Some of these cracks will never materialize into an external crack, where as, others will. Finally, cleaned and reshaped the braces, and then used a couple of scissor jacks to glue the braces back in place. I purchased one of these spruce strips to repair a crack in the sitka spruce top on my martin om. These tools are for repairing stubborn cracks, splits and punctures in acoustic guitars. Mar 29, 2019 to fix a warped guitar neck, first youll need to remove the frets from the neck using a hammer and chisel. Les paul would have preferred for his model to have had a solid maple body, but density translates to weight, and a solid maple les paul model would have been exceed ingly heavy. Then i marked the stick at the location where it hit the guitar body.
Instrument repairs, maintenance and modifications guitar center. Unlike hide glue, it is ready to use straight from the bottle. This project was an attempt to take a cheap solid body guitar with a crack in the finish, fix the crack and call it a day. Our resident guitar tech, tyler geske, is a graduate of the famous roberto venn school of luthiery and is now seattles goto guy for anything from basic setups to more involved repairs including refrets, pickup rewinds and much more. This usually happens when the guitar is allowed to dry out, causing the two halves of the top to come unglued at the center seam. What would be the best way to repair the crack and get the best sound from them once sompleted. A slight crack or dent isnt impossible to repair yourself. As it happens, i was able to inject glue into all the cracks and clamp them with the result that the neck pocket is now solid and the guitar is a. This mark would tell me later, when i could not see the cleat, how far to insert it into the guitar body. Otherwise it was in great shape so we adjusted the price and made the deal. It has seen a a lot of use and abuse over the years.
Since cracks most often occur in the body woods, lets first look at the body, panel by panel. Repair prices as of april, 2019 maple street guitars. Gosh, the sg is a solid body guitarim amazed that the cable. A washboard texture which looks somewhat like corduroy is one of the first signs of dryness. Depending on the severity and location of the crack, a repair is as simple as stabilizing the wood and applying glue to secure it. So, i have a guitar that is one of my goto guitars. If you have a picture of your guitar s condition, upload it to our estimator platform and well be able to get you an even more accurate repair estimate. Take the body to wal mart or target and head for the cosmetics section. Glues used in guitar repair fret not guitar repair located. Instead, paint it into the crack in a thin layer and let it dry for a few hours.
I had to drill out the body of the new clamps to fit the new tuners. This is how i filled in, painted and finished a gaping hole on the top of my 1995 epiphone les paul special dc in tv yellow with wood putty, acrylic paint and super glue. Do not use this method if your guitar has a nitrocellulose finish or if the chip has exposed the body wood. Most of the worst and hardesttorepair cracks happen on a guitar s top. Here is a model of the body of one of my favorite guitars. A closer look shows the effects of years of string tension and whammy bar divebombs at this vulnerable part of the guitar. The longer you wait to fix the crack, the less likely it can be done invisibly. The longest crack should not be in an area of high stress from the strings. Titebond original wood glue is quite common unlike hide glue, it is ready to use straight from the bottle. Heres my 10 wtf moments in my guitar repairbuilding experience. The width or length of a wood crack doesnt affect whether it should be repaired or not, because even a small crack can run and get biggerget it fixed as soon as possible, because a delay could further compromise the guitars condition more on the repair process in a moment. On the guitar repair workbench, gibson l37, 1934, archtop rebuild and restoration. These wings form the main body shape and may have been broken by dropping the guitar or other damaging methods.
I recently picked up a super beat up strat body for a project to learn more about repairing and putting together guitars. In an effort to avoid a repeat, and keep the new adhesive from pulling up wood fibers if removed again, this bare area of wood beneath the guitar is usually sealed with finish. Esp ltd james hetfield snakebyte solid body electric guitar. I wouldnt be afraid of a quality guitar with a fresh crack if i could evaluate it myself. Look in the nail polish area for a butterscotch color that closely matches what you have there. Cracked acoustic guitar repair keith holland youtube. Then, cut a notch in a block of wood thats just big enough to hold the neck of your guitar. How to touch up and repair electric guitar finish guitar repair. I own an epiphone sg eletric guitar and i have a crack around the spot were you plug in the cord that runs into the amp. There are a couple of cracks in the thick plasticy finish.
Now johns guitar is totally solid no errant squeaks nor rattles anywhere. Cracks in the body of your solid top acoustic guitar are often cause by physical damage to the guitar or shrinkage due to a lack of humidity. Hello guys, im looking for advices from those of you whove had experiences with cracked bodies, or have knowledge in guitar fixing. Repairing wings or any body wood is rarely necessary, especially on a thick guitar body such as a les paul standard. The crack, which developed mainly as a result of the guitar drying out, is located on the lower bout, extending along the grain from the treble side of the bridge to the binding next to the heel block.
