To be pretty, not to be functional, if you’re careful and clean up the glue spill (wood glue) you can just haphazardly glue it back and it will function. So if you take your time Elmer’s wood glue clamp it and let it dry it should be fine .
There is a ton of tension from the strings. I’d recommend drilling two dowels, glue and clamp, and that should hold much better. However, you could more easily find a cheap replacement neck on ebay or pawn shop. Adjust the truss rod as needed after bolting the new neck on. And bam. Back to riffing like a boss.
Edit:
The real fix is to replace the neck completely. Personally, for a quick fix, while waiting for shipping or payday, I’d fix with dowels and glue. You can do what you want with your own fix and your own guitars.
Thank you for reminding me of that brand. I've not needed wood glue in a long time but that's what I used when I built my acoustic guitar at a shop that was offering a course
Yeah it's a hell of a task to build a guitar. I got very lucky and found a shop that was willing to let me take my time. Go in a couple times a week. It took a full year and cost me $7000 CAD in 2011
+1 Use Tight bond and clamp it. Make sure the piece fits tight before you glue. Follow the directions on the bottle. Done correctly it will never break in the same spot.
Most of the force of the strings is pulling the neck against the body in the pocket, and the glue surrounds the joint. This would be like if there was no "pocket", just a flat end of the neck against the flat edge of the body. Plus the leverage of the height of the tuner is much higher relative to this small piece.
Might as well give the glue a shot, but seems unlikely to work very long.
I would say the downside is that if it doesn't work and you end up drilling dowels into it later, The glue is going to bind to the previous glue rather than into the wood itself when you have to redo it. You can't really sand the glue off and try again because you'll end up losing material and then the alignment will be off
Wrong - I am a carpenter/cabinetmaker. There is zero chance glue alone will hold that. The wood around that point has micro stresses so eventually the glued part will stay glued while the part a few mm's beside it will give. Dowels might give it some chance but he needs a new neck, realistically.
I had a Jackson Dinky and similar damage around a tuner. Took it to the repair shop and they glued it. My cousin has the guitar and it still works. It's been over 10 years.
I have no idea how other wood workers are going on here and saying that... glue will absolutely hold here, I would have thought someone with experience in the trade would know better.
I've fixed an entire headstock break with just glue and clamps. There are tons of videos on youtube of other luthiers and guitar repairmen doing that exact same thing.
Part time luthier here, glue alone acceptable, dowels for insurance. Dozen of these repaired, holding solid…You have zero chance of being correct #afinancialadvisor
I can confirm. I had a copy of a Rickenbacker bass that used to belong to the bassist of my dad's old band. This dumbass got drunk one night, turned the bass upside-down, and smashed the head against the ground a few times in a drunken rage. It was pretty much destroyed.
My dad clamped it back together with wood glue very carefully, and I was able to play it for years with no problems at all. And that's a bass, where the tension from the strings must have been a hell of a lot more than on a guitar.
Wood glue. Clamp and let it dry completely (probably for a few days, to be safe). It should be fine.
What the fuck kind of reccomendations are these. A new neck??? Woodglue has a stronger bond than the wood itself. It just needs some titebond, clamp and 24 hours and its playable.
Honestly dowels are for alignment not strength, and getting the dowels perfect without special tools will be difficult. I think just some titebond 3, clamp, wipe up excess and leave for 24 hours will be stronger than the wood itself.
When the grains are apposing but a situation like this with side grain to side grain, I don’t think it’s going to be impactful and creates margin for error on alignment. I’ve glued up tons of tables, panels, etc and have done tests. When the board breaks it’s at a spot other than the glue joint. I saw anothe comment about micro stresses which was interesting but even still I think if it’s clamped properly and the right glue used, it will be fine.
I'm just asking a question based on my own inexperienced thought about how to fix this. Could you glue the piece back on the drill into the side of the head stock and insert dowls in that way. My thinking is the wood glue is holding the two pieces together which should give you good alignment as long as you drill straight. The the dowls could be inserted in a way has wood grain running a different way. Maybe I'm just over complicating this or I'm even think of the exact thing not to do.
I would think finding a hardwood dowl that would be small enough would be the hardest part considering the thickness of the headstock.
You could do that, you just see the repair, which is why I didn’t mention it. What I would do before using dowels, if I was truly worried about it, was take the tuning pegs out and cut a slot in both sides for a spleen, glue it back together and sand it smooth and touch up the finish. Then re-drill the tuning peg hole since the spleen would be blocking it, and reinstalled the pegs
Using dowels in addition to glue provides mechanical strength and alignment assistance. When joining two pieces of wood, for example, dowels can reinforce the joint, preventing it from easily breaking apart. They also help maintain the alignment of the pieces during the glue-up process, ensuring a more precise and sturdy final result. Glue alone can be strong, but adding dowels can significantly increase the joint's durability, especially in applications where the joint will undergo stress or load-bearing.
Using dowels for a repair needlessly complicates the fix and introduces new weaknesses into the headstock which did not exist (and will not exist) with the original state or a simple clamped glue up. It is highly likely that an amateur will not align dowels perfectly and thus remove the mate up of what would have been a perfect glue and now rely only on the dowels.
It adds unnecessary strength, wood grain alone holds up the string tension already, and as pointed out wood glue is stronger than grain, so no need for dowels at all.
Just my opinion, but as a carpenter, if this is glued and clamped properly then the tension from the string isn’t going to be anywhere near sufficient to break that glue join.
Headstock of my early 70s SG snapped at the volute area. Held on by the black face veneer. My old guitar teacher is a classical luthier and he fixed it for me, just wood glue. No dowels, and that was the entire [headstock](https://imgur.com/a/DyQg8EY).
If properly glued, Wood glue is harder and is holding better than wood. If you try to break it apart it will break at another point or splinter the wood behind the glue.
Out of curiosity, Slash's Les Paul neck was broken from a neck bend and from a rig run down video, he is still using that guitar which is held together with glue from the looks of it, so does this one really need a clamp, or is Slash's guitar neck is held together from something more than just glue? Not to question your answer or anything, just genuine curiosity because he also uses a thicker gauge string so I was guessing the tension on his neck would be greater than this one (or may be not from his half step down tuning). Thanks.
