Repairing a Broken Guitar Headstock - Part One

[XxX666newt666XxX]

Happened to me today... Les Paul Epiphone favorite guitar I own got knocked over in college, headstock totally snapped off ;/

[shamanofdrums]

Thanks very much. Ovation fell face down & the head-stock just snapped off leaving 2 parts w/45 degree angle but good surface area. Not a cheap guitar but I couldn't justify taking it in: have a shop, used PL Premium. The angle made "clamping" caused strong movement. I wish I'd made a jig in case this occurred. I had to engineer a fix as I'd applied the glue. The wood fit well dry I so foresaw no problem. I drilled & used a tite pin. I still had a bit of movement but it's lookin good! More soon

[etrigan69]

Thanks Andrew. I have a Les Paul studio that just isn't really feasable to put a bunch of cash into. I glued it with the glue you mention. So far so good! You're the man!

[flatpicker9972]

This is Jerry with JDS-Guitars and Repair, nice job you may want to use some waxed papper under your clamps.

[moucon]

I'm a big fan - but your glue wouldn't be my choice. PV is formulated to attach plywood subfloor to floor joists- filling lg. voids. It req. more thickness than you have to develop enough strength. Yellow glue or moisture-cured polyurethane (Gorilla glue) would be better IMO. I use Titebond if the wood is all there, and moist.cured P.U. if I need to fill minor gaps. Gibson headstock repairs usually need add'l reinforcement- splines/dowels etc. Set up glue/clamp jigs and dry-fit before gluing.

[tlfoley1980]

This is a fantastic video. You've calmed my nerves after a sad accident. A+++

[TheZentaomanager]

Thanks for the video, Andrew. I've got an Epi LP that has a pretty bad break in the headstock/neck area, and knowing that the PL Premium can hold it is a great knowledge.

Best regards.

[ikymorello]

thanks it help to fix my bass

[Unknown7532]

I hope your film'll save my love.

[TheAScovers96]

hey man i was just wondering how much do you think it would cost me to get a crack repaired on my guitar if i took it to a shop

[boleynali]

i wouldn,t bother fixing that mann,man.

[guitarjamesadc]

O.k. I have a quick question. I have a Jackson rr3 and the headstock cracked where the tuning peg is. So my question to you is should I glue the peice where it cracked with the tuner still in it or should I take to tuner out first then glue. I'm afraid to do anything before I get advice. Please help. Thanks.

[TyrannyInOil]

low viscosity CA glue for the minor cracking

[musicleff]

Thank you very much you put my mind at ease!

[musicleff]

Thank you very much you put my mind at ease!

[dhenchy]

Thanks, i was devestated when this happened to my custom Gilet 000, this made me less anxious knowing it is possible to repair, even it costs me a little.

[UhOhBeauBeau]

Thank you for this video, I was heartbroken with my guitar stand got knocked over and our Fender's Head stock broke, it's not worth a expensive repair but at least now I have hope of seeing it in one piece again. :)

[frenchfriedfrenchmen]

ive heard that the headstock on a les paul is more likely to break than a strat

is that true?

[Muso2191]

@frenchfriedfrenchmen Strat has a bolton neck, you can just slap on a new one, les paul has a set neck...its not more likely its just worse when it happens.

[lukichu]

what type of glue was used?

[teddinax]

Thanks for your video Andrew. You're a lifesaver. They charge a few hundred to fix my broken classical guitar headtock so I'm going to try doing what you did, step by step. Do I need to remove the tuners on a classical guitar before gluing the pieces together? Is there anything else I should be doing for a classical?

[MrNorbi14]

Do you know anything about guitar electronics,cause my guitar is broke,and I have no idea how to fix it.

[juliansalazar3d]

Thanks for the video, I just fixed my guitar using your instructions and now my guitar is back <3, thanks again!

[creativeguitarstudio]

@juliansalazar3d,

Great to hear that man! Excellent News!

All the best,

Andrew Wasson

Creative Guitar Studio

[ledzep5559]

I love this video, my Ibanez Artcore headstock broke just like the one in the video and I really don't want to put much money into it. This is a great solution and I get to learn something new in the end! No more paying luthiers their ridiculous fees!

