Lets talk about broken headstocks

[Beatles]

My band was over for rehearsal on Sunday night. They were in the basement, and I came down a few minutes later. When I came down the stairs I heard one of the guys say here comes Gary, ask him what happened. So George hands me his les paul and says "what happened to my guitar"? I look at it and the headstock was split. I honestly had no idea what happened. He leaves his guitar on a stand, and doesnt bother taking his guitar home with him. I told him I never touched it, because I have my own guitars to play, and besides, I NEVER touch anyone elses gear. George is one of my dearest friends and I've played in several projects with him. He has always had a hard life and holds down two jobs to make ends meet. This guitar was his "baby". I can't even begin to describe how bad I felt, but because his guitar was left here, it was obviously my responsibility to make things good. I needed to get to the bottom of this because I was really really pissed off. I live alone (happily divorced BTW) so I asked my son Scott, who comes over regularly, if he knew anything about it. "No I didn't touch the guitar" Ya right. Turns out he had a couple of friends over the Thursday before, and sure enough, he emails me yesterday to tell me this. Little bastard. "I know what happened dad, truth is it got knocked off the stand". So now I am really pissed. He should have said something when it happened so I could have delt with it at the time instead of trying to hide it. And I looked pretty stupid in front of the guys denying any knowledge of what happened. So I learned a few things from all of this. 1) in the future, I won't let anyone leave any equipment in the studio 2) My guitars will now be kept in their cases 3) I have taken the house key away from my kid. The guitar will be repaired, and the person who did it will be paying for the repair cost. I did feel a bit better when I searched the net and found some before and after pics for headstock repairs. Here is one link (there are several) that you can look at to see what can be done. http://hometown.aol.co.uk/dalmedoguitars/page28.html. Took it too the Twelfth Fret and it should be ready in a few days. BTW.....dont know if its true (someone can jump in here) but someone was telling me that the necks are actually stronger once they are repaired.

[Accept2]

That looks like a good repair job. I have seen some really bad ones done. The guitar can only be as good as the repair job once something like this happens..............

[Milkman]

My band was over for rehearsal on Sunday night. They were in the basement, and I came down a few minutes later. When I came down the stairs I heard one of the guys say here comes Gary, ask him what happened. So George hands me his les paul and says "what happened to my guitar"? I look at it and the headstock was split. I honestly had no idea what happened. He leaves his guitar on a stand, and doesnt bother taking his guitar home with him. I told him I never touched it, because I have my own guitars to play, and besides, I NEVER touch anyone elses gear. George is one of my dearest friends and I've played in several projects with him. He has always had a hard life and holds down two jobs to make ends meet. This guitar was his "baby". I can't even begin to describe how bad I felt, but because his guitar was left here, it was obviously my responsibility to make things good. I needed to get to the bottom of this because I was really really pissed off. I live alone (happily divorced BTW) so I asked my son Scott, who comes over regularly, if he knew anything about it. "No I didn't touch the guitar" Ya right. Turns out he had a couple of friends over the Thursday before, and sure enough, he emails me yesterday to tell me this. Little bastard. "I know what happened dad, truth is it got knocked off the stand". So now I am really pissed. He should have said something when it happened so I could have delt with it at the time instead of trying to hide it. And I looked pretty stupid in front of the guys denying any knowledge of what happened. So I learned a few things from all of this. 1) in the future, I won't let anyone leave any equipment in the studio 2) My guitars will now be kept in their cases 3) I have taken the house key away from my kid. The guitar will be repaired, and the person who did it will be paying for the repair cost. I did feel a bit better when I searched the net and found some before and after pics for headstock repairs. Here is one link (there are several) that you can look at to see what can be done. http://hometown.aol.co.uk/dalmedoguitars/page28.html. Took it too the Twelfth Fret and it should be ready in a few days. BTW.....dont know if its true (someone can jump in here) but someone was telling me that the necks are actually stronger once they are repaired.

The Twelfth Fret does good work as do a number of other shops. This is a surprisingly common occurance with Gibsons and the technique for repairing them is well known. I have seen exceptional results.

I myself don't leave guitars on stands unless I'm on stage.

[Beatles]

The Twelfth Fret does good work as do a number of other shops.
When I was there, one of the repairmen told me that David Gilmore has the Twelfth Fret set up his intonation.

[Milkman]

When I was there, one of the repairmen told me that David Gilmore has the Twelfth Fret set up his intonation.


I'm not surprised. They've been doing guitar repair and set up for a LOOOOONG time. I saw a very similar repair they did to a Gibson LP Standard and because it was a tobacco sunburst they put a brown stain on the repair and blended it out to yellow on the edges.

Cosmetically the repair was invisible and the owner was very happy.

Gibbys don't like to be dropped on the peghead.

