New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

Carl762

Carl762

New member
I'm going to be bringing a BC Rich Warlock back to life. Purchased the body from a fellow off this board, which needs a neck.

I found the neck at the local guitar shop, attached to a raped out Warlock body. The problem is the Low E position's tuner hole is half gone. I'm going to have sand it down, install a new piece of wood, dowel and glue, and drill a new tuner hole. I'm hoping that will hold. I'll use two dowels.

So, what kind of glue would be best for the job?
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

wood glue.... Carpenters Glue is great for most solid body guitar wood repairs and construction....

Pictures please.... let us see what you are about to do and have to deal with
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

I traced out the piece last night. When I get a chance to work on it, maybe Saturday afternoon, I will indeed take some pics. Hopefully, I'll have the body by perhaps this time next week.

This new (to me) guitar will be my road guitar (camping, river picnic trips, etc).

Thanks, gentlemen. Got plenty of carpenters glue, but I will look into TiteBond II.

Got a body build coming up, this Fall.
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

I still use the "original" Titebond, but as soon as my bottle runs dry I´ll be looking into the "II" myself ;)

Essentially any decent quality liquid carpenters glue /Wood Glue will work (Including those "Elmers School Glue" bottles, but I wouldn´t necessarily rate that as my first chioice), as will most liquid Cyanoacrylates (aka. Superglues). I´m not necessarily recommending the latter, though, primarily because the much higher setting time of the carpenters glue probably isn´t a factor in your case. BTW, I´m not a fan of glue sticks and most gels, though there supposedly are some customers that say they work :rolleyes:

But knowing how to do it with superglue is great when you have a gig in 30 minutes :smack:

The dowels I´d actually leave out for a single tuner hole repair in most cases, as the glue joint will be stronger than the wood originally was if it´s clamped properly. ;)
 
Last edited:
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

The dowels I´d actually leave out for a single tuner hole repair in most cases, as the glue joint will be stronger than the wood originally was if it´s clamped properly. ;)
Click to expand...

That's exactly what the dude at the local guitar store told me last night. He said he was particularly gifted at trashing headstocks on stage. ;)

I'll be clamping the piss out of it. LOL I'll just make a clean, clean interface with the sander.
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

Upload2.jpg


Tomorrow I get my little piece of wood.
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

Last night. Of course, dumb Carl didn't take a pic of the mess, the Before Pic.

when I went to bed last night, I had a real nice 5-string guitar's headstock.

Also, I got my first real chance to use a spokeshave to do some real work.
 
Last edited:
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

And, here I am trying to bring the poor thing back to life.
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

I got the Titebond II. There's now a Titebond III, for a little more money. It's more waterproof. Told the guy I wasn't going to be swimming with it.
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

oddly that is not the first BC Rich headstock i've seen broken at tha exact place....
Click to expand...

Hmm, that tells me I'll be needing to put in a reinforcing dowel, small recessed screw, a brad.
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

Curious: Why not a Rich neck from a thrashed body? I can see the home project appeal, but still there's no guarantee of the repair's stability.
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

I bought a body from a guy off this board. Awaiting that. It appears to be in good shape, but for some sticky duct tape residue that'll need cleaning.

Then, I mentioned this at local guitar store where I regularly hang out, and guy said he had a neck (we removed it from the thrashed body at the store). I'll be giving it my best repair effort to make it work. If it doesn't well, I have a nice wall hanger for my Shop, or I'll get another neck.

I'll make a good bond, trust me. I'll stabilize it well. At this point, I have three other guitars to play, so I'm not much worried about it. I'm basically skill building.
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

Guitar body arrived today. Tomorrow night, I'm going to have to purchase a bandsaw in order to be able to complete the little repair to the head. Been wanting that tool for a while. I'll get it all glued and clamped. Maybe Sunday, I'll drill the new E tuner hole and get it ready for a finish.

I ordered some chrome pickup rings and will use chrome tuners.

upload1.jpg
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

it may be just me but if i was splicing in a new piece of wood i'd router the wounded headstock area straight... then sand it slightly so the joint is a tight fit and bounds well with a new piece..
 
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

Well, I'm afraid to take off any more wood, so close to the A hole (hehe, didn't quite sound right).

By Saturday night, after my width of the replacement piece is right, those two surfaces will mate perfectly. I'm using a teeny spokeshave, and what I got right now is pretty darned close. I'll get it just right with varying grits of paper. Once glued and clamped, I'm going to use an 18 gauge, 1" brad close to the nut. At that time, I'll ascertain whether I'm comfortable enough to put another one somewhere on the other side of the new E string tuner hole, perhaps 3/8 in. Either that, or I'll drill and get a teeny, tiny screw in there, fill and go for the finishing sanding.

And, as you can see, I'm going to have to learn about redressing that existing fretwire, or replacing it.
 
Last edited:
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

i hear ya... I've just found over time doing a few headstock repairs like that that it is always better to have a router shave the broken neck area to a straight and flat 90 degree corner for matting a new piece in... The bond is better then trying to get a new piece of wood match the wound... it will have a lot of tention on that area when the strings are on

good luck.... keep posting photos as you go
 
Last edited:
Re: New Guitar Project - Headstock Repair ?

Thanks, I will. And, like I said, I'm skill building here. I just might have to get a completely straight cut to do this right. Oh, I do have a 90 deg cut in the neck, not photographed yet, which the new piece will butt to.

I'm learning. I'm having fun with it. I do a bit of MIG welding and have a bit of experience mating pieces together for the perfect weld, if you will. In this case, essentially welding wood.

My guitar store owner buddies tell me the tension will be approximately 40 lbs. Personally, I have no idea, and have read nothing stating this. However, I think the tight bond II glue joint, a couple of brads/screws whatever I decide, will be able to handle the job. These guys do great work.

Think I'm going to also get me a Japanese saw this weekend too, for fine work. After all, I will be doing a from scratch guitar project, starting this Fall/Winter.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top