DIY headstock repair... Now NGD!

cm01

Ok, so this happened earlier (in transit)... Am I right in thinking that it's potentially a straightforward repair I could do myself with titebond and some clamps or am I totally deluded and it needs to go to a luthier?

octatonic

Need to see pics.

cm01

Photobucket was playing up... can post more if needed - it looks a pretty clean break to my uneducated eyes... but I might well be wrong!

octatonic

Nasty one.

How well do the two pieces mate together?

I see you still have strings on it- I assume there is no tension on them at all?

If not, make sure you do that.

cm01

This was how it arrived - I'm assuming the fact that the seller didn't slacken the strings off was the main factor in the break (insurance claim already underway!)... I took the tension off and the two pieces mate together really well

stonevibe

Never done one myself, however I'd go for it. 

Not a splintered break and lots of surface area to apply Titebond and looks easy to clamp that type of break.

ICBM

I would take that to a luthier and have a full splinted repair done. It is a fairly clean break, but you've been unlucky and got one where both the grain direction is slightly the wrong way at that critical point, and the truss rod access is unusually deep leaving almost no thickness of wood behind it. There's really not a lot of strength in it and a simple glued repair probably won't be strong enough to guarantee it won't break again in the same place.

It does produce an uglier result unless you put a dark finish over it, but given that it's a natural finish it isn't going to look too pretty even with a simple glued repair unless you have a shaded patch put over there.

octatonic

You can give it a go, obviously you will need to live with the visible join, and you have to consider the finish.

I assume you don't want to send it back?

Use Titebond glue.

BloodEagle

I'd send it back and let the seller deal with it tbh

cm01

Hmmm... I really like the guitar (not having played it yet!) so ideally want to keep it (will post some full pics when it's repaired)... it does seem a nasty break upon closer inspection - the headstock is still hanging on at the moment - it's being held on by headstock overlay (it's a Tokai that's been rebadged) and the tuners.  The 2 pieces do fit together really well but if it's likely to go again without a splinted repair then that sounds the way to go... I quite like the Stinger look so I could go for that... some more pics:

ICBM

BloodEagle said:

I'd send it back and let the seller deal with it tbh

I think I would as well. Just looking at the way it's shattered like that, it was never a good neck and it never will be. It could easily have happened purely from the string tension, if it was dropped face first. Some Gibson necks are *much* stronger than others… this was not one of them.

Edit: didn't realise it wasn't a Gibson. I was also looking on a phone earlier… although it wasn't that obvious.

What happened to the little triangle of missing wood?

octatonic

I was looking on an iPhone earlier- that is nastier that it first appeared.

I would also send it back.

ftumch

I feel for you, I've just had the same thing happen to me. However mines on the way to the shop for repair, if I had the option I'd send it back no question.

cm01

I'm going to weigh up my options - theoretically if I was to keep it what's the ballpark figure for a splinted repair?

cm01

@ICBM the little triangle of wood is nowhere to be found! It looks like there's a piece missing inside the truss rod cavity as well but that's where the headstock needs to come off and be re-seated to fit over it

octatonic

£100-200 depending on how much time it takes and whether you want a partial respray or not.

ICBM

cm01 said:

@ICBM the little triangle of wood is nowhere to be found! It looks like there's a piece missing inside the truss rod cavity as well but that's where the headstock needs to come off and be re-seated to fit over it

If you actually mean it's genuinely nowhere to be found, you've been scammed and it was broken before it went in the case. Or someone opened the case in transit and broke the guitar…

I actually can believe this happens, there have been a few times I have seen damage that could not possibly have happened inside a closed case.

BloodEagle

Send it back

cm01

That did cross my mind - I can see it going back - will double check the case now

JohnB

I would get the machines off and clamp it up - if it looks really smoothly joined you could do it yourself.  I would be inclined to get a pro to do it. Don't know why Gibson don't scarf the joint if they don't want a volute to strengthen that area.

Fuzzdog

Well, look on the bright side - at least it's an even more authentic Gibson replica now.