Super glue plays an important role in many types of guitar repair. At our shop, we use it in dozens of ways, but unless you understand its properties and know how to handle it safely, you can wind up in trouble in a matter of seconds. Let’s spend some time exploring super glue and ways to use it effectively in common projects.
Some background.
Super glue is cyanoacrylate, a fast-acting adhesive commonly referred to as CA glue. You’ll find it marketed under various names—Super Glue, Krazy Glue, Gorilla Glue, Hot Stuff, etc.—and it’s widely used in manufacturing, woodworking, medical, dental, forensic, and automotive fields. Super glue is basically an acrylic resin that dries quickly.
Super glue is sold in various thicknesses that range from “water thin” to a thick gel. It’s important to choose the correct thickness for a given project. For example, thin and ultra-thin formulas flow into tiny spaces and dry instantly, which makes them useful for gluing in a string nut or seating loose frets—two applications we’ll examine in a moment.
A medium formula is great for repairing fretboard cracks. Because it’s thicker, it dries a little slower and this gives you a bit more time to work when you’re fixing split wood.
With the consistency of honey, the thick gel formula works as a gap filler. We also use it to repair chips in polyurethane or UV-cured finishes. Thick super glue can take up to five minutes to dry.
Typically super glue is clear, but Stewart-MacDonald also offers it in both black and transparent amber. We often use these colored super glues in the shop for touch-up projects.
Most super glue manufacturers also sell a spray accelerant that makes drying time nearly instantaneous. Photo 1 shows different types of super glue, as well as spray accelerant and applicator whip tips—small, flexible, hollow extensions that attach to the glue bottle’s nozzle.
Safety first.
When working on a guitar, super glue can be your best friend or worst enemy.
So before we go any further, let’s review the basic rules.
Always wear safety glasses when using super glue. Early in my career I learned the importance of eye protection: After splashing glue in my eyes, I had to dash to the emergency room. Don’t make that mistake.
Never touch your face when you have glue on your fingers. You can remove glue from your fingers using super glue solvent or fingernail polish remover.
Like water, super glue—especially the thin formulas—will accumulate at the lowest elevation, so always position the guitar to prevent the glue from moving away from where you apply it. For example, when touching up the finish on a guitar, make sure that area of the guitar is level. If it’s tilted, the glue will run to the lowest spot and create a mess.
Always have a cotton swab in your hand, ready to remove excess glue. But remember, you have to do this quickly or otherwise the swab can stick to the glue.
A clean applicator tip can make the difference between a job well done and a big mess. Applicator tips make it easy to apply the glue precisely where you want, instead of splashing it all over the guitar, and you can use them as they come or trim them down to whatever size you need. Suppliers like Stewart-MacDonald and All Parts sell applicator tips with their glues. Keep a pack or two on hand so you don’t run out in the middle of a project.
Finally, slow down and pay attention to what you’re gluing. Rushing through a super glue project is a recipe for disaster.
Okay, clear on the rules? Cool—we’re now ready to tackle two projects.
Securing a string nut.
This is one of the most common uses for super glue. Many manufacturers put glue on the bottom of the string nut before setting it in the slot, but I use a different technique. I apply a small amount of ultra-thin or thin formula to the “face” of the nut—the area where it meets the end of the fretboard.
Photo 2
Here’s why: When it’s time to replace the nut, you can more easily remove it and avoid damaging the slot. It’s a way to think ahead to make this project easier for the next tech that has to work on the guitar. If a nut has been glued in from the bottom, removing it can rip pieces of wood out of the slot. Use the 1st and 6th strings to hold down the nut and align it with the fretboard. Then apply one drop of ultra-thin or thin super glue to the face of the nut between the 3rd and 4th strings (Photo 2).
Photo 3
The glue will run along the nut and penetrate the small space between it and the edge of the fretboard. Use a cotton swab to clean up the excess (Photo 3).
Seating a fret.
Photo 4
Drastic changes in temperature and humidity can cause frets to become unseated in rosewood or ebony fretboards. When a fret pops up, I gently tap it down with a fretting hammer, and then seal it with ultra-thin super glue (Photo 4).
Photo 5
Quickly clean up the excess glue with a cotton swab (Photo 5).
And if that doesn’t do the trick, use a razor blade to gently scrape the dried glue off the fretboard (Photo 6).
You can use super glue for many other guitar repairs, so stay tuned for more projects in an upcoming column.
[Updated 1/25/22]
Phat Machine
The Phat Machine
The Phat Machine is designed to deliver the tone and responsiveness of a vintage germanium fuzz with improved temperature stability with no weird powering issues. Loaded with both a germanium and a silicon transistor, the Phat Machine offers the warmth and cleanup of a germanium fuzz but with the bite of a silicon pedal. It utilizes classic Volume and Fuzz control knobs, as well as a four-position Thickness control to dial-in any guitar and amp combo. Also included is a Bias trim pot and a Kill switch that allows battery lovers to shut off the battery without pulling the input cord.
