Fender Stratacoustic - Repair Question

HarrySeven

This is a bit of an odd one.

It’s a Fender Stratacoustic with a damaged top.

As you can see from the pics, the top has split between the neck pocket and the soundhole.

However, it’s rather strange in that the leading edge of the centre section is still flush with the neck pocket, but the cutouts of the top project forward slightly over the body (on both sides).

The rest of the edges of the top are flush with the body sides.

I can’t see any logical way in which this can be realigned - or why it is mis-aligned.

Am I missing something obvious?

Any ideas?

https://i.imgur.com/WRpukBz.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3LXMH8f.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KAyPfIq.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/l0U8FfQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/y88HhWq.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0dMGe1q.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7bMR0nX.jpg

ICBM

Looks like the neck has been forced upwards, probably by being dropped backwards onto the headstock, and levered the neck block inwards into the body. The plastic will have flexed without cracking.

To fix it you’ll need to pull it backwards and downwards, then glue a brace under the top across the soundhole just forward of the neck - unless there’s one there already (most normal acoustics have one) in which case it’s either come off or broken and needs to be reglued or replaced.

You could probably hide the damage with a large soundhole pickup, which would almost certainly sound a lot better than the awful piezo system these come with… I’m sure I’ve seen a pro using one like that, but I can’t remember who.

HarrySeven

@ICBM - Ah, I see.

Let me get this straight - so clamp the body down (red) and apply force downwards (blue) - is that correct?

https://i.imgur.com/3J4TDwX.jpg

ICBM

Yes. Probably easiest to use the neck to provide the leverage.

This is the first Strata/Telecoustic I’ve seen broken like this, but it used to be very common with the cheap shallow-body Ovation copies (Encore etc) in the 80s, sometimes even without being dropped.

HarrySeven

@ICBM - Ta! I’ll give it a go. First time I’ve seen this issue.

ICBM

Have a good look inside the body with mirrors first and see how bad the damage is in there and what you’re up against…

Most repairers would probably write off something cheap like this, but I know you like a challenge .

WezV

I would put the neck on to see how much leverage  you have, what the action is like... and how things move inside once you have a mirror in there.   it might need some extra support to get that neck pocket stable again

HarrySeven

@ICBM @WezV - mirrors - yeah, good point.

Re. action - when it arrived, it was shimmed to get it playable.

ICBM

Not surprising, the neck would be tilted quite a long way up otherwise.

Looking on a full screen now not a phone...

How much area is there under the unbroken sides of the top and above the sides of the neck block? Gluing those areas very thoroughly might give enough reinforcement even if there isn't a brace across the top.

The most remarkable thing I've noticed, which I really didn't expect, is that it's a solid top - I always assumed they were ply given the cheapness and bright/tinny sound they have.

HarrySeven

@ICBM - out and about at the moment - will have a closer look ASAP.

WezV

ICBM said:

The most remarkable thing I've noticed, which I really didn't expect, is that it's a solid top - I always assumed they were ply given the cheapness and bright/tinny sound they have.

I was surprised too - It even looks like a good grade from the little bit we can see.   Near perfect quartersawn and roughly 20 grain lines per inch

paulnb57

Interesting….the floor of the neck pocket looks like it was routed with spoon…

HarrySeven

paulnb57 said:

Interesting….the floor of the neck pocket looks like it was routed with spoon…

Probably was - they weren’t known for attentive QC...

tanihhiavlt

given the hopelessness of some of the causes HarrySeven takes on, I wouldn't be surprised to find he has a mouse-organ, carved wooden book-end in the shape of a wood-pecker and a Bagpuss to help him out  

ICBM

You may actually be able to help this chap out with some advice...

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/219350/is-repair-possible#latest

It's a very nasty break and a professional luthier isn't likely to take it on - it looks like some sort of lower-end Fender acoustic - but with some care and the right type of (normally completely inappropriate!) glue it might be salvageable as a DIY job.

Funkfingers

tanihhiavlt said:

HarrySeven … Bagpuss

Shh! That's supposed to be a secret.

When H7 goes to sleep, all of his gear goes to sleep.