Just broke my acoustic guitar...

Bob Clayton · #1 02-05-2008, 08:16 AM

It was leaning against a chair, and me, being totally absentminded, moved the chair.. The guitar fell face forward onto a hardwood floor and the headstock basically snapped off.

Any remedies for this, or am I basically ****ed?

Bard2dbone · #2 02-05-2008, 08:23 AM

Don't try to glue it yourself, but it can probably be fixed. Get it to a REALLY good tech soon.

You're not all that far out of NYC. Ask around for who is best for this kind of repair and go to him.

Or buy a new one. It might be cheaper.

Bob Clayton · #3 02-05-2008, 08:35 AM

it was cheap carlo robelli that came with a "starter kit".

i think i might just save up for a low end taylor.

my buddy just got one for <500 and it's probably the best acoustic i've ever played.

Bob Clayton · #4 02-05-2008, 09:16 AM

bluestarbass · #5 02-05-2008, 09:32 AM

When I worked at sam ash that was their house brand. Your better off with a box covered in rubber bands. Ok for just practicing but a total garbage brand. You could try taking it back to a sam ash and see if theyll just let you switch it out. It will def cost you more to repair than what that guitar is worth.

Bob Clayton · #6 02-05-2008, 10:03 AM

i know its a cheap brand, but this particular guitar played very nicely.

Pilgrim · #7 02-05-2008, 10:13 AM

If you want to play luthier, you can always do online research and try repairing it yourself. this is not an unusual type of headstock break, and it's one luthiers deal with all the time.

I agree that paying to have it fixed would probably cost more than the guitar did - and the result would be an instrument with no resale value. That's not very appealing.

OTOH, if you do some homework, work carefully and fix it yourself, the worst that can happen is that you throw it out. And the best is that you could learn something and have a functional guitar again.

Bard2dbone · #8 02-05-2008, 10:30 AM

Pilgrim - I can't argue with anything you said, but I find myself thinking you're one of those glass-half-full people I keep hearing so much about.

That said, he does have a good point. You might as well try to learn how to fix this yourrself. If it doesn't work, you'll have a trashed guitar, just like you already do. If it does work, you'll have something to play until you can afford a good guitar.

Basshole · #9 02-05-2008, 11:57 AM

Bob,

Since making it look perfect probably isn't that important to you:

Devcon 2-Ton epoxy, clamps, wax paper (so the clamps release any glue ooze).

Take the tuners out, check your fit. Adjust joint (removing loose splinters), and spread a thin layer of glue on both sides. Clamp it up, and let it dry 48 yours. After gluing, if you still don't have great confidence in the joint (you should, Devcon 2-Ton is the chit), you can drill and glue a couple of dowels in perpendicular to the joint.

Of course, you can just put a thin veneer on the headstock with some contact cement later, if you wanna hide the glue line later, and make it look almost perfect from the front, but if you glue and clamp well, it should be nearly invisible anyway.

I've repaired two basses and a guitar like this. Works great.

Bob Clayton · #10 02-05-2008, 12:49 PM

Hey Basshole

I live in Burlington, not too far from Jackson.

I don't have much confidence in myself to do those kinds of repairs. If I bought the supplies, and drove up there, you think you'd be able to do it for me?

Pilgrim · #11 02-05-2008, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

Pilgrim - I can't argue with anything you said, but I find myself thinking you're one of those glass-half-full people I keep hearing so much about.

Thanks kindly.

I just figure that he has something to gain, nothing to lose.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

That said, he does have a good point. You might as well try to learn how to fix this yourrself. If it doesn't work, you'll have a trashed guitar, just like you already do. If it does work, you'll have something to play until you can afford a good guitar.

Right. And whether it works or not, he'd learn something about guitar repair - whether that something will be positive or negative is unknown to me.

BOB! Buddy!! Step up and give it a run!

infamousxtopher · #12 02-05-2008, 03:07 PM

same thing happened to me a couple weeks ago, with a carlo robelli none the less. one of my friends is a luthier and did the job for 50 bucks. plays wonderfully. my friend told me as long as it's a clean break and you don't try to fix it yourself it's not too big of a deal

tplyons · #13 02-05-2008, 07:38 PM

I snapped my Epiphone in the very same fashion, but being that it was a $99 Guitar Center special, I opted not to have it repaired professionally, and did it myself. A lot of glue, a few dowels, and a bunch of clamps, and it set up very nicely. UGLY as sin, but still plays well. If you want more details, let me know.

But no matter what, DO NOT TOUCH THE BROKEN JOINT... the oil on your fingers will not mix well with glue and it's very hard to clean.