Gibson Acoustic - broken headstock

[Full_Stack]

Alright - this will be my first headstock repair/replacement..

The victim - a 1966 Gibson Dove, saved from the trash!

The headstock was poorly repaired twice. It's a mess of epoxy, laminated veneers, and steel fasteners

She's way beyond splines (I would assume) ..and since it is a laminated neck I would like to opt for a new headstock grafted in. My "plan" is to remove the fretboard and binding (the binding is sanded super thin and it needs a refret), then cut the neck at the same angle as the headstock (hope my description makes sense..). This is my poor-man's computer generated sketch

I would then laminate a new headstock section onto the neck cut and blend it into the contour of the neck on the back side.

Would this be a strong joint? Is this the best way to tackle this break?

 

[Murkar]

The victim - a 1966 Gibson Dove, saved from the trash!

 

[Full_Stack]

That's the reward for driving thru the 'burbs on garbage day!

 

[Reverend D]

Heh, glad I'm not the only one that dumpster dives stuff. I didn't find anything that cool, just last night though, I did find a folded hardwood table top. I'll have to pancake it together to get enough for a body or two, but I figured what the heck for a practice guitar build I'm out nothing. My neighbors in the apt probably think I'm a loon lurking around the dumpsters, on the other hand getting something for nothing is worth it.
Good luck on your neck graph. There was one done on here a while back where a gibson hollow body was fixed with a gibson acoustic headstock as I recall, so its not only possible but works out quite well. Good luck!

Regards,


Don

 

[Pennstate913]

Or you could remove the neck and replace it with this: Vintage 70's Gibson NOS Maple Acoustic Neck | eBay

 

[w666]

I would scarf the joint this way (along the red line)

 

[Full_Stack]

I would scarf the joint this way (along the red line)

That seems a little more conventional. Looks easier to blend into the contour of the neck as well..

Well, I think the next step is just to man up and steam this fretboard off!

 

[lunchbox]

Or you could remove the neck and replace it with this: Vintage 70's Gibson NOS Maple Acoustic Neck | eBay

+1. That headstock will never look right again with the way it's been smashed. I'd replace the entire neck.

 

[Full_Stack]

+1. That headstock will never look right again with the way it's been smashed. I'd replace the entire neck.

Well, my plan was the build a new headstock section and graft it on to the existing neck.

The unfinished ebay neck is ok, but a totally different style than original on this guitar. This one is actually made of several laminated flame maple and rosewood sections so I would like to recreate it.

 

[Fletch]

Wow, great trash pick!!! I think it's a 70's model though but that looks like a pretty high end Gibson.

Here's how I put a new headstock on a 68 ES330 http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-corner/137369-68-es-330-gets-hummingbird-headstock.html the guitar plays incredibly well now, maybe this will help. I would definitely cut the scarf the other was as someone else mentioned and you probably don't have to even bother removing the fretboard.

Make sure you get pics of the process and post them here, and if you want to sell it let me know.


fletch

 

[Full_Stack]

Thanks, Fletch! That thread is going to be super helpful.
I like your jig for cutting the neck angle..

I actually ran the serial number and dated it as a '66. It's too bad someone hacked it up so terribly. They sanded the hell out of the fretboard binding and it's paper thin

My plan is the remove the board, re-radius it, refret it, bind it an put nibs on it, then reinstall it after the neck repair.

The top has a few cracks in it. I was going to try and glue them with my palette knife and some clamps, hopefully I don't have to remove it.

Any tricks for gluing top cracks?

I'll document this as I go. Work gets less crazy for me during the fall/winter, so hopefully I'll have some time soon to get cracking!

 

[BCRGreg]

Not a 1966. Serial numbers are NOT the accurate way of dating a Gibson, they change and are often repeated.

That's and 80's guitar, judging by the logo. 60's Gibsons were not maple 3 piece necks(unless you had a J-200).

Still a great guitar to save from the trash.