Epiphone Les Paul Replacement Neck

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Czar of Cheese
Member Since: Jun 09, 2004

My son's Epi Les Paul got knocked over right before his gig last night (8th grade school dance) and the neck broke. He let a friend play it, and then the kid leaned it against the piano instead of putting it back on the stand and over it went. I'm no expert, but I don't think it can be saved...

Can someone point me toward a place to get a replacement neck? eBay doesn't have much right now. If I can't find anything online I'll just bring it over to the nearest guitar fix-it shop.

Thanks!

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Member
Since: Apr 26, 2006


May 31, 2007 09:46 pm

I don't think you'll actually find a replacement neck for a Paul, based on how the neck is built into the body. But I did have a buddy that had the neck on his studio les paul repaired by having it glued. But it did actually play pretty good after the repair. But never quite the same. Even though you might find an Epi Paul for the cost of the repair.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


May 31, 2007 09:49 pm

Not sure where it broke, if it broke right under the headstock past the nut it may come back better. There is a great guitar luthier in Minneapolis (forget the name) that does great work, I actually have a friend that has intentionally broken his headstock right after purchasing a guitar just so he can get it fixed cuz it always comes back better playing.

Noize, do you know the world-renown luthier that is here in Minneapolis? I must be on beer #5 or so and I am forgetting...busy working on the next whiz-bang feature for HRC...

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


May 31, 2007 10:27 pm

I've got his card here some place. I'll dig it out tonight or tomorrow. If Charlie Orr were still around he would be my first choice. But Dan, dB is right, this is the guy who builds guitars for people like Leo Kotke and the like. In fact he is the one who did my Honer. And it plays like a million dollars now.

Got it, Charles Hoffman. He is probably one of the best in the whole friggin world in my book. www.hoffmanguitars.com/links.htm

Here is another that I highly recomend. Roger Benedict is an absolute killer luthier as well. I believe he may have worked for Orr at one time but not sure. But I'll warn you right off Jim. He builds guitar that are right up your alley so keep the drool off the keyboard. www.benedictguitars.com/history.htm

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jun 01, 2007 07:25 am

Hoffman, yep, that's it.

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Jun 01, 2007 09:57 am

Yeah you can usually glue a broken neck back together. And if its done right it'll be stable and you'd never know it was broken.

But it'll cost a pretty penny to have it done right. If its a bolt-on neck (which many Epi LPs are) then you can go to a place like Warmoth or Stew Mac online and order a replacement. I think that the neck pockets on Epis are pretty standard sized. That may be a cheaper alternative for a bolt-on. If its a set-neck (again, many Epi LPs are) then it'd probably be worth it to pony up for a luthier to fix it.

If you go the luthier route, definitely take it to somebody who knows what they're doing like the fellow dB and Noize recommend. Somebody who just wants to slap it together will do more harm than good. If done right, you'll never know it was broken.

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Jun 01, 2007 10:03 am

Quote:
He let a friend play it


ain't that always the thing.

" er, i'm gonna need you to sign this contract . . . before you can play it . . . "

Luthier may be more $$$ than just getting a new one.

Have Johnny Butterfingers pony up for half the cost of a new one, then you'll have the old one for parts.

Heh, then have your son pony up the other half for letting someone else play his guitar =).

(just being funny on that last part there).


Otherwise, I'd say stewmac or warmouth too.

Czar of Cheese
Member
Since: Jun 09, 2004


Jun 01, 2007 10:30 am

Actually, Johnny Butterfingers' parents have agreed to pony up the cost. I like PJK's way of thinking...there's got to be a way to take care of this situation that results in both my son AND me winding up with an Epi Les Paul...

www.TheLondonProject.ca
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2005


Jun 01, 2007 10:46 am

Quote:
Luthier may be more $$$ than just getting a new one.


Ya I think it would cost more. A set neck would be pretty difficult to replace. Especially if the back of the neck matches the body. If it was a Gibson LP then it would probably be worth it but I have a feeling that it won't be worth fixing an Epi. Worth checking out though.

Answer:On a good day, lipstick.
Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004


Jun 01, 2007 11:00 am

If it's a bolt-on, I think the Warmoth idea is a great way to go. There's the opportunity there to get whichever headstock you like, with whatever frets you like, with the finish you like, on the wood you like, at the right scale. You get yourself a sweet 'custom' Paul. Way back when they didn't offer the finished necks they do now.
Set-neck.....hoowee...'spensive to fix.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jun 01, 2007 10:56 pm

OMG, I hate to say it but most of the Epi's are well worth the cost of repair. I've owned 4 Epi's of various models and all were on a very even par with their gib$on counter parts. They were not the low end base models either, and I believe jims sons is in their higher range as well. So it may very well be worth the trouble indeed.

But indeed, I do agree if said neck can be replaced with an after market neck then that is another good alternative.

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