Official Luthiers Forum!

I've got a guitar in at the moment with a headstock break - nothing unusual there!
The crack is quite a long one, and extends to under the second fret. It was a nice clean break so I've glued to back up, but I'm still not happy.

This guitar has broken before around this area, and even now it's all glued up the neck feels VERY weak. I've put this down to a particularly awful bit of slab-sawn tat that the neck is made out of. I was wondering if any of you chaps had had a similar problem before, and if so, what did you come up with to solve it? So far I've been thinking splines routed in to the neck to strengthen the area - won't be pretty though!

I'm just worried if I leave it as-is it's just going to keep happening with the slightest nock.

Pics?

I'll get some posted this evening. ta

If the break is ugly, with missing pieces of wood etc, I use epoxy. If the break extends all the way up to the second fret it sounds like you should have a pretty big gluing surface, in which case I would forget the splines. Make sure you remove as much old gunk and glue as you can, align the pieces carefully, place your cauls and clamps so nothing will move or skid once the glue is added and go for it. I have added backstraps as reinforcement to very short breaks, never did a spline.

But yes, a picture would be great.

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Possibly too late now but may be helpful for future, the luthier I use recommends cascamite or equivelent glue for these types of breaks. It's an epoxy I think water based though, and will fill small gaps and ends up stronger than the surrounding wood. He only uses it for bridges which have come off and broken headstocks as it's non removable so you've only one shot though takes 6 hrs to dry so you've got loads of time to position the pieces.

Cheers

John

_________________
Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

So yes on no Todd?

_________________
Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

It's not really the repair that's the problem, sorry if I didn't make that clear. It's the fact that it's needed repairing twice due to the weakness of the neck in this area.
It's a gibson style with the less than perfect grain direction, but it also appears to be a particularly weak bit of wood which could do with some help

Cascamite is a pretty good glue, but the Weldwood brand I'm using takes 14 hours to cure, and the instruction on the container says that it doesn't cure full strength before a week. Something to know before re-stringing. Not so good for gap filling.

_________________
Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

I guess "tat" is a Britishism? Can you supply a definition?

Photos needed re the repair. I like to backstrap if I'm unsure of a reglued headstock. You can spline and then backstrap over the splines, too.

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Cascamite is what Romanillos used to use for his earlier guitars.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I always wondered if anyone makes use of the option that Los Alamos Composites offers on their CF rods. The offer where they will bend the end of the CF rod at 15degrees so it will be follow through this weak point in the neck. Figured it might offer some extra strength here, though I haven't heard anyones feedback yet. They are a sponsor here Jammy, so the link it up at the top if you were curious. Might be worth trying in the future just to see if you find a definite improvement. Best of luck. J

A non-specific item of poor quality.