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So a friend of mine gave me this to fix up. It's a Carlos?







First of all theres a broken nut. No problem fixing that. But when I got it the bridge was nearly coming off the top, so I went ahead and took it the rest of the way. It has a VERY pronounced bulge in the bridge area. The area the bridge was glued on is like a mound. And then there's the neck joint coming apart as well.

It's a very old guitar, probably has the same strings it's had for 20 years. It's certainly not a top quality instrument but it has sentimental value to the owner. So does anyone have suggestions on how to go about this?

Also there is little to no money funding this project. He did supply a new nut blank but other than that... might just be doing him a favor.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Man, I feel for ya'! Seems like that's all the repairs I get coming at me..........and I'm ttrying to make a living at this?? I might suggest the JDL Bridge doctor for the bridge/belly issues ($30 +or- for the "screw in" option). Don't know what to suggest for the neck issue.......that looks pretty gnarly. Basically, you do the best you can and give it back. Hopefully, someone on here will give you better suggestions.............but I do feel your pain.

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"Anything that's worth cuttin' down a tree for is worth doin' right, don't the Lord love a 2 X4?" - The Carpenter - Guy Clark
www.tandnguitarrepair.com

double post removed...

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"Anything that's worth cuttin' down a tree for is worth doin' right, don't the Lord love a 2 X4?" - The Carpenter - Guy Clark
www.tandnguitarrepair.com

It's a flower pot.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

definitely get in there with a mirror and check for split/cracked/separated braces. get ready to spend money on some deep throat clamps. the neck, i don't even want to comment on. check with the mirror and see if its bolted on

Welcome to the world of cheap guitar repair!
A top that is broken across the pin holes needs to be addressed, and a Bridge Doctor is not the answer. If the top is laminated (as I suspect), I would be reluctant to remove the bridgeplate. Generally, on these, I just heat the bridgeplate and clamp it flat for a while. Then repair the top damage with thin HHG or CA, taking care to replace the missing slivers.
I would consider reinforcing the bridgeplate with an extra layer of hardwood, with the grain oriented parallel or at 45 degrees to the grain in the top. This will help prevent the top from bulging up again under the bridge.
In my experience, if you don't address the top issues, the bridge will just pull off again.
I believe the neck joint is a poorly-fitted dovetail.
The easiest way to repair the neck is to insert a screw through the neck block, preferably from inside the guitar. You can drill the pilot hole through the heel from the outside, then plug it later with a dowel. The hole through the block can then be enlarged with a pin vise from inside the guitar, provided it is far enough from the back to clear the back braces.
Good luck!

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John

ok you guys are going to laugh at me, but, in light of it being an inexpensive guitar: maybe you could get to the neck block with a flexible "snake" type drill shaft, drill a pilot hole thru the block and into the neck heel, and then drive in a coarse threaded screw, supplemented with some cyanoacrylate glue, maybe it would reset the neck and hold- given nobody goes ahead and tensions up the strings to the key of H again!
edit: looks like John came in and stole my "thunder" while i was doing my artwork!
observe:

Normally this repair would cost the owner a lot of money... probably enough to buy a new Taylor 400 series...

the bridge crack has to be addressed, if you can't deal with removing and replacing the bridge plate, glue another plate over the existing plate... otherwise the bridge will just come off again.

Normally the neck needs to be steamed off and properly fitted, or perhaps you can simply cut the neck off, and reattach it with threaded inserts.

I am thinking this thing could be a good candidate for a retop. Not only that but you'd have the chance to fix the neck and address any loose brace that may be present.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

A friend brought me a cheap Epiphone with a cracked neck, and asked how much to fix it. I gave him the usual price (although I do cut a little slack because he's a friend, but not that much) and he hesitated a bit. He asked if it was worth the cost and I said its up to you, that if you're used to this guitar and stuff then it's worth it. He still paid the asking price for me to fix it and I gave him something that is masterfully fixed.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

The bridge repair looks super easy since wood didnt lift with the bridge really. So....Simply clean the bottom of the bridge on a sanding board, put it in place, score around it, work inside the score back to wood, and titebond it up. As for the neck, I dont really want to give advice without seeing it/the rest of the instrument. Since no money is involved, I'd probably just epoxy it though.

You have many options as you have seen . I look at it as a learning opportunity. I like the hanging loop Todd , but depending on your repair ability , this is a great candidate to learn some repair techniques. As john Arnold points out ,the cross grain break needs to be addresses . You may be able to remove the plate replace it with a good one and address that issue.
Resetting the neck is a skill one can always sharpen . Or as in said a few times , Epoxy away.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I'm with Todd on this one.