NBGRPD.... What the heck am I doing??

Chocklit_Thunda

That stands for "New broken guitar, repair project day...."
I think I may be mad.........

I got it for a steal and knew pretty much from the get go that this may go disastrously wrong... Even if it does, I can sell off the parts to recoup some of the money...

So without further ado, my Epiphone Les Paul Studio!

Uh-oh..........

the fit

The reason for the break

secondary crack

crack in the top

Any tips and advice you guys may have is welcome.

Keira-WitherKay

i know you handy and can do most of the work yourself,,,and i reckon it's a great project ...but don't spend too much money fixing a Chinese made guitar ...but i seen multiple broken headstocks on gibson style guitars repaired easily so sure it'll get sorted.... trick is to repair it as invisibly as possible..... but that guitar is not worth a respray unless again you do it yourself ...as a descent respray would cost more than a similar guitar in mint condition.....

Chocklit_Thunda

Thanks. Yeah I was gonna try the resprayed myself. The point of this guitar was a major DIY project. Even if the neck doesn't repair all too well, I still plan on sanding it down and practicing my spray technique on it ?
I didn't spend all that much on it to begin with and I don't need to buy anything significant at this stage. Glue, clamps, sandpaper and clear coat I have. Some tint may be required otherwise a solid colour rattle can paint may work.

Another thing I was toying around with seeing as this guitar isn't probably ever gonna be sold was repairing it in a kintsugi style. It's an old Japanese repair style where the cracks are filled with gold and instead of being disguised, become a feature ?
My thoughts were maybe to use a black or coloured epoxy on the edges of the crack and highlight the injury as a cool feature

AlanRatcliffe

The break's an easy one - shallow angle (less likely to slip when you clamp, probably no pins or dowels needed), long gluing surface, and good clamping area. Doesn't look like to much chipping either. I'd use a good epoxy for that.

The crack approach would depend on specifics. If it goes right through, I'd probably do that first before the break (syringe, CYA, one or two cauls lower down, and a clamp up at the 1st). If it's only one side, I might try do both at the same time so I could get another neck caul behind the first fret. I'd use CYA because it's the only thing that'll get in to the more constrained parts of the crack - it flows well.

Whatever you do, when you use CYA, make sure you can get your cauls and clamps on quickly. Do a dry run first - there's nothing worse than scrambling to modify your clamping setup with the CYA already curing.

Don't forget to remove the truss nut first. ?

Wormwood

Wow did that axe fall off a truck?

Chocklit_Thunda wrote: Another thing I was toying around with seeing as this guitar isn't probably ever gonna be sold was repairing it in a kintsugi style. It's an old Japanese repair style where the cracks are filled with gold and instead of being disguised, become a feature ?

This is such a cool idea!
Please post pics

Chocklit_Thunda

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: The break's an easy one - shallow angle (less likely to slip when you clamp, probably no pins or dowels needed), long gluing surface, and good clamping area. Doesn't look like to much chipping either. I'd use a good epoxy for that.

The crack approach would depend on specifics. If it goes right through, I'd probably do that first before the break (syringe, CYA, one or two cauls lower down, and a clamp up at the 1st). If it's only one side, I might try do both at the same time so I could get another neck caul behind the first fret. I'd use CYA because it's the only thing that'll get in to the more constrained parts of the crack - it flows well.

Whatever you do, when you use CYA, make sure you can get your cauls and clamps on quickly. Do a dry run first - there's nothing worse than scrambling to modify your clamping setup with the CYA already curing.

Don't forget to remove the truss nut first. ?

Thanks for this Alan. I was planning on hiding gel CYA because it's thick enough that the wood doesn't just drink it up but thin enough to flow.
I was thinking of doing the crack first so I could use the space where the headstock is to get all my clamps in. Planning on using those squeeze clamps for this because they get on instantly.
Any recommendations on epoxy? Or epoxy vs PVA wood glue?
I know that epoxy can be coloured with acrylic paint without any ill effects (that I know of) which could fit that kintsugi style fix I'm thinking of.
The break itself is very clean. It fits together like a puzzle piece so gluing that shouldn't be a problem.
I'm just worried a bit of glue sneaks in and bings the truss rod. Any ideas how to prevent that? Maybe just wrap it in something?

Wormwood wrote: Wow did that axe fall off a truck?

I was told that someone walked it into a tree ?

Chocklit_Thunda wrote: Another thing I was toying around with seeing as this guitar isn't probably ever gonna be sold was repairing it in a kintsugi style. It's an old Japanese repair style where the cracks are filled with gold and instead of being disguised, become a feature ?
This is such a cool idea!
Please post pics

I think so too! I hope I can pull it off. It will make a very interesting repair and look awesome at the same time.

Keira-WitherKay

? hey Chocklit thunda ...i was glancing at your signature and saw that list of guitars..... thats more than enough dude ? wow huge collection ....nice ...very nice

Chocklit_Thunda

Keira WitherKay wrote: ? hey Ckocklit thunda ...i was glancing at your signature and saw that list of guitars..... thats more than enough dude ? wow huge collection ....nice ...very nice

Haha I may have a problem ? I need to stop now and also sell off a few things. I try to use it all but sometimes I neglect a few items...
I usually can't say no when I see something going for a steal.... :-\
But thank you ? it's quite a versatile collection ? covers a lot of tonal ground

AlanRatcliffe

Chocklit_Thunda wrote: Thanks for this Alan. I was planning on hiding gel CYA because it's thick enough that the wood doesn't just drink it up but thin enough to flow.

The high viscosity stuff cures quicker, harder and clearer, plus penetrates the smallest, thinnest cracks and can be injected with a syringe and needle. Doesn't apply here as you're refinishing, but can also hide a lot of the cracks and remove the whiteness where the finish lifts at the edges of the crack as it fills between wood and finish. You can sand and polish it too.

I was thinking of doing the crack first so I could use the space where the headstock is to get all my clamps in. Planning on using those squeeze clamps for this because they get on instantly.

So do cable ties, BTW ? Plus they adapt to neck shape and do not slip. Just watch for squeezout - if it gets messy around the ties, remove them after a while, clean up the squeezeout and replace.

Any recommendations on epoxy? Or epoxy vs PVA wood glue?

Epidermix 372. Industrial strength, thick and easy to work with. Wood glue is relatively soft and plasticky.

The break itself is very clean. It fits together like a puzzle piece so gluing that shouldn't be a problem.

Great. You just have to make sure that the pieces do not slip under clamping pressure.

I'm just worried a bit of glue sneaks in and bings the truss rod. Any ideas how to prevent that? Maybe just wrap it in something?

Good old fashioned masking tape.