How much to repair broken headstock

PorkPieGuy · #1 01-24-2019, 09:29 AM

Before I ask this question, yes, I have tried searching through the forums for an answer. And yes, I'm calling a local luthier soon as well.

What would be your best guess-timate on a repair this severe?

Martin 000-28

It's not mine, but it may be soon if the repair isn't too much.

jim1960 · #2 01-24-2019, 09:41 AM

Some headstock breaks leave a lot of area for gluing. That break would worry me as there isn't a lot of glue area. I'm curious to see what the actual repair people say about this break.

Monsoon1 · #3 01-24-2019, 09:59 AM

One option would be to swap the neck with a new one.
This would be an interesting combo, it's an original nos martin rosewood neck.
https://reverb.com/item/17390719-mar...ilian-rosewood

Bob Womack · #4 01-24-2019, 10:33 AM

That neck can be repaired with splines. I've seen the work done on videos such as this one:

There are several houses that can do it, most of them do it by hand. A luthier will have some old mahogany stock to use and will be able to blend the finish to only a serious enthusiast can tell it has been done. Call a house and get a quote the let us know.

Bob

PorkPieGuy · #5 01-24-2019, 11:54 AM

I think I'll pass on everything. The local repair shop said he couldn't fix it due to how it was broken and to contact Martin.

Oh well, so much for saving some money. I didn't need another guitar anyways.

John Arnold · #6 01-24-2019, 03:54 PM

That is probably the worst grain orientation I have ever seen on a Martin neck.

I prefer a backstrap repair instead of splines.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luth...phoverlay.html

mirwa · #7 01-24-2019, 06:12 PM

It was good your local repair shop acknowledged it was beyond their capability.

A set of splines or blackstrap will give a good job. You can even make a replacement headstock and reverse graft it.

Steve

mirwa · #8 01-24-2019, 09:35 PM

In regards to costs, you may get great variances

For me

Splined and refinished 4-450
Back Strap and refinish 3-350
New Headstock and refinished 5-550

Steve

Howard Klepper · #9 01-25-2019, 12:38 AM

Look more closely. This isn't the first time that headstock has broken off. A big spline was put in the middle when it was previously repaired, but it was not extended far enough into the neck shaft to get a good joint. You can see the spline, about 1" wide, sticking out of the headstock and also see where it runs up into the headstock. The 45º surface at the end of the headstock isn't how the neck grain runs--it's how the spline was cut, which is too close to an end grain joint to be effective. The joint failed. The headstock veneer was likely removed at the time of that repair.

Considering that, I would make a new headstock including the face veneer and diamond/dart if it is a Style 28 (you sure that is a Style 28? I doubt it--the fretboard does not look like ebony) and scarf it into the neck. The scarf surface should be at least 3" long. Keeping this headstock would mean working around someone else's failed repair.

It would be at the high end of headstock jobs. Prices vary a lot, but this is a job for a good shop.

mirwa · #10 01-25-2019, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

Considering that, I would make a new headstock including the face veneer and diamond/dart if it is a Style 28 (you sure that is a Style 28? The fretboard does not look like ebony) and scarf it into the neck. The scarf surface should be at least 3" long.

The old saying, here is one I prepared earlier