I had just such a thing a year ago on a d18 v and when i went to put very gentle pressure on the headstock, it came off in my hand. Our full setup includes full diagnostics and inspection of the entire instrument, full inspection of all electronics, personalized recommendations for upgrades and improvements, full redress and polish of frets with 7 courses of fine sandpapers and micromesh with a complete high gloss buff on our arbor buffer, cleaning and oiling of fret board, tightening hardware, replacing any needed small. What is the best approach for repairing poly finishes. Our dry run is working out great this is a noglue test run. Repairing a broken headstock using reinforcement splines. A headstock repair the headstock of this gibson les paul special was broken when the case fell over on its side.

Here is one, but if it looks like too much for you to take on, a good repair person can do this for you remember that many guitar headstocks are scarf joints to the neck and this is actually stronger than a one piece neck that if off grain. I mentioned that guitar would make another appearance soon and here it is. The infographic above illustrates the key concepts of force and stress acting on the neck headstock portion of the guitar design and how the back strap overlay can help to reduce the build up stress concentration under the nut at the sharp edges of the fingerboard and the headstock face veneer, and simultaneously help to strengthen the weak. This tricky crack on a 1972 martin d35 led me to a technique that i could hardly wait to show in trade secrets.

In the last article, heads up 1 headstock cracks easypeasy, we looked at a pretty basic repair of a cracked peghead. Guitar headstock rant why les pauls dont stay in tune. Aliphatic resin is amongst the most popular woodworkers glue used in instrument building and repair today. It would make for a more discreet repair if i brought this all the way to the end of the headstock but, on a gibson, i like to stop short of the serial number. Guitar repair removing bridge and repairing belly buldge duration. You can even snap a picture from your phone from here. Oct 03, 2010 in the last article, heads up 1 headstock cracks easypeasy, we looked at a pretty basic repair of a cracked peghead.

So youve somehow managed to break your guitar head clean off the neck. There is usually still some wood holding somewhere and aligning the pieces of the crack tends to be straightforward. Need advice for repair of cracked headstock acoustic. Would you ever buy a guitar with a repaired broken headstock. A neckbreak in the case was the final straw for the ownerwh. Aug 05, 2011 a while back, i outlined a slightly unusual method of repairing the broken neck of a gibson sg. If you dont have a syringe, you can apply some wood glue at the crack opening and force it in the crack with a feeler guage. Im guessing the joint was weak to begin with and the repair made it more solid. Even if the sides of a body are braced, a crack can still run right through the brace. Mar 22, 2012 its often said that guitar stands are a repair persons dream. Broken cracked headstock repair restore bridge tailpiece modifications. Even if this is crack in the finish, isnt it very dangerous at that point in the neck since it connects the headstock and the fingerboard.

I looked at it first and noticed a crack in the headstock that i thought was just in the finish. When andy cairns removed it from its case and strummed a few chords he noticed a very unusual tuning that slack snapped headstock tuning. I am going to keep the bass and see what one of our local guitar shops can do for repair. Repairing hairline crack in poly finish telecaster guitar forum. This ibanez artcore came in with a nasty broken headstock.

Easy guitar neck crack repair with super glue jonah guitar part 2, final duration. Ive written a little about specific headstock repairs and it occurred to me that might be a good idea to give you an overview with. I actually bought this guitar about a year ago for the very purpose of practicing neck repair. Jun 18, 2010 repairing a broken guitar headstock part one. Crack in the headstock fender stratocaster guitar forum. Second reason is it would prevent the crack from spreading down into the neck. Luthier brian boedigheimer offers insight on how to avoid it and what to do if you end up.

The guitar in question for this example is an epiphone les paul studio. This is a classical guitar that my grandma got in mexico in the 50s. Ive seen a lot of repair videos of catastrophic headstock failure, but none on milder issues. I got this guitar about 2 weeks ago for what i thought was a good price for it. I got a guitar with major damage that was repaired.

Both luthiers are reliable ive read a lot about the super glue fix, but havent heard as much on the airbrush approach. Guitar specialist guitar repair and restoration services. When the headstock or neck of the guitar starts to crack or break completely, the only option is a professional repair. One of the most common structural repairs we deal with in the shop is the case of the broken headstock. It may take some work and a few tries, but with the right tools you can shine up your guitar and make even a damaged guitar body look new. But unless you are very handy with tools, you might want to have an experienced guitar repair.

Most of the worst and hardestto repair cracks happen on a guitar s top. Dec 24, 20 since the guitar sides are usually the thinnest woods on the body, and since they are in just the right position to get whacked on something often while playing, they sometimes get cracked. For starters, id probably take that tuner off and see if the crack can be clamped shut dry. Only normal wear and tear for a 10 year old guitar. Not impossible, of course but, all things being equal, youll have fewer fender headstock cracking than gibson. I am hoping to conceal the crack, or at least smooth it out. On presidents day in february i managed to crack the headstock of my takamine 340s acoustic guitar. I wouldnt normally buy a guitar off of craigslist without holding it in my own hands, but i took a chance and did it. Super glue plays an important role in many types of guitar repair. Its this bending that adds extra strength to this repair as the wood grain curves to the correct angle. Mar 04, 2011 one of the best repair people is frank ford he has several articles on headstock repairs on his page. Was kirk hammett right about les paul guitars always sounding better after repairing the headstock. Cracks in the top wood are of particular concern because the top is generally a softer wood than the back and sides, and a crack can interfere with the soundproducing ability of the guitar. The guitar suffered a broken headstock while still in its case.