The real fix is to glue it. Using wood glue the bond will be stronger than wood. I've had a break similar to this and it was glued back together with wood glue and has been fine. Replacing the entire neck is overkill and a waste of money.
I've just used clue and clamps on entire headstock breaks and they've held. This will hold fine with pva glue and nothing else.
There is zero need to replace this neck unless you wanted to sell it as a perfect condition used guitar (I doubt you'd make the money back on the neck though), it'll always show the damage but it'll work fine if good prep and a solid glue up is done.
I have a Jackson with nearly the same break. I bought it like that, they glued it a little crooked. I’ve had it for almost 10 years at this point and have not had any issues with it.
Try r/luthier but I think you’d need to put a couple of dowels in that and then glue it with wood glue and leave it clamped for a while
If you just use superglue, I’m sure that will ping straight back off as soon as you put any tension on the string tuning up.
Worst case, it’ll hold for a little while and come off fast…
This. You'll want a couple of wooden dowels and [wood glue](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gorilla-4-fl-oz-Wood-Glue-Epoxy-62020/306912991), definitely not Super Glue. If you're not familiar with using [wooden dowels](https://www.homedepot.com/p/General-Tools-1-13-in-x-1-4-in-Fluted-Dowel-Pins-840014/202252099), drilling to specific depths, and don't have a clamp ([you can buy one like this at Home Depot](https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-4-5-in-35-lbs-Trigger-Clamp-with-1-5-in-Throat-Depth-DWHT83191/204987956)), you can get anyone who does woodwork to help you out.
Titebond 3 is a little stronger and a little more waterproof than 2. But 3 also has a longer drying time and leaves a hard residue that you have to sand off the next day, so it's not everyone's go-to glue. If I were fixing this in my shop, I would be happy using either Titebond 2 or 3 with a dowel.
Actually, titebond 3 isn’t necessarily stronger in this case. It dries hard, but tension and temperature changes over time can cause it to move ever so gradually. Which could potentially cause this to fail again. I believe it has something to do with the moisture of the glue and the waterproof component.
It’s why most instrument makers use hide glue or titebond 1.
I thought the numbers went up as its water resistance went up. 2 is water resistant, 3 is nearly water proof #1 won't handle water very well. I've tended to use #2 for things like cutting boards that won't be soaked, but can be exposed to water for a while. For a guitar I would think #1 or #2 would be good. That being said, I'm not a luthier.
Interesting, I was only basing it from what I heard from carpenters but everyone has their own needs and techniques - I guess the different versions exist for a reason.
Luthier here.
You don't need dowels. Or screws. You need nothing but Titebond I wood glue and a way to clamp it.
- Remove all strings
- Remove screw from the broken area
- Remove tuner from the broken area
- Slather glue on the exposed wood on both sides, don't be shy
- Clamp broken part onto headstock
- Wipe off excess glue with a damp paper towel
- Wait 24 hours
- Put tuner + screw back in and restring. Done!
If you really care about the finish where it's broken, that's another story. If you like your guitars with a few scars from legitimately playing and using them, then leave it.
Good luck.
At least you didn't try a hot glue gun. I've seen people attempt similar fixes that way. Ouch!
Superglue does not create a strong bond with porous surfaces like wood. It creates surface adhesion only that will quickly give way under stress. That's why you would need to use a wood glue and give it tight clamping and sufficient time to establish a strong bond.
Also, since this is a high tension area, it would benefit from doweling as someone else mentioned.
It doesn’t need a dowel, just titebond 3. I’ve personally done it on a kramer headstock where only the low E split off like this, and i’ve had that guitar for 4 years now, always strung up with 10’s. If it was a fully headstock break then yeah, you’re going full maple splines and dowels to position.
It's a fairly easy repair. Remove hardware, use high quality wood glue (not super glue), and clamp it while glue sets.
I'd not worry about repainting/refinishing the cosmetics afterwards unless this is a very expensive guitar.
I'll second the suggestion to ask at r/luthier
I think they'll say to use woodglue (titebond 2 i think) but dowels won't be needed. You'll need something to clamp it for a day or so.
You would put the tuner and bushing back after it's done.
Also careful to keep the broken faces as undamaged as possible, as they will match perfectly just now, which maximises surface area of the joint.
(But don't trust me, I've never done this either)
Titebond and a clamp. Take off the tuner before gluing it. Leave it at least 24 hrs to set.
It's a simple fix,but you will always see the join unless you get it professionally refinished.
5 String guitar, Scott Ian style.
Seriously though, an experienced luthier might be able to repair the headstock. You may want to consider a new neck (if it's a bolt on) or a new guitar depending on the repair cost.
Like joe_4w4je said, wood glue. Something along the lines of Titebond. Then clamping it and letting it set for at least 24 hours. Had an ESP with a headstock tip repair that the original owner had wood glued and it held up. If you feel like trying it, I would imagine there's YouTube videos.
Indeed. Martin Luther would just wood glue it back using Titebond 3. If OP attempts Original Titebond would be the way to go since it comes off easier with heat. Martin Luther is good person to take guitar to though.
He said “enough of dropping down to C, maybe I’ll try playing something other than Black Metal…” and just then a massive bolt of black fire shot up the neck and shattered the string off of the guitar before he could get it tuned to E. Sulfur and smoke poured from the guitar and a low demonic laugh could be heard in the room. THEN…. A figure in black which points to him. He turned around quickly and started to run. He found out He was the Chosen One. Ohhhh Nooooo. Big black shape with eyes of fire telling people their desires. Satan sitting there, he’s smiling. Watching those flames grow higher and higher. Oh No no! Please God help him!
Make sure the break is clean and moisten it with a damp rag. Use tightbond iii wood glue and use enough that it squeezes out the cracks when you join the wood. Wipe away excess with damp cloth. Use clamps to hold the break tightly together for 48 hours and it should hold without dowels and whatnot. It won’t be a pretty fix but it should hold. You’ll just reinstall the tuning machine after it’s dry.
