mr newhaven Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 as you can see from my topic this is not a thread about one of the greatest acts in the history of music... this is a thread about one of the worst acts in the history of music...me! haha so let me give some background... yesterday i picked up one of those little Gretsch Americanas...*the funky ones with the cowboy scenes painted on them... i got it off of some kid on craigslist for around $30...he claimed it was "in 9 outta 10" in terms of condition... ha! basically he dropped it and where the neck meets the body in the back of the guitar there is some slight, slight seperation starting to occur... regardless i bought this guitar because i needed something that i could knock around and bring camping and what not... *my gibson lg-2 is staying home thank you very much! so i tuned up the guitar after putting on new strings and the neck is solid... the crack did not move...(i'd say its an inch long if that...) so now i know that string tension alone wont destroy my little beater... my question is in time i know humidity and just overall wear and tear will... can i bead some crazy glue into the thin hair line cracks as a make shift way of bracing them? or is there a better product out there? ie...wood clue...epoxy...cement? neck reset is outta the question...this is a $30 guitar we are talking about... but thats not to say i want to relegate it to junkville either...it feels nice/plays nice/sounds nice...and i think the price point was perfect... so what say you acoustic wizards? crazy glue will do? or should i use something else... preferably something with a very fine applicator so that i can get it in the tiny fissures... thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 as you can see from my topic this is not a thread about one of the greatest acts in the history of music... this is a thread about one of the worst acts in the history of music...me! haha Worst acts in history? Obviously you never heard "The Plastic Ono Band" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr newhaven Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 hahahahah touche! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryp58 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Worst acts in history? Obviously you never heard "The Plastic Ono Band" +10,000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderful remark Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 duct tape it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicbyFirelight Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Given the scenario you described, may I suggest T-88 or West Systems -- a very fluid 2-part epoxy that has excellent flow out (to seep into your crack) 24-hour cure (so you have plenty of time to work it where you want it and clamp/strap appropriately) dries clear with slight amber tint, and if mixed correctly the bond will be stronger than the wood. This stuff is used for structural bonds in aircraft woodwork -- and I've used it to fix a beater mandolin for a friend with excellent results. This is not your regular hardware store 2-part epoxy, and I'm not sure that would be an acceptable alternative. If you're anywhere in Southern Ontario I could do it for you in a flash... PM me if you'd like more details -- I may be able to link you up with someone in your area. The stuff would cost more than you paid for your little treasure, and you'd need just a drop for the fix you've described. Crazy glue won't work -- sorry. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Sorry to contradict but crazy glue (cyanoacrylate) is one of the staples of guitar repair. There are many uses for it, not least of which is top cracks. However, in this case, I would use carpenter's glue for the repair. Squeeze as much as you can in and around the crack, trying to work it into the seam with your finger. Don't worry about getting it over the surface. Because this is a crack between the heel of the neck and the body, you'll need to use a strap clamp to clamp up the neck crack while the glue dries. You can get strap clamps at any hardware store (the ones with a woven strap like a seatbelt and a ratcheting lever). Slip the strap around the neck and back around the bottom of the guitar and pull it tight so the glue squeezes out of the crack. The wipe up the excess and squeeze out with a damp cloth. Let it sit overnight and it should be as good as new. Epoxy should be avoided as any future repair would be impossible or very difficult to do without destroying wood. I know this is a cheapo guitar, but guitar necks (dovetails) are put in place with either hide glue or carpenter's glue. These glues break down under heat and moisture so you can actually get the neck back off again and repair it in the future. Epoxy doesn't. Again, as this is a cheapo guitar, a 2" wood screw would probably do the job too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr newhaven Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 thanks so much for all the suggestions! im going to go with a wood glue...i found some different syringe like applicators and pippettes...so i dont think i will have a problem getting the glue into the crack...also im going to take a look at a few of those clamps you described! thanks for the help everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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