Calling Early-60s SG Experts

[Subliminal lanimilbuS]

The washers will leave inprints on the headstock face however.

No picture of the heel were provided.

Yes, hopefully the person that installed those tuners didn't go overkill with tightening them. These old headstocks, though, that have had time to harden over many years can leave very little impression if not over tightened. It is not like the impression you see on a guitar that was built with them initially.

 

[Bruce R]

Yes, correct repro tuners {double ring Klusons} would help.

 

[Bruce R]

(duplicate)

 

[68LPCustom]

Neck binding would have had nibs, yes?

 

[garywright]

Neck binding would have had nibs, yes?

gone with the refret

 

[DANELECTRO]

The wing split is a bummer. My guess is something more than meets the eye has prevented a previous repair.

Tuners with threaded bushings require a larger diameter hole. The proper tool to enlarge the hole is a reamer which puts little stress on the wood, but often times a twist drill is used which can easily grab the wood and the result can be a split wing. My 1961 SG has a split and repaired wing from when a previous owner installed Grovers (Klusons are back on):

 

[corpse]

Oh no, no, no- we need a full frontal Dan

 

[Subliminal lanimilbuS]

Tuners with threaded bushings require a larger diameter hole. The proper tool to enlarge the hole is a reamer which puts little stress on the wood, but often times a twist drill is used which can easily grab the wood and the result can be a split wing. My 1961 SG has a split and repaired wing from when a previous owner installed Grovers (Klusons are back on):

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Never understood why people tighten the heck out of the threaded bushing nut on top of those types of tuners. It is the screw underneath that keeps the tuner from rotating. How is the rest of the guitar? Do you have any full guitar pics?

 

[DANELECTRO]

Oh no, no, no- we need a full frontal Dan

Here's a full-frontal and more.

PAFs are still intact, skinny neck (.789" @ the first fret), 7 lbs even. All original parts except that I put a modern ABR on it and a VibroStop Kit to block the VIbrola and keep it in tune. This is the guitar that inspired me to design the VIbroStop kit.










With the little brother...






Something interesting is that there is a small separation of the heel on the treble-side only. The person who I bought the guitar from (a reputable vintage dealer) had known this guitar since 1971 and he said the crack was present back then. I find the picture below to be interesting because the check marks on either side of the crack aren't inline, which shows that the the crack occurred prior to the lacquer checking. The neck is rock-solid, which makes me wonder if glue might have been injected to solidify the crack.

 

[Cody]

That's a beauty, Dan.

 

[jb_abides]

That's a beauty, Dan.

+1 and more

 

[corpse]

Matt Hughes restored a ‘61 and it was an epic restoration incl widening the shaved neck via added binding. It had a set of Yaron PAF’s via Peter Ellman. I had that guitar for a week as a guest and it was madgick. Pissed my wife off as I brought it to bed with me.
There’s a thread in the ‘other’ forum.
It made sounds I am not capable of recreating.

 

[Subliminal lanimilbuS]

Here's a full-frontal and more.

PAFs are still intact, skinny neck (.789" @ the first fret), 7 lbs even. All original parts except that I put a modern ABR on it and a VibroStop Kit to block the VIbrola and keep it in tune. This is the guitar that inspired me to design the VIbroStop kit.

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With the little brother...
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Something interesting is that there is a small separation of the heel on the treble-side only. The person who I bought the guitar from (a reputable vintage dealer) had known this guitar since 1971 and he said the crack was present back then. I find the picture below to be interesting because the check marks on either side of the crack aren't inline, which shows that the the crack occurred prior to the lacquer checking. The neck is rock-solid, which makes me wonder if glue might have been injected to solidify the crack.
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Beautiful guitars. Looks like it incurred its cracks from a side of the neck hit on the high e side. Usually much more fortunate that a back of the neck hit. If glue was injected into those cracks it should be fine.