Help w/ badly Damaged Guild acoustic

[kostask]

i guess I get to play contrarian, again.

I would repair it, or rather more accurately have it repaired, depending on if all of the wood is present. A lot of luthiers have extensive experience with repairing headstock breaks (thank you Gibson), and while this may look really bad, they are clean breaks, with a lot of side grain gluing surface that should work well for long term stability. I can see the major pieces, but the number of small bits is harder to assess from the pictures. If you have a good local luthier, you should at the very least have it assessed by him before deciding. Be sure to try and keep all of the wood pieces with the guitar when you bring it in, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. This is NOT an impossible repair. There may be cosmetic issues, and even those could be addressed, depending on how much they bother you.

As to value, that is something only you can decide. Take the assessment from the luthier, and think about it. You are the only one who can figure out what they guitar, its memories, and overall how much it means to you vs. the cost of repair or replacement. After that, you still may end up getting another guitar to tide you over while this is undergoing repair, but that has more to do with your own situation regarding gigging and songwriting.

 

[adorshki]

i guess I get to play contrarian, again.

I would repair it, or rather more accurately have it repaired, depending on if all of the wood is present. A lot of luthiers have extensive experience with repairing headstock breaks (thank you Gibson), and while this may look really bad, they are clean breaks, with a lot of side grain gluing surface that should work well for long term stability. I can see the major pieces, but the number of small bits is harder to assess from the pictures. If you have a good local luthier, you should at the very least have it assessed by him before deciding. Be sure to try and keep all of the wood pieces with the guitar when you bring it in, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. This is NOT an impossible repair. There may be cosmetic issues, and even those could be addressed, depending on how much they bother you.

As to value, that is something only you can decide. Take the assessment from the luthier, and think about it. You are the only one who can figure out what they guitar, its memories, and overall how much it means to you vs. the cost of repair or replacement. After that, you still may end up getting another guitar to tide you over while this is undergoing repair, but that has more to do with your own situation regarding gigging and songwriting.

Excellent input for "balance".

I only meant to address the specific issue of "replacement parts" and the finish issues, but they can be worked around if cost is within the owner's acceptable limits, and all (or enough of) the wood is present.

 

[fronobulax]

You have an emotional connection to this particular instrument. Only you can put a dollar value on that connection.

A repair is certainly possible even if the repair comes down to cannibalizing a neck from an another guitar. So your question is whether the cost of the repair options available to you are worth it. You could try and fix it yourself in which case the cost is measured in time, not dollars. You could outsource it knowing that you are both paying several times the value and spending enough money that you could have a new to you instrument that could be considered an upgrade.

Can it be repaired? Yes.
Should it be repaired? Only you can answer.
Is a repair the economically rational option? Probably not.

 

[adorshki]

Is a repair the economically rational option? Probably not.

Isn't that an oxycontin, er, oxymoron?

 

[Tony Burns]

I actually do know someone who did the same thing you did - The gentleman i sold my D-40 to about 30 years ago in Elmira -
he set it down, got in a hurry and backed over it a few days after he bought it from me -he was hoping Id give him something back to buy his next guitar ( ah ha )- wish i could go back in time and not sell it to him -that was a very decent sounding guitar .

 

[Tony Burns]

A small suggestion - Id get a backup instrument - I got a used '78 D-25 ( and a older guild case ), and actually like playing it as much as my D-55.
It has a gorgeous woody sound - i upgraded the tuners to Gotohs , added a bone nut , set it up better -
You really need two decent instruments - We all do !

 

[Opsimath]

A small suggestion - Id get a backup instrument - I got a used '78 D-25 ( and a older guild case ), and actually like playing it as much as my D-55.
It has a gorgeous woody sound - i upgraded the tuners to Gotohs , added a bone nut , set it up better -
You really need two decent instruments - We all do !

Why only two?

 

[davismanLV]

Why only two?

I believe he meant to say AT LEAST two.... maybe.

 

[Opsimath]

I believe he meant to say AT LEAST two.... maybe.

No doubt!

 

[fronobulax]

Why only two?

If you are gigging and the gig is important enough to you or your reputation then you take a backup instrument so that if something happens to the primary instrument the show can go on. But if you are your own road crew and trucking service then more than one backup is not practical.

if you want to justify more than two guitars you usually do so by pointing out the differences or your need to switch between tunings.

 

[jeffcoop]

A small suggestion - Id get a backup instrument - I got a used '78 D-25 ( and a older guild case ), and actually like playing it as much as my D-55.
It has a gorgeous woody sound - i upgraded the tuners to Gotohs , added a bone nut , set it up better -
You really need two decent instruments - We all do !

This is a great idea, if feasible, especially since This is especially so as the repair of your guitar is likely to take quite a while, leaving you without something to play.

 

[dpc915]

Well I’m not an expert but not worth the repair. I’d say if the guitar means that much to you replace the neck. If not. Time for a new guild ! Good Luck

 

[adorshki]

No doubt!

Actually need 3. That way if one's in the shop and a buddy happens to drop by and jamming ensues, there's still an axe for each of you.
I have 3.

 

[West R Lee]

No no no. you need 5! Tell you what, let's ask Grot.

West

 

[twocorgis]

No no no. you need 5! Tell you what, let's ask Grot.

West

Sometimes I think my collection is large, and then I look around here.

 

[adorshki]

No no no. you need 5! Tell you what, let's ask Grot.

West

Yeah but he rents an entire EZYStore warehouse.
I think he's even got multiple cases for some of 'em.

 

[Wilmywood]

If you'll look at my avatar, you obviously need 6!!!

 

[chazmo]

A small suggestion - Id get a backup instrument - I got a used '78 D-25 ( and a older guild case ), and actually like playing it as much as my D-55.
It has a gorgeous woody sound - i upgraded the tuners to Gotohs , added a bone nut , set it up better -
You really need two decent instruments - We all do !

Yeah, but Tony... Imagine if you ended up driving over two guitars!?!?

 

[Neal]

Repair cost, should the OP elect to do it himself:

One bottle of Titebond: $5.00
Three small clamps: $15.00
Fat, strong rubber bands: $3.00
Lacquer pen: $15.00

Patience: Priceless.

I agree that taking it someone with the proper skills to do the job professionally will put the OP upside down on the value/cost equation.

 

[davismanLV]

Well, five days have gone by and we've not heard from the OP. So while all this amazing advice is valuable, who even knows if it's getting where it needs to go. So since they've not said a word, I'll say thanks for all your amazing input. It's been very helpful.