Silk Worm Deluxe Overdrive
The Silk Worm Deluxe -- along with its standard Volume/Gain/Tone controls -- has a Bottom trim pot to dial in "just the right amount of thud with no mud at all: it’s felt more than heard." It also offers a Studio/Stage diode switch that allows you to select three levels of compression.
Both pedals offer the following features:
- 9-volt operation via standard DC external supply or internal battery compartment
- True bypass switching with LED indicator
- Pedalboard-friendly top mount jacks
- Rugged, tour-ready construction and super durable powder coated finish
- Made in the USA
Static Effectors’ Street Series pedals carry a street price of $149 each. They are available at select retailers and can also be purchased directly from the Static Effectors online store at www.staticeffectors.com.
Galloup’s Plek tech Adam Winarski preps a Yamaha acoustic for the machine.
Presently, many certified guitar-repair specialists possess the expertise required to deliver an instrument that both sounds and plays wonderfully. The standards set by manufacturers and distributors have significantly risen, safeguarded by rigorous quality protocols to guarantee the best possible acoustic experience for customers. Additionally, lutherie training has raised the bar for critical processes, and one of the most tricky is fretwork.
Traditional fretwork once involved manual labor, with technicians utilizing sandbags or similar supports to steady the neck as they straightened it with a truss rod during the filing process. A notable advancement in this field came in the mid 1970s when Don Teeter, an author and repair expert, imposed a new method: fixing the guitar body to the bench and using blocks to maintain the neck in a playing position. This refinement was one of many in the continued quest to produce superior instruments by standardized methods.
An example of the Plek’s readings from an acoustic guitar.
Photo courtesy of Galloup Guitars
In the late 1970s, another pivotal innovation was introduced by Dan Erlewine. He created an advanced fret jig with a specialized body-holding system and neck supports, adding another layer of precision to the repair process. During my collaboration with Dan in 1985, we developed a rotating neck jig that counterbalanced the forces of gravity, keeping the instrument in its playing orientation while adjusting the neck supports. This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry. By 1986, our approach had evolved into a freestanding workstation coupled with a sophisticated hold-down mechanism and enhanced neck supports, culminating in increased accuracy, efficiency, and consistency. Over the decades, the Erlewine/Galloup rotating neck jig has become a benchmark in numerous shops, enhancing fretwork performance.
"This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry."
By the 1990s, automated and computerized technologies permeated the guitar manufacturing and repair sectors. Initially applied by import companies in the mass production of guitars, the technology, although expediting processes, did not immediately achieve high execution standards. However, the tech dramatically improved over time, with computer-driven systems eventually transforming the industry. Contemporary automated production utilizing such advancements meets exceedingly high standards of precision. Some bespoke guitar manufacturers, such as Steve Andersen, were pioneers in adopting these methods, but it was companies like Taylor that established them in the modern era.
Inevitably, the progression of technology extended beyond the mere production of parts. Around 1995, German engineer Gerd Anke envisioned the integration of computer-assisted technology into enhancing instrument playability, giving rise to Plek technology, which uses computers to precisely measure and analyze the various components of a guitar, like neck relief, fret height, nut and bridge specs, and more. Nashville guitar-repair tech Joe Glaser was among the first to recognize the machine’s value, followed by San Francisco luthier Gary Brawer. When Heritage Guitar Inc. invested in a Plek machine, the guitar industry could no longer disregard the significance of this innovation.
“The machine’s scanning data confirmed that there was one nature of an ideal fret plane, done by hand or machine, and unsurprisingly, it conformed exactly to what physics predicts, not personal mojo.”
In the spring of 2022, Galloup Guitars obtained its first Plek machine. Promptly, our technician Adam Winarski paved the way for the Plek’s integration in our shop. Now, it’s a rarity for an instrument to leave our shop without having undergone Plek analysis and machining. Impressed by the results of our integration, we created “Intro to Plek” as a course for all students enrolled at the Galloup School of Lutherie, offering our students a practical introduction to this technology. We furthered this educational initiative with a comprehensive one-week intensive “Plek Certification Training Course” for both students and the public. This advanced Plek course serves those seeking to boost their knowledge base and employability in this high-precision field.
Plek is rapidly becoming an industry standard for major manufacturers and smaller shops alike. However, this does not mean that those without access to this technology cannot execute proficient fretwork. Personally, I continue to use my Erlewine/Galloup neck jig—not only out of nostalgia, but also because it remains an excellent method for delivering accurate and reliable guitars. Still, it’s undeniable that the process of fretting, fret dressing, and analytics of fretted instruments has undergone significant transformation, resulting in better sounding—and playing—guitars. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.