Cracked neck repair

[Doodaddy]

Just got home from a very long summer of playing for Lifeway's camp, Centrikid. I take my Yamaha RBX775 out of the case and play a little bit. I noticed it sounded a bit...off. I chalked it up to the difference in rooms and kept playing until I felt something bad. Flipped it over and between the first and second fret, a full crack clean through the neck to the fretboard lies.

It makes me sick. Apparently it took a heavy hit in Lifeway's truck (either bounce or something landed on the case) while headed back to Nashville. Needless to say, it wasn't covered under their insurance and I'm completely out of luck.

I wonder how long I can keep playing it until it's in two peices..

[roadkill2309]

Yeowtch! I think it's time for a trip to your favourite luthier...

[GlennW]

It looks like a scarf joint letting go. Should be an easy fix for a pro.

[Doodaddy]

Unfortunately, I don't live in the greatest area for music. I don't know of a single place that could make this repair within 2 hours of me. Even that far, I'm skeptical of anyone.

Good thing I'm in college and have all kinds of cash for this. :sarcasm:

[GlennW]

In that case you could fix it. Get some insulin syringes from the drug store, some real glue like Titebond, and a C-clamp. Use a couple of paperbacks to protect the wood and you're in bidness. Try it without glue at first so you'll get a feel for what you're doing. When you glue it give it at least 24 hours.

[Doodaddy]

Originally Posted by GlennW

In that case you could fix it. Get some insulin syringes from the drug store, some real glue like Titebond, and C-clamp. Use a couple of paperbacks to protect the wood and you're in bidness.

I'll be doing that incredibly soon. I didn't think about it breaking along a joint. This is great news to me.

[GlennW]

You might want to make a cawl (something to fit the contour of the back of the neck) and use that to help distribute the pressure.

[ashtray]

Yeah - inject the right kind of glue in there, clamp it, and it won't budge. Luckily it's a clean break!

[EliasR]

Duct Tape!

[GlennW]

One more thing...get the strings out of the way and loosen the truss rod first.

[Doodaddy]

Is the glue going to interfere with the truss rod?

[M5Yates]

Originally Posted by GlennW

You might want to make a cawl (something to fit the contour of the back of the neck) and use that to help distribute the pressure.

StewMac has all the supplies you need to do the job right:
Neck Support Caul
Clamps
Titebond Glue

[Doodaddy]

How much glue should be used? I'm concerned with the glue coming in contact with the truss rod and drying to the point where I can't turn it any longer...

[Doodaddy]

I posted some pics of the crack in my neck over in the bass section just for whatever reason (original thread), and it turns out that it should be a simple fix.

I was instructed to get a caul, clamps, and glue. Easy enough, but my question is concerning the glue coming in contact with the truss rod. Should I be worried about this? If so, how can I avoid having problems with it?

[GlennW]

The syringes come in bags of 10. The plungers will bend...don't panic, just get another one.

How much? As much as you can get in there, just don't flood it.

Another thing...you need to be careful and keep the fretboard straight. I would strongly recommend putting a metal level on the frets before and during clamping; it'll serve as an indicator of fretboard straightness.

You don't want to jig it up and introduce a bow or backbow. That'll create more learning experiences for you.

Try it like this (bottom to top of C-clamp).

1. bottom of c-clamp
2. metal level (against frets)
3. neck; fretboard facing down, frets on the level
4. piece of leather or whatever to protect finish of back of neck at the joint
5. caul; make or buy something
6. top of c-clamp

Try to get it all set up without gluing it. Then use feeler gauges or something thin to get an idea of how straight the frets are in relation to the level. You'll be looking for gaps between the level and frets near where you're making the repair. You don't want any gaps or comparably high frets.

After you get it figured out, glue it up, clamp it, wait at least 24 hours.

All this is to ensure the fretboard is straight after you've clamped it.

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by GlennW

In that case you could fix it.

+1

I fixed something similar myself (nasty partial decapitation) with just Superglue but it's a little tricker due to the nature of the s-glue.

[MikeyB5]

Call Roy Bowen at RS Guitarworks in Winchester Kentucky.He does excllent work.

[Oric]

^^^

In Winchester? That's really close- I haven't been able to find a good luthier in Lexington. I don't need one yet, but you know, just in case.

[roadkill2309]

Originally Posted by EliasR

Duct Tape!

Are you Canadian or something?

[lowtide]

It looks to me like you got enough answers to your questions in the other thread. As far as the truss rod . . . you want enough glue in the joint but you don't need to flood the area with glue. Just be moderate in the outer areas and sparing in the inner areas if you're worried about binding the rod. But most rods are wrapped and shouldn't present a problem if a little glue gets in there.

Also, after you've clamped your joint, you'll save yourself some after-work by cleaning the goop that squeezes out of the clamped joint. Some residue will be inevitable but you can minimizes the amount of sanding afterward by trying to clean as much as possible as soon as it's clamped and squeezes out.

Refinishing that area would be feathering the area to about 1/2" wide, sanding just enough to get the hardened goop off and the area feathered. Use dry sanding before paint and wet sanding after paint and clear. Color sand the area with 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 grit in succession. Polish and buff should have you good to go.