Fixing a broken headstock

[Robert]

A friend of mine wanted an acoustic guitar, and I mentioned SX acoustics. He wanted one, so I ordered one for him.

A week after he got it, it fell over and landed with strings down. Crack - the headstock broke. It's a cheap guitar, and from what I've researched around here, it's not worth having a guitar tech fix it, since it would cost almost as much as buying a new guitar.

I figured with some help from you modding experts, maybe this SX can be put together good enough for him to play on. Any suggestions?

 

[250Keith]

You said a cheap guitar, so here a go, I would pull the strings off, go and get some gorilla glue, get that crack damp apply the glue and clamp, it will expand and try and make a mess on you wipe as needed with a damp throwaway rag this stuff is narly, the next day sand that area down and try to restain the wood, if the glue wont stain try and find a sharpie close to the stain color, it should work.
It wont be that bad.
Keith.

 

[duhvoodooman]

I'll defer to the woodworking experts here (of whom I am definitely not one!!), but that looks like a nice clean break, so I'd think some good quality wood glue and some clamps for a couple of days and it would at least be functional again....

 

[WackyT]

A couple of clamps and some Elmer's Carpenter's glue (yellow) or Titebond. Don't clamp it too tight or you'll squeeze too much of the glue out.

 

[carp3nt3r]

titebond premium wood glue, couple of clamps, and possibly a thin brass plate to aid in preventing the same fracture from opening again.

just my 2 cents worth, carp3nt3r.

 

[marnold]

Ahh yes, the old "friend of mine." Robert just doesn't want us to know that he secretly broke yet another guitar neck As others mentioned, the break looks nice and clean, so the fix should be straightforward.

It reminds me of when I took my Charvel in to get it set up after I bought it. It slipped as I was taking it out of the gig bag (mental note: always lay the guitar down before removing from said gig bag) and landed strings-first on the hardwood floor. Thankfully it landed perfectly so no damage was done. Scared me to death, though. I could just see that reverse-swept pointy headstock snapping off.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

ROB! What did you do NOW!!!

Oh wait...it wasn't you this time. LMAO Hope your friend gets it fixed that sux. It looks like a real clean break I bet you could fix that fairly easily.

 

[Robert]

LOL- I can see how you would expect that to be me! Honestly, it wasn't (this time...)

I found this photo story - http://www.timeelect.com/blsg.htm

 

[Tone2TheBone]

LOL- I can see how you would expect that to be me! Honestly, it wasn't (this time...)

I found this photo story - http://www.timeelect.com/blsg.htm

hahahaha I was just kidding ya man.

Hey that link is cool. They sure fixed that puppy up huh.

 

[M29]

Hello,

I would use Tightbond (Original) and clamp it tight. Give the glue plenty of time to dry. Patience patience patience...This should be a very successful repair with a clean break like that.

Robert did you break this one Just kidding.

M29

 

[Robert]

No need for a couple of support dowels? I was thinking I could drill holes and glue in dowels to help support the headstock so it doesn't "give" at the break?

 

[ted s]

Rather than dowels, I would be tempted to countersink a couple screws... but.. I am not a carp3 .. If it was ironwood I would weld that puppy

 

[WackyT]

Actually, carpenter's glue and Titebond are stronger than the wood itself.

 

[Robert]

How many clamps would I need?

 

[WackyT]

I'd say at least 2.

 

[Robert]

I did it. I glued the darn thing together! I works great. I almost feel proud I managed to fix the guitar for my friend. He sure is happy now. As for me, I now have more feathers in my guitar-fixer-wannabee-hat!

 

[snarph]

Yea Yippy

 

[duhvoodooman]

Excellent! Glad to hear the repair went so well! R

 

[M29]

Yee Hah:R :R

Luthier Rob

M29

 

[ted s]

Never mind almost proud !

 

[WackyT]

Congrats Rob! Any pics of the final repair?

 

[Mark]

You said a cheap guitar, so here a go, I would pull the strings off, go and get some gorilla glue, get that crack damp apply the glue and clamp, it will expand and try and make a mess on you wipe as needed with a damp throwaway rag this stuff is narly, the next day sand that area down and try to restain the wood, if the glue wont stain try and find a sharpie close to the stain color, it should work.
It wont be that bad.
Keith.

Never ever use Gorilla glue on guitars! It causes the wood to swell. Woodorkers glue NOT Gorilla glue

 

[Robert]

Here you go - it worked great! May not look perfect but it plays like new.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Ummm looks like a little too much glue cause the grain isn't lining up dude.

 

[Robert]

Well, I couldn't get it to line up perfectly. There's not a lot of glue, it's just that the way it broke, it would line up perfectly again. The break was pretty severe. It works great though.

 

[WackyT]

Well, sometimes after damage like that, a pretty repair is a lot harder to attain. As long as it works, and the owner is happy with it, then it's a success.