I got a really cool, interesting paperweight in the mail today.

[VOLVO)))]

Some dickwad tried to repair it with epoxy. Made the wood impermeable to glue. 100% unrepairable. I'm going to have to... pull the binding, pull the frets, pull the fretboard, remove the truss rod, cut a proper scarf joint, glue, plane the neck true, route a new channel, shape the new headstock, cap the headstock, drill the tuner holes, replace the fretboard, redo the binding, fret it, level the frets, crown the frets, shape the binding to the frets, and file a new nut.

70% of this? First time doing it. Headstock repairs are usually really, really easy. This one... not so much. Will I fail? Probably... am I going to try my hardest to get all of my first tries correct? You fuckin' bet. Stay tuned.

[Mr. Foxen]

Sometimes I wonder what the fuck people are up to, an why they don't just ask some people who might have the first clue what they are talking before they do something. Then maybe they wouldn't buy shittily made guitars like Gibsons and wouldn't have problems liken this.

Get some headless hardware on there.

[johnny problem]

Why couldn't you get a new neck for it instead?

[VOLVO)))]

Why couldn't you get a new neck for it instead?

set neck.

[Mr. Foxen]

Never dug a neck out of a Gibson, but sounds like less effort than the other way, since hte fingerboard is set and such, does mean buying a neck though.

[VOLVO)))]

I'm not digging the neck out, there is no way, hahaha.

[The Shocker]

Go for it bro.

[apekillman]

headless hardware!!!!!!!!

[Pissy]

Steam the neck out?

[VOLVO)))]

Steam the neck out?

I'd rather do the fuckin' fretwork, have you ever tried handfitting something that has already been prefit for something else? Not to mention, those necks don't come bound, boarded or fretted, and good luck getting any help from Gibson on the matter, they won't just send you a neck blank for a Les Paul. I ain't worried about doing it, It's just the matter of getting everything off without wrecking it... (the board.)

The binding will most likely have to be completely replaced unless it comes off PERFECTLY. Lots of glue removal to come...

EDIT: I may just use splines. It depends on how much of that epoxy I can cook out of the wood. Anyone have any idea what solvents will eat epoxy, but not wreck wood?

EDIT EDIT: Called in re-enforcements, my mentor happens to be a very well known and respected luthier in the Nashville area, and he told me I'll never get all of the epoxy out. He said get some really strong two part epoxy, epoxy it AGAIN, then add splines, and pins if possible. He said after the repair was done, let it set for 72 hours without strings, then string it. He said if it starts to creak, let off it and check for stress fractures in the splines, if there aren't any, tune it up.

Xayk, he told me not to let it leave the shop for at LEAST two months after this is done, because if it's going to break again, it's just going to do it on its own, sitting on a stand or in it's case. I honestly don't see the splines giving up the ghost, I'm gonna go to the hardwood joint in town tomorrow and see if I can find a really high strength, dense wood to put into it. Purpleheart or something like that, it's like fuckin' wooden steel. It ain't gonna be pretty, I'll do my best to cover it over with my minimal paint skillz.

[Jake]

Semen.

[Lumpy]

Looks like a buttload of work, but hopefully it's fun, and it's a low-stakes chance to dissect a nice guitar.

[VOLVO)))]

Got bored and stripped some of the paint to fully inspect the damage... boy, it's bad.


That joint makes me sad, though.. rough lookin'.

Yes, bootlegged sleep patches.

[lordfinesse]

Wow. Holy shit man that looks terrible. These are the kind of tests that make you go up a level and earn you a shitload of hit points. I'd say you're ready to take on Ganon if you pull this off. Please keep us posted.

[VOLVO)))]

Wow. Holy shit man that looks terrible. These are the kind of tests that make you go up a level and earn you a shitload of hit points. I'd say you're ready to take on Ganon if you pull this off. Please keep us posted.

Your neck is gettin' close. I can only do so much a day. All that is left is the headstock, then it can come home!

[lordfinesse]

Cool, thanks. No rush... whenever is fine.

[xayk]

I know that paper weight!   

Looks like a buttload of work, but hopefully it's fun, and it's a low-stakes chance to dissect a nice guitar.

You nailed it.  I got that guitar for free, for helping a coworker out.  If memory serves it's either a '92 or a '93, he took it to college and fucked it up.  Had some slouch repair it with epoxy, which didn't hold.  Then it sat in his basement for 15 years. The quotes I got to repair it weren't the end of the world, per se, but I couldn't see spending that much money to repair a guitar I a) don't know if I like and b) have no emotional attachment to. 

When SunnJake said he'd take a swing at it was awesome, 'cause maybe he (and all of us!) learns something in the process, maybe I get a playable instrument, but at the very least we'll all have a good time looking at dissection pictures of a nice guitar. A "discussion facilitator," as it were.

Xayk, he told me not to let it leave the shop for at LEAST two months after this is done, because if it's going to break again, it's just going to do it on its own, sitting on a stand or in it's case. I honestly don't see the splines giving up the ghost, I'm gonna go to the hardwood joint in town tomorrow and see if I can find a really high strength, dense wood to put into it. Purpleheart or something like that, it's like fuckin' wooden steel. It ain't gonna be pretty, I'll do my best to cover it over with my minimal paint skillz.

Whatever you think'll work, and I will always, always take functional over pretty.  It's in your hands now.

[mawso]

Never dug a neck out of a Gibson, but sounds like less effort than the other way, since hte fingerboard is set and such, does mean buying a neck though.

the only way to get a genuine gibson neck is to hack the body off one..

(and most gibson players are pretty attached to the idea of playing a real gibson, hence owning one in the first place)

[EddieMullet]

I don't know if it could be done, but if I got the guitar for free, I'd cut the neck off and try to cut a thing so I could put a bolt on neck on it something with a Fender style headstock or something really non Gibson looking just to have something weird looking.

It would probably play and sound like shit, I suppose.

[Mr. Foxen]

the only way to get a genuine gibson neck is to hack the body off one..

(and most gibson players are pretty attached to the idea of playing a real gibson, hence owning one in the first place)

Being a Gibson neck was the problem to start with, idea would be to replace it with a properly made neck.

[Glitchyghost]

We get it, Foxen. You don't like Gibsons.   Good for you.

[RAGER]

[bass sic]

Holy shit that's some damn fine craftsmanship.

[VOLVO)))]

I seen't this a while back, Those are all REALLY fucking good, the differing factor here is the botched epoxy repair...

[bass sic]

I guess you can do a splice like he did.