Another slightly easier fix than gluing in a strip of wood would be to drill in from the side of the body at right angle to the crack with a long enough 14 drill bit, then gluing in a hardwood dowel. A body crack in a solid body electric guitar is not a common problem. Since this method utilizes superglue, it is important that you use superglue that dries clear, not white. One of the most common instances is actually not a crack at all, but a centerseam separation. Cracked soundboard repair tutorial acoustic and hollowbody. However, it now is definitely showing real damage, as the body has a crack that goes from the rear to the front of the body.
I have an applause ae28 electricacoustic guitar that plays pretty well, but doesnt look so great. As an added precaution, i made a few maple cleats to go across the crack with the grain running perpendicular to the crack. Buying an acoustic with top crack smart bargain or roll of. On the guitar repair workbench, gibson l37, 1934, archtop rebuild and restoration april 19. When you have a rigid plastic bowl and a piece of wood attached to it which wants to expand and. Crack repair guitar blog the official taylor guitars blog.
This is the most logical way to start modeling the guitar, and i hope you will follow my posts and enjoy my future models. May 05, 2012 side crack repair on epiphone acoustic guitar may 31, 2012 cracks and divots, guitar builds and repair, string instrument building and repair no comments while the glue on the bridge is drying, im going to fix another structural problem on the epiphone acoustic guitar. I bought it with the crack actually it was a trade. Now you can upload photos with your repair estimate request. Remove the guitar from any sources of heat, such as radiators or furnaces, to prevent the wood from drying out and worsening the crack. To repair these cracks the stress must be eliminated by removing the pickguard and reattaching or replacing it. Prices do not include strings, parts, or materials unless noted.
To repair this, ill cut away the damaged alder and patch in a custom fit plug. Dec 24, 20 most of the worst and hardesttorepair cracks happen on a guitars top. Any suggestions on repairing a crack in the finish. If you have a picture of your guitars condition, upload it to our estimator platform and well be able to get you an even more accurate repair estimate. How do i fill cracks after priming a wood guitar body. Guitar center repairs is your goto spot for expert stringed instrument repairs, upgrades and servicing. Large finish crack around neck where the neck meets the body of guitar, verified through repair techs that it is purely cosmetic.
Side crack repair on epiphone acoustic guitar may 31, 2012 cracks and divots, guitar builds and repair, string instrument building and repair no comments while the glue on the bridge is drying, im going to fix another. Professionals will often repair a crack or ding for you, but it can cost you. Dan erlewine shows how to pull a crack together and. The photos show the tools ive invented, and what the cleat looks like from behind on a 1930 gibson guitar. The brass tie blocks are vastly superior to my old method of using ball ends from old strings to anchor the crack inside the guitar. A warped guitar neck can make your guitar notes out of tune in some positions and may even create buzzing or muddy quality in the tone your guitar produces. How to repair cracks in your acoustic guitar guitar alliance.
Repair prices as of april, 2019 our guitar repair department has an excellent reputation for its expertise and meticulous attention to detail. I completed a solid body electric guitar in december of last year. Around 1940, paul persuaded epiphone to let him use workshop on sundays, where in 1941 he built the historic log guitar. The test subject for this was a shiny black epiphone sg with a laminated body and just a little chamfer around a couple o. If you do not properly glue in the wings you will need to use extra caution as to not break the bond. Super glue plays an important role in many types of guitar repair. Luthier and instructor, robert obrien, shows how to fix hairline cracks in a brazilian rosewood guitar back and then repair the finish. Once i made this modification, the set works great.
Garrett park guitars offers a complete repair and restoration service for electric and acoustic guitars, as well as tube amps. The other is a strat body that has multiple cracks that are alost through the whole body. Most cracks we see here at finger lakes guitar repair are related to improper climate control or impacts with foreign objects. Sep 24, 2007 another slightly easier fix than gluing in a strip of wood would be to drill in from the side of the body at right angle to the crack with a long enough 14 drill bit, then gluing in a hardwood dowel. The following are the parts that are most likely to wear out or break and need replacing. Located inside every guitar center store, our staff of experienced, certified technicians will keep your guitar or other stringed instrument in peak playing condition and help you get the most out of your investment. Emerald city guitars is the professionals choice for guitar repair in seattle. With all top cracks, timing of the repair is critical. This will also dramatically eliminate the crack from spreading up or down or in any direction. Buying an acoustic with top crack smart bargain or roll of the dice. For greater savings check out our used esp ltd james hetfield snakebyte solid body electric guitar and get a great deal today. Find a clean silk cloth and apply the wax generously to the body of the guitar. If a crack is several inches long, then several cleats may be necessary to reinforce the damaged area and add to the stability of the crack.
