Ouch! I can't believe I didn't see this.

[mcgeorgerl]

Went to the Ohio Guitar Show last week and this dealer had a BEAUTIFUL birdseye maple Warmoth Tele neck.

It had never been on a body (no neck screw holes) but had had a set of tuners and bushings installed at one time and were now removed.

It looked really, really nice. I feel in love with it and it had to be mine.

Everybody else would pick it up, look it over and lay it back down.

I picked it up and handed the guy a wad of twenties (I ain't saying how many!).

So I ordered a set of Fender tuners that matched the existing screw holes and went to install them a few moments ago.

(Excuse me for a second while I puke in this bucket.)

I went to install the bushings and thought "Dang, there's no way these bushings will fit. I'm going to have to a little reaming here. How in the heck did the other one's get installed?"

Then I notice what I hadn't noticed in the less than brilliant light at the show. (Puking again).

A crack that runs from the high "E" bushing hole out to the end of the headstock. (More puking). It's faint, but I think there's one that runs to the "B" too.

I can't believe I missed it.

So what's the best way to fix this? My first thought is to reinstall a bushing and let the crack open up, drop in some super glue and then knock the bushing back out. Then ream it to size.

Any suggestions?

[bingy]

Open it up as you described... force as much titebond in there as you can...pop the bushings out...clamp it up in good shape...wipe up excess...let it dry...ream...it should be fine.

[jefrs]

Bad luck but do-able.

More or less what I would do too.

Ease the crack apart and inject some glue from a large hypodermic needle syringe. You can get suitable from model/craft stores with a plastic "needle" or from fishing tackle shops for injecting bait with smelly oils etc (even ask your veterinary). Cheap sacrificial syringe, wide bore needle for glue.

Cyanacrylate super glue does not make a completely permanent repair. It degrades over time. Then ...

Some wood glues are better than others, use the best available. Epoxy cement (slow twin pack) might make a permanent repair, if you use that then mix twice as long as you feel is done, and heat the job with a hair dryer so the cement flows. It's a toss-up between good wood glue and 'poxy. Then clamp, clean up and leave it for a week.

A brand new natural relic. :-)

[Picton]

Titebond or epoxy. Then, you can forget about it and enjoy as needed. Hope there was a discount...

[guitarbuilder]

As was mentioned, open it up, squirt in yellow glue, clamp together for an hour, wipe off the excess, let dry. Use damp paper towel to get any remaining glue residue. Redrill for correct size hole. Add tuners and you are back in business. The joint is most likely in nice shape with no dirt because it wasn't open or broken off.

[e-merlin]

Actually, I made one of those cracks in a Warmoth neck trying to install bushings. I should have run a properly sized drill bit through the holes by hand to remove any finish...

So, I just grabbed a bottle of Elmer's and forced as much as I could in. Clamped and let set overnight. Voila! just like new, and you'd never know...

It worked perfectly.

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by jefrs

Bad luck but do-able.

More or less what I would do too.

Ease the crack apart and inject some glue from a large hypodermic needle syringe. You can get suitable from model/craft stores with a plastic "needle" or from fishing tackle shops for injecting bait with smelly oils etc (even ask your veterinary). Cheap sacrificial syringe, wide bore needle for glue.

Cyanacrylate super glue does not make a completely permanent repair. It degrades over time. Then ...

Some wood glues are better than others, use the best available. Epoxy cement (slow twin pack) might make a permanent repair, if you use that then mix twice as long as you feel is done, and heat the job with a hair dryer so the cement flows. It's a toss-up between good wood glue and 'poxy. Then clamp, clean up and leave it for a week.

A brand new natural relic. :-)

Feed stores are another cheap and readily available source of syringes and needles.

[Birdmankustomz]

Pictures?

[MickM]

I too vote for TiteBond or a similar wood glue and Tractor Supply storys carry syringes with various sized needles to fit them. No sweat if you can't get the syringe, once you open up the crack you can work the glue in with wire, toothpick etc.

[motor_city_tele]

too bad you didn't notice the crack at the show - you could have talked him down.

I love finding stuff that can be easily fixed with titebond and clamps.

I'm mad at myself for not picking up a beautiful 12-string that could have been fixed at the last show I was at.

I did grab up a couple of others though.