Dowels in the headstock?

wileypickett · Oct 16, 2020

Think I got it.

The tuners on there are minis. If this was converted to a six-string guitar and FULL SIZE tuners (with the screw tabs at four o'clock and eight o'clock as many typically are) were installed in the second, fourth and sixth pairs of tuner holes, the new screwholes would have been right where the dowels are.

Not sure why the new screwholes were filled with such big dowels -- perhaps the screwholes were drilled in the wrong spot initailly (you can see what look screw holes right at the edges of four of the six dowels) and had to be redrilled?

Or whoever did it just did a messy job.

Or something.

Seems the most plausible explanation to me anyway.

wileypickett · Oct 16, 2020

The saddle looks kinda low on the treble side, and scunge around the neck / body join makes me wonder if it's had a neck reset.

These are fabulous guitars BTW and that price ain't bad, even if a neck reset is in order.

SFIV1967 · Oct 16, 2020

wileypickett said:
If this was converted to a six-string guitar and FULL SIZE tuners (with the screw tabs at four o'clock and eight o'clock as many typically are) were installed in the second, fourth and sixth pairs of tuner holes, the new screwholes would have been right where the dowels are.

Sounds at least possible, but the full size tuners are not so much bigger. Also there is no sign on the lacquer that it hosted full size tuners. But yes, it is a possibility.
Ralf

jp · Oct 16, 2020

I thought the same thing at first, however, there are no pics of the front of the headstock to reveal if there are filled holes as well.

The Guilds of Grot · Oct 16, 2020

jp said:
I thought the same thing at first, however, there are no pics of the front of the headstock to reveal if there are filled holes as well.

Sure there is!

wileypickett · Oct 16, 2020

I have tons of old tuner parts in my workshop, so I measured a Grover mini-tuner and a Grover full-size tuner while I was out there today.

The mini is 5/8" wide (not incuding the tab) and the full-size is 3/4" -- 1/8" wider. But the space between the outside edge of the full-size and the tab (at the 4:00 and 8:00 positions) is 1/4".

In the picture of the back of the headstock, the middle right dowel shows the edge of what appears to be a screwhole, and its position is right where the tab would be on one of those 8:00 full-size tuners -- approximately 1/4" from the mini-tuner screw.

What are we to make then that the screwhole on the LEFT middle dowel is in the same spot, at 8:00?!

I'm losing sleep over this -- can someone figure it out please!

walrus · Oct 16, 2020

Conspiracy theory - they were Photoshopped in, just to drive LTGer's crazy, by a former LTGer who was offended by a post...

walrus

dreadnut · Oct 16, 2020

This Guild was abducted by aliens...

dreadnut · Oct 16, 2020

Seriously, it looks more like Bondo than wooden dowels to me. Unsymmetrical and unprofessional.

fronobulax · Oct 16, 2020

dreadnut said:
This Guild was abducted by aliens...

Six probes or one probe six times?

Probably need to adjust the settings on the Self-Moderation Filter

fronobulax · Oct 16, 2020

dreadnut said:
Seriously, it looks more like Bondo than wooden dowels to me. Unsymmetrical and unprofessional.

So we have six holes. Maybe plugged with wood or maybe just some kind of filler. No idea what might be in the holes. No idea whether they went through to the top and the faceplate is covering something or whether the faceplate was undisturbed.

I'm still leaning towards added weight for more sustain but I am much less certain than I was

wileypickett · Oct 16, 2020

dreadnut said:
Seriously, it looks more like Bondo than wooden dowels to me. Unsymmetrical and unprofessional.

Definitely wood -- you can see the grain if you expand the picture.

dreadnut · Oct 16, 2020

Yeah wiley, I agree after looking closer, it does appear to be wood. Still a sloppy job, and the question remains: Why?

Nuuska · Oct 16, 2020

Under caps there's Novitshok - or the US-equivalent of it . . .

Just waiting . . . . .

chazmo · Oct 16, 2020

Occam's razor: Those are tuner holes for six (different) tuners. No good idea of why someone would do that, but what else could it be?

fronobulax · Oct 16, 2020

chazmo said:
Occam's razor: Those are tuner holes for six (different) tuners. No good idea of why someone would do that, but what else could it be?

The only reason I would argue with Occam is the existence of a commercial product that apparently postdates the modification and is designed to add sustain by adding weight.

We should probably just break down and ask for better pictures

HeyMikey · Oct 16, 2020

Group buy and then we have GAD dissect and put it under a microscope it so we can all sleep at night.

Seriously though, whatever the reason it is very disturbing to look at. I would have to hire a talented soul to do some nice inlay work to cover it up.

jp · Oct 17, 2020

The Guilds of Grot said:
Sure there is!

Ok. Sorry about that. I should have been clearer. There are no pics that clearly show the front well enough to see any mods have been done. It's a crappy photo.

The Guilds of Grot · Oct 17, 2020

Indeed it is! You would think that with all that's going on with the back they would of had a better picture of the front to show it was untouched/repaired.

Guildedagain · Oct 17, 2020

Need to see the front, but if there's overlay then it was probably drilled through to make an 18 string guitar? Holes seem to be in the range, 3/8"-10mm.

Dowels in the headstock?

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