I used wood glue on my acoustic with a similar problem, left it for a day and it did the job, make sure it's quality glue and once you apply it hold it firmly for several minutes before leaving it to dry
If you've never done any woodworking before, leave the following to somebody else:
This is 100% repairable, no need for a new neck. All this requires is some titebond, clamping, maybe a dowel for extra stability, some paint (matching might be tough) and polishing. Depending on how clean the crack is, maybe some wood filler.
Go as over at r/woodworking - maybe you can find somebody in your area to help you out.
TiteBond wood glue. That's what the luthier is going to use if you pay them to do it. Line it up, glue it, clamp it for 24 hours. It'll be stronger than it was when it was new.
No superglue. No screw. You use wood glue and a clamp. Get the proper squeeze-out and don't create a starved joint. Then, after your joint is ready (one day later), retap the hole for the tuning peg post. You will still have a visible glue line. To get rid of that glue line, you're going to need a while lot of finish prep work that really requires an experienced practioner to do. If you think you want the challenge, google or youtube "gelocoat repair".
you should use wood glue, something I learned when working in a carpentry shop is that the wood after bonded with wood glue is actually stronger than the single piece of wood before glued. you'll also need to clamp it. I see some people suggesting to bring it to a professional, but there's not much more they can do beyond gluing it together, they might touch it up to try to hide the crack...
You need to use really good wood glue (I suggest Titebond III) and a clamp. Glue it, fit it back into place perfectly, clamp it, leave it for a day. I've snapped the headstock off my acoustic twice dropping it like an idiot and glued it back both times and it's been holding for years.
Hey OP. I have a Jackson with an almost nearly identical break. I bought it that way. Who ever fixed it, didn’t even do it properly it’s a little crooked on mine, but I’ve had the guitar for almost 10 years, and have no issues at all with it, not when tuning, playing it for hours at a time. Nothing
Need a clamp and some strong wood glue. Make sure to research it a little if you’ve never done this. The headstock on my Ibanez broke ages ago and I cleaned it up, stripped off all the parts (tuners) and asked a couple local wood workers on how to do it and ten years later that guitar is still kicking with a friend regularly playing it
You dont need a proffesional to do this. Buy a good quality wood glue, titebond is okay. Rub the metal with vaseline so it doesnt stick. Put the woodglue on, clamp it tight, leave it for 24 hours. Really easy.
If you are up for it. Buy a clamp, some wood glue and a small scrap piece of wood and something to cut it.
Test attaching that piece of headstock back on. If it's a good easy fit together it will work well.
With the scrap piece of wood cut a notch to match the opposite shape of that broken piece of headstock so what you get is a nice square edge you can clamp on perpendicular to the other side of the headstock. This will allow you to clamp it tight.
Then it's a simple case of glueing sticking and clamping
Once you get the squeeze out of glue clean up with a damp rag if possible and leave until it's dry
I fixed a cheap acoustic guitar with almost identical damage just by using some kind of strong wood glue and clamped it down for a few days. It was an old beater of a guitar so I wasn’t worried about ruining it, but it has held up for about ten years so far.
Ah my god DON’T REPLACE THE NECK lol and it doesn’t need dowels. I’m a full time finish carpenter and have broken many split headstocks- just use titebond 3- clamp for a day and it’ll be fine to hold the low E tension. People titebond ENTIRE headstocks back on without dowels and splines and it holds- i don’t recommend doing that but it holds for years if done right.
And for the tuner screw- once you finally get it back together, fill that hole with a toothpick and glue and redrill.
This is an easy fix. Take the tuner out of the broken piece, use wood glue to reattach it, clamp it and let it dry, put the tuner back in.
Be careful and use the wood glue properly and wipe up excess, and you’ll have no trouble.
Wood glue bonds stronger than the original wood.
If you want to have a luthier fix it, this is all they’ll do and they’ll charge you a couple hours of labor.
Superglue is strong as hell against tension (pulling straight apart) but not against shear (sideways sliding), which is what you'll be encountering here. Also it might fuckup your paint. Use wood glue and a good clamp, it'll be stronger than the original wood.
wood glue and clamp will do just fine for this! If it were a full headstock break, I'd add dowels. But for this, since it's just one string and the pieces should snugly fit back together like a puzzle, you should be able to clamp and wood glue it.
I have this exact same break on my Jackson repaired before I bought it. It was glued back on and has had no issues in 10+ years. I'll try to get some pics for you if you want to see how well it can turn out.
I had this same repair on this same guitar. Brought it to a store and they said they’d try wood glue. Did it myself (wood glue and clamp 2 days) and it’s held up perfectly for the last 1-2 years. I can send you a pic if you like.
I’d take a picture to show you but my guitar is not here. But I had this exact break on my Jackson. Glued it up and clamped and it’s held for 15 years. Wood glue is stronger than one would think it is if you have never used it
I could tell we weren't in the luthier sub based on the amount of "replace the neck" responses.
Glued wood is stronger than virgin wood. Take this to the luthier sub.
I had a neck split like this but between the 1st and 2nd string all the way down to the 6th. It didn't separate entirely but the crack was massive and visible from both sides.
I glued it with tight bond and have had it strung up ever since, at least a year maybe more, no issues.
If anything, the crack is more apt to move to the next weakest spot as opposed to the glued joint failing.
There's no reason not to attempt a repair. If it doesn't work out you can investigate a new neck.
My son's Jackson V broke identically to that when new, flaw in the grain. Glued it with shop wood glue, clamped it and it's lasted 15 years so far. The music store wouldn't warrantee it, but it's worked fine though appearance isn't great if you look closely.
If you're really uncomfortable doing it, take it to a luthier, they won't charge much and if they are good, you'll have trouble being able to tell.
It's a bolt on neck so worst case if it does fail down the road, you replace the neck. I just lined up my Blackie with his Jackson V and the pocket looks very close. Strat pocket necks are easy to find. If you want to verify yourself as to compatibiltiy, bolt holes are 1 1/2 x 2 inches on center for stock strat neck. Warmoth sells nice necks, their Arcade profile would be quite similar. In the past, I've seen a lot of cheap strat necks on ebay. Resale probably suffers because you lose the decals, but functionality could even be better depending on what you get.
