All Quiet on the H7 Front #1: Norman B20

HarrySeven

Not posted for a little while, but I have been stupidly busy with work stuff...however, this week, I had a bit of time to get into a couple of projects...

So, I was given this:

Doesn't look too bad from a distance?

Hmmmm....not great, but...

Ewwww! Thankfully, that's not woodworm you can see, though...

However, it gets better...

So...off comes the neck...

...and out comes the heat gun...

And after a bit more forensic-level cleaning, it started to look a bit healthier...

Long way to go yet, though.

There are some serious voids in the area (due to missing wood), plus the level of fibre contamination is ridiculously high, as several types of filler/glue have been used, including what *may* be bathroom sealant and - primarily - JB Weld...

I've had success before with slow-cure, high-shear expoxy designed for golf club handle repair - this mixed with wood flour, followed by splints may be the best option.

Of course, the best bet would be to just scarf a new headstock on, but I like experimenting...

guitars4you

I sold a few of these in the past - A friend of mine was the importer for these back in the 80's and I think the 90's  as well

merciful-evans

Well done with the clean up. That must have been painstakingly slow. 
I've never seen a worse bodge than that 'repair'.

ICBM

Looking at the angle of the break, that was a poorly-chosen piece of wood. This is sadly typical of all the Godin family guitars - they have the highest rate of head breaks after Gibson, in my experience. The way the headstock is scarf-joined on *below* the weak point does nothing to reinforce it at all, they always break above the join like that.

You would be better double-scarfing in a completely new piece, with a grain direction that adds strength - you’ll probably have to splint it anyway if you don't, if there’s too much wood missing.

HarrySeven

ICBM said:

You would be better double-scarfing in a completely new piece, with a grain direction that adds strength - you’ll probably have to splint it anyway if you don't, if there’s too much wood missing.

Indeed. I'll try splinting first and see how that goes...

MLten80

Fire wood

Kittyfrisk

Wow, a challenge indeed.
But Harry... it's an acoustic !!

Funkfingers

MLten80 said:

Fire wood

This. 

HarrySeven

Work in progress update for @MLten80 and @Funkfingers...

http://i.imgur.com/xnlU8Zp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/879r1XH.jpg

Going back together nicely, so far...

Next step, bit more tidying up, then splinting.

equalsql

HarrySeven said..

Gross!
That 'repair' looks alarmingly similar to my hip's surgical wound five weeks ago when it got a post operative infection (which is still being treated). 

You're certainly up for a challenge Harry, most people would have just binned it or sliced it off clean for a new headstock.

impmann

Good work, chap.

Funkfingers

Spiny Norman? 

HarrySeven

And today, this happened...

http://i.imgur.com/Ip7p9JG.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4OEcCNv.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4TSkxtB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/17XxDFK.jpg


Not the neatest job, as I was using a dremel rather than a router, but we’ll see...

NB. As this was a ‘clean’ joint (no contamination from previous adhesives), I used Titebond instead of epoxy.

HarrySeven

Clamps off:

https://i.imgur.com/o4rStsZ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/EDOIQ32.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tM0j8EK.jpg

MLten80

Fair play h7, its starting to look potentially stable you've got undoubtedly more determination than most of us!

LastMantra

I've got a norman I've played for ages lovely sounding wee thing.

HarrySeven

And another update..,

https://i.imgur.com/2uiNmcC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/97DQ0Ly.jpg

Henrytwang

Neat job, another guitar saved from the skip. The original repair looked hopeless.

Funkfingers

To paraphrase Vivian Stanshall as Sir Henry Rawlinson, if H7 had all the money he ever spent on shit guitars, he’d spend it on more shit guitars.

HarrySeven

Funkfingers said:

To paraphrase Vivian Stanshall as Sir Henry Rawlinson, if H7 had all the money he ever spent on shit guitars, he’d spend it on more shit guitars.

Well, this one cost the princely sum of £0.00p.

Bridgehouse

HarrySeven said:

Funkfingers said:

To paraphrase Vivian Stanshall as Sir Henry Rawlinson, if H7 had all the money he ever spent on shit guitars, he’d spend it on more shit guitars.

Well, this one cost the princely sum of £0.00p.

They saw you coming...