How to Repair a Cracked Guitar

Your beloved guitar has a crack, don't fork over cash to get it fixed, see if you can repair it yourself. The repair can be a less inexpensive alternative than a professional repair job. Patch the guitar yourself it may be easier than think to repair a cracked guitar.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Figure out if guitar has a spruce or pine top. Repair a crack only if it's made of real wood, not laminate. The grain lines should be relatively straight and very close together.
2. Get a piece of thin, long, flat metal such as a long metal ruler. Put it into the f-hole until it touches the back plate. Mark the metal at the place it comes out of the f-hole. Bend the metal at this point into a check mark.
3. Push gently on the point of the metal until it hits the back plate beneath the crack being repaired. Pull on the end of the V sticking out until the point gently pushes on the crack. The wood should push out a little around the crack but be careful not to make it worse.
4. Put superglue or wood glue along the inside of the crack being careful not to get any on the outside of the guitar. Push the crack back down so the panel is flat and the sides of the crack are now glued together.
5. Let the glue dry completely. Varnish the crack with polyurethane purchased from a guitar store.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't try to fix a really valuable instrument as you will greatly diminish its value.