Broken neck on Gibson Jam Master.

[Bernie Daniel]

Pretty dang awesome Vernon. Dad must have been pretty pleased!
Did he up your allowance?

[Bernie Daniel]

OK. Well when the OP comes back with his pics I'll step aside -- meanwhile I'd like to try another idea on this mandolin neck break I am dealing with.

This new approach closer to Steve's idea of a spline and kind of draws on John's idea of what the shape of the ideal graft should look like (see post #31 in this string). This avoids end grain butt joint issues.

Why couldn't I just use a biscuit cutter and put a hard wood biscuit over the separation? See shown in the diagram below. It would be a neat clean repair with proper matching up the cutting wheel and the biscuit size/shape it should be a nice tight fit?

[skygazer]

Backed right over it packed in the gig bag.

Nice job! That is why I'm always asking my wife not to set anything behind my trucks, put it alongside on the driver's side. After the ol' cup of coffee left on the roof above the driver's door, things behind are the most common wrecker.

[Spruce]

OK. Well when the OP comes back with his pics I'll step aside...

[Bernie Daniel]

Now now!

[Wes Brandt]

This one came in on friday, we have not touched it.

The guy bought it new in japan in a store and then flew back to australia, when he got it out of its case he found it cracked, next time he went back to japan, he had it repaired, lets agree the repair is a bit average looking, he has then flown back to australia only to find again its broken

I offered to him the simple glue and clamp but recommended it get splined, he has taken the spline option as well, so this will be done on monday, I guarantee him it will never crack again,

I think when we repair headstocks, you have to give some consideration to its use or abuse, if its been repaired once and broken again, then its likely to keep happening, be that due to its design, use, abuse, or the handling of it from others. So preventative measures are sometimes a good option, all of course IMO

Steve

I have seen lots of these newer Gibson Whatevers, broken in the neck/pegehead area and often because the case fell ...or it mysteriously occurred…

Those Grovers weigh I think 2 1/2 times the amount of the original Klusons that Gibsons used to use, really heavy machines… that and the fact that a huge amount of wood is removed for the truss rod nut …these breaks should not be a surprise, especially to Gibson, and I have recommended to people, if they love their guitar, that they switch back to some vintage style tuners ...like Kluson copies that are stamped, not cast.

It's about all that weight on a weak lever.

[Spruce]

It's about all that weight on a weak lever.

...and has been.........like..........forever.

All those 'Bursts with their $100K neck snaps come to mind...
Ugh.

[string dude]

Attachment 136894

[string dude]

Here's what My Jam Master Gibson looks like.

[Vernon Hughes]

Lots of good glue surface there.

[Jeff Mando]

Should be an easy repair with no splines required. Looks like it should go back together perfectly with very little wood missing. I just repaired a Les Paul Special that had an almost identical break and it came out fine.

[MikeEdgerton]

Just make sure you take it to a competent luthier to do the repair. If you tell us what town you're near it might make it easier to recommend someone.

[mirwa]

Here's what My Jam Master Gibson looks like.

Real easy one. Titebond if your going to do it yourself, a local luthier will use the same or hide glue

Steve

[mirwa]

Why couldn't I just use a biscuit cutter and put a hard wood biscuit over the separation?

You could, thats all glorified splines are. They are just on the smaller size than what most people would use. The goal with a spline is to maximise glue surface area, and introduce long grain into the area of concern

Steve

[string dude]

I was told that hide glue & a "Back Strap", would do the job. My bummer is that my Gibson investment is now compromised, & I've lost the future investment value for my kids & wife, when I'm gone. Bottom line. I just want to play my nice Gibson mandolin.I would prefer a new neck, with the Gibson logo attached. I'm so glad I'm really a harmonica, Guitar, songwriter. Thinking there's a song in the works when this is all said & done.

[Spruce]

I was completely shocked, because I did nothing to make this happen.

Ummmm............errrrrr...........ahhhhh......... never mind.

Just out of curiosity, are we looking at maple or mahogany??

I was told that hide glue & a "Back Strap", would do the job.

Nah, just glue it up...no "Back Strap".
But make a major effort to collect every single little shard that might be hanging around the case (or wherever)...
Did this happen while in the case?
I'm guessing "yes", and I'm also guessing that the case took a major hit at some point recently...

[MikeEdgerton]

No splines, no dowels, no biscuits, it should be glued and clamped and don't buy instruments as investments.

Make sure you take it to a luthier that knows what they are doing (again). Whomever told you to put the back strip in isn't the guy.

This break was glued about 10 years ago by me and was undetectable after it was finished. It's still going strong. I used hide glue.

[Wes Brandt]

...and has been.........like..........forever.

All those 'Bursts with their $100K neck snaps come to mind...
Ugh.

Hey Bruce

Yes it has always been a problem but with Grover full size sealed gear tuners now it's considerably worse, I just weighed a set of original Klusons with butterfly buttons and a set of Rotmatics …both with their bushings

Klusons 147 grams, Grovers 260 grams… Quite a difference when your using a lever. It's another thing to keep in mind when choosing tuners… the ones with cast plates are gonna be heavier.


….Now…the tricky part gluing this break will be getting glue in those two splits on the left side (of the photo) they may not want to open much...

[Spruce]

Klusons 147 grams, Grovers 260 grams… Quite a difference when your using a lever. It's another thing to keep in mind when choosing tuners… the ones with cast plates are gonna be heavier.

Good point that I never even considered...
Maybe that's why you see so many vintage Firebirds--with those huge banjo-esque tuners--with past neck repairs...

[Wes Brandt]

I just noticed those tuners on the Jam Master are cast AND they even look extra heavy duty…

I'm pretty sure it's mahogany …which can be more fragile than maple as well.

[Jeff Mando]

I agree maple is stronger than mahogany, as a rule. (you see a lot more Gibson's with broken pegheads than Fender's) Not sure I buy into the "heavy tuner" theory. This mandolin was damaged by an impact. It didn't just topple over because the tuners were too heavy.

[string dude]

It's a maple neck, & I never dropped it. Honestly I just opened the case & found the neck cracked. I take care of all my instruments. I still own & play my original vinyl Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, etc. They're in great condition. I grew up really poor, & I never had much in the way toys & such. As an adult the universe has taken care of me & my family, so I appreciate what has come my way. Folks I really appreciate all your advice, but this thread is getting a little out there with opinions that really don't need to be addressed. Thanks, & I'll take it from here. This is maybe the second time I've ever posted, & I've been on this site for a long time.

[Spruce]

Good luck with your mandolin, string dude...

[mirwa]

It's a maple neck, & I never dropped it.

From the photos, the wood actually looks like mahogany, mahogany has a slight brownish colour to it, where as maple is white, the fracture line is also consistent to how mahogany can tear itself out.

Ive had guitars / mandolins / ukes and so forth come in with snapped necks and still in there case, just means the case has taken a jolt and fallen over, the string tension on the neck takes care of the rest and wolla its cracked.

It really is an easy repair that one, and done by someone who is good at it, will be practically invisible.

Gibson should be ashamed of there employee if he reckons its not repairable

Steve

[hank]

There are a lot of iffy places on most vintage instruments neck to body and headstock area I've seen. The seller always says they are just fine. No damage here! It's just some imperfections in the wood. Their should be a disclosure of previous repairs in a perfect world. After reading this my trust is taking a nose dive.