SG Players: which is worse, a headstock or a neck joint break?

[diddlybo]

I have a line on a 61 reissue SG with a repaired neck joint break. It doesn't look to have been a violent break and the repair looks good. Its really just a couple of solid cracks but it didn't actually break or shatter any wood.

How serious is this issue? Is it comparable to a headstock break, where a pro repair job will get you functionally as good as you were before? Or would you consider this to be more a "deal breaker" situation?

I'm really not familiar with neck joint breaks but my gut is telling that's a bigger problem than something like a headstock break. Then again, my gut also tells me to eat chili dogs and beer, so I don't always trust my gut. Friggin unreliable gut.

[Guitarbilly]

I had a SG Special with a neck joint break and it was super stable. So both are fine when properly repaired. The neck is glued in to begin with. As long as it's put black in place, more glue won't hurt. It might even make it stronger.

[Vladimir Putin]

Depends on the break. Obviously some are more severe than others but if it was a clean break that was repaired well... and the price was right... I would consider it.

I'm always hesitant on guitars with repairs. I've noticed a few Gibsons that float around on my local fb marketplace that get passed around which tells me something is wrong with them. I feel like I'd need to know the history these days.

[greatmutah]

I can’t speak to an SG with a neck joint break but I can speak to my Les Paul Studio having its neck joint break. I paid a damn good luthier to do it right and he did. The break was fairly clean too. No fretboard damage, a little top wood came with it but it was mostly along the seams of the original joint. Pretty much followed the tenon. He was able to reset the neck, get the angle right and it hadn’t had an issue since. That being said Tom is one of two people I would trust to do that work though. Get documentation on it if you can.

[Guitarbilly]

^^^ this is an important point. If there's fretboard damage, it's a much more complex repair and I'd want the fretboard to be completely replaced.
But if it's only a clean neck break and it was properly rest then it's fine.

[diddlybo]

Thanks for the input, fellas. Good info. The damage wasn't severe and the repair is solid, so I'm not going to worry about. No fretboard damage, no jagged breaks.

But...I could spend a little more and get one with no damage, which is a completely different topic.

Its a 2001 model and the guy is asking $900. Not a bad price.