Old Harmony Archtop Repair Help!

[DeuceTrain]

Hey guys I just purchased a late 50's Harmony H1214 archtop acoustic. I want to start messing with these guitars and possibly build one in a few years. It's in decent shape for it's age besides the fingerboard extension, its broken off. The fingerboard doesn't rest on the birch top like most Harmonies, but has an extension of the neck under it as well for the fingerboard (don't know what it's called, you guys know better than i do). Anyways, this wedge of wood under the fingerboard just after the body joint is cracked through. Looking at it, the dovetail joint looks solid. I'll try to provide pictures, but any ideas how to repair? Do i need to remove the neck and fix and reset or should i just glue it back on with how cheap this guitar is?

Thanks,
Jeff

[redir]

Yeah you really need a good set of pics. I'm sure it's fixable from the sound of it. There are some super strong epoxies out there that would probably bond that together nicely. You may need a butterfly type splint or something but that's where pics help.

[DeuceTrain]

the guitar is an eBay purchase and I haven't received it yet, so I had to download a picture, it's fairly dark but you can see what's going on.

[John Arnold]

The fingerboard extension is usually a separate piece of wood.
What I see is a feeble attempt at a neck reset, including adding a shim to the bottom of the extension.
You may be able to loosen the extension from the top and add a tapered shim to straighten the fingerboard. But considering the caliber of work I see, I would probably want to remove the entire neck and start over, removing the added shim in the process. Considering the fingerboard is already cut, accessing the dovetail joint will be easier.

[vintageparlors]

Be mindful that the screw holding down the strap pin might be 3" long and also holding in the neck heel.

[DeuceTrain]

Originally Posted by vintageparlors

Be mindful that the screw holding down the strap pin might be 3" long and also holding in the neck heel.

We'll see when I get the guitar from shipping. I'll take the strings off first thing and remove all tension. I already bought an espresso machine and tubing and needle for steaming the neck join for removal, mostly for my 12 string project I am also starting.

[redir]

YEah I would remove the neck and start over as well. Since it appears that the fretboard was cut through I think it would be prudent to pin the extension to it with a couple dowels. Looks like they at least got the neck angle right though

[Howard Klepper]

Originally Posted by DeuceTrain

We'll see when I get the guitar from shipping. I'll take the strings off first thing and remove all tension. I already bought an espresso machine and tubing and needle for steaming the neck join for removal, mostly for my 12 string project I am also starting.

You mean you have not yet seen anything but photos, but you are saying the dovetail looks "solid"??

It has a botched neck reset and a very amateurish refret. The heel is cracked (or partly cut), the fretboard is at least partially separated from the remains of the neck extension, and there has been an attempt at putting a shim under the extension (I suspect because the neck has been out and has not been set all the way back down in the dovetail). This is a cheap all birch guitar with painted grain and painted "binding." It might have been worth practicing repairs on before it got the botched work, if you wanted something to practice on that is worth less than the work it needs. Undoing someone else's mistakes is less rewarding than practicing repairs on an original inexpensive guitar.

[bigguiter88]

Hey, I'm new here! I am professional repairer in Wyoming and a collector too. You can pm me. I'll advise.