Looks like I'm about to lose the headstock off of my Les Paul

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Tadpui

Tadpui

Well-known member
I picked up my LP yesterday to change strings and realized that there is a crack through the neck from the nut to about the 3rd fret, underneath and parallel to the fretboard. I'd noticed the crack on the top side, nearest the 6th string, a while ago but thought it was just a strange wear pattern in the finger gunk that had built up (I was probably just denial at that point). But when I looked on the bottom side, nearest the 1st string, there was a matching crack there as well. This makes me think that the crack is all the way through the neck and is just waiting to go all the way and seperate the headstock from the neck.

I immediately took it to a local shop with a reputable repair guy. He wasn't there at the time, but I spoke to the young clerk that was working. He was surprisingly knowledgeable, but he wasn't sure what the repair procedure would be for a headstock that hasn't yet snapped off.

I'll find out what the repair guy plans to do here in a few days, but in the meantime I'm concerned about what they're going to need to do. Would they just go ahead and completely break and then re-glue it back together? Or inject glue into the crack? Or just leave it?

I'm not sure how long the crack has been forming, but I hadn't noticed any effect on the guitar's playability. It just seems like an accident waiting to happen though.
 
Had something similar happen to my Smartwood. Didn't affect the playability or sound though. Cost me $300 to fix. I keep it in the case now when i'm not playing it. I think one of my boys knocked it or something. I feel for ya because it sure was a bummer when i discovered it.
 
Tadpui said:
I picked up my LP yesterday to change strings and realized that there is a crack through the neck from the nut to about the 3rd fret, underneath and parallel to the fretboard. I'd noticed the crack on the top side, nearest the 6th string, a while ago but thought it was just a strange wear pattern in the finger gunk that had built up (I was probably just denial at that point). But when I looked on the bottom side, nearest the 1st string, there was a matching crack there as well. This makes me think that the crack is all the way through the neck and is just waiting to go all the way and seperate the headstock from the neck.

I immediately took it to a local shop with a reputable repair guy. He wasn't there at the time, but I spoke to the young clerk that was working. He was surprisingly knowledgeable, but he wasn't sure what the repair procedure would be for a headstock that hasn't yet snapped off.

I'll find out what the repair guy plans to do here in a few days, but in the meantime I'm concerned about what they're going to need to do. Would they just go ahead and completely break and then re-glue it back together? Or inject glue into the crack? Or just leave it?

I'm not sure how long the crack has been forming, but I hadn't noticed any effect on the guitar's playability. It just seems like an accident waiting to happen though.
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Do some searching through Mutt's old posts seeing he's not here any more. Pretty sure he talked about this one at length in the past. Good luck!
 
That's a bummer but of course it's fixable. I had the headstock of my Martin just snap off a few years back. A local guy (Jimmy Gravity) put it back together and you can't tell anything ever happened. I DID shit my pants however.
 
Thanks for the reassurance fellas. This guy that works out of Bentley Guitar Studios in Parkville has a good reputation and I'll surely trust his opinion, but the wait is killing me!

I also dropped off my D-41 at the same time for some adjustments. I've been feeling really lonely around the house without my 2 favorite children!
 
My beheaded Martin is a D-41 too. Hold me!
 
Jeez... now we're going to have to hose this thread out....:(
 
Track Rat said:
My beheaded Martin is a D-41 too. Hold me!
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Seriously? No wonder you shit yourself. My D-41 is my most prized posession, and very sentimental as well. If the headstock popped off of it, I would probably have a coronary. it's new enough that is has yet to sustain that awful first tattoo.
 
There is someone who has a blog about Gibson headstock breaks- he's pretty outspoken about the subject, and has said that he thinks ALL Gibsons should be intentionally broken there and then reglued, BEFORE they leave the factory!

Interestingly, my Martin D-16 has a similar crack- it was there when I bought it, and the dealer had sent it back to the factory. Martin said it was not a problem, sent the guitar back to the dealer, and said they would honor the warranty on the guitar, should it ever break. I was a mite wary, but I had to bring it in for other repair (over-humidified, which caused some of the glue to come undone) and that was repaired under warranty- their luthier (McCormic Guitars in Columbus, GA) looked at the headstock crack and pronounced it still okay. It was quite a drive for me, but well worth it- I have the utmost respect for Mr. McCormic's work and opinion.

