Opinions on neck repair

[Steadyriot.]

So I just got a Epiphone Les Paul which has had a previous neck repair.
Looks like the scarf joint gave way and the previous owner reglued it.
You'd think that to be an easy job (I've done a few neck repairs myself) but somehow they managed to let the headstock slip just a bit out of alignment. The joint seems solid but there's a noticable line and the fretboard has a few tiny cracks along the binding.

As I bought this guitar as a fixer-upper, what do you think about the repair and what are my best options here? Take in consideration I bought this without any intentions to keep this guitar down the line.






I was thinking about the following scenarios:
1. Clean up the joint with a scraper, leave the finish as is.
2. Clean up the joint with a scraper, touch up the finish.
3. Clean up the joint with a scraper, sand down the neck to make it look uniform and nice, maybe add a stinger.
4. Steam loose the joint (the wood glue does dissolve, I tested) and reglue straight. Do minor finish touchups as required.

Tiny cracks would be flooded with CA in these scenarios.

What's your take?

[601210]

It all depends on how much you value your time and your intentions in flipping the guitar.

If you're doing it as a hobby and you enjoy the practice, then by all means the best solution IMO is to redo it the right way.

If you're doing this for a profit, then you have to balance the loss in value of a shit neck job vs a good neck job, factoring in the cost of your labor. I kinda feel like the cost of labor alone for this kind of repair is already equal if not greater than the value of the guitar.

[Steadyriot.]

It all depends on how much you value your time and your intentions in flipping the guitar.

If you're doing it as a hobby and you enjoy the practice, then by all means the best solution IMO is to redo it the right way.

If you're doing this for a profit, then you have to balance the loss in value of a shit neck job vs a good neck job, factoring in the cost of your labor. I kinda feel like the cost of labor alone for this kind of repair is already equal if not greater than the value of the guitar.

Well it's summer so I have about 3 weeks left before work starts up again. I've time enough!

I enjoy the practice, but I'm a bit doubtful of being able to steam open and reglue. The glue will dissolve / give to heat but how do I get in there? That's what's worrying me.

Scraping it down, doing the whole neck and oiling would give it the best finish possible. The guitar is pretty worn in as is (it's over 25 years old so not suprising) so I don't think a sanded neck will take down the value a lot.

Things to ponder on.

[Scout]

I would try some direct heat on the joint to loosen it first, any other scenario I can think of would be more invasive.

[jvin248]

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Since you seem inclined, try steaming off the neck repair.

Get a pickle jar to work as a double-boiler, put a tube nipple on the cap, run the tube to a small 'box' around the neck joint as possible and seal with rags and such to contain the heat. Steam away. This is the way I removed a fractured heel joint from a body. You need to be patient and seal the heat in. There will be dampness, so maybe oil the fretboard beforehand.

The other option is heat all the frets with a clothes iron and pull them, use the iron to release the fretboard, then steam off the prior repair, clean up, replace everything, install stainless steel frets because you can. This is the way I repaired a guitar neck with severe back bow, reset the fretboard in a neutral position and installed stainless steel frets.

You'll need to let the guitar settle in for a while (dry out) before doing a fret level crown polish and full setup.

.

[Steadyriot.]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll probably go ahead and try to get the joint apart then. Time for a new adventure!

[Shadoweclipse13]

I've never done a repair like that, and I'd be inclined to try it if it was for my guitar, not a customer's. But my first thought when I saw that: "fuck, that's a really clean break."