# Broken Guitar Headstock



## stevie2168 (Apr 28, 2014)

So.
I've got a Gibson SG with a broken headstock.
I read that they can be brought back to life and live to play on by gluing them back together.
Any one got any advice, the brake is quite clean and fits back into place with barely any sign of a brake.
What glue have people used in the past and would recommend?
Any info tips advice and information would be appreciated.
Thanks.


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## TheRumRunner (Sep 29, 2011)

I probably see 2-6 broken head stocks on my bench in a given year, each one is different. If you have a clean break, you are lucky. Use woodworkers glue such as Lepages or Titebond III. The challenge is keeping the two pieces aligned and even clamping. If you can get the guitar to Toronto, I'll fix it for you no-charge.


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## kat_ (Jan 11, 2007)

I have a trick for clamping that has been really useful for a couple of breaks. Get a long piece of elastic - I use a 4 foot piece that I found in the sewing section of Walmart. It's made to be a waistband in sweatpants. Once I glue everything up I put a little parchment paper around it so the elastic won't stick and then I wrap the entire length of the elastic around the whole area. It holds it quite firmly, but not so much as to squeeze the glue out, and is a great solution for an otherwise awkward clamping job.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Wouldn't you just guess it had to be a Gibson. I just shake my head at that, especially knowing that many of their customers want it that way.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Steadfastly said:


> Wouldn't you just guess it had to be a Gibson. I just shake my head at that, especially knowing that many of their customers want it that way.


What on earth are you talking about?


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

Steadfastly said:


> Wouldn't you just guess it had to be a Gibson. I just shake my head at that, especially knowing that many of their customers want it that way.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

keto said:


> What on earth are you talking about?


Thanks!....I'm glad you asked this!!

Eagerly awaiting an answer from Steadfastly.

Cheers

Dave


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

@ RumRunner

Can you post a couple more pictures of how it ended up looking after the clamps came off?


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

keto said:


> What on earth are you talking about?


If you are seriously asking, Gibson tried to change the weak part of the neck by putting in a volute but there was an outcry that it wasn't like the original and so they stopped doing it. You can't blame Gibson for this. They recognized the design flaw and tried to fix it but the customers baulked to the point that Gibson felt it was hurting sales and had to back off.

I compare this to people who would complain to the auto industry about not making those gas guzzling engines any more because they are not the original.

- - - Updated - - -



hardasmum said:


>


BTW, hardasmum, that is NOT fair! I have more hair than that; not a lot more, but a bit more.:smile-new:


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2014)

Steadfastly said:


> .. Gibson tried to change the weak part of the neck by putting in a volute but there was an outcry that it wasn't like the original and so they stopped doing it.


the volute didn't help. they still broke there.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

There is a secret trick to not breaking your headstock actually...it's quite ingenious really.....

*DON'T FUCKING DROP IT......*:sSig_DOH: :sSig_busted:


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

keto said:


> What on earth are you talking about?


He's obviously referring to the widespread rejection of using a volute to reinforce the weak spot.

Many Gibson lovers prefer it the way it is (high risk for breakage).


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

Right then, I think it's been demonstrated across the web that just about anyone can glue a broken headstock, hopefully it'll be in the correct place when it's dry... so onto where the real skill is required when you don't want to see the damage or have it readily detectable, finishing, what will you do?

With respect to the volute - if it's placed properly (high point in line with the nut), IMO based on my own work, it adds a considerable amount of strength. But having said that it does not stop them from breaking, it just takes more to break it, so don't drop them is good advice.


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## Guest (Apr 29, 2014)

If you're not concerned about cosmetics (which I'm not), any break behind the nut
will not affect the playability after you glue it back together. I used carpenters glue
on one of mine, but, it was july and it didn't set up well. Did it a second time with
two part epoxy. It's not pretty, but, it's been holding great for six years now on 
'standard tuning' tension.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

what a horrible feeling that must be:sAng_scream:


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

With the adhesives available to us today the repair can be stronger than it was before the break.


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## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

I have actually done this with Micheal McConnville on two guitars already.

The trickiest part is getting it to line up right... Do not go ahead and simply glue and clamp it... Take a good, Close look at the break.. Use a set of dentist picks to clean up the break and re-align any splintered pieces of wood so that you can perfectly fit the broken head back onto the neck like a key in a lock. Then glue it with Tightbond. It has more strength than normal woodglue. Clamp it and let it set overnight. 

