Took38years Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I can't believe this just happened. Sitting on my couch watching TV with my Casino leaning against the couch next to me, and the recliner footrest moves pushing the Casino over. So it topples over upside down on the oriental rug covered hardwood floor, and now the neck is totally cracked. From the underside of the neck at the nut northward about 1 1/2 inches or more, jsut past the 'E' on the truss rod cover. And I have babied this damn thing for 4 years. Anybody have any ideas? I am inclined to think it is toast. Looks like a nice $600 guitar is finished. I am more shocked than sad at the moment. I can't believe it happened. Questions: a. given that it isn't a really expensive guitar and the surprisingly serious crack, is it even worth paying to try to have it repaired, and, if so, who could do it (I live on Long Island)? I don't want to spend $$ only to have ongoing tuning problems. b. if not economical to repair, what do I do with it - throw it in the trash? Does it have any residual value to someone else? And it's got a really nice Epiphone case. Crap. c. are the Casinos known for weak necks at the headstock, or was this just a freak accident? don't know if I should even get another Casino. Totally bummed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Any guitar with an angled headstock is prone to headstock breaks. It's a sacrifice we make. A Casino with broken headstock could sell for about $200 on eBay, depending on how bad it's broken. A repair (depending on the break, of course) would probably cost a similar amount. You can either have it repaired, or sell it and use the money towards a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwalin Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Go to Lowes, or Home Depot, or Woodcraft, get some good, good glue, and keep everything straight and glue it back together. Of course I am oversimplifying it, but if you love the guitar, then take care of her and fix it. AND PUT IT IN A FREAKIN CASE, OR ON A STAND! Modern glue is WAY stronger than wood, so if you do a good job, it won't break again, at least in that spot! Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antwhi2001 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 If you can inject a good wood-bonding glue right into the crack with some sort of syringe, then clamp it very tight for 24 hours, using G-clamps or similar, it should be absolutely solid. The crack would always be visible and would affect the resale value of the guitar, but it would play fine. Sadly, it's a common problem with Gibsons and Epis. If you haven't done it before I'd take it to a pro, it's important to clamp it right without putting pressure on any actual fret wires. If it's just cracked rather than broken off they shouldn't charge you a lot; you're paying for their labour, and there's not a lot of work time involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 same method I used to repair broken gunstocks with, if the force of a high powered rifle won't break this, nothing will. de-string & de-tuner it clean the grain of the crack w/ ETHYL or METHYL (not isoprophil) alcohol,(head & neck ends),keep it off the poly finished surfaces. lightly coat both surfaces with "2-Ton" Epoxy (available @ Wal-Mart) clamp-or- band the pieces together so they won't slip let dry 48 hrs you'll break the neck in two before it cracks there again. ~Bender~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I'd definitely go the wood glue route,a tech buddy of mine went to work in a guitar shop in the mid 70s,there was a 68 SG abandoned in a corner with the neck completely broken off at the nut(as usually happens)he cleaned the break and applied waterproof wood glue,clamped it and left it for a few days and the guitar is still in use every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 A friend of my had this happen with his Gibson SG. The headstock folded over as if it was on a hinge :-( I'd try gluing it as previous posters suggested, and I'd definitely get a guitar stand. Accidents happen, and it's best to try to head them off. Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Nazarenie Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 i had my sg in a box for 15 years waiting to find a way of getting it fixed without serious expense or posting it off and losing it. i then forgot about it... i recently epoxyed it for £4.99, best quality araldite! it has held so far 6 months? i stripped it of scratched wine red nitro (man i was sanding it for days till i realised stripper would work in a few minutes!) i then tru oiled it. it's not finished yet but it's in one playable piece! the tone is great but i hate the fretless feel. no pics? i guess it didn't happen!:^o/ shoot! man am i dumb... see my avatar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Sorry to hear about that you must be feeling terrible about it, I would be. Dig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenrirlupus Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Any guitar with an angled headstock is prone to headstock breaks. some more than others, but usually after the first break, they're harder to break again... if the angle were a bit less steep and they used a volute, it wouldn't break ever, but gibson insists on steeper headstock angle for better sustain (rather than stopping their ridiculous obsession with gluing in necks... SET NECKS HAVE WORSE SUSTAIN THAN WELL-DONE BOLT ON NECKS... that is, if they use the same tailpiece... which is part of the reason that strats and teles don't sustain as well as les pauls and sg's...