Sad tale to tell

[olrocknroller]

You're right about the volute adding strength, but a lot of guitarists don't like the feel of them, most notably in my contact, Nokie Edwards. I'm like you, it helps me know where I am when I'm playing down low on the neck. Fender has the added advantage of little set-back on their necks, which mean they can lay on a flat surface without risking a break from something being put on top. My friend was playing at a rodeo, and while packing up, one of the hands dropped a round bale (that's 1500 pounds!) right on top of his Telecaster...it bent a tuner, and needed a little set-up!

This is the first break I've seen in a Hagstrom, but from the size of the divot out of the headstock where it hit the floor, I'd say it came down with a resounding bang! I'm not a real fan of mahogany necks either, much prefer the strength of maple, but Hagstrom seems to be moving into mahogany on a lot of their mid-priced guitars.

[vjf1968]

One of my students, to whom I sold my Hagstrom F200 six weeks ago just brought me her guitar with a nasty split in the neck. They had company, the guest's son found the guitar, and while "playing" dropped it head first onto the cement floor... It is shattered in spots with pieces of wood missing, so a new neck is in order I fear.

I have never had to remove a set neck before, and have heard of everything from steam to heat guns to soften the glue...can anyone here give me some pointers or things to avoid? The guitar is all mahogany...

olrnr

So why hasn't the parent of the kid who broke the guitar pony up any cash for replacement?

[JimPage]

vjf1968 wrote:
>>So why hasn't the parent of the kid who broke the guitar pony up any cash for replacement?

You can tell Vincent is from Philly. They don't mess around in Philly!!!

--Jim

[olrocknroller]

One of my students, to whom I sold my Hagstrom F200 six weeks ago just brought me her guitar with a nasty split in the neck. They had company, the guest's son found the guitar, and while "playing" dropped it head first onto the cement floor... It is shattered in spots with pieces of wood missing, so a new neck is in order I fear.

I have never had to remove a set neck before, and have heard of everything from steam to heat guns to soften the glue...can anyone here give me some pointers or things to avoid? The guitar is all mahogany...

olrnr

So why hasn't the parent of the kid who broke the guitar pony up any cash for replacement?

Believe me, I wanted to ask...but felt it wiser to keep my two cents to myself...I did suggest trying an insurance claim, so maybe that got them thinking about compensation from the perpetrator's family?

[olrocknroller]

Well the neck is off... I inspected the slot carefully, and could see it was not a real tight fit...searched around and found a real thin palette knife, and tried heating it, and working it into the slots down the side of the neck. This had worked for removing the fretboard, so I was encouraged... It was tight going, and I worked slowly, not wanting to split anything. I actually got the knife so hot, I had to hold it with welding gloves and vise grips, and it probably burned its way in as much as melting glue, but it did work. I applied mild pressure to open each seam as I inserted the knife. Since the neck is broken, I worked into it and away from the body side of the slot with the hot knife.

I cleaned up the pocket on my trusty milling machine, and the next step is to build a new bolt-on neck to fit the "custom" sized slot...a project for when I return to Canada from Yuma, and re-enter my man-cave.

Note to luthiers on this forum: don't faint yet! I actually didn't do any appreciable damage to the finish! There will be some edge cleanup, and touch-up with crazy-glue and nail polish, but I don't think there will be any ugliness to detract from the new bolt-on configuration...we'll see anyway!

[JimPage]

Hey, Olrockandroller--

Isn't that cool! Brilliant approach and it sounds like your plan going forward is well thought out.

I used to prefer set-neck guitars, but have totally changed my mind in that regard. I still like set necks, but if I have a choice, I'll go for the bolt-on.

Monday night, I swapped the neck on my 1983/84 Tokai TST-62 from the maple neck/rosewood-cap fretboard to an '83/84 TST-56 neck, which is solid maple with the soft-V profile. It went super easy and turned a great guitar into a super-great guitar.

Took a day or so to get used to that V-neck profile, but now I like it a lot. The maple "fretboard"-- the frets are pushed right into the neck itself with no cap or veneer-- has a snappier feel and sound.

Please keep us posted on your progress!

--Jim

[olrocknroller]

Thanks Jim. That "D" profile is nice, Nokie uses it on his Hitchhikers, although he uses thru-body necks...break it, and the guitar's a gonner! I build most of my guitars with either bolt-on or thru-body, and find the thru-body much easier to work on getting the neck angle right etc...

[olrocknroller]

Well, there's been a long hiatus on this episode, but I am now building a replacement maple neck for this "wounded" Hagstrom, and have come to contemplate the removal of the overlay on the headstock... I'm tempted to cut through the edges of the lacquer on the sides, and try the old heat-gun routine again. It worked for removing the fretboard, so...?

Interesting aside on this fretboard; it looks, feels and behaves like some kind of polymerized material rather than any form of wood, or wood composites...

Any expert suggestions on how to remove the overlay, or should I just paint the headstock, and apply my own logo?

[oipunkguy]

sorry to hear that my friend. the first option I would try to shoot for is repairing the neck without removing it from the body. can you take some pictures so we know what we are dealing with? I once repaired a mahagony neck that broke off completely in three different places including the fretboard that split down halfway down the guitar.

I've removed glued in necks before, you have to use lot of steam, and you usually have to drill small holes into the neck joint under where the neck pickup cavity would be. you may half to also remove the frets around the joint and drill holes through the fret slot to push steam down that way. if it's possible to get a piece of inlay out as well so you can drill holes there to push steam in. the most important thing is have a lot of patience. the last one I did, I actually had to remove the fretboard because I couldnt enough steam to the joint to get it loose.

another tip, is white vinegar will disolve titebond wood glue, but you have to soak in for a little while to get it to work, that is, if you can get to the glue joint.

this is probably the most invasive repair work you can do on a guitar, so like I said if its at all possible, try to do the repair on the headstock first. oh FYI just in case you were looking into it, stew mac make a neck removal jig, but it only works on acoustic guitars, it wont work for an electric. I'm just saying to save you from going on a wild-goose chase.

good luck. I know I'm pretty far from canada, but i'd be willing to do it for ya if you like.

[oipunkguy]

Any expert suggestions on how to remove the overlay, or should I just paint the headstock, and apply my own logo?

all depends how thick the overlay is and what it is made of. if its a wood veneer I doubt you will be able to remove it with destroying it in the process.