Jemram Posted October 28, 2007 Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 I managed to trip nad broke the headstock clean off my thru-neck guitar. The break is very similar to the break on this repair guide. Has anyone got any further tips or experience of reattaching the headstock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemram Posted October 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 And roughly slotted together: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted October 28, 2007 Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 Ouch. That is a really nasty break. I think you have very little chance of getting a repair to work unless you do some pretty elaborate reinforcement. I'd probably opt for a new headstock, scarfed onto the neck so you have a decent amount of gluing area. Not a repair for a beginner, sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted October 28, 2007 Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 definately one of the most difficult kind of breaks to repair. i'm with setch - scarf a new headstock... or get a professional to do it anyway!! The method in brians tutorial will not restore any strength to a break like this and to be honest, i think the one in that tutorial was on the verge of being unsuitable for the repair he did. Yours is definately unsuitable for that method Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemram Posted October 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 Thanks guys. It's only a cheap guitar so it worth giving it a shot. Getting it professionally repaired would most likely cost more than the guitar is worth. Would using an Epoxy glue give a stronger join than wood glue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Ouch. That is a really nasty break. I think you have very little chance of getting a repair to work unless you do some pretty elaborate reinforcement. I'd probably opt for a new headstock, scarfed onto the neck so you have a decent amount of gluing area. Not a repair for a beginner, sorry I agree that's a NASTY break and NO epoxy wont help. Remove the fretboard and scarf joint on a new headstock and add a new fretboard. Just my .02 cents worth MK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHowell Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Have a look at Broken Headstock Repair Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemram Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 The trouble is having a new headstock scarf jointed on would cost more than replacing the guitar, so I may as well scrap it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 two options then - have a go yourself or flog it to someone who wants to learn how to do a difficult repair like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGman Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 The trouble is having a new headstock scarf jointed on would cost more than replacing the guitar, so I may as well scrap it If your going to scrap it why not give it a go? These forums are always here and we usually try our best to guide someone through the task at hand and answer any reasonable questions asked. Whoa, long sentence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemram Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 If your going to scrap it why not give it a go? These forums are always here and we usually try our best to guide someone through the task at hand and answer any reasonable questions asked. Whoa, long sentence. I don't have the tools to scarf joint a new head on, so it's going to have to be a case of giving wood glue and a ratchet strap to apply some pressure to the joint while it dries as go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaycee Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 As soon as I saw the break I said Ouch then scrolled down and notice that Setch said the same thing. As the others have said that is the worse type of break you can have. The reason for this is there is very little surface area. The more surface area the stronger the bond. A strung guitar has around 60kg of pressure on it so the joints need to be strong. If it was me having a go as there is nothing to lose if it doesn't work I would Firstly glue the neck back together leave for a few days. Test the joint by trying to re-break itby using your hands only. If it breaks simply re- glue as the first attempt the glue didn't get into all the nooks and crannies. Then router out two rebates either side of the neck and extending say 3 " one side of the break and straight through the head stock. In order to get nice rebates you will have to clamp the neck to a piece of flat timber (4 x 2 for eg) to provide a good base for the router This would mean that you have 2 gluing surfaces per side.The neck where the 2 pieces have been glued on would have to be shaped as well as the headstock area tiedied up If you're going to chuck it may as well give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Ouch. That is a really nasty break. I think you have very little chance of getting a repair to work unless you do some pretty elaborate reinforcement. I'd probably opt for a new headstock, scarfed onto the neck so you have a decent amount of gluing area. Not a repair for a beginner, sorry +1 on the scarfed headstock repair. I wonder how such a break could happen though. Its not even along the grain, which is usually how headstocks break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemram Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 (edited) The pictures dont seem to so it clearly but there is alot of 'splinters' of wood about half an inch long on each piece which mesh nicely together, so the surface area should be quite large. It's got to be worth a shot. Edited October 29, 2007 by Jemram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 The pictures dont seem to so it clearly but there is alot of 'splinters' of wood about half an inch long on each piece which mesh nicely together, so the surface area should be quite large. It's got to be worth a shot. To clarify, there will be a lot of surface area (tons infact, with the splitnered mess!) but there are not many long, side grain glueing surfaces. It's also going to be very difficult to get the joint clamped well in the direction which matters - you want the sidegrain areas to be snugged tight against each other. It's definately worth trying a glue up as ashown in Brian's tutorial, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if it goes off like a mousetrap the first time you tune it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemram Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 (edited) Thanks guys, I've been thinking about ways to make the joint stronger using two dowels where the red dots are. I could use wooden dowels and drill holes the correct size for them and then use wood glue. The other option would be to use 5mm threaded steel bar in a 6mm holes and epoxy to hold everything together. Any thoughts? I know it's a bodge but if I can get it to work it will make a handy pratice guitar. Edited October 29, 2007 by Jemram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Here's one way of doing a fix. This guy specializes in SGs but it's the same concept. click Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaycee Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Thanks guys, I've been thinking about ways to make the joint stronger using two dowels where the red dots are. I could use wooden dowels and drill holes the correct size for them and then use wood glue. The other option would be to use 5mm threaded steel bar in a 6mm holes and epoxy to hold everything together. Any thoughts? I know it's a bodge but if I can get it to work it will make a handy pratice guitar. I've tried simillar ways to this and unless you have got a jig thats set up perfectly for both ends it won't work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Splining, dowelling etc gives very little strength to a joint. Not worth the time, and is more likely to interfere with a good fit than it is to improve the repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 i dont like the dowel idea because i think it will be very hard to do acuratley. The splint idea is better - just not sure those ones shown above would be sufficient for this break and the square ends of them would be harder to hide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 gluing end grain to end grain, I don't know if this repair would work. but you should try it. if it doesn't work, scrap it. but maybe you could glue it, and then reinforce like the pic above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 I would say try and reapir it by just gluing end to end first. Since this is on a cheap guitar, it can't really hurt too much to try first. If it works, great, if not, nothing is lost. If it doesn't work I would get some cheap hardwoods and practice making some scarf joints by hand and once you are comfortable making them, try repairing this with a scarf joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyM Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 (edited) I have made a few repairs like this with splines using a laminate trimmer. It can be done but isn't really cost effective on a cheap instrument. Marty Edited October 29, 2007 by MartyM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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