re-repairs to '49 Gibson SJ

[Dave Richard]

Here we have a great sounding Southern Jumbo, which has had numerous poorly done and unsucessful repairs in the past.  My question concerns the split/loose braces that now have gobs or streams of hardened yellow glue in the open cracks/gaps.  If they can't be clamped closed, then the options, to me, seem to be (thru the soundhole) to clean out the gaps/cracks as well as I can, and then use epoxy to glue the cracks and loose areas, or...remove the back(which I don't intend to do).

One photo (thru the soundhole, with a mirror) shows the treble side x-brace, which is loose along sections of it's length, including the furthest half, which is also split, and has had glued poured around it(and thru the split).  The second photo tries to show the upper end of the bass x-brace, and 'upper face brace', both cracked at the ends, and with gobs of hardened glue in the gaps.

Opinions on how to proceed?

 

 

 

 

[Eric Steven Johansen]

What's the condition of the guitar otherwise? These are valuable in nice shape and a halfa**ed repair would be a shame in that case.

[Dave Richard]

I would call it 'player' grade. The body appears to have been completely over sprayed; the pick guard has been replaced with a wrong size replacement, and the finish around it very badly redone; the bridge has been shaved, it's cracked , and the saddle slot is too shallow; there is an old headstock crack, poorly repaired and now reopened....I'll post more pictures later today. I realize these are valuable in good shape, but this one has suffered a good number of hack repairs. But it sounds great!

[Dave Richard]

Here are additional pictures, a better one on the two upper bout cracked/loose braces(shmeared with glue), the ugly pickguard and finish mess, and the broken headstock: hence my description of it as a 'player' with reduced value.

[RETROROD]

OUCH! Those pics of the exterior damage were quite painfull! Not sure what to say.....!