Menu
Home Forums > The Les Paul > Gibson Les Pauls > Finish crack or neck break? Discussion in. It is a tiny proportion of the joint. If it was a crack from stress it would not be localized like it is (it would be longer and go around the corner or to the top edge). It isn't common but that doesn't mean that it is critical. Mar 12, 2008 - I've had a few guitar where a crack would develop at the neck joint over time, musicman included. It never seemed to affect anything, playability.
A damaged neck can render a guitar unplayable, which makes repairing it properly especially important for an expensive model like a Gibson Les Paul Custom. Replacing a set neck is difficult and quite costly; however, properly done, it will cost less than buying a replacing the guitar.
Determine that the neck really needs to be replaced. Replacing a set neck is quite difficult and expensive. In many cases, repairing the neck will be cheaper and more effective.
Steam the neck joint. When the glue becomes sticky, carefully pull off the broken neck.
Sand off the remaining glue residue on the body after it becomes dry again.
Get a replacement neck either by building it yourself or having it custom made. Set neck joints are not as standardized as bolt-ons, so this neck should be built to fit the body of the guitar.
Check that the neck fits the joint and angles properly when inserted into the body. If it does not angle properly, the neck will either need to be sanded down or small pieces of wood added between the neck and body to get the proper angle.
Glue the neck to the body with high quality wood glue. Make sure it is resting at the angle you want as the glue dries. If the neck is at the wrong angle after the glue hardens, you will need to remove it and try again.
Sand off any extra glue after it dries. If desired, refinish the body and neck to hide the neck joint.
Tip
Often even very severe looking breaks are quite easily repairable; neck replacement should generally be reserved for replacing twisted or warped necks or necks that have been damaged so severely that the wood is no longer repairable. If the neck does need to be replaced, be sure to see if the guitar is still covered under warranty. It may be possible to have the neck replaced or receive a replacement guitar for little to no cost from Gibson or the retailer if the type of damage is covered under warranty. If you have a custom neck made, odds are most luthiers or companies will install it for little to no extra cost.
Warning
Replacing a guitar neck should be done very cautiously and only as a last resort. It is quite possible to ruin a guitar by doing this repair incorrectly. Replacing a set neck is difficult, even for trained luthiers. People without woodworking experience should seriously consider having a skilled luthier make this repair. Follow the instructions for the wood glue or finish you use. Each brand may work slightly differently in regards to drying times, etc.
Page 1 of 1 | [ 12 posts ] |
|
Author | Message | ||
---|---|---|---|
| |||
Joined: Fri, Apr 25, 2008 12:35pm Posts: 1626 Location: So Cal Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
| |||
Joined: Sat, May 30, 2009 8:59pm Posts: 908 Location: Pasadena, CA |
| ||
Top |
| |||
Joined: Mon, Jun 26, 2006 12:49pm Posts: 15179 Location: NJ Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
| |||
Joined: Wed, Oct 27, 2010 3:40am Posts: 2498 Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
| |||
Joined: Fri, Mar 06, 2009 11:30am Posts: 1002 Location: san jose, ca |
| ||
Top |
| |||
Joined: Sun, Jun 13, 2010 1:07pm Posts: 1529 Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
| |||
Joined: Tue, May 05, 2009 5:35pm Posts: 4861 Location: Taylor, MI Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
| |||
Joined: Fri, Aug 15, 2008 12:41pm Posts: 3339 Location: North Jersey Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
![Gibson Les Paul Neck Joint Crack Gibson Les Paul Neck Joint Crack](/uploads/1/2/6/2/126290704/812067434.jpg)
| |||
Joined: Tue, Jun 30, 2009 9:56pm Posts: 1450 Location: Brazil Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
![Paul Paul](http://i49.tinypic.com/iclj7r.jpg)
| |||
Joined: Sat, Jul 08, 2006 6:51pm Posts: 9438 Location: Michigan, USA Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
| |||
Joined: Tue, Aug 10, 2010 8:24am Posts: 1178 Location: Minnesota Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
| |||
Joined: Sat, Dec 25, 2010 8:36pm Posts: 26 Are you human?: 951 |
| ||
Top |
Page 1 of 1 | [ 12 posts ] |