Can this be fixed?

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:56 pm

it can be fixed for less, im suprised that they wanted that much, i fixed an alvarez acoustic a couple weeks ago that had the same damage, granted i repainted the headstock.
if you want i could probly walk you thru the easiest way to fix it.
as long as its just two peices, and there are no small bits floating around.
and in all reality if its clean enough you shouldn't have to do any real "finish" work

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:46 pm

Fuck's sake! I love those guitars (actually, I have a friend thinking of buying the 200 in Belfast for more than you got that for. Have you the number of the shop in Dublin, that I can pass on to him?)

Given that it's your first gigging guitar, I wouldn't worry about how it looks. My first gigging guitar is beat to fuck, and I like it that way somehow, I can see all the great gigs that happened to it. If I were you, I'd get it playable using the clamps and glue, and not worry about how it looks.

But at the same time, it's a pretty looking thing, so it might be worth getting it done all nice. You may as well shop around before giving it to anybody. Try Matchette's in Belfast, and Marcus too. Don't try the Guitar Emproium, they'l likely tell you that it can't be fixed and that you'll need to replace it with the Gibson model or else your dog will die.

I also have the number of a pretty good luthier in Belfast if you want that. Dunno what he charges though, but he did me a full set up for a tenner. Probably a friend's price, mind.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:20 pm

my first gutiar is in pieces under my bed. the humbucker from it is now in my =w= strat

Will · Post by **Will** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:23 pm

DIY. You can pay a Pro to do it and fix the finish, but you will always see the damage and feel crummy.

Or you can do it yourself and feel pride every time you see the crack, because YOU fixed it.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:27 pm

Will wrote:
Or you can do it yourself and feel pride every time you see the crack, because YOU fixed it.

This is the correct answer

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:02 pm

robroe wrote:my first gutiar is in pieces under my bed. the humbucker from it is now in my =w= strat

what guitar is that?

my first guitar was an epiphone lp special II. it is in pieces at my dad's house. the humbuckers are also in pieces.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:03 pm

mage wrote:
robroe wrote:my first gutiar is in pieces under my bed. the humbucker from it is now in my =w= strat
what guitar is that?

my first guitar was an epihone lp special II. it is in pieces at my dad's house. the humbuckers are also in pieces.

My first guitar was a 70's Teisco hollowbody. My ex-bassist uses it as his "songwriting" guitar now.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:30 pm

Thats a nice clean break, quite an easy fix. Whoever mentioned titebond, or Elmers Carpenters glue, clamp it up, etc...

deadonkey · Post by **deadonkey** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:29 pm

thanks everyone

a lot more hopeful now, can't afford 500 to fix this guitar, so will clamp it up with some No More Nails! or wood glue (any preference?) and see how I get on.

Is there a need to build a jig to apply pressure along the length of the guitar, or is a simple clamp job good enough?

I don't give two hoots about an ugly finish either, just want my old acoustic playable.

bassintom · Post by **bassintom** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:43 am

Use Titebond III...Just put some wood between the clamps and the guitar and your good to go.No jig needed.

Markn951 · Post by **Markn951** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:44 am

mage wrote:
robroe wrote:my first gutiar is in pieces under my bed. the humbucker from it is now in my =w= strat
what guitar is that?

my first guitar was an epiphone SG special . it is in pieces at my dad's house. the humbuckers are also in pieces.

this. +1.

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:08 am

You need to pin it. The glue will work if it's good enough, but you want to get a pin or two connecting the two pieces back together as well. It will never break again, and would even be stronger than before.

You can use wooden dowels or use something more substantial, such as metal rods. You'll want two of them, not drilled in too deep, just enough that they'll act as an anchor. To get the alignment right, paint a little circle using the end of the material you're using to pin the break and just press the other side into it, so the paint shows up on that piece too. Drill away. Be careful to get the alignment correct, of course.

I'm not sure if repairers do this, but it's what I would do. When you're trying to shit to stick together and all you've got is a plain surface, it can be a real pain without some kind of anchor.

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:10 am

Actually, not sure if you can pin that, the break is at an odd angle. Just try the glue first.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:24 am

hey! hold up, before you just glue it. take a stake gun, shoot the staple into the neck end of the break, clip the ends of the staple down about 1 mm. that will help it alot more than you think, and titebond is GREAT STUFF! no matter what, do not use gorilla glue, that shite expands and we all know that glue does not bond to itself that well.
also, if there is enough room a few small dowl rods in the truss rod area will also help ALOT!
a good glue bond is 10x stronger than wood grain garenteed.
just remember to map things out and think about what you are about to do before you do it.
days upon days of prep is much better than a few hours of quik thought. trust me, i have fuct up before and been like, "why the hell didn't i just take my time.
most notably is on james neck thru where i hit the truss rod rout on the back of the headstock and it was really just me trying to go too fast and not taking enough time, now that costs me loads more time trying to fix/rememdy the problem.

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 5:16 am

I've heard arguments against dowels. Basically, adding a dowel removes a lot of material while not adding much gluing surface (proportionally). Dan Erlewine likes to use long square splines, but that is rather labor intensive and really requires finish work.

I'd just use glue and not worry about it.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 5:33 am

from experience its better to add a dowell rod AFTER glueing. im just saying.
either way will work, but for more "protection" a dowell will help, no question about it.

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:37 pm

Yeah, Donk isn't in America so brand names are kind of pointless

Donk - Get some decent wood glue, go to Wilkinsons (If you have them in Dublin) or a diy shop and get some G clamps, about Â£15 total and you're set.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:42 pm

Don't a lot of wood glues do that 'expandy foam' trick? Surely you'd want to avoid that.

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:44 pm

The ones I've used haven't, but yes, you'd want to avoid that.

deadonkey · Post by **deadonkey** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:54 pm

Used Evo Stik wood glue, and clamps, both of which were at home. Current situation:

I'll be leaving it I suppose 3 or 4 days before I attempt to string it up, or is 2 weeks wait a better idea?