Mysterious instruments, repair estimates, and guitar bans

A couple of weeks back, I was asked a question that didn’t have an easy answer. In fact, in trying to answer it, the whole thing opened up into a big can of squirming worms.

So let’s eat some worms.

The question seemed innocent enough. What glue and neck joints are used on Ovation (and similar style) guitars?

That’s my cue to wave my hands in front of your face like a stage hypnotist and intone, “Nobody knooooows…” in a voice full of mystery.

Truth is, most people who do this guitar repair thing for a living will groan (inwardly or outwardly) when an Ovation-style guitar shows up for some work. These guitars are not really built with repairability in mind and there is a whole lot of inconsistency around their constructions.

Epoxy or other chemically-cured glues seem most often used although these can vary hugely. Some seem to powder away to dust over time and a strong sneeze can separate joints. Others cling like no glue has a right to and just don’t want to let go. Ever. Maybe I’m projecting a bit but nobody likes epoxy. It’s hard to separate and remove and it’s messy to apply and clean up. On the neck joint question, styles can vary too and it’s often difficult to know what you’re dealing with before you start.

In fact, this is broader than just the Ovation and its cousins. The construction methods and materials for many instruments can be a mystery. In some cases—like the biggies of Martin, Gibson, and those made in similar ways—we’re lucky enough to have (a) at least a little more consistency and (b) a wider pool of experience and history. Talk to some repairers about a neck reset on a ‘60s or ‘70s Yamaha, however, and you can expect them to wince and to suck air through their teeth.

And here’s the problem from the repairer’s point of view (which realistically becomes the guitar owner’s problem by extension):

Inconsistency like this is hard to estimate for. It’s hard to give a cost for a neck reset on a guitar if you’re not sure what sort of neck joint is hiding in there and you’re not sure what sort of glue is used to keep those parts together. Estimating a neck reset cost for Martin is relatively straightforward because they’re mostly the same. Every now and then, you’ll get a curve-ball that will eat more time than you allowed but usually the’ll follow the template.

That’s not really possible when you don’t know what’s waiting. One option is to quote your usual estimate and, if you encounter trouble, call the customer halfway through to tell them the cost’s doubled. Nobody likes that (repairer or customer), especially since you’ve already begun work and it’s not easy for the customer to then back out.

Another option is to quote the usual and eat up any extra if trouble rears its head. Many of us have done that and I think that’s some good customer service. However it smarts a bit and it’s not really a great way to run a business.

The third option is not to accept these jobs. There are some repairers that will refuse to work on Ovation-style instruments and, many others that can completely understand why. I don’t have a blanket ban on these but there have definitely been days I’ve considered it.

The last, and possibly the best option, is to explain things as much as possible and to try give an estimate ‘window’. Here’s what it will probably cost but it could cost as much as this in certain circumstances. Some customers don’t like the uncertainty of this (understandable) but explaining the variables in as much detail as possible/appropriate can help justify things. And, at least this has the benefit of ensuring the customer isn’t surprised halfway through and that the repairer doesn’t lose their shirt on the job. Is it ideal? Nope. Definitely not. But it is what it is.

So, summing up here, what lurks beneath the surface of many guitars is a bundle of mysterious inconsistencies and trying to estimate repair costs for these can be like making a jigsaw in the dark using pieces from seven different puzzles. Cut your repairer some slack if you open your guitar case and their face looks like that weirdly pained, weary face emoji.