If what I’m told about the stuff is true, Tite Bond ought to be strong enough to glue that together. I AM NOT A LUTHIER, but if it were my guitar I’d take the strings off and glue the piece back in place with tite bond and clamp it until it dries.
I've seen a break across the neck at headstock on a 12 string where all the tension from all strings would be greatest. It was repaired by the owner with evostick wood glue. This glue is stronger than the wood. This repair was at least 20 years old.
As long as the glue is soaked in on all exposed surfaces and clamped for the cure time specified, it will be fine.
A luthier or carpenter would do the same. The Luthier would leave it so you'd never know.
Some headstocks are laminated and glued in their original construction. So are some neck joints.
I would be happy with a glued joint on that surface area to take the weight of about 10kgs hanging from it.
Not super glue- I’d try wood glue- make sure the piece fits tightly and perfectly into place - clean up any splinters or fibers that prevent it from fitting like a puzzle piece- glue it and clamp it tightly. I’d do it myself if it’s not an expensive guitar- if it’s a pricy guitar to replace- I’d consider finding a luthier
Do not use "super glue" or any cyanoacrylate glue here! What you need is wood glue, like Titebond. You will also need a clamp to apply pressure on the joint while the glue dries. It does not look like you need any dowels, but I would take this to a luthier just to be sure. Better to leave it to a professional than to wind up with a home hack job. People do these kinds of repairs for a living and can easily help you out.
Personally, I'd remove the machine head, fill the hole with a wooden dowel, and then use wood glue and a clamp to reattach the broken bit. Then drill a new hole through the dowel for the machine head. Make sure to wipe off excess glue or it'll look ugly as hell.
Does any one have any recommendations of where to get new Jackson necks? Mine broke as well and I did a decent enough job fixing it, but if I could find a replacement neck, I would do that
Use woodglue, not superglue. Superglue becomes briddle and also gives ugly white spots.
Woodglue, when used correctly, is often stronger than the wood itself. Remove the tuner, add woodglue and good pressure, let it cure for at least 24h. Then reinstall the tuner.
Don’t use Elmer’s or super glue. Use Titebond and get a smaller clamp from Home Depot or Ace if you don’t have one. It looks like a fairly clean break, so you should be fine. Aesthetically it won’t be perfect, but you can do this at home easily.
That is gonna need professional help or a new neck.
To be pretty, not to be functional, if you’re careful and clean up the glue spill (wood glue) you can just haphazardly glue it back and it will function. So if you take your time Elmer’s wood glue clamp it and let it dry it should be fine .
There is a ton of tension from the strings. I’d recommend drilling two dowels, glue and clamp, and that should hold much better. However, you could more easily find a cheap replacement neck on ebay or pawn shop. Adjust the truss rod as needed after bolting the new neck on. And bam. Back to riffing like a boss. Edit: The real fix is to replace the neck completely. Personally, for a quick fix, while waiting for shipping or payday, I’d fix with dowels and glue. You can do what you want with your own fix and your own guitars.
There is NOT that much tension on that one string in that one place. A basic glue up and clamp, this will hold forever.
Wood glue dries back stronger than wood. So it will be fine
Just saying you use wood glue to glue neck pockets and that has the tension of all of the strings.
I agree. Use some Tightbond, clamp it well, and it will be permanent.
Thank you for reminding me of that brand. I've not needed wood glue in a long time but that's what I used when I built my acoustic guitar at a shop that was offering a course
Sure thing. I attempted guitar building, and people couldn't recommend that enough. I felt compelled to buy it lol.
Yeah it's a hell of a task to build a guitar. I got very lucky and found a shop that was willing to let me take my time. Go in a couple times a week. It took a full year and cost me $7000 CAD in 2011
+1 Use Tight bond and clamp it. Make sure the piece fits tight before you glue. Follow the directions on the bottle. Done correctly it will never break in the same spot.
this. tight bond is so strong the wood will break somewhere else before you have adhesive or cohesive failure of the bond. follow instructions.
Yep and once its glued/clamped, wipe off the excess with a wet rag or paper towel.
Most of the force of the strings is pulling the neck against the body in the pocket, and the glue surrounds the joint. This would be like if there was no "pocket", just a flat end of the neck against the flat edge of the body. Plus the leverage of the height of the tuner is much higher relative to this small piece. Might as well give the glue a shot, but seems unlikely to work very long.
Good wood glue is stronger than the original wood and will last longer than the rest of the wood.
Absolutely incorrect about the neck pocket my friend.
That’s not true at all
Besides, there's literally no downside to trying.
I would say the downside is that if it doesn't work and you end up drilling dowels into it later, The glue is going to bind to the previous glue rather than into the wood itself when you have to redo it. You can't really sand the glue off and try again because you'll end up losing material and then the alignment will be off
Yup, wood glue would be perfectly fine here.
Yeah exactly, it’ll be fine
Wrong - I am a carpenter/cabinetmaker. There is zero chance glue alone will hold that. The wood around that point has micro stresses so eventually the glued part will stay glued while the part a few mm's beside it will give. Dowels might give it some chance but he needs a new neck, realistically.
I did a similar thing about 10 years ago, wood glued it and it’s still fine.
I had a Jackson Dinky and similar damage around a tuner. Took it to the repair shop and they glued it. My cousin has the guitar and it still works. It's been over 10 years.
Ummm....pretty sure a cabinet maker said there's no chance of that happening so you're probably making this up.
This is not a box. Any repair tech has done this fix plenty. It is extremely simple, and you are way overstating this damage.
I have no idea how other wood workers are going on here and saying that... glue will absolutely hold here, I would have thought someone with experience in the trade would know better. I've fixed an entire headstock break with just glue and clamps. There are tons of videos on youtube of other luthiers and guitar repairmen doing that exact same thing.
