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Needs refurbishment as shown in pics and info.
Again, the arrows below mark gouge reaming in blue, the span of the crack between the yellow arrow tips, and the gold arrows pointing out the wood filler putty color.
Gouge reaming in blue, span of the crack between the yellow arrow tips, and gold arrows pointing out the wood filler putty color. This crack is not along the grain, but more of a fiberous separation from leverage Bubba used while gouging out the tuner shaft holes. These types of neck cracks are repaired by first stuffing the tuner shaft holes tightly with wax paper. The wax paper will stand-off any epoxy that squeezes out when clamped, and the wax paper will pull right out when the glue has cured. Be sure to get the 50/50 resin-hardener mix as exact as possible. Use a few drops of naptha to thin a working puddle of slow working-time overnight-drying epoxy (Zippo / Ronson / etc. lighter fluid is an inexpensive small can of naptha) and force it down into the crack with a non-scarring stiff applicator; I use the handle-end tip of one half of a wood clothespin; Followed immediately by forcing full strength epoxy into the crack on top of the thinned epoxy, again using the applicator to push the epoxy into the crack. The thinned epoxy will soak / get deeper into the crack and periferal fibers, works as a priming sealer, bonds with the full strength epoxy and thus forms an excellent chemical and mechnaical bond. Clamp the crack closed with the crack facing up and use a rag wet with naptha to wipe off any epoxy that squeezes out; Wipe off squeeze-out repeatedly as thoroughly as possible while maintaining clean naptha-wet spots to wipe with; The naptha will get down into the wood fiber, so repeated wipings will remove epoxy even slightly below the wood surface. Allow the glued joint to cure for 24 hours in a dry / warm environment before unclamping. A 60 watt electric lamp shining down about 12" or more onto the surface will keep the headstock & joint warm enough to accelerate the time and hardness of the cure. The epoxy will be cured when you cannot feel any stickiness at all on the surface. If you didn't get enough hardner in the epoxy mix, it might take up to a week for slight stickiness to cure.
The brass nut on this guitar is not original, and I see no way it could be made to work properly. Replacement aluminum Danelectro nuts are available from the great folks at allparts.com . Also notice that bubba shaved down the fretboard at the nut station, which won't effect playing the guitar with a new nut; But if desired, the shaved wood could be refurbished by making some putty from rosewood sawdust and hide glue, ....the putty stained to match the lighter and darker grain of the wood, and even the tiny grain "dashes" put back in with the tip of a razor hobby knife. The hide glue as a medium will allow controlling it's viscosity with a hand held hair dryer or heat gun. Also notice that bubba puttied in the slaughtered tuners holes and had at it again !
BAD BAD BAD "work" from Bubba's geetar barn !
Here are the famous Danelectro twin beam truss rods; So good and effective they aren't adjustable and I've never seen a pre-1970 vintage Danelectro ever need a trussrod adjustment even if there were an adjustment ! The trussrods were bedded with hide glue. (The aluminum rod in my hand is to steady the camera but used here to hold the neck stable at an angle).
$125
The black marks are remains of the original finish.
Pretty obvious that bubba didn't have the slightest clue what fretboard radius is:
By the way; A machine shop that does aluminum welding with Alumniweld or similar product, ....can prep and fill string slots on valuable vintage Danelectro nuts.
