1957 Les Paul Jr Headstock Re-Break

[Rob Gray]

This job is going to be a quite exciting and proper restoration. I have a customer that has a 1957(according to my serial number research) Les Paul Jr that needs some serious care. Here is the history as I surmised from evaluating the instrument.

This LP Jr was previously "repaired" in a not so elegant way by a previous"technician". It was re glued with missing pieces and they glued half a head-cap OVER the paint! They also stripped the tinted lacquer off the whole neck and did a poor job refinishing The original tuning machines were replaced with some sealed tuners. Due to the poor initial repair it, not surprisingly, re-broke.

I worked at a local repair shop when this job came in after the re-break. The lead technician took great care in removing the partial head-cap, cleaning up the severely contaminated joint, and re-gluing the headstock with epoxy. We discussed the best and most just method of repair and he decided due to a lack of spray equipment to pass the job along to me. We decided the best course of action would be to plane both front and back of the headstock, plug the over sized tuning machine holes, add new mahogany plates and refinish the neck. I will be essentially approaching this repair the same way as the "Backstrap Overlay" repair on Frets.com. I have most of the original hardware. It appears it was previously attempted to replace the buttons. I will remove the remaining crumbling buttons and get them working again.

So lastly it comes down to a few questions. Would this be the recommended approach for this vintage instrument to preserve as much of it's intact originality? Does anyone have a recommendation for a place/way to source or make period accurate headstock decals and the type of ink used to stamp the serial number? I'd much appreciate any input for additional advice.

Below are some pictures for the aforementioned instrument.

[Robbie Collins]

You might try the mylespaul.com site and go to forums/the custom shop/luthier's corner and read some of the threads like the "Bartlett Build." I seem to remember Tom Bartlett saying that the Gibson and Les Paul logos were silk screened. If you want to go that route get a local printer to make you a stencil (ask them to use stencil paper with a light tack) and use bronzing powder/lacquer or whatever and then a "yellowed" clear coat. Of course, you could do a real silk screen - the materials are available at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or an art store like Blick.

Since this is an authentic Gibson you might want to call Gibson and see if they can help.

If you just want a decal, go to eBay, search on

"waterslide decal -(pinup,motif,tattoo,rockabilly,rosette,tattoos,more,toolboxes,pin-up,girls),"

choose the musical instruments category, and then sort highest-to-lowest price.  Everything inside the -( ) will be ignored.

[Russell Vance]

Rob,

I think you have a better option than the scorched earth "plane both sides of the peghead and lose the original brand and the serial number.   It's just not necessary with this break.

Firstly, locally flatten the area between the nut and the A and B tuner holes (where all the ugly stuff is and provide about a  relief to reface the area with one or two 32 thou mahogany laminates - which you can sand flat down to level with the remainder of the still branded peghead.

For the back you can do a partial back-strap which will cover the nastiest divots, reinforce the neck to peg-head area and preserve the serial number.   Finish up the front with a black stain and shader schedule and do the back of the neck the and neck joint with a shader.  

Its a repair which will enhance the credibility of the instrument via original numbers and brand rather than removing any trace of origin and authenticity on this historic instrument.

I have attached imagery which will give you the general drift.

Good luck with this little darling. 

Rusty.

[Rob Gray]

This is definitely less drastic and will get the job done in the same way! What method did you use to flatten the headstock? Hand plane, router jig, or sander? My primary concern in fixing this instrument is avoiding devaluing the instrument any further.

Thanks,

Rob

[Russell Vance]

Sorry. been busy:  

Do the backstrap repair first to stabalise and settle the headstock.

Then, I use my venerable "Dragon" rasp (the big flat one) to remove the surface "rubble" - and only remove material that is in the damaged zone. Rasp in a slope or ramp to the nut and to the good material further up the peghead so as to not remove good material near the nut.  Just rasp out a relatively clean flat skimmed area (doesnt need to be perfectly flat and can dip from the nut as described) 

You will have divots and low areas that remain after the initial skim but you don't need to level to take all them out - you can fill the localized  holes with CA and wood dust/filings and then reskim the area with the rasp to level it out and key the surface in preparation for a couple of laminates.  

Run a flat scraper over tht surface if you need to and then rekey it but if you have rasp skills you can pretty much prepare the surface all in one operation.   Blow the area with HP air to remove any  wood dust, and then wet the area to open up the grain and normalize the moisture content.  Make up your veneers so they tightly shoulder up to the nut and extend past the end of the new rasped area.  you are going to clamp the daylights out of the veneers so they compress very tighly over the join areas - they are not intended to be flat - they will be  almost crushed to conform and establish a tight glue line.  The longitudinal orientation ensures for structural compression strength.

Once the veneers (laminates) are orientated long grain to longitudinal axis of the guitar (do them one at a time) use a soft cork type of caul to tightly yellow glue the first one to to the facing repair. Leave for 24 hours, release the clamps for an hour or two to let the peghead settle out the tension, skim flat with the rasp again and repeat with the finish layer(s) of veneer.  Block sand the new wood layers to level of the old face of the peghead, apply a wash of thin CA to the feathered join area half way up the peghead and commence re-establishing and  refurbishing the black finish (taking care not to compromise of the decal or go anywhere near it with a sanding block).   This part of the reapir is also critical to getting the original look.

Rusty.

[RETROROD]

Very common break on these. This is my '55 LPJr

Luckily it was only a 'stress fracture'..I opened slightly and shot HHGlue and clamped. Tight fix!!