But you're not done yet... The neck and headstock are still very weak, so now you need to spline the neck. It's fairly involved process but not toooo difficult if you have some woodworking experience with routers. I could explain it, but a picture speaks a thousand words.. I think I am even in a few of the video clips and pics on this article too! 

http://www.mcconvilleguitars.blogspot.ca/p/broken-guitar-neck-surgery.html


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## mkaye (Jan 25, 2009)

i fixed the headstock on my guitar teachers 335 (cracked, not broken completely)
i used hide glue - after a lot of research, this is the glue to use
Lee Valley sells it
it's not rocket science to use it, just do some internet reading
the trick is to get the wood warm, before gluing
i wrapped the headstock in some rice warmers for about 15-20 min before gluing
sprayed the repair with lacquer (Lee Valley) and rubbed it down, getting finer each time
you have to look really close to see the crack

mark


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## Guitarcheologist (May 23, 2009)

*Broken Gibson Headstocks*

Hello All,


After fixing countless Gibson headstock breaks over the last 40+ years, and seeing an endless amount of good customers reduced to tears; I put the time, energy and $$ into developing the Neck Surgery Kit, specifically for broken Gibson headstocks. 

Design / Physics / Structural Challenges :

By design, the mahogany neck used on Gibsons ( they've tried using maple .... but the mahogany is a huge part of the tone inherent in the Gibson sound ) is a considerably softer wood than maple ( how many broken Strat / Tele headstocks have you seen ... ?? ).
When the headstock is tilted back the 11-17 degrees .... this creates a "grain run-out" ... or "short grain" at the typical "break point". 

To make "what is inherently weak by design" ... even weaker; the access to the truss rod is routered out at this weak junction.

I have just finished a Tutorial Seminar to 11 TechDeck / NSK users ... walking them step-by-step through this whole process.

If any of you are interested in seeing the overview go to www.mcconvilleguitars.blogspot.com/


follow the link to Broken Neck Elective Surgery on the home page. Broken #lespaulrepair Guitar Neck Repair : Electiv...

When the splines are cut accurately, and glued in precisely ( hot glue ... warm wood makes the best bond ) .... the grain orientation at the weakest point is " confused " so that 
they is no longer a "previous break line " to follow when the guitar gets another " jolt ".

In closing: Because of the hydroscopic nature of wood; when you wet the joint with glue, the wood swells ( even with a perfect alignment of pieces to be glued ) ....
after the the joint has set, you will always feel this with your thumb. This means that in order to smooth it out ... it'll need to be sanded. If you sand it , it'll need to be refinished .... and if you are refinishing .... then why not do it right so that it will never break again !

Lastly: For those of you who want to do a quick fix on a cheap guitar ... spreading some glue on the pieces and clamping it up is a quick easy ( hope for the best ) fix. Just remember that when the headstock is completely severed; you'll need to introduce some type of "indexing pins " to prevent the pieces from "drifting " on the bed of glue when clamping pressure is applied. 

This is the first time i have posted a tutorial on this forum, sorry for being so long winded .... but this job ( done professionally ) is actually pretty involved.

Respectfully,

Michael


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Guitarcheologist said:


> .........This is the first time i have posted a tutorial on this forum, sorry for being so long winded .... but this job ( done professionally ) is actually pretty involved.
> 
> Respectfully,
> 
> Michael


Michael, thanks for taking the time to write such an informative post. 

Please don't feel any need to apologize. Your "long winded" tutorial is very educational and much appreciated. I am sure it will help others to understand the complexity of doing this repair properly and professionally.

Cheers

Dave


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

greco said:


> Michael, thanks for taking the time to write such an informative post. Please don't feel any need to apologize. Your "long winded" tutorial is very educational and much appreciated. I am sure it will help others to understand the complexity of doing this repair properly and professionally.CheersDave


I will second what Dave posted above. Undoubtedly, somewhere along the line this will help some poor soul(s) who have broken the headstock on their favourite guitar and help them realize it can not only be fixed but be better after the fix.


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## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

Thanks for chiming in Mike.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Having been through the broken headstock situation with my classical, I feel your pain, and agree with those here who talk about it being fixable.
FOrtunately I had a friend who was skilled in woodworking & guitar repair--he fixed it for free.


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