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Vintage Headstock Splitting
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=38200		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Tidewater [ Thu Nov 08, 2012 3:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Vintage Headstock Splitting
Recommendations to stabilize the split? I got this guitar with the defect a year ago - it goes through to the back on the upper portion of the split. Evidence suggests that there was an attempt to do a repair (it has a round clamp impression on the face), but since I've owned it the split has progressed beyond the D tuner to the B.

I'd like to do this repair myself and I'm looking for guidance. Anyone know a tried and true fix?

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Author:  nyazzip [ Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vintage Headstock Splitting
Quote:
the split has progressed beyond the D tuner to the B

...i think you meant "G tuner" ;)
i can't imagine the split crossing the tuner hole, the hole ought to stop it in it's tracks.
if it wasn't a collectors item, i'd say just loosen off the strings, open the crack just a bit, and flood it with CA.....
Author:  Tidewater [ Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vintage Headstock Splitting
nyazzip wrote:
Quote:
the split has progressed beyond the D tuner to the B

...i think you meant "G tuner" ;)
i can't imagine the split crossing the tuner hole, the hole ought to stop it in it's tracks.
if it wasn't a collectors item, i'd say just loosen off the strings, open the crack just a bit, and flood it with CA.....


Yeah oops_sign the G tuner. Crap.
Author:  John Coloccia [ Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vintage Headstock Splitting
Is the crack through a tuner screw location? I'm surprised it's getting worse if there's nothing loading it.
Author:  Rodger Knox [ Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vintage Headstock Splitting
Is it a split or a delamination? IIRC, those old Gibsons had wings glued on to the headstock, at about that location. I don't know if that makes any difference on the repair.
Author:  Chris Pile [ Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vintage Headstock Splitting
Just work some glue in, and clamp it.
Touch up the finish if you like.
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vintage Headstock Splitting
What's the story with those tuners? Quite obvious there were different ones on there previously. Perhaps the bushing is to tight in the tuner hole and causing your troubles.

I'd pull the tuners and bushings to check things out and then glue it up with thinned hide or Titebond glue. Then ream the tuner holes as necessary for those bushings or install the original style tuners.
Author:  John Coloccia [ Thu Nov 08, 2012 8:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vintage Headstock Splitting
StevenWheeler wrote:
What's the story with those tuners? Quite obvious there were different ones on there previously. Perhaps the bushing is to tight in the tuner hole and causing your troubles.

I'd pull the tuners and bushings to check things out and then glue it up with thinned hide or Titebond glue. Then ream the tuner holes as necessary for those bushings or install the original style tuners.


Good call. That's exactly what I was trying to get at but you may have nailed it with the bushings. Find the root cause of the problem before fixing.
Author:  B. Howard [ Fri Nov 09, 2012 6:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Vintage Headstock Splitting
Cant say about the bushings but this is a fairly common split, Not just on Gibsons, Last one I saw was an Ibanez bass. Look for a ding at the top of the headstock, a lot of these are caused by people ramming the head into something while playing. Now that I look I see a good ding in the face, could be the cause. Pull the tuners and glue it back together and since it is a Gibson take a close look for the beginings of the typical head break at the neck, if it was hit hard enough to split like that it could have cracked it.
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