Headstock Crack or Repair? Pic

[Molly]

Nope Molly, there are even more involved ways to fix even worse breaks. Splints can be installed as illustrated here :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jacksinstrumentsvcs/sets/72157627804043136/

That's a cool way to address the problem. Some talented people out there. Be nice if Gibson just put a volute on there in the first place.

Classics are great! The ONLY gripe is the fretboard inlays..

Agreed, though even after a just few days I've stopped noticing the inlays. They seem to go well with the finish.

Played it back to back with my Standard again today. The Standard's got expensive Bare Knuckle Mule and Riff Raff humbuckers but I think the Classic's got the edge. Slightly thicker / grittier. Great for blues.

 

[donepearce]

No need for a volute - those things are uncomfortable. A two piece neck/headstock is what is wanted, with decent finger joints between them. That prevents the weakness we get from grain crossing the neck at the point where it bends. I'm sure the Gibson artists could find a way to make it look pretty.
Come to think of it, wood really is a rubbish material for this kind of engineering. I know it is all they had back in the day, but surely we can do better now. Martin have gone a long way with their laminated neck, but I still only call that half an answer.

 

[Molly]

I do wonder about that too. Wood is a wonderful material but I think it some sort of weird cosmic accident that the most expensive and rare are often cited for their superior tonal qualities.

 

[peejaybee]

I do wonder about that too. Wood is a wonderful material but I think it some sort of weird cosmic accident that the most expensive and rare are often cited for their superior tonal qualities.

"Cosmic accident" is a little less cynical than the description I would use

 

[smitty_p]

Be nice if Gibson just put a volute on there in the first place.

Unfortunately, the volute doesn't prevent headstock breakage. My '74 has a volute and still broke.

As for the discomfort mentioned earlier, it's really a matter of preference, I suppose. I've had my '74 since around 1985 or '86 and it was my only guitar of any kind for a long time. I quite like the volute. I like the look and it doesn't seem uncomfortable to me. None of my other guitars have one. I sort of wish my Les Paul and Washburn had one.

That's the beauty, though...we are all different.

A two piece neck/headstock is what is wanted, with decent finger joints between them. That prevents the weakness we get from grain crossing the neck at the point where it bends. I'm sure the Gibson artists could find a way to make it look pretty.

The finger joint idea is spot on. That is the method Taylor uses and it is very stable and solid.

 

[Molly]

That's the beauty, though...we are all different.

"I'm not!"

(copyright Monty Python :-)

 

[Kris Ford]

Unfortunately, the volute doesn't prevent headstock breakage. My '74 has a volute and still broke.

AND a 3 piece laminated neck..
It's the nature of mahogany..

 

[Col Mustard]

yes, I personally believe that the Gibson headstock joint is a weak point, but not a design flaw. I feel that this way of building guitar necks is part of the reason for the awesome tone we get from Gibson guitars. So the weak point at the headstock is something to be guarded, because it gives good tone through the neck. As Mad-eye Moody would say, "
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE..."

Fender guitar necks are not built this way, and Fender guitars have their own mojo and their own unique tone and we all like it that way. All Gibson guitars with a one piece mahogany neck have this combination of awesome tone and weak headstock joint... it's the nature of the wood as was said above. And it's equally true whether your Gibson is a J-45 or a Les Paul (or an SG).

I'm happy to report excellent tone from my 2012 SG Spl. '70s tribute... mine's the one with the maple neck, the volute and the baked maple fretboard (AND the mini-hums). This particular model shows Gibson engineers coming up with alternatives in the face of dwindling stocks of politically charged tropical tonewoods. I was glad to support that by buying one, especially after they marked mine down for the fourth time. And I like this guitar a lot. Its tone is unique.

I don't know if the maple neck with volute is more durable... and I don't intend to find
out. CONSTANT VIGILANCE... Don't let your guitar fall on its face.

I'm also happy to report excellent tone from my Martin XC1T acoustic-electric with the laminated neck. This one looks like a butcher block with thin (1mm) layers of different woods. it sounds great and is really stable tuning wise. I like that a lot too.
I took some steel wool to the back of this Martin "Stratabond" neck, and it's smoother than the proverbial baby's arse, and
plays really well. So we don't have to be stuck with traditional construction methods for our guitar necks. Many of us just PREFER to be.

To my eye, the OP's guitar looks like it's been broken (or maybe only cracked) and repaired. This is routine work for guitar repair shops, they usually get at least a couple of these a month. And repaired Gibsons usually don't lose tone (or much anyway) and can give good service for longer than their owners can. What they don't have is high resale value, so getting one at a low price is right and proper. Play it, don't sell it. Don't spend much money modding it.
A good luthier can tell if that crack was repaired properly, but if it doesn't open when you tune to pitch, it's likely okay.

If you ever wanted to have a guitar tuned a step low, this would be the one.

 

[Molly]

Cheers for the reply. I've had similar positive experience with a new SG. One of the 2014 Specials with a maple neck and three piece mahogany body. Plays wonderfully but the thing that stands-out is how well it resonates. I really think it's a great guitar and it wasn't at all expensive.

Re. the tune down thing. That did cross my mind but I just decided I'd play it and enjoy it exactly like my other guitars and if the headstock lets go one day I'll get it fixed. One concession is that I don't keep it on a hanger. That might be asking for trouble.