Split neck block

[John McDonald]

I'm wondering what would be the best glue to use since the major crack in this neck block is already filled with glue from someone else's repair attempt. I'm not sure what the glue is either. Whatever glue was used, it did soften enough to allow me to steam the neck off without too much of a fight. You can probably tell by the pictures, but the glue is no longer holding the crack closed but it is crusted all over both glueing surfaces. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[harrison phipps]

Crank the bridge adjusting screws up so there is at least 1/8 inch margin for the bridge to be lowered in the future if needed.  Then set the neck angle so the plane of the fingerboard intersects the top of the bridge. 

[John McDonald]

Thanks again Harrison. Thats a huge help.

[Eric Steven Johansen]

A new headblock usually takes about an hour to mill, fit and install. Cheap insurance for as far as you've gone already, I think. Besides the new block could be made of mahogany as opposed to the wonderful poplar that's probably in there now. As far as the bolt on idea, "what are you guys thinking"?

[Mark Pollock]

Oh come on, a couple of lag bolts from the outside ought to hold that sucker right on. You can always cover them up with some gold spray paint if you want to make it pretty. (Yeah, I'm still feeling stupid over that comment.)

[Paul Hostetter]

The reason Harmonys always need neck resets is because both the neck and the block are usually basswood, a truly inappropriate wood choice for either. It's inherently weak and it compresses. Just remove all traces of the original and make a new neckblock. On a one-off basis, you can cut that dovetail pocket by hand. 

A Monterey is by no stretch of the imagination a "high end" model. It's a pressed (not carved) top. They are great for what they are, but you're not dealing with a L-5 in the rough. 

[Steve Kirtley]

Yep, I have an old Harmony archtop that had the exact same broken neck block. I grabbed a piece of maple and cut a replica on the tablesaw. It's really less work than repairing the old one, and the guitar will be stronger when you're done.

Steve

[Brent Brown]

Yep, mine is the same as well. You'd think they were twins! 

Mine had the back mostly broken off and cracked in a few places, some of the lining blocks cracked through, the sides cracked around the neck block, the fretboard cracked, and the original finish had been sanded off with coarse sandpaper and replaced with redwood stain and gobs of varnish (even over the fretboard, frets, and mother-of-pearl). And of course the action was about an inch high with no bridge at all (bridge was missing too).

I've repaired the neck block, added longitudinal braces to prevent future breakage, glue the back on again, stripped the varnish, bleached the stain, scraped and sanded away all the sanding scratches, got a new bridge, and re-angled the neck to give me action as low as I'd like.

It's a ton of work, but these girls are a piece of history. And already, though not finished, she's a thing of true beauty. 

When you've finished, you'll hold her as a mother holds a newborn child. And you'll be moved to play as you have never played before.

It's totally worth rebuilding her, my friend. 

(Please excuse my waxing poetical)