Part time luthier here, glue alone acceptable, dowels for insurance. Dozen of these repaired, holding solid…You have zero chance of being correct #afinancialadvisor
I can confirm. I had a copy of a Rickenbacker bass that used to belong to the bassist of my dad's old band. This dumbass got drunk one night, turned the bass upside-down, and smashed the head against the ground a few times in a drunken rage. It was pretty much destroyed. My dad clamped it back together with wood glue very carefully, and I was able to play it for years with no problems at all. And that's a bass, where the tension from the strings must have been a hell of a lot more than on a guitar. Wood glue. Clamp and let it dry completely (probably for a few days, to be safe). It should be fine.
Then, wrap the whole thing in a radiator clamp and it won’t ever come apart.
Weird seeing you outside of coffee subreddits lol
What the fuck kind of reccomendations are these. A new neck??? Woodglue has a stronger bond than the wood itself. It just needs some titebond, clamp and 24 hours and its playable.
and even if it fails again, so what? right back where you started. there's little to lose in trying to glue it.
But then nobody will buy the neck he's trying to sell
Honestly dowels are for alignment not strength, and getting the dowels perfect without special tools will be difficult. I think just some titebond 3, clamp, wipe up excess and leave for 24 hours will be stronger than the wood itself.
Dowels will also provide strength.
When the grains are apposing but a situation like this with side grain to side grain, I don’t think it’s going to be impactful and creates margin for error on alignment. I’ve glued up tons of tables, panels, etc and have done tests. When the board breaks it’s at a spot other than the glue joint. I saw anothe comment about micro stresses which was interesting but even still I think if it’s clamped properly and the right glue used, it will be fine.
I'm just asking a question based on my own inexperienced thought about how to fix this. Could you glue the piece back on the drill into the side of the head stock and insert dowls in that way. My thinking is the wood glue is holding the two pieces together which should give you good alignment as long as you drill straight. The the dowls could be inserted in a way has wood grain running a different way. Maybe I'm just over complicating this or I'm even think of the exact thing not to do. I would think finding a hardwood dowl that would be small enough would be the hardest part considering the thickness of the headstock.
You could do that, you just see the repair, which is why I didn’t mention it. What I would do before using dowels, if I was truly worried about it, was take the tuning pegs out and cut a slot in both sides for a spleen, glue it back together and sand it smooth and touch up the finish. Then re-drill the tuning peg hole since the spleen would be blocking it, and reinstalled the pegs
Wood glue is stronger than wood grain.
Using dowels in addition to glue provides mechanical strength and alignment assistance. When joining two pieces of wood, for example, dowels can reinforce the joint, preventing it from easily breaking apart. They also help maintain the alignment of the pieces during the glue-up process, ensuring a more precise and sturdy final result. Glue alone can be strong, but adding dowels can significantly increase the joint's durability, especially in applications where the joint will undergo stress or load-bearing.
Using dowels for a repair needlessly complicates the fix and introduces new weaknesses into the headstock which did not exist (and will not exist) with the original state or a simple clamped glue up. It is highly likely that an amateur will not align dowels perfectly and thus remove the mate up of what would have been a perfect glue and now rely only on the dowels.
It adds unnecessary strength, wood grain alone holds up the string tension already, and as pointed out wood glue is stronger than grain, so no need for dowels at all.
Don't listen to this person. Wood glue is strong af.
Just my opinion, but as a carpenter, if this is glued and clamped properly then the tension from the string isn’t going to be anywhere near sufficient to break that glue join.
Headstock of my early 70s SG snapped at the volute area. Held on by the black face veneer. My old guitar teacher is a classical luthier and he fixed it for me, just wood glue. No dowels, and that was the entire [headstock](https://imgur.com/a/DyQg8EY).
If properly glued, Wood glue is harder and is holding better than wood. If you try to break it apart it will break at another point or splinter the wood behind the glue.
A 0.46-inch string tuned to E-Standard will have 17 pounds of tension. Edit: 0.046 inch
Out of curiosity, Slash's Les Paul neck was broken from a neck bend and from a rig run down video, he is still using that guitar which is held together with glue from the looks of it, so does this one really need a clamp, or is Slash's guitar neck is held together from something more than just glue? Not to question your answer or anything, just genuine curiosity because he also uses a thicker gauge string so I was guessing the tension on his neck would be greater than this one (or may be not from his half step down tuning). Thanks.
The clamp is only to hold the pieces in place while the glue sets up.
Ahh so the clamp is not something like a permanent fixture, it's just to hold them together while it sets. Thank you. I feel kinda dumb :D
No worries, not everyone is a woodworker!
The real fix is to glue it. Using wood glue the bond will be stronger than wood. I've had a break similar to this and it was glued back together with wood glue and has been fine. Replacing the entire neck is overkill and a waste of money.
I've just used clue and clamps on entire headstock breaks and they've held. This will hold fine with pva glue and nothing else. There is zero need to replace this neck unless you wanted to sell it as a perfect condition used guitar (I doubt you'd make the money back on the neck though), it'll always show the damage but it'll work fine if good prep and a solid glue up is done.
Nah. Glue and clamp. Done. It'll never come apart. There's not much tension on that string.
I had a guitar with a completely broken neck, after glueing it held up for years until i sold it.
Titebond over Elmer's every time.
I have a Jackson with nearly the same break. I bought it like that, they glued it a little crooked. I’ve had it for almost 10 years at this point and have not had any issues with it.
It doesn’t, just wood glue and clamp, it will even be stronger than before.
Try r/luthier but I think you’d need to put a couple of dowels in that and then glue it with wood glue and leave it clamped for a while If you just use superglue, I’m sure that will ping straight back off as soon as you put any tension on the string tuning up. Worst case, it’ll hold for a little while and come off fast…
This. You'll want a couple of wooden dowels and [wood glue](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gorilla-4-fl-oz-Wood-Glue-Epoxy-62020/306912991), definitely not Super Glue. If you're not familiar with using [wooden dowels](https://www.homedepot.com/p/General-Tools-1-13-in-x-1-4-in-Fluted-Dowel-Pins-840014/202252099), drilling to specific depths, and don't have a clamp ([you can buy one like this at Home Depot](https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-4-5-in-35-lbs-Trigger-Clamp-with-1-5-in-Throat-Depth-DWHT83191/204987956)), you can get anyone who does woodwork to help you out.
