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Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone would be willing to share their thoughts or advice on how to approach a repair.

The patient is an Epiphone EF500RA (OM-style, IRW b/s, Sitka top, satin sunburst on the top). About five years ago it took a fall from the bed of a pickup truck and made contact with the towbar on the way down. Pics at the end of this post.

Since the accident it had been living a quiet life in a closet, until last week when the owner (an old friend) brought it to me for some advice.

I suggested that it was likely the cost of repair+finish touchup would approach or exceed the cost of sourcing an undamaged secondhand example of the same model off Craigslist. The owner has in any event already moved onto a new instrument and isn't too concerned about this one.

I'm a hobbyist builder who has been looking for likely patients upon which to practise and develop some repair skills, so I have half a notion to offer to purchase this thing for a nominal fee and see if I can go about getting it back in action.

Pics:




Took a look inside with a little camera and the carnage in these pics seems to be the full extent of the damage. No loose/cracked braces. All the damage is south of the bottom tonebar. The cracks don't seem to run under the x-brace. Sides are fine.

Even though there are no 'missing pieces' and I can align everything sorta OK with a clamp and some flexible plexiglass cauls, my instinct is that this is too severe to glue up and cleat. Perhaps I should look at cutting out the damaged section of soundboard and grafting in some new spruce?

What do you guys think? I would really appreciate any advice on what way to approach this

On a guitar like this, cutting out the broken piece and adding new soundboard is not a good idea. This is a job for some tough glue such as titebond.

You can and should cleat it a bit just to keep it closed. Can you show a pic of the inside?

Thanks Dan. Sure thing, here's an internal:




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It looks like you may need to rig up a pusher stick to flex the side out. That is often the only way to get fractures across the grain back in position. Plenty of glue, long open time, and manipulating to make sure glue has had time to reach every fracture.
It typically takes a lot of strong, even pressure to get a mess like that glued flat and it can be tricky that far from the sound hole. Lots of very long clamps if you have them. Very stiff cauls need fewer clamps. Frightening strength magnets if you want an adventure.
I would not remove/replace top material on it unless your looking to dramatically increase the scope of the project purely for educational purposes. I don't think the outcome would be any better.
As long as you can get spruce patches glued well, spanning the cross grain fractures, and taking the load north/south, I think you will be fine structurally.
Your going to need a good mirror and light set up to work that far from the sound hole. I use a webcam rig to see that far away when I'm up to my elbow.
The difficulty rating depends largely on if you can reach all the way back to the lining with your hand.

Thanks David. Hadn't considered flexing out the side. Will give it a go and see if it improves things.


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I agree with David on this one. You'll be perfectly fine using good solid cleats and some good clamping techniques. It'll be fun working that deep in the body so you might could take this chance to learn some basic metal working and make yourself a long reach clamp.