I dunno, I think I would wait till it broke, if it's not moving yet. If you bought the guitar new, you might contact Gibson NOW- you might get it fixed under warranty.
 
Track Rat said:
That's a bummer but of course it's fixable. I had the headstock of my Martin just snap off a few years back. A local guy (Jimmy Gravity) put it back together and you can't tell anything ever happened. I DID shit my pants however.
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Never even noticed you were from the St. Louis area. Jimmy Gravity does great work!
 
Are you around the Metro area? We need a beer summit.
 
Yeah, there's an inherent design flaw with the LP necks. Pretty common.
I've got an old Epi LP...broke at the same place and just set it myself.....

twice :mad:

(don't use Gorilla Glue on necks....Tite Bond Original...dats da ticket)

:)
 
sad to hear about ya neck, I read somewhere that it relates to the lp's 1 piece neck construction, I may be wrong. Years ago, I lent my new superstrat to a friend, when I went to pick it up the neck was cracked, DEVASTATED. Hope you can repair it, good luck.
 
Track Rat said:
Are you around the Metro area? We need a beer summit.
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[hijack]

Yep. Spent most of my life in 63116--South Side, last lived by Tower Grove Park. Cashed in and moved to the country about 5 years ago--now I'm over between Waterloo and Valmeyer on a bunch of acres. Still call St. Louis home though--I work up at 270 and Page.

Whereabouts are you?

[/hijack]
 
In Ballwin (actually Castlewood State Park). I work in Maryland Heights and Marthasville.
 
Dogbreath said:
don't use Gorilla Glue on necks....
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why not?
i fixed the headstock of my 70s gibson "the SG" years ago with gorilla glue and a c-clamp. its sturdy as fuck plays great and you can't even tell it was broken unless you look close.
and i mean real close.
 
I think that its because most people couldn't get a reliable bond and an invisible seam where the break happened. Somebody that has practiced doing exactly that repair has a way better chance of getting it right. Not that an amateur couldn't get it right but man that's got to be an exceptional amateur. Plus a big risk for a beloved instrument.

I got a call from the repair guy today and its going to be about half the price I was quoted. I asked and he'll inject the glue into the cracks, being careful not to put enough in to affect the truss rod's movement. Clamped and put aside for a day or so, I should get it back this week.
 
was just wondering because i posted about that same repair on some message board and someone was immediately like "NEVER DO THIS!!!!" and didn't really explain why.
my repair has held up great so far. you kinda hafta babysit it for a few hours to keep the seam clean because of how the GG expands, but i would recommend it to others so long as the break isn't in a place that affects the truss rod, like you mentioned tadpui.
 
fat_fleet said:
was just wondering because i posted about that same repair on some message board and someone was immediately like "NEVER DO THIS!!!!" and didn't really explain why.
my repair has held up great so far. you kinda hafta babysit it for a few hours to keep the seam clean because of how the GG expands, but i would recommend it to others so long as the break isn't in a place that affects the truss rod, like you mentioned tadpui.
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I was gonna jump in here against the Gorilla Glue--but you addressed my concern right there. It's wicked stuff, but the first time I used it, I was sorely disappointed by the expansion. Now I know better.

Not that I've ever used it on a headstock. I've only done one neck repair, and that was a neck to a body on an Ovation. My drummer knocked it down and cracked the neck joint clean at the heel. Problem is, it didn't show up right away. I put in the case like normal, but the next day, the next jumped out when I opened the case.

I had it professionally fixed, and it broke loose again after about a month. The guitar wasn't worth two repair bills, so I bought a new (and better) acoustic, then felt free to experiment, knowing that if it didn't work, I already had a replacement. I reattached the neck with 2-part automotive epoxy. I'll be damned if it hasn't been solid as a rock for 3 years now.
 
Good God, Whitestrat- IMO, if a repair fails after only a month, that puppy goes BACK to the shop, and I expect a re-repair at no charge.
 
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