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Can I save this guitar? (6 string piccolo hollowbody)

reverendrally

reverendrally

Jun 7, 2008
2,622
1,979
Sydney Australia
obsofaboganpastor.blogspot.com.au
#1
One of my neighbors kindly (or otherwise) gave me this Epiphone Dot studio to harvest parts from. Usually I'd do just that but... I LOVE 335s! And the break is kinda neat. I know this sort of neck break is not unusual. Unfortunately I'd also have to build a whole new headstock (+ Tuners) as he threw it out.

Here is the horror...

IMG20171128214919.jpg


I've taken a few close up pics of the broken end of the neck.

IMG20171128214654.jpg


IMG20171128214834.jpg


IMG20171128214856.jpg


So here are my questions...

Could I graft in a new headstock?
If I could, how should I do it?

P.s. sorry for the guitard content.
 
#3
That’s exactly what I pictured before opening the link! Had to be a scarf joint, which means trussrod has to come out, which means fingerboard comes off. I suppose a master woodworker could devise a jig to scarf around a trussrod, sounds painful. Is that a set neck? If so, I wonder if that could be steamed out and the whole neck replaced? Obviously easier just to replace the neck if it’s bolt on. Cool project anyway, if you have the time.
 
#4
I did something similar when I added a headstock to my eight string (originally headless). I used a fret saw to cut at an angle for a scarf joint, I had to cut around the truss rod like on that one. Of course the final cut was anything but perfect. I put a piece of carbon paper between the new headstock and the imperfect cut, that left marks on the high spots. I hand sanded/scraped them away until I got it perfect. It took a bit of time, but really wasn't that bad. My cut was above the fretboard though, so you'd have a bit of extra work to get that clean.
 
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#6
Heck yeah, you can fix that! It's just a scratch. Like the others have said, you should be able to graft on a new headstock without disturbing the truss rod or the fingerboard. Figure some way to trim the broken end into an angled flat surface, with the end of the truss rod sticking out in the middle. I'd probably just do it with chisels and files. Make up a new headstock, with a good tight fit between the surfaces. Glue it securely. You could add a few little carbon fiber strand reinforcements if you like, but it's not really necessary.
 
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#10
I'm guessing that trussrod has an anchor of some kind at the heel end. If it was loose you could just yank it out. Have you tried it? I'd think you want to match the headstock to the neck, then you at least have a shot of making the repair look seamless. I'm not sure I could pull off a clean scarf joint leaving the trussrod in place, but I guess you literally have nothing to lose.
 
#11
Gilmourisgod said:
I'm guessing that trussrod has an anchor of some kind at the heel end. If it was loose you could just yank it out. Have you tried it? I'd think you want to match the headstock to the neck, then you at least have a shot of making the repair look seamless. I'm not sure I could pull off a clean scarf joint leaving the trussrod in place, but I guess you literally have nothing to lose.
Click to expand...
The method @Jisch mentions really works. The surfaces you are matching can be all weird and lumpy, and it still works. You can do it if you'll just stop believing you can't. Using epoxy rather than hide glue also means the fit need not be that perfect, but you can get "that perfect" if you want to and keep at it.
 
#12
T_Bone_TL said:
The method @Jisch mentions really works. The surfaces you are matching can be all weird and lumpy, and it still works. You can do it if you'll just stop believing you can't. Using epoxy rather than hide glue also means the fit need not be that perfect, but you can get "that perfect" if you want to and keep at it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, unfortunately, the headstock is long gone. So I'll need to make a new one. Hence more major neck repairs.
 
#16
Thumpin6string said:
If you don't want to make a head stock, there are plenty of donors like this on Fleabay.
epiphone sg special neck | eBay


Edit: You can also use it to practice removing the board and truss rod.
Click to expand...

At Au$180 landed, I think I'll make my own. ;)

P.s. just tried to pull the truss rod. Mr Clegg is correct. Oh well. More learning.... :rollno:
 
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#18
If it were mine, I wouldn't take off the fingerboard or pull the truss rod. Unless there was some real reason that they needed to be repaired. I'd use a chisel and files, and maybe a Dremel tool, to clean off the underside of the fingerboard, back to maybe 1/2" from the edge. Then cut an angled plane back from there for the scarf joint. Around 30 degrees. Work around the truss rod. Make the new piece to fit. Leave the paddle a bit oversized, so you can final trim it to make it straight.
 
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