The customer did the right thing by calling me right away after it had happened. Sep 30, 2010 heads up 2 headstock cracks a bit more challenging guitarless said. If the guitar is ever sold on, a perspective buyer may be put off more by the lack of a serial number than a wellexecuted repair. Repair prices as of april, 2019 our guitar repair department has an excellent reputation for its expertise and meticulous attention to detail.

On a one piece neck, as is seen on many martin and gibson guitars, cracks typically occur at the headstock because the grain orientation changes there. In an effort to avoid a repeat, and keep the new adhesive from pulling up wood fibers if removed again, this bare area of wood beneath the guitar is usually sealed with finish. Ca is sometimes used to drop fill cracks or damage to finishes it can be scraped and polished and wont damage most finishes. Oct 19, 2010 stevie, their guitar tech, came in yesterday to collect a gibson sg that was in the workshop for a neck repair.

Repairing a broken peghead geiger school of lutherie. Due to the location, this makes the headstock top neck area quite vulnerable to general damage and even to a complete breakage. It took a bad fall and the headstock snapped completely off of the guitar at the scarf joint, and sheered off well into the headstock exposing the truss rod, the underside of the fingerboard, and the jagged, splintered endgrain of the mahogany neck. Sep 02, 2004 a headstock repair the headstock of this gibson les paul special was broken when the case fell over on its side. How to repair a broken guitar neck headstock step 1. This allowed us to knock the headstock with a hammer to testfit the parts together. I should have taken a better look at it before i bought it but the crack has opened up now. Repairing guitars often makes for some intricate clamping setups and overlays are prime culprits. Looking from the side it starts half the thickness of the peghead and gets shallower and more minute from there. As far as the repair being stronger than the wood itself. Again, the grain all goes in the same direction so its less likely to crack.

Put something down on your work surface to preserve your precious pristine finish, clamp the guitar down and place a nice heavy block of something either side of the headneck joint to raise your router up. Below is a list of prices for the most common repairs and custom work. The headstock where the string tuners are located is under the same pressures as the neck. Heads up 2 headstock cracks a bit more challenging guitarless said. Gibson les paul traditional 2018 cracked headstock. Apr 10, 20 this week i encountered an all too common problem. Ive seldom seen a case where a brace stopped a crack on a guitar. I was thinking about covering the crack with some black tint stewmac super glue, and then sanding and buffing. Professionals will often repair a crack or ding for you, but it can cost you. The action is a little higher than what it was but other than that the guitar is perfectly playable, what would happend if i left it. Finger lakes guitar repair specializes in the repair and restoration of guitars and bass guitars. Repairing guitars becomes easier as you become more skilled at diagnosing the problem and replacing parts properly.

Now you can upload photos with your repair estimate request. It looks like it wont open up, and at its worst is not half way through. What would you do about a cracked headstock discussion in basses bg started by. The sg had arrived back from the bands previous tour of russia in a bad state. Or for a larger crack, you can push the glue in with a stiff piece of paper or plastic film. Are you really a yr old guitar player or a guitar player that has. Repairing a broken guitar headstock part one youtube. Actually it will be more sturdy and durable after being fixed than before it was broken, which is the upside. Be aware that your break might not require a large amount of force, though. A slight crack or dent isnt impossible to repair yourself. There are many factors that determine the method of repair used in repairing a cracked neck or headstock including budget constraints, collectability, previous repair etc an adequate first line of defense for repairing a cracked neck or headstock is to simply glue the crack with hide glue. This one was especially simple, as the headstock was still attached to the neck, and the crack wasnt terribly deep. This time, well take a look at one where the repair needs a little bit more thought. Side note about wood strength and stain penatration.

Im really planning to keep this guitar, and im worried sick, i love my guitars. The fact that it was completely off and in one piece helped. How to repair guitar headstock neck break with epoxy. Repairing hairline crack in poly finish telecaster. A headstock crack is generally a little better than a complete break.

Cracked necks and headstocks archive finger lakes guitar repair. Knowing how to evaluate the seriousness of a crack will allow you to determine whether to call a repair person immediately or whether it might be ok to leave it alone for a little while. With string tension slackened, this crack is pretty hard to see. Easy guitar neck crack repair with super glue jonah. With this in mind, its probably a gibsonepiphone design with the extremely slanted head and you probably dropped it. While guitars are generally pretty well designed to withstand the abuse we musicians tend to put them through, the headstock is their achilles heel. One of the most common instances is actually not a crack at all, but a centerseam separation. The photo above on the right shows the removed section.