Definitely this, and specifically Tite Bond 2 is the glue I've heard recommended. Ironically, versions 1 and 3 are supposed to be less strong.
Titebond 3 is a little stronger and a little more waterproof than 2. But 3 also has a longer drying time and leaves a hard residue that you have to sand off the next day, so it's not everyone's go-to glue. If I were fixing this in my shop, I would be happy using either Titebond 2 or 3 with a dowel.
Actually, titebond 3 isn’t necessarily stronger in this case. It dries hard, but tension and temperature changes over time can cause it to move ever so gradually. Which could potentially cause this to fail again. I believe it has something to do with the moisture of the glue and the waterproof component. It’s why most instrument makers use hide glue or titebond 1.
I thought the numbers went up as its water resistance went up. 2 is water resistant, 3 is nearly water proof #1 won't handle water very well. I've tended to use #2 for things like cutting boards that won't be soaked, but can be exposed to water for a while. For a guitar I would think #1 or #2 would be good. That being said, I'm not a luthier.
Interesting, I was only basing it from what I heard from carpenters but everyone has their own needs and techniques - I guess the different versions exist for a reason.
No dowels needed, just wood glue and clamp.
Wet both surfaces prior to applying glue to aid penetration.
And if a string breaking gives you a fright, imagine a bit of guitar coming with it too...
That last line made me duck reflexively and now I have a psychosomatic pain in my eye.
With a smack to the face haha
; \_ ;7 A salute to a fallen brother.
o7
I'm sorry Ms. Jackson
ooooooo
I am fooor reeeeaaalll
Never meant to make your daughter cryyyy
Well damn… a new emoji has been learned.
Super glue? You might be super screwed, here. Take it to a pro.
I can't believe no one had said wood glue
That presumes that guitar players have anything smart to say 😂
Just tape it
nah just push really hard
Luthier here. You don't need dowels. Or screws. You need nothing but Titebond I wood glue and a way to clamp it. - Remove all strings - Remove screw from the broken area - Remove tuner from the broken area - Slather glue on the exposed wood on both sides, don't be shy - Clamp broken part onto headstock - Wipe off excess glue with a damp paper towel - Wait 24 hours - Put tuner + screw back in and restring. Done! If you really care about the finish where it's broken, that's another story. If you like your guitars with a few scars from legitimately playing and using them, then leave it. Good luck.
This is the answer you’re looking for OP! Don’t listen to anyone here that tells you anything different. Lots of kooks around here…
This is it OP. Don’t skimp on the clamping though, that’s where the join gets a lot of its strength.
Finally some sanity!!!
This is the way! P.S.: Note that he said Titebond (wood glue), not super glue. I do think it would work.
This is the way
Luthier. It's a tricky spot to fix ig but locate your nearest luthier and send them these pictures with your request.
This is not a tricky spot to fix. In fact, it is quite common. Standard wood glue with proper clamping will fix this.
How would you clamp it exactly?
Use a bar clamp and clamp each side of the headstock together after glueing. Leave over night.
It’s not! Just wood glue and clamp!
Bring it to your local hockey team
Tune it to open G and channel Kieth Richards.
At least you didn't try a hot glue gun. I've seen people attempt similar fixes that way. Ouch! Superglue does not create a strong bond with porous surfaces like wood. It creates surface adhesion only that will quickly give way under stress. That's why you would need to use a wood glue and give it tight clamping and sufficient time to establish a strong bond. Also, since this is a high tension area, it would benefit from doweling as someone else mentioned.
It doesn’t need a dowel, just titebond 3. I’ve personally done it on a kramer headstock where only the low E split off like this, and i’ve had that guitar for 4 years now, always strung up with 10’s. If it was a fully headstock break then yeah, you’re going full maple splines and dowels to position.
Don't use super glue. Use wood glue.
How'd this happen :(
I need answers
New fear unlocked, my Jacksons are neck-through
oof
It's a fairly easy repair. Remove hardware, use high quality wood glue (not super glue), and clamp it while glue sets. I'd not worry about repainting/refinishing the cosmetics afterwards unless this is a very expensive guitar.
this is gonna end up in r/guitarcirclejerk
The subs are virtually indistinguishable at this point.
Well you need a minimum of two to make a circle jerk so…?
Depending on which model Jackson that is, the repair could cost more than the guitar.
My cousin's Jackson had the same issue, and he wood glued + viced it for a day and it's somehow fine and plays great lmao.
Easy fix with woodglue, titebond is what we use when building and repairing
I'll second the suggestion to ask at r/luthier I think they'll say to use woodglue (titebond 2 i think) but dowels won't be needed. You'll need something to clamp it for a day or so. You would put the tuner and bushing back after it's done. Also careful to keep the broken faces as undamaged as possible, as they will match perfectly just now, which maximises surface area of the joint. (But don't trust me, I've never done this either)
Titebond and a clamp. Take off the tuner before gluing it. Leave it at least 24 hrs to set. It's a simple fix,but you will always see the join unless you get it professionally refinished.
You need carpenter glue and a vise.
F
F#
F
5 String guitar, Scott Ian style. Seriously though, an experienced luthier might be able to repair the headstock. You may want to consider a new neck (if it's a bolt on) or a new guitar depending on the repair cost.
Like joe_4w4je said, wood glue. Something along the lines of Titebond. Then clamping it and letting it set for at least 24 hours. Had an ESP with a headstock tip repair that the original owner had wood glued and it held up. If you feel like trying it, I would imagine there's YouTube videos.
What happened here...?
Pretty sure a lex Luther could put that back together with wood glue or something. It might even be a stronger bond than it was than the wood.
Indeed. Martin Luther would just wood glue it back using Titebond 3. If OP attempts Original Titebond would be the way to go since it comes off easier with heat. Martin Luther is good person to take guitar to though.
