Members Freeman Keller Posted May 6, 2018 Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 A friend of a friend called me, "got an old Gibson with a broken neck, was told that if anyone could fix it you could". Ah, well, OK. Thinking it was just a normal broken Gibbie head I said "sure, bring it over" Well, it turned out to be a 1978 (he says) Custom that was badly broken thru the heel, the neck was popped out of the cavity. Binding was broken off both sides. That would have been pretty straight forward but the owner decided to fix it, my guess is that he used water activated polyurethane, which happens to expand as it cures. I also doubt that he clamped the neck back into the pocket. It looked like this [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4396.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221964}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4393-2.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221965}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4395-2.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221966}[/ATTACH] The good thing about gorilla glue is that it wasn't ever going to come apart. The bad thing about gorilla glue is that it wasn't going to come apart. In addition, the neck geometry was now completely fubar [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4432-2.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221967}[/ATTACH] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted May 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 And someone had removed the wiring with a pair of diagonal cutters [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4425.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221969}[/ATTACH] To add insult to injury, the original Nashville ToM bridge had been lost so they jury rigged a cheap made in Korea ABR-1 style bridge to work by wrapping paper around the M4 threaded studs to make them fit in the M5 bushings [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4392-2.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221970}[/ATTACH] The pickups were 1980 SD's, don't know if they were original or even worked [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4397.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221971}[/ATTACH] I told the owner No a dozen times but he kept insisting...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted May 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 The geometry was bad, but close enough that I figured it was worth a try. Some bondo (yes, Virginia, bondo) in the heel [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4399.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221974}[/ATTACH] And some binding spliced into the old [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4401.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221975}[/ATTACH] A few coats of black lacquer with some vintage amber on the binding [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4486.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221976}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4487.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221977}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4488.jpg","data-attachmentid":32221978}[/ATTACH] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted May 6, 2018 Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 on first glance I thought the photo of HBs was of how they were installed. I suppose that would be parallel wiring, parallel to the strings... whew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted May 6, 2018 Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 Could you share any tweaks you may have done re neck geometry and it's Fubar-ness? You do get interesting challenges, don't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted May 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 The electronics were toast - the switch was intermitent, the pots were scratchy, when I tried to pull the knobs the shaft came out of one so I rewired with all new components [ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tIMG_4482.jpg Views:\t1 Size:\t184.3 KB ID:\t32221988","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"32221988","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4482.jpg"}[/ATTACH] I just happened to have the correct Nashville stud but I didn't have a vintage gold bridge so I put the POS one back in while we look for an old one [ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tIMG_4436.jpg Views:\t1 Size:\t108.2 KB ID:\t32221989","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"32221989","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4436.jpg"}[/ATTACH] Did a bunch of work on the truss rod and frets (they are the original kind with the plastic nibs) and got the action pretty reasonable. Took it inside, plugged it in and played it for the first time in a lot of years [ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tIMG_4483.jpg Views:\t1 Size:\t140.9 KB ID:\t32221990","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"32221990","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4483.jpg"}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tIMG_4485.jpg Views:\t1 Size:\t124.8 KB ID:\t32221991","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"32221991","data-size":"full","title":"IMG_4485.jpg"}[/ATTACH] Edit to add, when I look at that last picture the bridge really offends me. Gotta find the right one.,.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted May 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 Could you share any tweaks you may have done re neck geometry and it's Fubar-ness? You do get interesting challenges' date=' don't you?[/quote'] You caught me while I was still writing the rest of the story. But yes, there were two things going here. The neck is sitting about 1/8 of an inch too high, that is the gap you see at the end of the fretboard in one of the above pictures. But it also had way too much relief and the relief went all the way to the end of the neck at the 22nd fret. The frets were scary low to start with. I adjusted the truss rod as much as I dared - each day I would add a quarter or eight turn (and hope it didn;t go snap). I got the relief down to about 8 thou but there was still a pretty good ski jump at the end of the neck - just the way they had glued it back in. I tried to level the whole neck but concentrating on just hitting those frets on the end and got them about as good as I dared and still have something there play with. As the photo above shows the bridge is adjusted above where you would normally want it and I put a couple of small washers on top of the adjuster wheels to raise it higher. Its marginal but the action is about 70 on the treble and 90 on the bass, a skitch higher than I like but IT DOESN'T BUZZ!!! Another problem is that the pups are terribly imbalanced - I've raised the weak one until the strings almost hit it but its still weak. You can balance with the volume controls and I did do the modern wiring trick to make them true blend, but if you are used to turning things to 10 its not going to work here. All thru the project I had to resist the temptation to just make it a little nicer. The thing has hammer marks and obvious wear - its been played and loved and abused. Its a funky old guitar and right now its down in the music room calling for someone to come play with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted May 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 No, I just unscrewed the few screws that were still holding them on and flipped them over. The wires were nicely coiled up, one of them had been poorly spliced Actually I've got them wrong in the picture - the one with the date was the bridge, its the one that seems weak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted May 6, 2018 Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 Dumble Six? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted May 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 Kit amp by AmpMaker from the UK. Cabinet by Keller http://www.ampmaker.com/store/Double-Six-switchable-power-amplifier.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted May 6, 2018 Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 Oh. DOUBLE Six lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted May 6, 2018 Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 You should be a saint! That's the funkiest one I've seen in a while. Great job! I wonder if that weak pickup has been degaussed somehow and just needs to be remagnetised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6down1togo Posted May 6, 2018 Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 Amazing fixup. Another guitar saved. Your talents never cease to amaze! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted May 6, 2018 Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 Amazing job. I'd go ahead and replace the bridge pickup (actually, I wouldn't have taken the job in the first place) but you did plenty just by making it playable. My hat's off to you, sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted May 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted May 6, 2018 You should be a saint! That's the funkiest one I've seen in a while. Great job! I wonder if that weak pickup has been degaussed somehow and just needs to be remagnetised. I thought of that. It is definitely the pickup, I switched the wires at the volume pots and the problem follows the pup. I have a really crappy digital ohm meter - it shows infinite resistance (ie open circuit) for this pup but it still works. The other one show 15 K which is about twice what a normal humbucker is rated at. I popped the cover off the bad one, wires all look good and it looks like its never been apart. I'll let the owner decide what to do - we could put something else in it and he could send it back to SD - kind of cool to have these old pups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 Maybe he can get SD to rewind the weak pickup. How does the other one sound? Another excellent save Freeman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted May 7, 2018 Author Members Share Posted May 7, 2018 The other one sounds incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 7, 2018 Members Share Posted May 7, 2018 The owners attempted repair looks like a nightmare. Good save. I would probably take the cover off the dead pickup just to look around.May not see anything but ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AlamoJoe Posted May 7, 2018 Members Share Posted May 7, 2018 Great save Mr. Keller! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted May 8, 2018 Author Members Share Posted May 8, 2018 I get a fair number of things that someone else has "fixed". Often I turn them down, usually I charge more to unfix it. I should have said no to this one but it just kind of called to me. I did take the cover off and it looks fine. The magnet has some magnetism but I have no way of telling if its normal or not. Wiring had a wrap of plastic tape around it (close to 40 years old) - I didn't remove it but what I could see looks OK. If the owner decides to put another pickup in it I'll probably put this cover on the new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted May 8, 2018 Members Share Posted May 8, 2018 great work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 8, 2018 Members Share Posted May 8, 2018 A lesser guitar would not have been worth it but there's something about a black LP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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