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AS90 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Epoxy and clamps are your new friends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stig Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Well, there ya go. Lots of good advice. It's a bummer, but it can be fixed. If you do it right, your Casino will be good as new. My '68 Guild Starfire has what appears to be a repaired headstock. It was done before I bought it in 1983, and if you didn't see the repair, you'd never know it broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 if the angle were a bit less steep and they used a volute' date=' it wouldn't break ever, but gibson insists on steeper headstock angle for better sustain (rather than stopping their ridiculous obsession with gluing in necks... SET NECKS HAVE WORSE SUSTAIN THAN WELL-DONE BOLT ON NECKS... that is, if they use the same tailpiece... which is part of the reason that strats and teles don't sustain as well as les pauls and sg's...)[/quote'] You must be joking, you can't really believe this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Took38years Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 Thanks, everyone, for your replies. Believe me, I have learned my lesson about resting guitars upright against a couch, a chair, the wall...anything. I will not be as casual in the future about where I put them. As luck would have it, late last night I found in my area a custom guitar builder and repairer who is going to fix it for me. Less than what it would cost for a new one, but still some bucks. He is quite familiar with Gibson and Epi headstock cracks so I have confidence in his confidence to make a good repair. Otherwise I'd have to try to sell it as is on eBay or trash it, and neither was appealing. So I feel better tonight. My family has been through the ringer this year with stuff, so I guess the cracked neck was put in perspective. Had it been my Rickenbacker 325 that I waited 30 months for...well, then I'd still be crying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redddog Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 It'll be good as new, my man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamiexup Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 lol...thanks to paruwi6172 for the priceless pic!! good to add a little humor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalfarm Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Any guitar with an angled headstock is prone to headstock breaks. It's a sacrifice we make Agree with Pohatu771 - but' date=' just for grins, check out these links regarding broken headstocks... http://www.kevinchilcott-luthier.co.uk/private/repairing-broken-headstocks.htm http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/custom-shop/220-broken-headstock-repair-overlay.html This one sounds similar to what you described: [YOUTUBE'] [/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AS90 Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 You could do it yourself for $20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwalin Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Less than what it would cost for a new one' date=' but still some bucks. [/quote'] Unless there is damage to the fretboard, or it is worse than you describe, it shouldn't cost very much. Is he going to refinish it, or is there alot of repair to be done? Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 I would go to a pharmacy and buy a pack of syringes, then inject some glue into the crack. Wrap it in an old towel and clamp it for a day. Do not clamp it overly tight. if it wont come together when you clamp it, just filling in the entire crack should suffice. Good luck friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applesoggy Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Sorry to hear that- a similiar thing happened to one of my Casinos about three months ago- my problem was no strap locks, and when I bent over to move a cord, it slipped out of the strap- from about 1-1/2 feet- and the headstock hit my carpeted floor and cracked the neck, about 2 inches below the headstock. I got a couple of quotes and it's anywhere from $150-$250, or, as has been suggested it's not an overly complicated repair. However, since I have two others, I think I'm going to sell mine. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hungrycat Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 You must be joking' date=' you can't really believe this![/quote'] I wouldn't say "worse" but a well done bolt-on with a tight neck pocket has just as much sustain as a set neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AS90 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I would go to a pharmacy and buy a pack of syringes' date=' then inject some glue into the crack. Wrap it in an old towel and clamp it for a day. Do not clamp it overly tight. if it wont come together when you clamp it, just filling in the entire crack should suffice. Good luck friend.[/quote'] Wrap it in cling film, a towel will easily get glued to the neck. And it is best to leave a glued neck for 4 or 5 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrighty3693 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 A Clean break on an Epiphone Les Paul Custom cost me 110 including complete neck respray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AS90 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 A Clean break on an Epiphone Les Paul Custom cost me 110 including complete neck respray. I fix clean breaks myself, my Sheraton was a real mess though and cost me £250 for a mahogony graft and refinish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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