Broken Neck

[chasAK]

A friend of mine leaned his Epi. 12 string against a pew and came back later and found it on the floor with a broken head. It is cracked in the typical place, a smile on the opposite side of the nut. The crack runs up the head past the first tuning peg and goes all the way through to the laminate front of the peg head. I do not have a picture. He showed me a picture on his iphone when he was passing through town. The local dealer wants 350 to fix it. He is wondering if he could use a good slow curing epoxy and clamp it together and call it done. He would tune it a half step low.

 

chasAK

[dchristo]

I had a old SG, and only thing holding the headstock on was the black laminate on the front...I epoxied it and clamped it and left it that way for a few days....strung it up and played it that way for 5 or 6 years then sold it

 

 

so I say give it a try first, and if it fails then take it somewhere...but 350 dollars sounds like a lot of money for that repair

[j45nick]

The problem is that this repair will cost the same whether it is a done on a $300 Epi or a $3000 Gibson. I would not recommend he do it on a $3K Gibson. I might consider on the Epi, if he has any woodworking skills. If he doesn't, he could well screw it up completely. It is best done by a professional, although a skilled amateur could do it as well, depending on the nature of the break.

 

If he tries to fix it and fails, it could totally ruin the guitar.

[eltonwce]

Broke the head off my J45 Deluxe about 12 years ago took it to the local luthier who is well known . He glued it and clamped it. Never had any other problem with it since then . I use 12 or 13 strings on it. The right glue is stronger than the wood. He also had to reset the bridge . he charged me $250. I thought was fair.

[fp]

I wouldn't use epoxy ! Either use hot hide glue or Titebond 1.

[zombywoof]

Here is an old Guild I have been fixing up - not only Tite Bond but splints and dowls. Probably overkill and it ain't too purty as it sits but it has held together.

 

 

[Bob Marsh]

Good to have different points of view - Mine is that the repair should be done by a competent repairperson who could also address the cosmetic issues that will exist after the structural repair is complete. This will protect your considerable investment and will restore your beauty's beauty.

 

Bob

[zombywoof]

The OP never said what model 12 string it is but if the guiatr is say a recent DR 12 string the repair will cost twice as much as it would to replace the instrument. Not saying I would not have it repaired as I have been known to spend more to fix up an instrument I was attached to than the darn thing was worth but it is something to consider.

[chasAK]

Thanks for all the information! A storm knocked me off of cyber space for a few days. I believe the 12 string is a signature model of Epiphone. If I remember correctly it had a solid top. I’m not sure about the sides. I think it was retailing somewhere around 600.00, he paid less for it. I have not been able to find in the web retailers so I assume it is no longer in production. He is going to drop it off the next time he is going through town and I will see what prices I can get. It may be best to try the do it yourself route.

 

chasAK