Luthier for tricky headstock repair?

[Groyniad]

On falling in its case onto a hard floor, it split in the same place it split the first time (when I pulled it off its stand on a marble patio). The second glue-job is failing (see picture). It needs splines as well as glueing now I believe.
Any ideas about where / to whom - I should send it for repair?
cheers

[deacon Mark]

No panic where do you live to recommend someone we might know. The crack looks fairly straightforward seen much worse. What is the guitar make and model? My thought is clean it up good. Get rid of all old glue and simply reglue it. To me splines and such not needed when crack is like this. Glue holds but depends on the guitar?

[Groyniad]

it's a heritage sweet 16 - and its the best ax I've ever had

I live in the Caribbean - so could send anywhere in the states I think

[deacon Mark]

it's a heritage sweet 16 - and its the best ax I've ever had

I live in the Caribbean - so could send anywhere in the states I think

Well given you are on East side I would send the guitar to Curt Wilson at Old School guitar repair. He is probably at least someone who will get it back together with no issues and he is a great fellow. See this he is New Jersey.
Old School Guitar Repair » Why “Old School”?

[Jabberwocky]

I commiserate with you, Groyniad. Guess the Titebond-looks like it-didn't hold the first time round.

I like this guy because it appears that he does really good work. woodfordinstruments .

[Franz 1997]

It's been glued twice, and the second glue job is clearly failing. Groyniad uses quite heavy strings. If it were mine, I'd find it difficult to trust a 3rd glue-only job, even if all the old glue could be removed completely, which is itself questionable . Splines seem like a good idea to me on a guitar like this, even though obviously more expensive. Was the original glue tite-bond or some local plastic concoction? Who knows..

[Groyniad]

this is what the luthier Deacon Mark recommended said in his reply

My concern is that since there was a failure after using vinyl glue it will probably fail again so there wouldn’t be any warranty. Typically you have one opportunity to fix the headstock.

[Groyniad]

I hope to goodness this is a pessimistic assessment....

thanks for the recommendation jabs.

[Franz 1997]

I hope to goodness this is a pessimistic assessment....

thanks for the recommendation jabs.

The woodford intruments guy from the jabs vid demonstrates the use of splines well. Surely that's obviously the way to go, now that a 3rd glue-only job seems unlikely to succeed?

[Marinero]

A quick comment . . . friends of the musician who owned the guitar couldn't understand why he would pay more for a repair by a luthier than a new guitar would cost. Answer: many of us have emotional attachments to an instrument with which we've spent a lot of time. The newest instrument I own is 18 years old; the oldest: 56 years. If only instruments could talk!
Play live . . . Marinero

[Groyniad]

I've contacted the Woodford repair guy - what a video!

I think the guy from the traditional repair shop recommended by Deacon Mark has a very particular perspective....

I'm seriously hoping the Woodford chap (who seems ultra-serious and knowledgeable) takes on the job

losing this thing is not an option for me