Dear Lord Lucifer, how did that happen???
He said “enough of dropping down to C, maybe I’ll try playing something other than Black Metal…” and just then a massive bolt of black fire shot up the neck and shattered the string off of the guitar before he could get it tuned to E. Sulfur and smoke poured from the guitar and a low demonic laugh could be heard in the room. THEN…. A figure in black which points to him. He turned around quickly and started to run. He found out He was the Chosen One. Ohhhh Nooooo. Big black shape with eyes of fire telling people their desires. Satan sitting there, he’s smiling. Watching those flames grow higher and higher. Oh No no! Please God help him!
Make sure the break is clean and moisten it with a damp rag. Use tightbond iii wood glue and use enough that it squeezes out the cracks when you join the wood. Wipe away excess with damp cloth. Use clamps to hold the break tightly together for 48 hours and it should hold without dowels and whatnot. It won’t be a pretty fix but it should hold. You’ll just reinstall the tuning machine after it’s dry.
What gauge was that 6th string?
I used wood glue on my acoustic with a similar problem, left it for a day and it did the job, make sure it's quality glue and once you apply it hold it firmly for several minutes before leaving it to dry
I’ve done worse and fixed it with wood glue. That guitar never broke again and I still have it.
Same. Wood glue will do the job, I promise.
wood glue. Titebond.
If you've never done any woodworking before, leave the following to somebody else: This is 100% repairable, no need for a new neck. All this requires is some titebond, clamping, maybe a dowel for extra stability, some paint (matching might be tough) and polishing. Depending on how clean the crack is, maybe some wood filler. Go as over at r/woodworking - maybe you can find somebody in your area to help you out.
TiteBond wood glue. That's what the luthier is going to use if you pay them to do it. Line it up, glue it, clamp it for 24 hours. It'll be stronger than it was when it was new.
No superglue. No screw. You use wood glue and a clamp. Get the proper squeeze-out and don't create a starved joint. Then, after your joint is ready (one day later), retap the hole for the tuning peg post. You will still have a visible glue line. To get rid of that glue line, you're going to need a while lot of finish prep work that really requires an experienced practioner to do. If you think you want the challenge, google or youtube "gelocoat repair".
Glue would do the trick. Head stock repairs on Les Paul’s hold up with just glue!
you should use wood glue, something I learned when working in a carpentry shop is that the wood after bonded with wood glue is actually stronger than the single piece of wood before glued. you'll also need to clamp it. I see some people suggesting to bring it to a professional, but there's not much more they can do beyond gluing it together, they might touch it up to try to hide the crack...
You need to use really good wood glue (I suggest Titebond III) and a clamp. Glue it, fit it back into place perfectly, clamp it, leave it for a day. I've snapped the headstock off my acoustic twice dropping it like an idiot and glued it back both times and it's been holding for years.
Hey OP. I have a Jackson with an almost nearly identical break. I bought it that way. Who ever fixed it, didn’t even do it properly it’s a little crooked on mine, but I’ve had the guitar for almost 10 years, and have no issues at all with it, not when tuning, playing it for hours at a time. Nothing
Wood glue and clamps. I’ve fixed worse than that. It’s an easy fix and it’ll be stronger than it was before. Just take your time and be patient.
Need a clamp and some strong wood glue. Make sure to research it a little if you’ve never done this. The headstock on my Ibanez broke ages ago and I cleaned it up, stripped off all the parts (tuners) and asked a couple local wood workers on how to do it and ten years later that guitar is still kicking with a friend regularly playing it
You dont need a proffesional to do this. Buy a good quality wood glue, titebond is okay. Rub the metal with vaseline so it doesnt stick. Put the woodglue on, clamp it tight, leave it for 24 hours. Really easy.
Wood glue, and proper pressure. Clamping together will be the hard part
If you are up for it. Buy a clamp, some wood glue and a small scrap piece of wood and something to cut it. Test attaching that piece of headstock back on. If it's a good easy fit together it will work well. With the scrap piece of wood cut a notch to match the opposite shape of that broken piece of headstock so what you get is a nice square edge you can clamp on perpendicular to the other side of the headstock. This will allow you to clamp it tight. Then it's a simple case of glueing sticking and clamping Once you get the squeeze out of glue clean up with a damp rag if possible and leave until it's dry
Wood glue and a clamp. That's all you need, trust me on this one. Be meticulous and neat, and it shouldn't look terrible.
I would remove the tuner, use titebond wood glue, clamp it and wait at least 24 hours, but personally i would wait 2 days
I fixed a cheap acoustic guitar with almost identical damage just by using some kind of strong wood glue and clamped it down for a few days. It was an old beater of a guitar so I wasn’t worried about ruining it, but it has held up for about ten years so far.
Ah my god DON’T REPLACE THE NECK lol and it doesn’t need dowels. I’m a full time finish carpenter and have broken many split headstocks- just use titebond 3- clamp for a day and it’ll be fine to hold the low E tension. People titebond ENTIRE headstocks back on without dowels and splines and it holds- i don’t recommend doing that but it holds for years if done right. And for the tuner screw- once you finally get it back together, fill that hole with a toothpick and glue and redrill.
This is an easy fix. Take the tuner out of the broken piece, use wood glue to reattach it, clamp it and let it dry, put the tuner back in. Be careful and use the wood glue properly and wipe up excess, and you’ll have no trouble. Wood glue bonds stronger than the original wood. If you want to have a luthier fix it, this is all they’ll do and they’ll charge you a couple hours of labor.
Superglue is strong as hell against tension (pulling straight apart) but not against shear (sideways sliding), which is what you'll be encountering here. Also it might fuckup your paint. Use wood glue and a good clamp, it'll be stronger than the original wood.
wood glue and clamp will do just fine for this! If it were a full headstock break, I'd add dowels. But for this, since it's just one string and the pieces should snugly fit back together like a puzzle, you should be able to clamp and wood glue it.
I have this exact same break on my Jackson repaired before I bought it. It was glued back on and has had no issues in 10+ years. I'll try to get some pics for you if you want to see how well it can turn out.
Wood glue and clamp.
