Divjcd Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 Hi there ! I found a Gibson Les Paul BFG Gary Moore with the head badly broken. Luthier asks 300e to get it fixed. It belonged to a spoilt teenager who doesn't know how lucky he his to have wealthy parents. The head has been broken a first time, then fixed. Well fixed or not, I'll never know. Fact is that sucker felt like the guitar wasn't staying in tune well enough so he threw the guitar across the room and broke the head a second time. It then slept a few years in its coffin until I found it. I'm playing dirty raw blues/garage rock or stuff like that, think early Black Keys, White Stripes or stuff like that, so I'm not sure it will fit that vintage/raw sound I'm after. Videos I found on Youtube shows people playing cleaner rock or blues. So... What do you think ? What about putting a Filterton or something, Firebird pickup why not, on the bridge for more original tone ?? Just weird ideas... Never had the chance to play vintage Gibsons, but I own a few vintage stuffs like Fender Coronado II '66, National lawsuit Les Paul '69, Guyatone '60's something and I really dig those sounds ! Kind of cheap sounding but raw and mean pickups. I feel that nowadays everything sounds the same... (I'm a bit extreme here) So I'm really hunting for those different tones. I'll pay to save it anyway, and see if it's right for me or not and sell it to a more careful owner if it doesn't, but that's always interesting to know what you guys think. Thanks a lot ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 A better question would be "Is a twice busted headstocked Les Paul worth it?". No, it isn't. Pass. There are too many non busted headstocked guitars out there. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 I'm with rct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divjcd Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 That wasn’t what I expected but that’s what I’m here for, learning from others. I got the guitar for free, so in my mind that was a Les Paul for 300e (About $350) and here in Europe this is a VERY interesting deal ! The only place you can find a LP for this cheap is in your dreams. (Second hand in a good shape this guitar worth 6 or 700e ($650/800) at least. Sold $1200 new from shops) I know this luthier, he’s one of the most respected in the area so I trust his work 100%, if he says it’s doable, it is. But ok, I got your point ! I’ll probably focus on my Coronado refret job and save this LP money for something else. (The Supro reissues haunt me... - -‘) Thanks for your replies :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 If it's free... Well 300 Euro is still quite a bit of money. How much are they new? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divjcd Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 The guitar was 1000e or 1100e new. 300e is still quite a bite of money you’re right ! That’s why I asked here before doing a mistake ! Thanks again ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolo_guitar Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 the bfg was not interesting he had a lot of signature models which are better and closer to the original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divjcd Posted December 14, 2017 Author Share Posted December 14, 2017 I don't care about Gary Moore, don't like his sound anyway ! I'm letting this LP sleep in its coffin, I'll concentrate on something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 Broken headstocks are quite common with Gibsons, specially old SG's, LP JR's and not to mention Melody Makers. I have owned a few that were luthier repaired and kept needing to be re-repaired. A friend of mine had an old EB3 that the headstock was completely broken off and he glued it back on using a large amount of super glue and it never broke again. After witnessing his success I tried it on a Melody Maker that had been repaired several times, 20 years later the Melody Maker neck is stronger than ever. I recently acquired a 2004 SG special with a fractured neck and used a syringe with a medium sized needle to inject super glue into the fracture. I applied pressure to the fracture by placing the SG upside down in a corner resting on the headstock and left it alone for a few days. The SG repair was a year ago and it is still holding with no separation, in addition I use regular slinky 10 thru 46 strings. You have to be careful not to make a mess using super glue so that the cleanup is minimal.. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffytune Posted December 16, 2017 Share Posted December 16, 2017 Broken twice you say.......Hmmmm. So you got it for free, okay that is a good thing, I would be asking the luthier how he intends to effect the repair. Is he going to pin it, use dowels screw it of just remove the fretboard, mill out the old one and replace it. Being a see through finish, your not going to be able to hide the fact it has been repaired, so the next question is, what would it be worth after the repair. Well, the case is worth 150 used (Unless it beat up to) so there is that. the pick ups and electronics could be sold out. The tuners and hardware have a value as well. So, to my mind, you could one way or the other recover the 300 for the repair.......so I say do it. If you decide not to, I run a charity call "The wayward home for unwanted and broken Les Paul guitar" I will give it a good home. PM me for the mailing address, I will help with shipping.....a little, after all I is a charity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted December 17, 2017 Share Posted December 17, 2017 Is there some reason, beyond the fact that you got it "free," you're wanting to "fix" this guitar? IF So, then I'd have your Luthier friend, make a new neck/headstock, rather than trying to fix a Twice broken headstock. He might (probably) charge more, to do that, but it will be a much better solution (IMHO), and you can have him craft the neck in your preferred radius, and style. "Gibson" inlays, decals, are readily available, or you could have him silkscreen the logo back on. Lot's of options! Just depends on your budget, and how truly important this particular guitar is, to you. Cheers, CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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