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Detecting Headstock Break???? How to know


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                                             Well I have a buddy looking at buying a old Gibson guitar from a guy.It's a expensive [NOW] old Gibson that was owned by the sellers father.................very cool guitar................but................ the seller remembers his dad had some "Work"  done on the guitar long,long ago but is not sure just what that was. The guitar has had a refret quite a while back but the frets are still in good shape. The guitar is painted so..............how to check for a headstock break on such a old guitar when you have a opaque painted guitar? Everything looks "Right" on the guitar and it's checked all over the body and neck. Sounds great and looks great per the potential new buyer.Hmmmmm 

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                                                                          I suggested that to him also, thank you.................................but on very old finishes/repairs...............were talking a 50s era guitar here that does not always reveal that the guitar had been refinished or repaired if it was.......................he said he is going to try that though......................wait and see.

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Time Machine.

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5 hours ago, cmatthes said:

Time Machine.

                               Thanks for that Chris........................that would be the easiest way would it not?;)

 

4 hours ago, Carl.B said:

slide_192067_381293_free.jpg                          I had some of those when I was a kid!:lol:

 

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1 hour ago, Steve Haynie said:

A friend's wife work at a veterinary hospital and X-rayed a couple of his guitars.  It is not impossible to get someone to make X-rays if you think it will help. 

+1!  It helps if you know of a medical professional or ancillary staff member that are into guitars.  Don't forget about dentists, too!

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Is the guitar holding string tension and tuning with no issues ... no clues above as to if it's up and running or a husk being brought back to life, maybe I missed it.

My point is if it is holding string tension and tuning with no issues, and if you need beyond the naked eye to figure out if the head was broken and apparently well prepared on a refinned, refretted guitar ... why's a possible well-fixed head snap matter on an already modified guitar? 

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7 minutes ago, crunchee said:

+1!  It helps if you know of a medical professional or ancillary staff member that are into guitars.  Don't forget about dentists, too!

                                          He going to do to a trip to the Vet that has long treated his 2 dogs........................................sounds like he will do it for him...................guitar is a 50s [55] Les Paul Jr.and it is nice................and expensive!

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5 minutes ago, Jeff R said:

Is the guitar holding string tension and tuning with no issues ... no clues above as to if it's up and running or a husk being brought back to life, maybe I missed it.

My point is if it is holding string tension and tuning with no issues, and if you need beyond the naked eye to figure out if the head was broken and apparently well prepared on a refinned, refretted guitar ... why's a possible well-fixed head snap matter on an already modified guitar? 

                                     It's doing all of the above Jeff, has the old tuners that still work well................PUP screams! Play me more! The paint finish though is really checked.............it spent all its time here in Minnesota being played out so that is a given, everything else is straight.................so what "WORK" was done?................who knows right now, maybe never, the man that owned the guitar has long since left the planet so he can't ask him.

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Unless the buyer is trying to find tirekicking fuel to nickel and dime the seller's ass, I wouldn't worry about it. Here's my '55 when I got it, your buddy is WAAAYYY ahead of the curve already ...

31880564_1823880931247416_54456100627582

Here she is after me and HEL Shaneshannon did our magic.

31784032_1823880501247459_88492691239689

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I guess it depends how bad he wants it. I bought a refinished/repaired/refuckedup 80s special. I just wanted it...and its my fave guitar. Had a repaired headstock break too that I wasn't aware of , But plays and sounds awesome. If he wants a collector's piece, pass. If he wants to play it....go get it!

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2 hours ago, Jeff R said:

... why's a possible well-fixed head snap matter on an already modified guitar? 

It's a question of How modified it is, and that would help determine the value.  

But you knew that.  

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5 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

A friend's wife work at a veterinary hospital and X-rayed a couple of his guitars.  It is not impossible to get someone to make X-rays if you think it will help. 

Yup.  Countryside Animal Clinic in my neck of the woods.  Saved me once.  They enjoy it every time.

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                                                  Good News! NO breaks! or repairs found any where on the guitar!:).......................and he is trying to work out a fair deal for himself and the seller so he REALLY wants it now................not that he didn't before.Very much like this one only a year earlier with more checking .

 

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If you can’t see it and it’s holds it’s tuning and it plays well then I don’t see the problem? Ask Kirk Hammet!  he paid top dollar for the Gary Moore / Peter Green Les Paul 👍 which lost its headstock after Gary left it in the boot of his car and it got smashed into by another car. By all accounts it improved after it was fixed🤔

Geoff

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49 minutes ago, JimiH said:

If you can’t see it and it’s holds it’s tuning and it plays well then I don’t see the problem? Ask Kirk Hammet!  he paid top dollar for the Gary Moore / Peter Green Les Paul 👍 which lost its headstock after Gary left it in the boot of his car and it got smashed into by another car. By all accounts it improved after it was fixed🤔

Geoff

Again, it's a question of the guitar's value.  

And this AIN'T the Peter Green Les Paul.  Apples and oranges.  

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5 hours ago, JimiH said:

Yep but the point being an unseen broken headstock makes no difference to the value. If it plays fine and you like it and you have the coin then buy it

Would it make a difference if you were the buyer?

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Or would you sell your non-broken-headstock Les Paul for the same price as broken/repaired-headstock Les Pauls sell for?

As good of a player as it might be or become, a headstock repair lowers the market value of the guitar. 

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