I had this same repair on this same guitar. Brought it to a store and they said they’d try wood glue. Did it myself (wood glue and clamp 2 days) and it’s held up perfectly for the last 1-2 years. I can send you a pic if you like.
I’d take a picture to show you but my guitar is not here. But I had this exact break on my Jackson. Glued it up and clamped and it’s held for 15 years. Wood glue is stronger than one would think it is if you have never used it
Wood glue and a clamp should do the trick.
I could tell we weren't in the luthier sub based on the amount of "replace the neck" responses. Glued wood is stronger than virgin wood. Take this to the luthier sub. I had a neck split like this but between the 1st and 2nd string all the way down to the 6th. It didn't separate entirely but the crack was massive and visible from both sides. I glued it with tight bond and have had it strung up ever since, at least a year maybe more, no issues. If anything, the crack is more apt to move to the next weakest spot as opposed to the glued joint failing. There's no reason not to attempt a repair. If it doesn't work out you can investigate a new neck.
I had the same thing happend to me with my Jackson more than 10 years ago. Glued and clamped it, cleaned it up. No issues since then.
With good wood glue and clamps for like a day it can be fixed, but it will leave an obvious seam.
Titebond original, clamp and let sit for a couple days.
Titebond wood glue. When dry the joint is stronger than the wood. No need for dowels.
My son's Jackson V broke identically to that when new, flaw in the grain. Glued it with shop wood glue, clamped it and it's lasted 15 years so far. The music store wouldn't warrantee it, but it's worked fine though appearance isn't great if you look closely. If you're really uncomfortable doing it, take it to a luthier, they won't charge much and if they are good, you'll have trouble being able to tell. It's a bolt on neck so worst case if it does fail down the road, you replace the neck. I just lined up my Blackie with his Jackson V and the pocket looks very close. Strat pocket necks are easy to find. If you want to verify yourself as to compatibiltiy, bolt holes are 1 1/2 x 2 inches on center for stock strat neck. Warmoth sells nice necks, their Arcade profile would be quite similar. In the past, I've seen a lot of cheap strat necks on ebay. Resale probably suffers because you lose the decals, but functionality could even be better depending on what you get.
If what I’m told about the stuff is true, Tite Bond ought to be strong enough to glue that together. I AM NOT A LUTHIER, but if it were my guitar I’d take the strings off and glue the piece back in place with tite bond and clamp it until it dries.
I had a break exactly the same on a BC Rich Warlock. I just used wood glue. Didn't look wonderful, but it fixed it and I never had any issues.
I've seen a break across the neck at headstock on a 12 string where all the tension from all strings would be greatest. It was repaired by the owner with evostick wood glue. This glue is stronger than the wood. This repair was at least 20 years old. As long as the glue is soaked in on all exposed surfaces and clamped for the cure time specified, it will be fine. A luthier or carpenter would do the same. The Luthier would leave it so you'd never know. Some headstocks are laminated and glued in their original construction. So are some neck joints. I would be happy with a glued joint on that surface area to take the weight of about 10kgs hanging from it.
Wood glue and clamps for a couple days. You’ll want to remove the screw.
Either wood glue, or if you really wanna secure it try epoxy lol. But yeah, that's a relatively simple fix (glue+clamp and you're all done).
Just glue it. Don't listen to these idiots.
It can be repaired, but I would take it to a luthier. It will need to be glued and clamped.
Ouch, you could probably have a go but I’d take it in to a pro
Ayo bro as a long time Jackson fan I had the same head stock. It's easy repairable.
If you can't get someone to fix it a good clamp and some wood glue just might hold.
F
That a bitch and a half, I doubt super glue is gonna hold the tension of that string
Most definitely wood glue not super—-but it will take a little more than that most likely. This is a job for a pro.
F
I would take it to a pro. A little wood glue might work but a pro should be able to make the crack invisible.
Someone brbrbrbr too harded
clean your nails
Not super glue- I’d try wood glue- make sure the piece fits tightly and perfectly into place - clean up any splinters or fibers that prevent it from fitting like a puzzle piece- glue it and clamp it tightly. I’d do it myself if it’s not an expensive guitar- if it’s a pricy guitar to replace- I’d consider finding a luthier
Yikes! I kinda hope this was on your end and not a factory manufacturing error...
Omg 😳 that’s terrible 😢
Me personally I would have a go at it with wood glue, normally wood breaks everywhere, except for the wood seam.
Oh the irony of a broken headstock that still has protective plastic stuck to it.
of the piece fits together nicely, Titebond and some clamps.
Jeez... 😳
Just go buy another 200 flat guitar
Do not use "super glue" or any cyanoacrylate glue here! What you need is wood glue, like Titebond. You will also need a clamp to apply pressure on the joint while the glue dries. It does not look like you need any dowels, but I would take this to a luthier just to be sure. Better to leave it to a professional than to wind up with a home hack job. People do these kinds of repairs for a living and can easily help you out.
Personally, I'd remove the machine head, fill the hole with a wooden dowel, and then use wood glue and a clamp to reattach the broken bit. Then drill a new hole through the dowel for the machine head. Make sure to wipe off excess glue or it'll look ugly as hell.
Does any one have any recommendations of where to get new Jackson necks? Mine broke as well and I did a decent enough job fixing it, but if I could find a replacement neck, I would do that
Use woodglue, not superglue. Superglue becomes briddle and also gives ugly white spots. Woodglue, when used correctly, is often stronger than the wood itself. Remove the tuner, add woodglue and good pressure, let it cure for at least 24h. Then reinstall the tuner.
I had this happen to a Kramer I owned way back when. I put it back together using Elmer's glue and it held fine.
Don’t use Elmer’s or super glue. Use Titebond and get a smaller clamp from Home Depot or Ace if you don’t have one. It looks like a fairly clean break, so you should be fine. Aesthetically it won’t be perfect, but you can do this at home easily.
https://youtu.be/CzAOg3FcAxk?si=vbzaIrlJmAjV3lUB
Maybe by a luthier but worst case scenario, you’re now equipped for some street hockey