Rescuing of a Gibson SG – a neck joint break and other damages
Instead of falling on the battlefield, this Gibson SG was damaged by a housewife during cleaning. Don’t ask about the details 🙂
The upper side of the control cavity had broke in, some parts were missing. But the main problem was the neck break. This could be glued… but the separation from the body was so clear, that I decided to break through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJReqMyz8tY
And there you clearly can see a big problem: the neck pocket was oversized by the factory. To fit, they used a shim, to get a gluing surface. The job was rough, only one side was glued well. Not a good job.
After that experience I had to talk to the customer… we decided to save the neck. I built a template and made a new 1-piece mahogany body. This time the neck was sitting tight before glued in.
The body was finished with black nitro, with some overspray to hide the new joint. After all, it looked just perfect.
Summary: a complicated repair job. But in the end, this SG performed so well, that we just couldn’t believe it. Better than before. Clear ringing notes, and long sustain. One of the best SG’s I ever had in my workshop. Mission accomplished.
P.S.: The old body is a holder for a watch now.