[McCbull]

My headstock is cracked right at the neck, looks kind of like an upside down U or V but it is no where near the point of separating completely. Probably about a 1/16" - 1/8" gap under pressure, the gap isn't visible when I took the strings off. Do I need to completely break the headstock from the neck or can I simply pry it open a bit and inject, squeeze or squish as much glue in there as possible? thanks for the video, very informative.

[NakedCatsProductions]

@McCbull I have the same problem I dont know know how to fix it either but I'm afraid it might break completely

[McCbull]

@NakedCatsProductions Well, I did it. I gathered up the nerve to SLOWLY break the headstock so I had a large break that could be glued easilly. I didn't break it completely off, but almost. Fill it with glue(I used LePage carpenters glue) it gets messy so have a damp rag ready. I used 3 C-clamps, 2 on the head stock and 1 right at the neck/headstock. It turned out great. I let it set undisturbed for 48hours. good luck

[pato1717]

i loose the headstock broken part..... how i can do for fix it?

[egexxx3169]

This video deserves more views.

[ChristianSarbu]

OMG my dog knocked over my acoustic, this exact problem happen but now I can resole this issue and not kill Gucci. THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUU

[MrSivispacem]

glue looks like cat shit

[dumapies]

what if you have a broken headstock, and you don't have the headstock? can you fit another headstock to its place?

[Glockenator]

@dumapies Well, it could be possible, but it would too difficult and time consuming to be worth it

[J0eyCasco]

I drilled the holes in it for the epoxy to go into instead of seeping out once the pressure is applied by the clamps. I also used a nail gun to put two small nails for support. Should I take it off after 21 hours?

[J0eyCasco]

i drilled very small holes on the headstock and used apoxy glue. other than that i used the same method in the video. is 21 hours enough clamp and dry time?

[mqmqmwmw]

Do you work for Lepage products ?

[rrtodd95]

This happened to my Betty this weekend.

I was broken hearted but I'm glad that it can be fixed. I don't care if it costs $400.

Wilie Nelson has Trigger, I have Betty.

[snakev10v5]

one thing. You could just go to ebay and buy a new neck relativly cheak for just a neck on there and you could fined one that looks the same and if not then resort to this but a new neck would make it stronger, better and less time.

[willrichtor]

@snakev10v5 Unfortunately, headstock breaks are less common on bolt-neck guitars. You see them more on set neck guitars because of the pitch of the headstock used to apply angular pressure to the strings over the nut. Replacing those necks is a true ordeal. Also, oftentimes, on set neck guitars of the lower grade, the headstocks are glued on already. You can see this on Korean Hamers, Epiphones, Samicks(they're basically all Samicks) Deans, etc that have a translucent finish on the neck.

[tpmbe]

Thanks very good , I have a repair to do on a Gibson SG, thinking of giving it ago as the the last so called 'professional' repair didn't work

Cheers

[Sheeplvl2]

Isn't it possible to use a flat head paint brush & get the underside of breaks like the showed here? The one on the side as you put it? I know paint brushs can be ruined with glue if you allow them to hard, but wouldn't paint thinner applied immediately after resolve that?

[blevinsmmm]

My mom accidently bumped into a guitar stand and the stand, and the guitar that it held, fell, and the headstoke broke off. The guitar was a vintage Gibson The Paul that my dad borrow from a friend whom he worked with. The guy loaned it to us about 2 or 3 months ago. He is the original owner and he bought it new 30 years ago. Now we gotta fix it ourselves, or pay $300 to get it fixed.

[molybogo]

couldn't agree with you more , study the break, and angles to clamp glue it ,give it time and rock on , unless its an expensive classic otherwise just use common sense , great vid , thanks for sharing man

[GreatPartyCathy]

Thanks for the video man., Just snapped mine literally almost cried, felt horrible but watching this vid made me feel a bit better. thanks.

