Takamine S35 - Cracked Neck

teej · #1 07-29-2010, 11:28 AM

I've got a Takamine S35 that I bought cheap, knowing beforehand that the fingerboard was lifting and that the neck was cracked. I know how to fix the fingerboard, but how do I go about fixing the rest? I like the finish on the neck, but it looks like I'll have to sand it off to get to the crack, and then perhaps stain it to match the color and refinish it. And in actuality, could it be that just the finish is cracked and not the wood itself? Tell me what you guys think.

teej · #2 07-29-2010, 11:33 AM

Yep, the neck is indeed cracked. I pushed on the headstock to check. I went ahead and finished the break (read: the headstock is now completely broken off), thinking the best solution would be to do that and simple glue it back on. It's a clean break, too. Very little splintering. I've got regular Titebond, but are there any other glues out there that would be better for this repair?

Cy_Miles · #3 07-29-2010, 11:43 AM

I know a number of builders have repair experience but I think the LC has mostly "build" oriented conversation.

I would think the Hardware, Setup and Repair.

And if you google "guitar neck repari" you will find several sites that specialize in advice for major repais like that.

teej · #4 07-29-2010, 11:45 AM

Ah, I forgot about that section.

Ruckus_Instrmts · #5 07-29-2010, 11:48 AM

Hard to tell from just pictures but I would have probably done this before snapping the head completely off.

teej · #6 07-29-2010, 12:11 PM

I thought about that, but I didn't think any glue would be thin enough to get deep down in the crack. I've done similar snapped-off headstock repairs in the past, though, so I just went with what I already knew and was familiar with. It's clamped and gluing as I type. We'll see the end result in a few days. I've cleaned up the excess glue since the photo was taken.

Ruckus_Instrmts · #7 07-29-2010, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teej

I thought about that, but I didn't think any glue would be thin enough to get deep down in the crack. ]

I just used hide glue for the first time a couple weeks ago and when heated hide glue is as thin as water. I was able to wick it into some loose cello seams with a .0025 feeler gauge. Using hide glue is much easier then most make it out to be.

teej · #8 07-29-2010, 12:37 PM

Hmmm... I'll remember to look into hide glue for future repairs. Most of my work is with solid-bodies, but I suppose it couldn't hurt to have a glue pot just in case.

Musiclogic · #9 07-29-2010, 12:49 PM

this is just what most repair shops will do, clean the break, and glue and clamp. I have done this repair 100 times, and unless there are large chunks missing, it should be quite sufficient, as long as you mated the break back to original position. Sand and clear, and your Mahogany should match up quite well.

teej · #10 07-31-2010, 03:47 PM

The factory finish was tinted, not clear, so I had to stain the wood to match. Cabot "Gunstock" wood stain did the trick. Once it's dry, I'll hit it with lacquer and be done with it. I'm really tempted to string it up now, though.

vejesse · #11 07-31-2010, 04:28 PM

If hide glue is as thin as water when it's up to temperature then that's really thin glue, especially for a job like this. The consistency of heavy cream is more like it.

I never use titebond I for repairs like this anymore, I've seen too many rubbery disasters.

teej · #12 07-31-2010, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vejesse

If hide glue is as thin as water when it's up to temperature then that's really thin glue, especially for a job like this. The consistency of heavy cream is more like it.

I'm not sure if what was said there was praise or criticism.

At any rate, I got impatient and strung it up. The repair is holding and I even played it for a bit. All that's left to do now is wait a few days until the stain isn't tacky and hit it with a coat of lacquer. All in all, it's not at all bad guitar for $30. That said, I'm a bassist. I know little about acoustic guitars.

vejesse · #13 07-31-2010, 10:18 PM

The comment wasn't meant as praise or criticism. Your repair looks great, but you know that. It does have the kind of break angle that could benefit from some reinforcement as there's nothing but the glue to keep the string tension from pulling the peghead up. But don't leave it in a hot car and it should last a long time.

What I did mean to say was that most guitar type folks don't have much experience with hide glue so I thought I'd say a few words about it. It's possible to use it for any joint in a guitar but it's quick setup time takes more planning.

Water thin hide glue is good for a few things i.e. joints you want to take apart later on, but it doesn't have as much strength as glue with some more thickness. It takes a few sessions to get a feel for it's thickness and setup time but it's not hard to use. I just didn't want people getting the impression that water thin glue would be the glue to use for this kind of break.

If you click the link you'll see that he just uses it for wicking into the tight start of the crack, but in most situations this doesn't seem necessary. But for cracks the right thickness is important - If the glue is too thin it doesn't have the strength. If it's too thick it won't flow into a crack. Ideal glue for spruce.

202dy · #14 07-31-2010, 10:23 PM

Looks great. It is a successful repair. Nice touch up, too.

Builders and repairmen approach things differently because they think about instrument construction from another angle. It is not unlike the difference between home builders and remodeling professionals. Most repairmen would open the crack and inject glue. You choose to do it a different way. Incidentally, The way you did it is sometimes the best way to do it.

Ultimately it doesn't matter as long as the end result is sound.

Congratulations.

teej · #15 02-01-2013, 03:26 PM

After a couple of years, it met its demise a couple of weeks ago. One of our three cats knocked it over one night and broke the headstock at the nut. The repaired scarf joint held great! Not a sign of ANY damage to the repair. The break was hardly a clean one, so I declared the neck a near total loss. The body is still in great shape, so I removed the neck with the intention of building a new one for this guitar. As for the old neck, I salvaged what I could (fingerboard, truss rod, tuners, etc.) and cut the neck down a bit to use in a cigar box instrument (mandolin perhaps?) build. We'll see how things progress.