1997 Bluesbird neck replacement

[1997_Bluesbird]

Hello,

I have a 1997 goldtop Bluesbird that I purchased new in 1998. Sadly in 2001 it fell over and the neck chipped. I had it repaired but in the subsequent years it developed a few more spots in which the outer layer of neck wood split or lifted near the binding. I also had those spots repaired but over the years it seems to be a recurring issue despite always being stored in its case climate controlled indoors at normal temperatures.

I would like to find an original replacement neck and have it installed on my guitar. So, I am looking for a 1997-1999 bluesbird that is being parted out or just a neck for sale and have a luthier replace it.

Does anyone have a lead on where I might find a neck? Other than the neck the guitar is in fantastic condition. How might I expect a neck replacement to affect the guitar's value? Would it be any use contacting Guild or Fender regarding this repair/replacement?

 

[GAD]

Welcome.

Fender no longer owns Guild and the new owners don’t have any parts for Guilds before 2014.

I don’t recall ever seeing a Bluesbird neck for sale. Any guitars being parted out is usually being done by flippers trying to make money off if the parts so you’d be pulling apart a probably perfectly fine neck joint on a perfectly fine guitar that’s just been disassembled in order to repair your guitar. That doesn’t seem very efficient to me. For the time and cost involved you could just find another ‘97 Bluesbird.

Can you post pics of the problem area?

 

[Hobbesickles]

As GAD said the only Bluesbird necks you are going to find are attached to what might be a healthy guitar. For what it's worth a competent luthier would be able to make a new neck to match the specs of your guitar. It would likely cost the same as another Bluesbird in fine condition when you take into account removing the old neck, the cost of the mahogany blank, rosewood fretboard, trussrod, binding, inlays, frets, nut, and all the detailed fretwork that goes into making a guitar play nice. That's not even mentioning the reglue to the body and finish matching. You'll lose the original serial number stamp. Likely not worth it.

Pics would help. I've seen some pretty spectacular repairs involving veneers on ugly headstock breaks.

 

[Rambozo96]

I think finding someone to fix it properly would be more financially viable than a complete reneck which would be prohibitively expensive as you would probably have to make a new one from a blank or graft one from the problem area up.

 

[1997_Bluesbird]

Welcome.

Fender no longer owns Guild and the new owners don’t have any parts for Guilds before 2014.

I don’t recall ever seeing a Bluesbird neck for sale. Any guitars being parted out is usually being done by flippers trying to make money off if the parts so you’d be pulling apart a probably perfectly fine neck joint on a perfectly fine guitar that’s just been disassembled in order to repair your guitar. That doesn’t seem very efficient to me. For the time and cost involved you could just find another ‘97 Bluesbird.

Can you post pics of the problem area?

The fourth picture below is of a repair that I had done by a local luthier. I wasn't super happy with how it turned out as it is clearly visibly repaired and has a very slight texture difference. The first of the three neck pictures below shows the initial repair near the nut, though it looks off it feels ok. Then you see two more cracks have since formed below it. The final picture shows the underside of the neck near the nut where another crack has formed. Aside from the initial damage repaired in the first picture that was caused by a drop 20 years ago, all the other additional cracks have formed over the years while being store in the case which is something of a mystery to me. Have other 90s bluesbird owners experienced this sort of cracking? The guitar is still completely playable.

 

[1997_Bluesbird]

As GAD said the only Bluesbird necks you are going to find are attached to what might be a healthy guitar. For what it's worth a competent luthier would be able to make a new neck to match the specs of your guitar. It would likely cost the same as another Bluesbird in fine condition when you take into account removing the old neck, the cost of the mahogany blank, rosewood fretboard, trussrod, binding, inlays, frets, nut, and all the detailed fretwork that goes into making a guitar play nice. That's not even mentioning the reglue to the body and finish matching. You'll lose the original serial number stamp. Likely not worth it.

Pics would help. I've seen some pretty spectacular repairs involving veneers on ugly headstock breaks.

Pics posted below

 

[HeyMikey]

Hi and welcome 1997. From the pictures I feel like your neck is restorable. My suggestion is to contact Tom Jacobs, member FixIt, and ask his opinion.

Jacobs Custom Guitars – Custom Guitars & Guitar Repair

www.jacobscustomguitars.com

A former Guild luthier, he is super nice, a straight shooter and highly experienced with Guilds. For a major repair done right I would send it to him. If anything, you can get some professional advice on what options are viable. Good luck!

 

[1997_Bluesbird]

Hi and welcome 1997. From the pictures I feel like your neck is restorable. My suggestion is to contact Tom Jacobs, member FixIt, and ask his opinion.

Jacobs Custom Guitars – Custom Guitars & Guitar Repair

www.jacobscustomguitars.com

A former Guild luthier, he is super nice, a straight shooter and highly experienced with Guilds. For a major repair done right I would send it to him. If anything, you can get some professional advice on what options are viable. Good luck!

Thanks!

 

[Default]

Agreed. You would not be able to tell when Tom is done with it