I noticed after five months old the finish is developing cracks one just over 2 long between the pickups at the top edge of them. At our shop, we use it in dozens of ways, but unless you understand its properties and know how to handle it safely, you can wind up in trouble in a matter of seconds. One of the widely recognized distinguishing features of a premium or professionalgrade acoustic guitar is the use of solid wood panels for the top, back and sides. What to do about cracks in guitar finish acoustic guitars harmony. A closed crack is one that will leave no gap when the instrument is properly humidified. Buying an acoustic with top crack smart bargain or roll. How to fix common electric guitar problems dummies.
The cleats in the photo below are shown in the approximate location i glued them in. Taylor factory service centers and uv finishequipped service centers can repair cracks and, in many cases, make them disappear completely. Cracks in the top wood are of particular concern because the top is generally a softer wood than the back and sides, and a crack can interfere with the soundproducing ability of the guitar. Aug 06, 2014 first i placed the stick on top of the guitar with the magnet and cleat directly over the crack.
How to fix a warped guitar neck with pictures wikihow. Below is a list of prices for the most common repairs and custom work. A guitar im looking to buy acoustic flamenco guitar, alhambra has a crack in the top is that the correct term for the audiencefacing wooden panel. Solid wood construction tends to express a woods tonal personality in the fullest, most complex way, resulting in a superior musical sound. When that happens, you need to know how to fix or replace those electronics. Fill the crack with the nail lacquer, but not all in one go. It may take some work and a few tries, but with the right tools you can shine up your guitar and make even a damaged guitar body look new. This may have been caused by heat, humidity, time and the natural pressure exerted on the neck by your strings, or other factors. Top cracks to avoid at all costs are the ones that are near the neck to body joint that crack to the. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon musical instruments best sellers. Learn how to fill cracks after priming a wooden guitar body with help from an experienced guitar builder and repair technician in this free video. A cracked guitar side is a difficult fix, especially when the sides of the split are uneven.
The slingerland company commercially introduced a spanish solidbody electric guitar in 1939. Repairing cracks in acoustic guitars examples of cracks caused. Fender strat body crack at trem stud finger lakes guitar repair. Side crack repair on epiphone acoustic guitar crawls. The crack, which developed mainly as a result of the guitar drying out, is located on the lower bout, extending along the grain from the treble side of. Most cracks we see here at finger lakes guitar repair are related to improper climate control or. Give us a call to discus repair options and please be prepared to email a picture to us in order to receive the most accurate estimate.
Your guitar looks pristine for being 20 years old compared to my dinged up 1970 gibson j45. Aliphatic resin is amongst the most popular woodworkers glue used in instrument building and repair today. Knowing how to evaluate the seriousness of a crack will allow you to determine whether to call a repair person immediately or whether it might be ok to leave it alone for a little while. If the damage is extreme, we may suggest a neck or body replacement. Side crack repair on epiphone acoustic guitar crawls backward. Paul mounted strings and pickups on a solid block of pine to minimize body vibrations. You can even snap a picture from your phone from here. How to repair a crack in a solid top acoustic guitar our. Please note that the prices listed are labor charges only and do not include strings or parts. May 31, 2012 heres my 10 wtf moments in my guitar repairbuilding experience. The glue pump is great when you need to force glue inside a tight crack.
If you own an acoustic guitar long enough, chances are good that youll have to deal with the repair of a crack in the wood. Discover the best solid body electric guitars in best sellers. Fender strat body crack at trem stud finger lakes guitar. Instrument repairs, maintenance and modifications guitar.
These are project pieces that i amp practicing on so that i have some experience when i start my guitar repair biz in the future. Most of the worst and hardesttorepair cracks happen on a guitars top. Im picking up a guitar from a repair shop tomorrow morning that had a crack like you described. It was dropped on a ceramic tile floor a few years ago. Repair cracks in tops and sides of an acoustic guitar. A body crack in a solidbody electric guitar is not a common problem. Conversly, an open crack exhibits a gap when properly humidified. Just as a hot drink will crack a chilled glass, the finish of a les paul will crack if a guitar that has been sitting in.
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