[james on bass]

What are these headstock thingys you guys are talking about?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/jamesonbass/My%20Basses/MFfront1.jpg


:p

[Beatles]

What are these headstock thingys you guys are talking about?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/jamesonbass/My%20Basses/MFfront1.jpg


:p

The headstock is the top of the guitar where the tuning keys are. Have a look at the URL in my earlier post.:)

[Milkman]

The headstock is the top of the guitar where the tuning keys are. Have a look at the URL in my earlier post.:)


Dude, he was kidding.;)


Steinbergers don't have headstocks.

[Accept2]

Steinberger has the right idea..............

[Beatles]

Dude, he was kidding.;)


Steinbergers don't have headstocks.

:o :o ROTFLMAO right on!!!!!!:D

[DaleH]

With the types of glues available now days (urethane's and epoxies)
Small chance the wood will ever crack again in the same place.
It's more the cosmetics and how nice of job they do.

[Spikezone]

Yep, I did that once to my own Standard at a guitar practise. I had one of those stands that the guitar just basically hangs in by the neck. I was walking away from it, and tripped over my guitar cord and pulled my LP out of the stand. Didn't break the headstock right off, sort of left it hanging together by the top layer of wood. One and only time my bandmates ever saw me cry (LOL!). I fixed it myself with some woodglue and clamps, but years later, it started to show signs of coming apart again, so I got it professionally repaired, and it has been great ever since. The interesting thing about the ordeal was that we were getting ready for a gig and I had no guitar to use, so our bass player, who lived half a block from me at the time, said I could use one of his guitars. When I went over there I was SHOCKED AND AMAZED that not only did he have 3 or 4 electric basses and a nice acoustic one, he had 8 or 9 really nice guitars that I got to choose from. I picked a nice tobacco sunburst strat (this was back around 1980, and I had the feeling that it was an older guitar at the time). The weird thing was that I, being used to my Les, thought the strat sucked, but I would probably think differently now.
-Mikey

[james on bass]

My cousin, leant an early 80's Takamine electric to my younger brothers. It was a neck through, destroyer-type guitar. They used it a bit, and took bvery good care of it.
My brothers had moved out a few years ago, and dad took it upon himself to lend the guitar to his step grandchildren, they in turn allowing their friends to use it. Needless to say, it was returned with the headstock snapped off. They told my dad it wasn't a big deal since the guitar "was old and ugly". They did a very quick glue and elastic band fixit and gave it back.

My cousin wasn't too impressed when he found out. He hadn't seen the guitar in 6 years or so and probably would have never played it again, but still, pretty shitty. Since it's a neck through, he can't even get/build a new neck for it.

[Accept2]

Actually I think the Takamines were all set neck but made to appear neckthru...........

[SCREEM]

My BC Rich Bitch survived my teens, falling over hundreds of times, punched holes through dry wall with it, neck used as a whammy(almost)...must be a one piece neck, 'cause it's taken a lickin' and it's still tickin' :D

[james on bass]

Actually I think the Takamines were all set neck but made to appear neckthru...........

You're probably right. They were pretty inexpensive, but man were they cool looking. Look at them wrong on stage and they went out of tune though.:(

[hoser]

that sucks....

I've broken the headstock on my les paul twice (same thing, tripped on the cable and down it came). it plays fine. shouldn't have anyhing to worry about.

[I Huff Paint]

I had one of those Takamines. It was a black GX100. It was actually a great guitar, and stayed in tune just as well as anything else. The pickups kinda sucked though.

[DaleH]

Beatles how is the repaire job going?
Let us know how things workout ok.

[Lester B. Flat]

Well, the headstock won't be any stronger after it's repaired but if it breaks again it won't be in the same place. Gibson's are notorious for broken necks and headstocks. Sometimes just a light bump at the right place at the right angle is all it takes. I think mahogany is more brittle than maple so the Fenders can handle more wear and tear. The good news is, it usually breaks clean so it's easy to glue back together. My Les Paul got dropped and it split right down through the tuners. The repair has held for the past 17 years. It also builds character!

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f377/ralphoto/repair.jpg

[Gear Pig]

I hear you Lester!! I've seen so many broken headstocks around here it scared me out of bubying a Les Paul SOOO many times. It was to the point when I finally did, (about a year and a half ago), I intentionally bought a used one, '94 played hard, just so I was sure it was road worthy. I paid a little more then I should have for it, considering the road rash, but that was my own piece of mind to know it lasted through that without that problem, which as you mentioned IS a common issue.
:food-smiley-004:

[ssdeluxe]

This is a relatively easy fix, provided the snap/crack/break is not too splintered, a clear break, believe it or not is easier to fix.

if the finish is solid, some luthiers put in some fiberglass to bridge the broken area, when its done correctly you will never see the fibreglass and it actually strengthens the area incredible, my repair guy has done it to a 63 335 I once owned (now Greg Keelors..spelling???), and guarantees that sucker won't break again, unless you really really want it to !!! and it does not affect the sound in anway. I was amazed, has to be none-see thru finish though.