[cybercop112]

well my epis headstock snapped off at school when some son of a bitch tipped it over and whats ironic is that the guitar was inside the case when it fell but you dont everything thhat was shown in the vid all you need is glue and clamps thats it

[harryshand]

great vid thanks! I dropped my mandolin on it's headstock today. Not a clean break but nearly. You've given me hope!

[Glockenator]

Charge the dumb drunk skank for the repair

[dexarouskies]

totally amazing

[Bbendfender]

I picked up an Epiphone SG for $20. Everything was there! The headstock was broken off the guitar. A simple glue and clamp and 3 days drying and I had a nice player guitar. No telling what I would have been charged for simply doing what I did myself.

[Glockenator]

@Bbendfender Nice. Can you see the break?

[xaznguitaristx]

guys we have another solution here that he never mentioned

just don't break the guitar =0

and if someone else breaks it, warranty or make em pay up =0

[PaddyShadowMusic]

Why is he thinhking about the cost? The lady who broke it has to pay the repair or a new guitar.

[MetalTillIDie461]

wouldnt epoxy reisn like Arildite work better?

I arildite to fix my bike fairing which has a huge crack in it.

[downhoe]

@MetalTillIDie461 you're right, araldite is better as it flows like water with some heat applied. This has been essentials on some breaks I have fixed where the surfaces were hard to reach. It also has sufficient load bearing for this application. Some other points on this video - avoid touching the bare surfaces with you're fingers, don't let the peghead drop (lacquer will often chip), and consider making a proper clamping caul for the job.

[CJang7]

this video started making me feel less upset about my delima by hearing that i can get my les paul fixed but then it got to the part where you drilled the hole in the back of the headstock and then the cash its going to take to get repairs and ughhhhhhh D:... how could things get any worse!?

[dnielgeo]

the drunk lady should pay for it!

[heminder]

awesome little tutorial.

not that i've had a headstock broken yet, but useful if ever it does.

and i hope im not jynxing myself there...

[NewMetallica]

Very clearly explained. Not a detail I missed! Thanks Andrew, great video as always.

[number1lettera]

dude half way through the letter is sounded like you were adopting a canadian accent for a bit.

[tsaoer]

wicked glue haha

[Emceetem]

My guitar nut recently just broke off. Basically i was installing a new string and the string chips off the part of it.

The high e 1st string nut part broke off.

I can play anything fine past the second fret on the high e but i'd prefer if i can do anything to fix it. Or should i just take it to a shop?i have about 54 $ saved up... but i was saving up for an epi les paul...so it's kinda dumb to fix it. I'd like to hear any cheap alternative but that it works effectively.

[123jesse123]

Really interesting. seeing how it's done was really cool. Thanks for doing the video. Great as always!

[randommoosebrains]

thanks for the vid andrew, do you have a video on adjusting the truss rod????

[gooney0]

Terrific video with very clear instructions. Fortunately this has never happened to me.

I always keep this in mind when buying guitar stands. Amazing how many people put $1,000 guitar on a $5 stand.

[kaefbaml]

cool vid, good tips thnx

[mudbone80]

Great vid. Although I have to say, the Gibson style headstock has got to be the worst designed and most fragile one in production.

[cybercop112]

@mudbone80 it is gibson and epiphone headstocks are weak my epiphone es 335 fell and the headstock snapped off but whats ironic is that it was inside its skb hardshell case and it still snapped off>

[kylesonfire]

thanks for the heads up, having couple expensive instruments this is a great tip for me.

[wannabeserpento99]

can the ´neck snap if u adjust the truss rod`?

[MistahhB]

@wannabeserpento99 Yes, but only if you fuck it up reaaaaaaaaal bad. You could probably not do it on most guitars though. What will happen if you adjust the truss rod incorrectly is that the neck will warp. If done badly enough the neck will have to be replaced. If you want to be sure something is done correctly take it to someone with experience. Hopefully you may know someone that can do it for you for free, rather then going to a shop.

[ChyronIsChillin]

Very interesting and helpful. If I ever break my headstock, I'll know what to do.

Thanks Andrew.

[chunkyluver31]

There's a lottt of stuff on those shelves. =|