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This Canadian-built Norman B18 acoustic guitar belongs to W A Fairuz of Paka, Terengganu. He'd sent it to CA Guitar Repair because the guitar had developed a number of problems over the course of more than a decade. Of these, the most serious concerned the headstock scarf joint; which was beginning to split apart. Outlined in the next section is the procedure employed for this repair.
Reducing Headstock Thickness
The thickness of the original headstock gradually increased from +/- 1.5 cm at the logo end to +/- 1.7 cm at the point where it transitioned into the neck. As such, the back of the headstock was sanded down to a uniform thickness of +/- 1.3 cm to accommodate the backstrap overlay.
Backstrap Overlay
A suitable length of solid Chengal wood was chosen. The overlay was then glued on to the back of the headstock with Titebond Genuine Hide Glue. The assembly was then clamped for a week.
Reshaping the Overlay
Once the clamps were off, coping saws were used to trim the outline of the Chengal overlay. The final profile was achieved using chisels, scrapers and sandpaper.
Drilling Tuner Holes
Tuner holes were drilled based on a clear plastic template based on the original headstock. The tuners were then test-fitted.
Achieving Final Thickness
The back of the headstock was sanded down to the same thickness as the original. However, the area immediately above the scarf joint was intentionally left thicker than 1.7 cm for added strength.
Final Sanding
The back of the headstock was finish sanded to #320 grit. The area where the overlay contacted the neck was also smoothed using files and sandpaper.
Staining
The back of the headstock and upper part of the neck were stained with a blend of StewMac Liquid Stains dissolved in isopropyl alcohol.
Refinishing
The back and sides of the headstock and entire neck were refinished with multiple coats of Tru-Oil.
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| Stamped Serial Number |
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| This is serious |
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| Measuring the thickness of the headstock |
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| On the work bench |
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| Reducing the thickness of the headstock |
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| Checking my work |
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| Solid Chengal wood backstrap overlay |
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| Backstrap overlay glued on and clamped |
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| Clamps have been removed |
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| Backstrap overlay reshaped to conform to the headstock profile |
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| Test-fitting the tuners |
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| Installing a new buffalo bone nut |
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| ColorTone Liquid Stains and Tru-Oil |
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| Repaired area stained and refinished |
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