Here Is A Fun Repair

[Southpa]

I had to laugh when my friend brought this guitar down to his office in a cardboard box. I had a look inside and said "hmmmm...". Of course, taking it to a shop wouldn't warrant the expense, cheaper to buy another guitar. Anyway, it belongs to his 10 yr. old daughter and got "kaboinged" into two pieces. You can see how cheap it is, not even a real fretboard, just painted plywood. All the wood is still there and the pieces still fit nicely together...well almost. I've been thinking about how to apply the necessary clamping pressure when I glue it back together. The brass fret is also missing at the break joint so I might just replace it with a steel one from my supply.

Here is what I plan to do. Drill holes into the body side, they gotta be straight. Then attach the neck and mark where the holes are from the inside of the body, through the neck block to the neck piece. Then drill pilot holes into the neck piece. I have some wood dowelling to replace the missing one. Then spread some glue on the broken faces and insert large wood screws from the inside of the guitar, throough the neck block and screw into the neck piece. Thats my clamp, screw it nice 'n tight and that should suck the 2 pieces together. The rest is just fine tuning the fretboard face with a straightedge. Wadda ya think? I'm open for any other/better suggestions or input.

Edited December 2, 2005 by Southpa

[Nitefly SA]

my better suggestion: get a pack of matches and a bag of marshmellows

[Recursion]

If you use that dowel joint method, it should hold pretty good. Seems like the only good method.

[soapbarstrat]

For a "clamp" , I'd probably want to use a ratchet strap around the whole body, which would pull on a curved neck caul clamped around the 12th fret area. But, just thinking out loud. Maybe the body couldn't handle the pressure ? I wish I had the time to try out cheapy repairs like that. It does look like fun. Might as well check the neck-set before gluing it back on. Now THAT would make it real fun, if it needs the neck angle fixed.

[Southpa]

I'm only doing this for the jollies, . I'll charge him the replacement cost of strings, nut (chipped badly) and saddle (missing). And those will be bargain brand plastic, just a few bucks at most. Just getting it playable again for his daughter. But with the dowels to guide it true I think the screw method I mentioned should do the trick. I'll probably just leave the screws in there anyway, just to make sure it stays together.

Edited December 2, 2005 by Southpa

[Recursion]

But if you glue with those screws in it, youll have problems later.

[soapbarstrat]

probably a single lag bolt would work for his method. I'm just not sure what the neck-block looks like inside that body, so can't think in detail about the screw/bolt method (I think you want a hex head on the screw/bolt). He'll want that bolt to fit through a hole in the neck-block with no threads grabbing that hole; he'll want the threads to grab the hole he puts into the neck, that way it will surely pull the neck against the body. The threads on that bolt can be waxed, so it will be able to be taken out later, if needed. And the bolt should have a washer on it- probably stupid that I even say that, but you never know.

A "dry run" would show if the neck angle needs to be changed first.

[mikhailgtrski]

my better suggestion: get a pack of matches and a bag of marshmellows

←

good one

[sashimimi]

I'm in the same situation, except it is my trashy ukulele. Your method sounds very reasonable an I think I might just try it on that ting. THANKS

Edited January 5, 2006 by sashimimi